PTA - what is it? The abbreviation stands for "closed beta testing." It is one of the important steps to release a project. As a rule, a limited number of players are allowed on this test. The goal is to identify bugs. More details in the article.
About PTA
What is closed beta testing? This event is for a narrow circle of people. As a rule, journalists and gamers are allowed, who have long been frenzied fanatics of the creations of a particular developer. That is, those who have a clear curiosity for the game. But it should immediately be said that there can be either exceptions, or the person who received the invitation to the CBT is on friendly terms with the developers, or just lucky.
In any case, the participants in the event undertake not to disclose the details of the new project and sign the relevant documentation (in most cases).
It happens that participants do not fulfill the promise. Indeed, many online publications promise great fees for such information.
Revelation online
The MMO RPG game in Russia is localized by Mail.ru Group. PTA Revelation started in 2016, popular streamers, well-known gaming communities (such as guilds), representatives of gaming magazines and just lucky ones could get there. The developers established a game line in which they had to stay for about 10 minutes before getting into the game.
Such measures were required to ensure the passage of a limited number of people in order to avoid a server crash.
Keys for PTA can:
- buy (sold for 250 rubles);
- win the competition (for example, draw a comic book);
- get on free distribution (the quantity was strictly limited).
It was also possible to purchase an early access kit to be among the first to enter the world of Revelation.
Stages of CBT
Testing was divided into three stages. Dates were posted on the official website. The first stage started on October 12, 2016. It is worth saying that in itself beta testing does not aim to get any pleasure from the game. This is just a bug tracking system. The participants were “armed” with programs for making videos, screenshots, and so on - all in order to notify the developers of the error found as soon as possible. There was a minimum of locations, and even less functionality. A lot of bugs were revealed in the cross-browser system in the framework of the first stage of the CBT.
What is cross-browser compatibility, many understand - it is the correct display and operation of a project in different browsers.
Second phase
This started on November 10th. Many expected the event impatiently, since, according to the developers, all the errors identified at the first stage were taken into account, the geometry of the levels was carefully worked out, PvE instances (Eclipse Tower and Dragon Hook) were added, PvP locations (Stone Plateau ”And“ Shimmering Valley ”). The Raid Underground Bastion mode also appeared, in which ten people could take part.
For the first time, players were able to start building their own base, as well as reaching level 21 they promised a quick upgrade to the 50th.
Third stage
The final stage of the Revelation PTA started on December 6, 2016. Participants were able to complete tasks from level 50 and above, received gold equipment of the same level, a huge number of bronze feathers and many other interesting and useful achievements.
PvE mode has been complemented by a variety of events, a new Mashinarium map and training camps.
In PvP, daily quests and two new locations were added: “Snow Peak” and “Islands of a Broken Star”.
For the first time, online weddings between players were announced, as well as a store with a diverse assortment.
The third phase of the CBT Revelation was the final one. It ended on December 10, 2016, and the developers smoothly started preparing a more significant event.
MBT
PTA ended. What is the open beta testing of Revelation, players learned on December 26, 2016 - ten days after the end of closed tests.
This type of testing is already a significant step forward. Represents more intensive use of a company's product. A larger number of players participate, since access does not require any special tricks - just download the game client and make sure that the computer meets the system requirements.
Skeptics describe this stage of the beta test as a collective insanity of the game's fans with the aim of snatching some kind of “goodies” among the first.
In fact, if a game project has survived to the stage of an open beta test, it means a lot. Indeed, often unsuccessful undertakings are curtailed even in closed stages and go into the stage of deep freezing.
The start of open tests is often called the unofficial release of a game project. Few survive the official release - all because of the wipe. In other words, this is a reset of all indicators in the official release. Only the most stubborn and obsessed with the project gamers after that do not bang their heads on the keyboard, cursing the developers for wasted time, top-end weapons and a lot of good that has gone nowhere.
Therefore, “wipes” are far from being in all projects, and if they are carried out, then players receive very useful items, which partially compensates for the growing fury, and sometimes even helps to completely eliminate discontent.
Conclusion
The history of the gaming industry knows many cases when a game that successfully survived all stages of testing, a wipe and an official release turned out to be a failed initiative and closed anyway. An example of this is the Oversun Media Era 13 project.
The game narrated about the post-apocalypse, and according to the mechanics of the battle something reminded of Disciples. The company had every chance to release a very high-quality product to the world market, but something went wrong. What exactly - few people know. It is known that there was not one wipe, but two. After the second, the number of players increased sharply, and in less than a month updates stopped being released and the project was closed.
It is not known whether there was a CBT. What is the MBT of this game, gamers learned already in the process when, at first, the chats were littered with questions about a new attractive project.
In other words, everything is in the hands of developers. A high-quality and interesting game with an exciting plot and after three wipes will hold the necessary number of players. For example, in Lineage, gamers were simply confronted with the fact that a particular server is shutting down. But a mass exodus of players leading to the closure of the project was not observed.