Deeply confused

You have to get the drengin game manager...not sure of the link myself. When you get that, you fill in your account information, connect, and then click 'show betas' and it will appear in the games section.

So the only way to get the Beta is to buy it...correct?

The game looks pretty cool, but I feel weird paying to beta test software.
I als owouldn't have asked this question here, but I can't seem to find a FAQ anywhere. Can somebody point in the direction of one?

Got it. Thanks much.

Rico,

You are paying for the finished game plus updates for the duration of your subscription to drengin.net and for the enjoyment of testing the beta builds and influencing the final shape of the game.

I don't know of any FAQs but the encyclopedia (left button at the top of this forum screen) is, in my opinion, much better. It includes descriptions of the concepts of the game, a rough draft of the user document, descriptions of the computer players, and much more, but especially the conditions you face at the start of the game (including a hint of what you must do to win the game). You can also check out the screen shots (right button at the top of this forum screen) to get an idea of what the game's graphics look like.

I am enjoying this beta immensely, and I take a rather perverse pleasure in being able to gather objective documentation that helps the StarDock people understand and track down the more dificult to define bugs/deficiencies/concept problems/etc. in the game.

If you like the concept of turn based strategy games GalCiv is a sure thing. So why not get in on the fun now?

Cheers,

My two cents, I'm VERY glad I bought GalCiv when I did. I've only been in on it for the last two "revisions" to the beta, but the developers are really listening to the users...I've seen several suggestions from these forums eventually implemented into the game (like some of the UP issues).

I wish more software companies would follow this model on some of their products.

"... but the developers are really listening to the users...". This is one of the reasons I am so impressed with Stardock. I don't know of any game developer that pays anywhere near as much attention to their customers as Stardock. I was totally turned off on CIV 3 because of the developer's response to some very major draw backs the game has.

It's real exciting to watch them respond to our suggestions and they surprise us with new ideas all the time. I'd trade all the software people at work for any one of them!!!

I think to the Stardock guys, Galactic Civilization is more than just a game back in the OS/2 days Galactic Civilization was one of the products that got their company noticed. Its is almost an icon of the company and they want the best program possible.

I do appreciate the answers and while I can see where you are coming from... I just can't see paying somebody to do their job for them. Remember Tom Sawyer and the white picket fence?

To me this is just the next step in the evoloution of buggy software. I understand you get the full game when it comes out, but you are basically doing the devs jobs for them by testing this game out AND you are paying them to do it.


Its a disturbing trend that I hope does not catch on.

Now that I said my piece, I will leave your message board. I hope you guys have fun with the game and I hope it turns out to be a good product, but there is no way I will pay somebody to do their job for them. Its the same as paying the garbage man to let you pick up your garbage and throw it in the truck while he stands by watching.

Interesting comments by Riko. But I think he has missed the point. I didn't pay for the game in order to beta test. I pre-ordered the game, just like I do with others, so I don't have to hang around the store waiting for it to be released.

With this pre-order though, I get the chance to see how the game is comming along in development. If there is something that I thing might improve the game when it is done I can make comments on it and those comments may lead to a better game!

No one is forcing me to beta test and make detailed reports on the workings and bugs of the game.

I think you missed the ship Riko, and a pretty good ship it's turning out to be!

When you have to pay to do something, you really have to care about it enough to pay the price. People who don't have to pay that price don't care enough about what's going on to stay with it and do their very best.

I like the betas being pay-to-play because you get the people who are really going to stay with this no matter what. Anybody can sign on, but few are willing to pay the price to do it.

If Stardock was treating us like other betas you might have a point....but they are not, they are treating us like developers because we are willing to give our best.....even if it looks nuts at times. This model works....and I believe its revolutionary.

As a side note, all our games have been done this way.

Additionally, Empire Earth was done this way (so have quite a few other games). It's not a new thing.

Users aren't paying to beta test. They are pre-ordering the game. Except they also get a first crack at the game to make their own suggestions.

As a gamer, I'd rather be able to put together wish lists BEFORE the game is done than after release and hope the game does well enough for my ideas to get put into some sequel (That I'd then have to pay again for).