To Beta or not to Beta
Why the hell haven’t I been invited to any of the recent PS3 Betas?Published 15/10/2008 at 12:56 by stefhutch20
Got into any of the invitation only betas? Me neither.
It’s my understanding that the invitations for recent betas of numerous games were given to those gamers who use the PlayStation Network most regularly. But if that’s the case, why the hell haven’t I been invited to any of them?
I’m talking of course, of betas for upcoming games such as Home, Killzone 2, LittleBigPlanet, Resistance 2 and the MotorStorm: Pacific Rift demo. If you were lucky enough to have been invited to any of these, then consider yourself one of the luckiest people in the world, or possibly just Europe. Either way, you’re lucky. Well, luckier than me at least.
Apart from when I’m at University or sleeping, I’m almost literally online on the PS3 all the time, if not on a game then listening to music or watching a video. And yet I haven’t been invited to any of the above betas. Not even the MotorStorm demo. How embarrassing.
Personally, I feel a little let down by SCEE with this. But what I really want to know is have any of you not been invited to any betas? And if you haven’t, do you feel as annoyed by SCEE as I do, or am I just being my over-exaggerating, hyperbolic self?
Comments
Please note that all comments are the opinion of the individual author and not TheSixthAxis.
nofi | 15/10/2008 12:59
Wants a custom tag.
4301 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
I get what you’re saying, it’s a tricky one. There’s definitely some random magic going on though, as with the Motorstorm 2 demo a friend of mine that HAD NEVER BOUGHT A SINGLE PSN GAME got the invite, get another who buys loads of stuff didn’t, which I think is really unfair.
Sony should be rewarding those that put the money and time in, because it’s those people that will play the demo/beta more and give better feedback.
pvwradtke | 15/10/2008 13:41
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222 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
Feels just the same. I buy about 50%-70% of the original PSN games and, so far, couldn’t get into any of the beta programs
.
Metalgsean | 15/10/2008 13:05
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1 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
Yeah im annoyed too, my Playstation tends to be on roughly 15hrs a day if im working, now that i have playtv as well as all the other stuff it just doesnt get turned off. I have brought lots and lots of things from the store, i have over 200 trophys, over 30 games and i chat to people all the time on the psn. But do i get a beta, NO! I shudder to think how much money ive spent on my PS3, wouldnt kill em to invite me to one little beta would it now!
BrendanCalls | 15/10/2008 13:12
Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc - YOHIMBÉ!!!
1417 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
I can’t say I feel too cheated but then maybe I dont log in enough, I log in 5 -6 days a week for about 4 hours a time. I don’t know if thats enough, but what i do know is that if I had access to a beta, I would be giving it as much attention as possible. Hopefully when the next open beta is released which is apparently gonna be Resistance 2 then I get an invite
bantam | 15/10/2008 13:14
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Guess I’ve been pretty lucky so far got into the Motorstorm 2 one (but really it’s a 1 level demo) through invitation and then blagged a US beta key for LBP.
Doesn’t seem like there is any particular selection criteria to it. My PS3 does get logged on every day onto PSN but I tend to play more single player games than multiplayer and haven’t really been asked to feedback in either case. Not sure what they are trying to achieve other than building hype.
seedaripper1973 | 16/10/2008 11:56
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er…are you me???
in all fairness, i was begiging to feel a bit robbed about not getting into ‘betas’, then suddenly motorstorm dropped in my mail box (i coulda expressed an interest-but cant rememebr) so somewhat shocked by that.
little big planet though was a different story (i literally was trolling ANY LBP sites in order to garner the beta)trying eurogamer (telling all my friends then promptly forgetting – never mind the yanks nickin em) adding sackboy on facebook, usPSforums, older gamer etc..it did EVENTUALLY pay off!! then my internet was cut via virgin so very little play (can i say cunts,as its the only logical term i can come up for such a useless IP)im currently doing the same with KZ2, socom and home…luck of the draw or painstaking devotion?
typical sods law either way
Michael | 15/10/2008 13:17
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I’ve not received any invites either and I was gutted at the time. But, thinking about it, I don’t use the PS3 that much so perhaps I shouldn’t be too surprised. Although, nofi’s response makes me think I was just really unlucky.
seedaripper1973 | 16/10/2008 16:20
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you dont use the ps3 that much??!! (ah you write/post on here for a laugh eh?)
ddraegcymru | 15/10/2008 13:17
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I don’t know how they work it out either to be honest, I have the home beta, and I was invited because like you said I was ‘one of their most active users’ I wouldn’t have thought I used it more than anyone else.
I had my ps3 on release day, march whatever it was last year. I downloaded nearly all of the demos that get released on thursdays etc, but that’s about it, whenever i turn it on i’m online, so I don’t know. I don’t play online ps3 games that much, apart from warhawk – about 30 hours. But other than that, I don’t know! I think they base it on logged in online time and general store purchases/downloads??
gaffers101 | 15/10/2008 13:17
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300 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
We should be able to register our interest in signing up for Beta’s and hope to get selected from that list.
AddictedAndy | 15/10/2008 13:50
PS3Addict
489 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
You can!
http://www.homebetatrial.com/
https://beta.myresistance.net/en-us/SignIn?url=%2fen-us%2fapply
The was an official Sony page too, asking for general applcications non-specific to individual games.
You just have to keep an eye out on the web! Prob is these days every man and his dog have a blog!
Despite registering I haven’t got into any! Got the SOCOM beta from Eurogamer giveaway but it didn’t work. If you pre order Resistance 2 from Play.com they are sending out open beta codes tomorrow
3shirts | 15/10/2008 13:58
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2486 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
That Home beta page hasn’t changed in well over a year!
Shrui | 15/10/2008 13:25
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I think Sony need to redefine what they are sending out. Some of these seem to be purely promotional.
The Motorstorm ‘beta’ was a demo to build some hype.
LBP was revealed as being an older build of the game and any issues in it were already being addressed (I think the game went gold very soon after the beta started if not before). So what were they testing? At best the online servers but they don’t need user feedback for that, they can monitor it themselves. I suspect it was the same as Motorstorm so they could build the hype some more.
Home ‘beta’ is similar to Battleground Heroes, they will slowly ramp up the the servers.
I’ve not had invites to the other ones so can’t comment on those.
What’s my point? Well the question (or complaint) is why are you not on the ‘beta’ when you’ve put in so much PSN time?
Well if they are looking for proper beta testers they would post online forms to complete like they do on other games (mainly on PC) where you have to apply to take part based on your testing history and time you can commit to the project.
Sending out random invites would dilute a serious test that requires user feedback which is why I have serious doubts as that being the reason. So why call it a beta? Sounds better than “we’re sending out invites at random for a demo t build hype instead of just letting everyone try it at the same time or alienating a lot of our user base”.
I know the initial news stories about them referred to being sent to heavy PSN users but thats only slightly more useful than random invites. The kid down the street might use PSN a lot but does that make him a good testing candidate?
So on the ones I’ve seen compared to betas I’ve been in on PC (including Planetside, last two weeks of beta they let pretty much anyone with an email address in to get folk interested and test the servers) I think its marketing bullshit and random luck.
crow-sama | 15/10/2008 19:10
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Well said
seedaripper1973 | 16/10/2008 16:26
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1727 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Here’s a concur, as well
crack398 | 15/10/2008 13:26
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166 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
the only demo i got was the motorstorm 2 demo i was so excited but it was crap so i was left feeling dissapointed
morrelli43 | 15/10/2008 13:38
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0 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
I got the invite for the Motorstorm demo randomly through my email.. I mean.. I’m on PSN every day..I bought about 40%-50% of buy-able things on there and am fairly active on the Playstation forum.. but I received the code through my email and used the redeem code to download it, thought nothing of it and deleted it within about 2hrs.. Anyways more interestingly I was looking over that email there now and saw this…. he he
This voucher is valid for use until October 11, 2008. After that time, you will be able to download the demo version of MotorStorm Pacific Rift when the download is made available on PLAYSTATION®Store.
tut tut tut.. must be out on the next store update, cross fingers..
oh and I was going to ask a question to all those people testing home beta.. Have you registered your console online? (the whole serial code on the back of the machine thingy) perhaps that is something that bumps up your percentage of getting picked for beta tests..i dunno, just a thought..
Jas-n | 15/10/2008 13:44
Folding With TSA Co-ordinator.
1218 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
I think when they mean those most active on the SN, i think they mean those who haven’t ben at all active, it seems like most people are on a lot, and hardly any of us get into any of these things.
discharge | 15/10/2008 14:07
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Does anyone remember the PS3 launch at Virgin in Oxford street, if not check out the you tube video of a girl called shanie, she was 3rd in line, well that girl has been on my PSN friends list for a while now and she has had Home, littlebigplanet,killzone2 ,resistance 2, playing everyday for over a month now!
I’ve only had motorstorm 2 so far
3shirts | 15/10/2008 14:12
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2486 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
And she got a free TV? Excuse my French but what a bitch
tanner9 | 15/10/2008 14:47
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I remember her and the guy who was first in line, I wish I went to Virgin Megastores that night, no I had to be smart and preorder from Argos
Still, I bought a Sony Bravia after 4 months. I haven’t received any beta testing as well, and I’m a Sony (nevermind Playstation) fanboy!
BTW what is Shanie’s PS3-ID?
Spotter5 | 15/10/2008 14:19
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I got the motorstorm 2 demo, LBP beta and the socom beta… and today i got an email from the call of duty 5 website giving me a xbox360 beta code lol
and i have a mac
alpha47 | 15/10/2008 14:19
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0 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
I have been lucky enough to take part in three beta testings for the ps3 and the early build of MotorStrorm.
MGO- Preorder
Confrontation- Preorder and Qore
MotorStorm- Qore
Home- Theme application
stefhutch20 | 15/10/2008 14:36
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Glad to see I’m not alone in feeling like this – Not only am I online all the time, but like a lot of you, I must have spent getting on for £200 altogether on games and add-ons since launch day. Not impressed SCEE. Not impressed at all.
Los Havros | 15/10/2008 20:52
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I feel your pain. Exactly the same with me. I’d like SCEE to define just exactly what an ‘active’ user is on the PSN. Ridiculous.