In a recent interview with Gamepro Magazine, Cliff Bleszinski let his opinions all hang out, giving us yet another Cliff’ism with the following statements:
A beta is like hooking up with a girl just to say, “yeah, I f*cked her.” I know that sounds crude, but it’s the honest-to-God truth. Once you play a beta, you can check it off your list — you can say, “yeah, I played it.” Then you might not feel motivated to get that initial cherry popping from the proper, final game.
Seriously? Seriously, Cliff is no stranger to controversy. Throughout the years of working as Lead Designer at Epic Games, Cliff has come to know the next level of gaming celebrity as his image and personality propelled him into the spotlight.
As with all celebrities, controversy is never far behind and Cliff’s honest and upfront personality has put him in the thick of many unique statements and experiences.
His first title was The Palace of Deceit: Dragon’s Plight, released by himself in 1991 at the age of seventeen through his self-owned game company Game Syndicate Productions. He sent it to Epic Megagames, who offered him to make another title. That became Dare to Dream (1993). He has been with the company since, designing several other games for franchises such as Jazz Jackrabbit, Unreal and Gears of War.
Now, back to the topic at hand; What are your thoughts on this statement? Do you feel that open betas are more about personal achievements and less about helping the game company?
SOUND OFF!
November 5th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Lol…that sounds like somthing he would say. It was a bit crass, but it illustrated his point. For me, open betas are not about personal acheivments. If I play them, it is because I can’t wait to get my hands on the game any longer than I have to. Playing a beta would never cause me to be less stoked about the full game.
November 5th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
To SOME degree I get where he is coming from. Then again, it could also propel you to want to play the game even more if you just get a taste of it before it’s released to the public. For example, I’m currently playing WotLK beta and I cannot WAIT until it officially comes out in order to see what they settled on and to get the servers full of anxious gamers!
November 5th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I’m more of a wait 2 weeks after it comes out to read the reviews and see if it sucks type person.
I’ve never played a beta, and varely rarely do I play demos.
November 5th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
and I made up a new word, varely, that’s a combination of “very” and “really”
November 5th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I’m so using varely from now on!
November 5th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Wow, that sounded quite… harsh
But I get (and buy) his point. I’m not the usual “I play games because I like them” person. Rather, I’m often obsessed analyzing how they did something or how they’re using a resource or technique (close friends can back me up with this statement).
That said, I’m neither a usual person at all. Most people I know who have been beta testers request for beta versions just to say they’re beta testers. Seriously, it shouldn’t be about playing the game first, but to help the company create something great and as bug-free as possible. From a developer point of view, this philosophy drives me a bit mad. They shouldn’t frivolize (if that word actually exists) with a privilege often reserved to only a few, with the company’s resources and hopes put on them.
Summarizing, as “macho” as Cliff sounds, I think he’s right, hands down.
November 5th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Stardock disagrees with that.
Then again, they use their betas as an incentive to pre-order, you pre-order, you get access to the beta, and get to influence how the game turns out.
November 5th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
That makes sense in a way. However, the nature (technically speaking) of a beta version is to polish the last-time bugs and small tweaks (to the gameplay in this case), not to incentive sales. Maybe the line between a closed beta and a pre-release (finished) version is too blurry in this case. To be honest, I support both, but probably they’re mixing too much today. Call me “old school guy”, but in my honest opinion, beta versions are for beta testers willing to help, and pre-gold versions are for early players, just that.
November 6th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
LOL….makes me wanna cry.
As for beta testing. I think the concept of open Beta has really lost it’s meaning. Beta used to be restriceted to invite only (and you had to send a resume or portfolio) and you had to write a report after playing for X hours. Open beta today, like beta for WoW-WotLK, is more about, as Cliff infers, playing with something untouched and then tossing it away cause you’ve done it.
Sure, with some of the old school betas, if you were lucky, you got a honorable mention (or, perhaps, a credit) but it was about making the game better, not about achievements….but that was back in the day when a defined plot was required.
Open betas are really about one thing: gathering as much data as possible to identify potential flaws/cheats. Some people sign up to say they were part of it. I’ve done it (in the past), I admit. It’s not pretty, but it’s cheap and gives a really quick result (sorta like our SATs).