Needed: Cosmetic Rewards for Beta Testing
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Hello all,
after a long and productive discussion in Discord, I would like to address a topic today that is of real concern to me and some players I know.
The way the beta is currently managed from a developer's point of view, it plays like a typical non-wipe beta: there is no specific help to test as much as possible (e.g. KP rests, more frequent stat resets, spawn events, etc), nor is the progression rate intentionally adjusted or increased, etc; furthermore, there is reactive bugfixing of urgent issues (e.g. Siege mechanics), giving the appearance of simulating as regular a gameplay as possible - which I don't think is wrong in itself.
However, this fact and the fact that the closed beta it taking like at least 6 more month lead to my current finding:
For me, playing FO currently feels like Sysyphos work. I invest hours into the game, try things out, make suggestions - and then get the wipe hammer at the end, so by investing countless hours and my lifetime I got nothing but the feeling of having somewhat supported the development of the game. And some diverting fun (to note that again: I really like the game and have fun - but real fun in MMORPGS also and especially comes from persistency). For this reason I, and not only I, if everything remains as it is now (a beta that feels like it is a non-wipe beta and at the same time the impending wipe hammer in MONTHS), will certainly in 1-2 weeks at most lose the motivation to actively participate in the beta and, until the Go Live takes place, play other games again where I will not lose my entire investment without compensation.
However, there would be a very simple solution to this problem that would motivate me, and certainly other players, to be active throughout the closed beta and thereby not only provide a share to improve the game, but also keep the population high, which will certainly be an important part, also to test, for example, new features and especially new worlds and the underlying mechanics. This simple solution is:
Introduce cosmetic items or skins or something similar, which players will receive for their engagement in the beta in the live version. Examples could be mounts, weapon skins, colors, house decorations and the like. However, these cosmetic items should be (IMPORTANTLY) tiered so that participation in the beta alone is not enough to receive them. Possibilities to realize this would be e.g. (pure mind game) the introduction of 10 Beta Cosmetics, which can be unlocked by different IG Achievements... for example one Achievement for 40 IG hours, another one for 80.000 KP, another one for bringing a town to level 10, etc. Of course, the Achievements have to be increasingly difficult to achieve and especially reward a) game time and b) player performance. In addition, it is important that there is an assurance on the part of the devs that these cosmetic items can only be purchased in the closed beta, and that they cannot be unlocked later, for example, through a cash store or similar.
I would therefore like to address my urgent appeal at this point to the developers to thoroughly reconsider my idea, if the goal is to be a well-populated beta world, in which real motivation for a time investment (which is needed!) arises.
Thanks!
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Of course, I haven't read all of your text, but I can say something similar:
I am a Russian user and I was deprived of the opportunity to test the game, which I am extremely dissatisfied with, let them compensate me with skins, at least donat currency, at least something.
You shouldn't take closed beta testing as a job - it's all voluntary. If you didn't like the game, you would have abandoned it long ago at this stage of testing.
I just want to say that don't force yourself to play too much to achieve something, but play for pleasure and then write your feedback.
As a person who writes about bugs in all possible games, I understand you - "there is a reward for finding a bug," but the game is now at a slightly different stage of the game
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We already have a tiered cosmetic reward system, which is called "The Foundation" and offers exactly what is expected. Skins, mounts, decorations for the house, pets, titles... that kind of stuff.
It is currently being used for promoting out of game activities, like sharing the news on socials, using the forum, keeping yourself updated with news and so on.
I agree that it would certainly be an important boon to the game if it were possible to gain foundation points by completing ingame activities.
We could have points for unlocking full talents, or collecting pages, or finding all resources, or participating in raids... all the activities that require active testing.
I don't know though if that is actually feasible.
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@spoletta I think it will require some (not a lot, but some) work and thinking around the best solution, but in my opinion this is time well spent if the beta should not die out in a matter of weeks.
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@spoletta This is certainly a good offer, but what will they give to people whose Foundation level is exceeded? For example, I have Foundation level 659, and the awards are designed for level 250, what will the old ones give?
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hasn't even been out two weeks yet. I know it seems like given how many hours we play, but tomorrow is the week "anniversary"
There's still a myriad of technical bugs. Adv Smelters dont work. Many sets dont work properly. Aerhen is still only 1/4 finished.
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Although I appreciate the allure of free stuff for simply playing the beta, I personally would rather that development time go into the growth of the core game.
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@Kazzier I second this. The Foundation system 'as is' is pretty rewarding, even if it stops at around 250 (I'm past that) and they can of course add to the rewards later in the Beta with contests and special Forum Titles, like they offered for some things in Alpha.
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I'm only at 151 now and happy with the rewards given. My Wolfkin riding a Wolf seems right somehow.
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The foundation system is okay, but its only based on rl marketing activities, not on your active participation in the closed beta.. and this feels very wrong and shady, like some kind of multi level pyramid scheme..
And: The world is getting more empty day by day, as there is no incentive to pump hours into the game rn... so I really urge you to create some kind of carry over from beta to release, at least cosmetic ones.
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@THH Although I understand your suggestion it would "force" people like myself to play a game for a lot of hours in a state I don't really "like" the game.
I spend already an extreme amount of money on this game and many, many hours in the alpha fase, but now (as a PvE player) am I waiting for the Wildfolk planet.
As a Completitionist it would bug the hell out of me, that I would be forced to play this game doing things I don't like in the first place, but at some point in the live version might have to do for getting specific materials, not for having all kind of Achievements like WoW and the like.
Achievements were not planned in this game in the first place, and I would rather not have them at all. Getting through the Foundation levels was already a hassel.
I "needed" those items, but at this point a bit tired of people who are just jumping the train close to the end station and expecting to be rewarded for the hours they are spending right now.
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I guess 6+ month of closed beta which needs constantly high population and playtesting is not "close to the end station" and if the game should not die out during the closed beta, some kind of incentive for playing and not just waiting until release should be given - more so, as rewards are already in place for multi level marketing...
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@THH just a small side node: If you request a reward to the Beta-Tester, you should request the same reward to the Alpha-Tester aswell, because these got no reward for testing the whole Alpha period (3+ years), except the one last Alpha weekend (that needed to be logged in for several hours, means all previous Alpha-Tester who could not login for this one weekend also get nothing).
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@Kralith said in Needed: Cosmetic Rewards for Beta Testing:
@THH just a small side node: If you request a reward to the Beta-Tester, you should request the same reward to the Alpha-Tester aswell, because these got no reward for testing the whole Alpha period (3+ years), except the one last Alpha weekend (that needed to be logged in for several hours, means all previous Alpha-Tester who could not login for this one weekend also get nothing).
Only because it was done wrong once, does not mean it needs to be done wrong twice. The map gets emptier day by day, and if the devs do not intervene, we will get a dead beta. Its still time to react, but the clock is ticking to save the beta, and therefore the game and all the sweet sweet money that can be made in the future.. but, okay, its not my money and if the aim is to have an disengaging beta and those in charge think, the game can be a success afterwards, who am I to judge as a mere director in business consulting with only silly 15+ years of professional experience
... perhaps McKinsey is telling otherwise 
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@THH said in Needed: Cosmetic Rewards for Beta Testing:
Only because it was done wrong once, does not mean it needs to be done wrong twice.
I am agreeing to that.
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@THH for the game to not be "emptier day by day" the game should be fun, i do not find it fun, I actually dislike the game at it current state.
maybe empty world at the second week, in a 6+ month test, will show best, if the players like the game right now... or the all game should be change. or changed back, like me and many other was promised it to be.
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@Prometheus : Why was there no answer regarding this question or similar questions on the AMA? Especially when publically admitting that the beta may well last good into 2023? I really feel that skipping on all questions regarding the topic 'how to make the beta more engaging and make people not lose interest in playing' was by intention, and this makes me and other players feel really unconfortable. I would absolutely expect an answer to this concerning topic.
