Beta Testing began today

[xyzyxx]

I wasn't aware that they were even taking applications for Mac/Linux testing.

[xander]

I wasn't aware that they were even taking applications for Mac/Linux testing.

Not officially, but the specs for Macs were still in the system from Darwinia. I figured I might as well update my specs, and hope that I wouldn't have to do it again when the Mac beta started.

xander

[NeoThermic]

I wasn't aware that they were even taking applications for Mac/Linux testing.

Not officially, but the specs for Macs were still in the system from Darwinia. I figured I might as well update my specs, and hope that I wouldn't have to do it again when the Mac beta started.

xander

Assuming that random selection was used this time around, that would explain why you were chosen.

NeoThermic

[askiplop]

congratulation to beta testers

[Avenged]

Well, its my B/day on wednesday, im 26 years young and im hoping for a nice present. Ive asked for many things but the one im hoping for most is to be a beta tester. Im sure they could arrange something to help me celebrate.......... or prehaps not *humph* I spose its pretty much all over by now though. Cant be too far away from release. Prehaps a demo? before the release? Oh im getting myself excited now!

[FinnG]

Yeah, I was hoping for a demo also

[Kron0]

Actually, considering the game is mostly done minus the internet bits, isnt a single player demo quite feasible? (at least in the near future)
Oh great IV gods.. please bring us a demo!

[FinnG]

Yeah, I was thinking what a demo would actually consist of considering the games 'no content' approach. Removing internet play is an obvious one. Maybe you would lose the ability to place your units at the start and so you can only play one config as it were.

Time will tell

[Avenged]

I was just thinking of something i remember from darwina. IV actually made a second demo involving powering and launching a rocket. It took them 4 MONTHS to make. So going by those guidelines id say we might not get a demo.

Also thats a very good point about the content. They would have to be really mean with the amount of stuff they allow us to do/use in the demo as to not let us have a complete offline version of the game. I spose the simplest thing would be to have a time limit on it. That would limit you to only a couple of defcon levels. Makes sense. Thats if they bother with a demo before the game is released at all. Its only 1 month away!

[xander]

I was just thinking of something i remember from darwina. IV actually made a second demo involving powering and launching a rocket. It took them 4 MONTHS to make. So going by those guidelines id say we might not get a demo.

Two points:

1) Demo2 came out only after the original Mine level demo failed to impress people. It came out about 5-6 months after the release of the original game, coinciding with the Steam release. It probably did not take that whole time to produce -- a level like Demo2 could easily be made by an experienced modder in a day, though we must also assume that some extra time was needed to add the code required for the rocket. At any rate, I would guess that more time was spent beta testing Demo2 than was actually put into making it.

2) Defcon, unlike Darwinia, has no real content. It is almost as close to a pure game as is possible. As there is no real content, I am not really sure what a demo will consist of. I am sure that IV will release a demo (if nothing else, they will have to for the Mac release, unless they decide to ditch Ambrosia, which seems very unlikely to me). At a guess, I would assume that the demo will be single player only, and may not allow you to finish a game (i.e. games end at Defcon 2, or something). I am, however, just pulling that out of my nether regions, so your milage may vary

xander

[Chris]

It probably did not take that whole time to produce -- a level like Demo2 could easily be made by an experienced modder in a day, though we must also assume that some extra time was needed to add the code required for the rocket.

And with that comment, Chris falls over and dies.

No, it took three months of solid work to complete.

If there is a modder out there who can produce Demo2 in a day, we would like to hire them immediately and pay them a handsome salary.

[LLamaBoy]

It probably did not take that whole time to produce -- a level like Demo2 could easily be made by an experienced modder in a day, though we must also assume that some extra time was needed to add the code required for the rocket.

And with that comment, Chris falls over and dies.

No, it took three months of solid work to complete.

If there is a modder out there who can produce Demo2 in a day, we would like to hire them immediately and pay them a handsome salary.

Better than that, I can make it in about 10 seconds...

*extracts and copies level and model files, renames to Demo2_LLamaBoy*

[trickfred]

It probably did not take that whole time to produce -- a level like Demo2 could easily be made by an experienced modder in a day, though we must also assume that some extra time was needed to add the code required for the rocket.

And with that comment, Chris falls over and dies.

No, it took three months of solid work to complete.

If there is a modder out there who can produce Demo2 in a day, we would like to hire them immediately and pay them a handsome salary.

...Where do I send my application? Does IV cover international moving expenses?

[NeoThermic]

And with that comment, Chris falls over and dies.

No, it took three months of solid work to complete.

Out of idle intrest, how long did the base of the level take? Defcon's base was done in a day, surley the level can't be any longer than that?

NeoThermic

[TheToyMaker]

i hope i get a spot in the mac beta... cause ive got both an uptodate mac and a slow-as-all-hell mac, which would be useful for determining de facto sys-req minima.

EDIT:
IV's sysreqs have never been enough to even put a dent in my computers, but the fact remains that ive played games where my specs were just over the requirements and the thing ran about 1 fps