We are in the process of developing a new Playable Demo for Darwinia. This demo contains an entirely new level not included in the full game, with its own mini-story. It also contains a new control mechanism that does away with the existing gestures system and replaces it with a more conventional icon based control scheme. We require around 100 beta testers to help us bring this new demo up to finished quality.
Why are we doing this? Darwinia's sales have not been spectacular, and we have identified numerous reasons. One of the key issues is that the existing demo (the Mine level) does a poor job of showing off the game, and often leaves players confused as to the point of it. Another problem is that new players are often put off by the gestures system and the alt-tab / ctrl-c geekyness of it all. A common critisism is that the gestures system is pointless and it would have been easier to simply click on an icon. While we don't share the same opinion, we are aware that a lot of people are turning away from Darwinia because of these issues, and they need fixing. Hence a brand new self-contained demo, and a brand new control mechanism.
As we are using an entirely new control mechanism for the new Demo, we will also need to release a patch to the full game that allows it to be played using that same new control mechanism. This will be patch 1.3, and we expect to begin testing shortly after the new demo test begins. We intend to launch the new demo AND patch 1.3 on the same day, or as close as possible.
We would like to make it clear that you can revert to the old control mechanism at any time through a menu option. We intend to continue to support the existing gestures based system in every patch or demo we release for Darwinia on every platform.
If you are interested in helping us test this new demo and control mechanism, please apply by clicking below. You will need a forum account to become a beta tester, and you will need to re-apply even if you are an existing beta tester from the full game testing that took place in late 2004 - we are collecting an entirely new beta testing group. If you don't re-apply, you won't be selected. Existing Phase 2 testers who re-apply now will be automatically accepted, in recognition of the work they put in testing the full game for us. The remaining testers will be selected randomly from the applicants list.
We require around 100 testers initially, and will select more in batches of 100 when required. We are expecting the new demo test phase to begin at the end of July on Windows only. The 1.3 patch and the other platforms will follow. See the roadmap for our current estimates.
Click here to go to our application page.
New Darwinia Demo - testers required
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NeoThermic
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The roadmap kindly has, not wrote:Introversion Online Store - July 18th 2005 - Low
I believe that should be "medium", else there's no hope for anyone
I feel another 1.2 style stress testing comming on
NeoThermic
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NeoThermic
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Prophile wrote:Chris: can you not have the Gesture system as optional? [a preferences option or something]
Chris wrote:We would like to make it clear that you can revert to the old control mechanism at any time through a menu option. We intend to continue to support the existing gestures based system in every patch or demo we release for Darwinia on every platform.
Apprently reading isn't sufficent
NeoThermic
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kahrlmetalworks
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