MLB The Show 18 Closed Alpha Coming December 22nd, Details Here

[WaitTilNextYear]

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

But if they didn’t do a test and the game launched and the servers struggled then people would complain that they should’ve done a test. Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

People are going to complain no matter what these guys do. I'm certain they have learned that by now.

It's a good idea to do more testing, but the timing of this announcement, coupled with the vagueness of what the stream would actually be about ("development update"), and the questionable validity of the test results (will the servers be fine during this closed alpha test? but overwhelmed near release when an order of magnitude more people are trying to use them?) will lead to a good amount of eye rolls.

I think if they had not timed this to exactly coincide with the Christmas buying season (pre-orders anyone?) and had simply titled this Twitch event: "Closed alpha test details," that would seem more forthcoming and induce less skepticism from some of us. Even then, who knows how applicable this test, which is not using the eventual build or many of the features/coding/updates, will end up being. What if they do this test and the servers still struggle on release, that would be my fear. And theirs too, probably. Maybe someone with more IT skills can enlighten us there. You'd assume they wouldn't waste their time on a test that is unrepresentative of their usual server demand. They must see some value in it.

[countryboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by WaitTilNextYear

People are going to complain no matter what these guys do. I'm certain they have learned that by now. It's a good idea to do more testing, but the timing of this announcement, coupled with the vagueness of what the stream would actually be about ("development update"), and the questionable validity of the test results (will the servers be fine during this closed alpha test? but overwhelmed near release when an order of magnitude more people are trying to use them?) will lead to a good amount of eye rolls. I think if they had not timed this to exactly coincide with the Christmas buying season (pre-orders anyone?) and had simply titled this Twitch event: "Closed alpha test details," that would seem more forthcoming and induce less skepticism from some of us. Even then, who knows how applicable this test, which is not using the eventual build or many of the features/coding/updates, will end up being. What if they do this test and the servers still struggle on release, that would be my fear. And theirs too, probably. Maybe someone with more IT skills can enlighten us there. You'd assume they wouldn't waste their time on a test that is unrepresentative of their usual server demand. They must see some value in it.

I just think it’s unfair to complain that the servers are poor and they should try to fix them and test them and then when they do people complain that this isn’t good enough.

And now we’re going to question the timing of it and actually suggest it’s being done for nothing more than to get preorders?

You’re right people will complain about anything SDS does. And that is a shame.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[Bobhead]

Errr... what the heck is a closed alpha?

[bcruise]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bobhead

Errr... what the heck is a closed alpha?

Alpha is the stage before beta - in other words, an unfinished, unpolished build of what will be the game. "Closed" means participation is by invite only - Ramone said those invites will go out Thursday to those selected.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Operation Sports mobile app

[Mercury112491]

So there’s no way to apply for the alpha? They’re just selecting people based on some criteria from last year?


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[WaitTilNextYear]

Quote: Originally Posted by countryboy

I just think it’s unfair to complain that the servers are poor and they should try to fix them and test them and then when they do people complain that this isn’t good enough. And now we’re going to question the timing of it and actually suggest it’s being done for nothing more than to get preorders? You’re right people will complain about anything SDS does. And that is a shame. Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

I think you're oversimplifying things a little bit here. Nobody said they're doing this "for nothing more than to get preorders." I am merely suggesting that the timing of this announcement coincides nicely with the holiday buying season. Of course they want to make a better product and avoid the same online ordeals from years past. But, I think it's debatable whether this testing (apples) will do much to ensure the game is working as intended upon release (oranges). I can buy that this is a piece in the quality control puzzle.

As for the pre-orders. You can't blame them for it if people will pay multiples of the game's cost before knowing if the game will even be up to par or not. Saying they're marketing the game intelligently to make a lot of money isn't exactly suggesting they're evil, you know.

I don't think it's unfair to complain that the servers are poor and I think online people (not me, I am offline so none of that stuff matters to me as a consumer) are right to take a wait-and-see approach after being disappointed for more than one year running. It's not just about '17, it's a track record of that side of the game not getting the same treatment. That they're using the "Domino's Pizza" marketing strategy of "owning up to bad product" doesn't mean it will necessarily be better.

[jeffy777]

So happy to hear this. I really hoped they'd do an alpha/beta this year so this is awesome news.

[countryboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by WaitTilNextYear

I think you're oversimplifying things a little bit here. Nobody said they're doing this "for nothing more than to get preorders." I am merely suggesting that the timing of this announcement coincides nicely with the holiday buying season. Of course they want to make a better product and avoid the same online ordeals from years past. But, I think it's debatable whether this testing (apples) will do much to ensure the game is working as intended upon release (oranges). I can buy that this is a piece in the quality control puzzle. As for the pre-orders. You can't blame them for it if people will pay multiples of the game's cost before knowing if the game will even be up to par or not. Saying they're marketing the game intelligently to make a lot of money isn't exactly suggesting they're evil, you know. I don't think it's unfair to complain that the servers are poor and I think online people (not me, I am offline so none of that stuff matters to me as a consumer) are right to take a wait-and-see approach after being disappointed for more than one year running. It's not just about '17, it's a track record of that side of the game not getting the same treatment. That they're using the "Domino's Pizza" marketing strategy of "owning up to bad product" doesn't mean it will necessarily be better.

I never said it was unfair to complain about the servers being poor. What I said was that I think its unfair to complain that the servers have been poor the past several years, demand that they try and fix the issue, suggest they do a stress test like other companies do, and then question/complain about them doing exactly what you asked/demanded they do.

And you're right, there is no guarantee that doing this beta will equate to a problem free launch of the servers or a better product. But you know what has been proven.....not doing a beta/stress test.

I'm sorry, I don't see how this can be viewed as a negative or as anything more than the SDS team trying to improve their product. The community asked/demanded that SDS step up and work harder to improve the servers, and from where I sit that is exactly what they are doing.