Wanted beta testers

Master (236)

08-07-2009, 14:36

As team-RyJuzo has become a one man team I need some new beta-testers.

A RyJuzo beta-tester MUST be in one of the following categories:

- You are NOT a developer or part of any development team. (Preferred)

- OR If you are a developer you will not develop anything (most definitely not for any contest) while being a beta-tester.

You MUST also agree to the following:

1) You will not distribute the beta-versions I will supply to you. As these will be invisibly marked (in the gfx for example) so I will be able to trace it back and blacklist the HELL out of you !

2) You will not make any screenshots,recordings of any game of mine you are testing.

3) You will not rip anything off the game(s) being tested.

4) If you are selected you must test the game(s) within the deadline I will give you. (So only if you are seriously willing to spend your free time testing a game you are encouraged to sign up, otherwise please dont!)

5) If you should decide to leave the beta-testing-program you must still agree and comply with rules 1,2 and 3 !

6) All selected canidates will be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement if a game will be released commercially.

7) If you are selected you must give me you real name. So I can come and KILL you in your sleep if you violate any rules stated by me.

Only members of MRC with active memberships older than 1 year are selected.

but seriously if a person does violate the rules I stated then this will probably end in me not developing anything else for MSX. As I will then have lost faith in the integrity of this community and I'll probably move on to the C64 or Amiga or something ...so BEWARE

please sign up by sending me a PM (team-ryjuzo[at]orange[dot]nl and not through this thread as this is only for asking questions or making comments about the subject.

By FiXato

Scribe (1742)

08-07-2009, 14:45

As team-RyJuzo has become a one man team I need some new beta-testers.

A RyJuzo beta-tester MUST be in one of the following categories:

[snip]..bunch of ridiculous rules..[/snip]

As I will then have lost faith in the integrity of this community and I'll probably move on to the C64 or Amiga or something ...so BEWARE

To be honest.. asking people to sign an NDA doesn't show much 'faith' in a community anyway...

By DD

Expert (88)

08-07-2009, 15:17

You are developing software i assume? I can imagine you don't want your software copied and spread all over the world before you're even finished. It happened to me some years ago, not in the MSX world but with other electronics projects, i think it is a risk at any platform. But i am afraid these rules are quite extreme, this will ask for negative or less response. Of course you need a reliable team, to get a team threatening is not really a good start.

By Sama

Ambassador (2068)

08-07-2009, 15:19

I think I would be an excellent game tester, but I'm not going to sign any NDA's unless you are going to pay me a decent amount of money . I don't like to give any guarantees about doing things before deadlines. So if you would be a little bit more lenient about those rules, you might have found yourself a nice tester. At least, if I'd know what to test before when, etc. You can always drop me an e-mail.

By Sander

Founder (1871)

08-07-2009, 15:20

If it's about Nightmare III, it's probably allright

By RyJuZo

Master (236)

08-07-2009, 15:26

I know the rules are Extreme...and that's because it HAS happened to me also and I dont want it to happen again.

The extremity is to SCARE away the not so serious minded ones !

and I dont mind the negative responses...
and less is also fine cause I just need a couple of (serious) people.

Even though developing for the MSX is a hobby of mine I still take it very seriously that's just the way I am. I'm a perfectionist !

By anonymous

incognito ergo sum (116)

08-07-2009, 17:04

I am not going to beta-test the game because at the moment I have no time. And in case I had time, I'd use part of it in my own projects. So... in any case I don't meet the "constraints".

Anyway, although I somehow understand the idea of these "rules", I don't think they are positive at all. Too many restrictions, too many obligations, the sense of mistrust towards MSX users... Good beta testing is a hard job, hours and hours playing the game to find problems and failures, and then reporting them. Asking someone to beta-test a game is asking him (or her) a favour. Beta-testers are doing a favour to the developer, not the developer to the beta-testers. So, in my opinion is not good to ask a favour in such terms.

The best choice, IMHO, would be to personally ask for beta-testing to some MSX friends in which you are confident.

By muffie

Paladin (933)

08-07-2009, 17:18

What happens if someone agrees and then void your rules?
You'll sue the beta-tester? On an international forum?
U.N. Maybe...

Ok, send me the game...

...and tomorrow it will be published at Bau de Jogos...

By RetroTechie

Paragon (1563)

08-07-2009, 21:40

Well I'd have no problems with a NDA as long as it applies to actual code, binaries, gfx, music etc. If you sell it later on in *small numbers*, a NDA isn't much relevant. If the product becomes a huge success (fat chance in the MSX world), then having some legal topics covered isn't bad... Developing other stuff should be allowed I think, as long as they're staying out of the product's area (like: not take code, game play ideas from it, etc.) If those other things are unrelated, no problem.

But reviews, a (slightly) blurred screenshot etc. is fair game IMO. A beta tester should be able to 'talk' about what he's testing. And btw. a deadline on testing? Bullshit, just be happy with the feedback you get, let those beta testers decide when they put in their time!

Last but not least: what type of product are we talking about here? Utility? Game? What genre? It would help a lot if a potential beta-tester is likely to use/play the product himself If a game: I know a whole group of people I could let the game play (& collect feedback, trace bugs), while not sharing any code/data. Would that be of any help?

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10109)

08-07-2009, 22:57

Reality check!

- You are NOT a developer or part of any development team. (Preferred)

Many people who have testing potential are in teams.

- OR If you are a developer you will not develop anything (most definitely not for any contest) while being a beta-tester.

Yea, imagine someone's cloning the exact same idea within the given amount of time that's left!

You MUST also agree to the following:

MSX'ers have a low preference of things that 'MUST'.

6) All selected canidates will be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement if a game will be released commercially.

..including the above..

7) If you are selected you must give me you real name. So I can come and KILL you in your sleep if you violate any rules stated by me.

ph34r ur wr4th, y0!

Only members of MRC with active memberships older than 1 year are selected.

You do realize that there are a lot of lurkers who sign up and react after years of passive reading? What does this year guarantee you?

So far we've yet to see the first thing coming from your hands

Seriously: some of the most interesting scene things, over the years, have been made by total crackpots if you ask me. (yea, that includes me ^_^) There's no point in being *this* formally legal. As J-War would say: undress and RNFF a bit, and all will be fine!

By Samor

Prophet (2174)

08-07-2009, 23:04

those are quite some demands.... uhm..... good luck on c64/amiga then!

Wanted *beta testers*

Wanted beta testers