Beta testing

This sounds great, doesn't it. A company puts out a note on the website, or to newsletter subscribers, saying "We're looking for beta testers for SuperExploderBall XVI, come to the site and sign up!" Well, you loved SuperExploderBall I through XV, and XVI isn't supposed to be out for another six months. What are you waiting for, run over and sign up! Now!

Hold on there, Tex. Betas aren't just a free preview of a game, or a promise of a free game when they're done. No, betas can be awful, nasty things. Betas can have more bugs than a cheap motel, and worse ones at that. Betas do mean work, and observation. If your first call to tech support for a problem is "I got an error, can you fix it?" don't even LOOK at a beta. And if you think you'll get a free copy of the final (hopefully bug-free) game when you're done, dont hold your breath.

"Beta" is short for "Beta test." It's the second part of that name you should be fully aware of. Beta versions of programs can (and will) crash frequently, cause all sorts of problems, and can even cause problems on your system. Things don't work or aren't there yet. Funky graphics get put in as placeholders. And betas do mean work. The designers want - no, need to know, not just that "it crashed" or "it didn't work" but that "I clicked on the magician's hat in the third level ferris wheel, and got an Error 512x345 Null Nostril in Process Whazit.dll, I tried it again and it did it all three times the exact same way, I was doing this, here are my system specs."

OK, not all betas are like that. Some companies - especially those getting a multiplayer game ready - will put out a "stress test" beta. The game's nearly complete (though if it crashes, they do want to know how and why,) and they're getting servers ready to host the game. They'll pick hundreds or thousands of people to play and see if they need to plan for more capacity, or if problems crop up after X number of people join. It's also a great marketing gimmick.

Is it worth it? Well, I've been in a few betas (for games and, believe it or not, operating systems.) But I like messing with my system and seeing what makes things crash. I'll also get as much information as possible when there's a problem. To me, yeah, it's worth it... depending on the game. You'll have to decide for yourself. And remember... every beta's different. If you want to run the risk, without getting anything in return in most cases, go ahead and try one.

Oh, and for those who think "Well, if they won't give me the game free at the end, I'll just update or hack the beta," forget it. The inevitable patches that come out don't tend to work with betas, betas expire, and multiplayer tends not to connect to people with the "real" game.

Really, truly free games!-->