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Thread: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

  1. #1
    Araval's Avatar Protector Domesticus
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    Default [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    I propose a small Hexagon Council Award for beta-testers.
    I came up with the following descriptions:

    Beta-tester's Bronze Token of Honor
    Awarded on the request of a modding team for outstanding contributions as a beta-tester to a mod that has been publicly released.

    Beta-tester's Silver Token of Honor
    Awarded on the request of a modding team for outstanding contributions as a beta-tester to in total two mods that have been publicly released.

    Beta-tester's Gold Token of Honor
    Awarded on the request of a modding team for outstanding contributions as a beta-testerto in total three or more mods that have been publicly released.


    If this Decision passes, it shall be suggested to Content Staff to run a graphics competition for the medal artwork and afterwards a front page announcement of the award.
    And it shall be suggested to the Hexagon Council to make a global announcement in the subforums and send a generic pm to representatives of the modding teams to notify them of the new award.

    If the Hexagon Council wants to veto this award idea then please do that as soon as possible and free us from the speculation.

  2. #2
    Dismounted Feudal Knight's Avatar my horse for a unicode
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    This is an incredibly minor change from something that could be done with Legio 501st, added to the already busy jurisdiction of hex, independent of the other methods of awarding modders used on the site. Veto or not, it's down at least one support.
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  3. #3
    Araval's Avatar Protector Domesticus
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    Skip the Curia which can't immagine how a modding team evaluates the contribution of a beta-tester.

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    Dismounted Feudal Knight's Avatar my horse for a unicode
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    On that rationale I'd suggest the Curia is skipped entirely for this process and the suggestion is put to Hex through the Q&S; since they'd be principally responsible for handling the award, the vote should probably start and end with them anyway since even the OP here defers to Hex discretion.
    With great power, comes great chonky dragons to feed enemies of the state. --Targaryens?
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  5. #5
    Muizer's Avatar member 3519
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    I expect it may need some changes to clarify who is ultimately in charge of evaluating whether the request is justified, but even if that is Hex, I will support the decision so that it gets incorporated into the Constitution.
    "Lay these words to heart, Lucilius, that you may scorn the pleasure which comes from the applause of the majority. Many men praise you; but have you any reason for being pleased with yourself, if you are a person whom the many can understand?" - Lucius Annaeus Seneca -

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    Araval's Avatar Protector Domesticus
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    Quote Originally Posted by Dismounted Feudal Knight View Post
    On that rationale I'd suggest the Curia is skipped entirely for this process and the suggestion is put to Hex through the Q&S; since they'd be principally responsible for handling the award, the vote should probably start and end with them anyway since even the OP here defers to Hex discretion.
    If the Curia suggests a change to the site it's worth more.

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    Dismounted Feudal Knight's Avatar my horse for a unicode
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    I'd argue the discussion with rationale and the result is worth more, not the location and red tape. But I digress.
    With great power, comes great chonky dragons to feed enemies of the state. --Targaryens?
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  8. #8
    Akar's Avatar I am not a clever man
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    Opposed.

    Who is going to be handing these out?

    I highly doubt we'll see even a single one handed out, honestly.

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    Muizer's Avatar member 3519
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    Quote Originally Posted by Akar View Post
    Who is going to be handing these out?
    That will need to be clarified, yes.

    Quote Originally Posted by Akar View Post
    I highly doubt we'll see even a single one handed out, honestly.
    We don't know. It's worth a try. Or do you have a better solution?
    "Lay these words to heart, Lucilius, that you may scorn the pleasure which comes from the applause of the majority. Many men praise you; but have you any reason for being pleased with yourself, if you are a person whom the many can understand?" - Lucius Annaeus Seneca -

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    Akar's Avatar I am not a clever man
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    That will need to be clarified, yes.
    I mean, the proposal says Hex will do it, but which specific Hex member wants to volunteer to go through and look and see if each beta tester is qualified? That's a pretty big undertaking.

    We don't know. It's worth a try. Or do you have a better solution?
    My solution would be allowing the Curia to hand these out.

    Just look at the last time anyone was given one of the Hex awards (aside from the Milestone one, obviously). I mean, we have 3 levels of laurel awards for Hex to give out as a recognition for people's contributions and it's only ever been given out 4 times, the most recent of which was 6 months ago. How often do you think Hex is actually going to be checking and seeing how many beta testers qualify for this award? I doubt they will ever even check, honestly, it's a monumental task.

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  11. #11
    Araval's Avatar Protector Domesticus
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    Quote Originally Posted by Akar View Post
    Who is going to be handing these out?
    Modding Hex on the request of modding teams.

  12. #12
    Muizer's Avatar member 3519
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    Quote Originally Posted by Akar View Post
    Just look at the last time anyone was given one of the Hex awards (aside from the Milestone one, obviously). I mean, we have 3 levels of laurel awards for Hex to give out as a recognition for people's contributions and it's only ever been given out 4 times, the most recent of which was 6 months ago. How often do you think Hex is actually going to be checking and seeing how many beta testers qualify for this award? I doubt they will ever even check, honestly, it's a monumental task.
    The difference is the mod teams will put forward their most valued beta testers. Hex doesn't have to do it. If Hex do not want to do it or do not want staff to do it, they'll let us know, in which case, sure, the Curia could do it. The full extent of that job would be to screen for obvious abuse.
    Last edited by Muizer; November 28, 2021 at 04:30 PM.
    "Lay these words to heart, Lucilius, that you may scorn the pleasure which comes from the applause of the majority. Many men praise you; but have you any reason for being pleased with yourself, if you are a person whom the many can understand?" - Lucius Annaeus Seneca -

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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    Quote Originally Posted by Araval View Post
    Modding Hex on the request of modding teams.
    Beta-testing is a time-consuming task that rarely gets recognized. That was more of a thing years ago, I myself did beta-testing for several of the larger mods here on TWC. I don't see many of those mod leaders around anymore.

    I wonder how much beta-testing is actually using this board as a communication medium now?

    But I support this idea.

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  14. #14
    z3n's Avatar State of Mind
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    Why not through legio? It's already covered there.
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    Sir Adrian's Avatar the Imperishable
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    I don't see why beta-testers can't get the same modding awards as everyone else. I'll be the first to recognize the critical importance of testing in software development, but it's not really such a separate thing that we need to have another award.
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  16. #16
    Araval's Avatar Protector Domesticus
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    Quote Originally Posted by z3n View Post
    Why not through legio? It's already covered there.
    Unneeded bureaucracy. The curia can't immagine how a modding team evaluates the contribution of a beta-tester. And it's not unless it'd be equalized with remarkable act.
    Quote Originally Posted by Sir Adrian View Post
    I don't see why beta-testers can't get the same modding awards as everyone else. I'll be the first to recognize the critical importance of testing in software development, but it's not really such a separate thing that we need to have another award.
    There's a better way for awarding them, hence a different award class. It'd be about how esteemed modding teams feel rather than how the curia wants them to feel by regulating A - the amount of words written, B - the amount of images posted, C - the amount of turns played, D - the amount of campaigns played, E - the amount of bugs found, F - the amount of suggestions posted or whatever...
    Also, beta-testers play and give feedback, they don't mod the game (at least in this context).
    Last edited by Araval; November 29, 2021 at 03:55 AM. Reason: Stupid-phone

  17. #17
    Muizer's Avatar member 3519
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    Quote Originally Posted by Araval View Post
    Unneeded bureaucracy. The curia can't immagine how a modding team evaluates the contribution of a beta-tester. And it's not unless it'd be equalized with remarkable act.

    There's a better way for awarding them, hence a different award class. It'd be about how esteemed modding teams feel rather than how the curia wants them to feel by regulating A - the amount of words written, B - the amount of images posted, C - the amount of turns played, D - the amount of campaigns played, E - the amount of bugs found, F - the amount of suggestions posted or whatever...
    Also, beta-testers play and give feedback, they don't mod the game (at least in this context).
    Indeed.

    IMHO the bottom line question that faces us now is whether we recognize these are contributions worth rewarding and pick the only feasible way of doing so (essentially allowing mod leaders to vouch for their candidates) or put Curial self interest first and say we only award those things that the body of citizens can conceivably cast an informed vote on?
    "Lay these words to heart, Lucilius, that you may scorn the pleasure which comes from the applause of the majority. Many men praise you; but have you any reason for being pleased with yourself, if you are a person whom the many can understand?" - Lucius Annaeus Seneca -

  18. #18
    z3n's Avatar State of Mind
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    Beta testing would likely be a side asset, I cant imagine the curia proposing many beta testers on that merit alone. Still I can think of at least 4 very good ones I worked with.
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  19. #19
    Sir Adrian's Avatar the Imperishable
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    The Curia as a whole, no, because most in the Curia are neither modders nor software engineers, but I do expect the Artifex crowd to propose some, and with a recommendation from the modding team that should not be any problem.

    Quote Originally Posted by Araval View Post
    Also, beta-testers play and give feedback, they don't mod the game (at least in this context).
    Testing IS modding. You have to know how to mod to be able to give valuable feedback. Without testing your mod is not playable. If your team does not have a designated tester, then every developer on the team is the tester. This is software engineering 101.

    There is no need to quantify anything. Simply asking the modding team for a recommendation before proposing the guy should be reasonably sufficient, and it's a much better system than waiting on the modding team to propose someone considering most modders don't even visit the Curia.
    Last edited by Sir Adrian; November 29, 2021 at 12:30 PM.
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  20. #20
    Araval's Avatar Protector Domesticus
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    Default Re: [Decision] Award for Beta-testers

    You are trying to mix different things up. For example one thing could be that I change a sword to an axe and take a look if it worked out, but a whole other thing would be that I ask someone to play the game from start to finish to tell me if it feels balanced, challenging, immersive, how a stat change carries in long term etc. This award is not about the former. I can only tentatively label less than a half of the whole DCI:LA beta-testing crew as people who have previously done any modding and about a fourth of them actually contributed modifications for the game. No modding knowledge was required to be accepted to the beta-testing crew. So, please do not try to label who is able to give valuable feedback or define what feedback is valuable to a modder! While a mod may be playable or not, playable mods may still have issues but that's really off-topic.

    Relying on someone who feels like it from a vague group of people to start asking recommendations before proposing people is worse than allowing modding teams to send their request straight to Hex.

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