This board is for beta testing scripts, functions, tools and tutorials, referred to as resources henceforth.
So, you've written a resource and you want it to be beta tested?
Good, this board is the right place to put it.
Beta testing can evoke seemingly negative comments from beta testers, but they are, in general, meant to help you and are not a personal attack on your abilities.
Generally beta testers will help solve any problems if they know of a solution to a particular issue, or may even suggest an alternative method.
Follow the points listed below before posting your resource to avoid some of the more common mistakes and make the whole experience go smoothly for you and for anyone who beta tests your resource for you.
The first checklist is essential to encourage people to beta test your masterpiece, the second checklist is highly recommended.
Essential Points************1./ Put it in here for beta testing
BEFORE submitting it to the
Editors Depot.
Submit it in a
zip file attached to your post, unless it is bigger than 1 Mb, in
which case you will need to host it elsewhere and provide a link to its location.
2./ Provide a demo mission, if relevant to the resource, instead of just the resource.
Using desert island with a couple of units will do fine, as long as it shows what
the resource does.
The user can then run the mission in the game and see what it does without having
to set it all up by themselves.
Afterwards, they can play around with any parameters and see what else they
can do with it.
3./ Don't use large music or sound files.
4./ Whenever possible use BIS's default units and vehicles.
Don't use addons unless absolutely necessary.
If addons are necessary provide, for each one:
* The name.
* The name of the creator.
* Description.
* The exact url of the page where the addon is located, don't link to the
addon file itself.
* The file size.
If possible, try to provide more than one link in case the first is not available
for some reason.
5./ Explain what your resource does, be precise, don't presume that the reader
knows anything at all.
6./ Specify what version of Armed Assault is required for the resource to be used
correctly, assuming upcoming versions (version numbers, not language
versions) will have different functionality embedded.
7./ For scripts and functions, commenting is also a good idea, since it helps
someone understand what it is doing, they can then make suggestions
or possibly even learn from it.
For tutorials ask for proof reading to catch any speeling or grammar mistooks.
8./ Write a short overview if there is more than one resource, describing what
each one does and how they all work together.
9./ List any parameters that the resource, or resources require, describing what
each parameter is for and the range of values the resources expect for each
parameter.
10./ List any problems or bugs that currently affect your resource, so everybody
knows not to shoot you when those problems crop up.
Some beta testers might even have suggestions that may circumvent or
eliminate some or all of these problems.
11./ If during the course of the beta test it is necessary to provide an updated
version, update the link in your first post as well as posting a new link in your
latest post.
Remember to clearly label it with a new version number and mention in your
latest post that the link in your first post has been updated.
Highly Recommended Points*********************1./ List some ideas of how the resource can be used, also try and list any uses
that might not be immediately obvious.
2./ List any future improvements you are planning for the resource, if you need
ideas then ask for suggestions from the beta testers.
3./ If there are any aspects that you specifically want tested, for instance, how AI
interacts with it (script and functions), or if it has any problems in MP, or if
there are particular conditions or situations that you would like testers to test
under, then list those as well.
4./ Listen to your beta testers, be prepared to at least try out some alternative
methods that might improve your resource or make it more efficient.
Be prepared to learn new tricks that you never thought of before.
5./ Let your beta testers know if you are going to be away or unavailable for any
length of time, just so they don't think you have abandoned them.
Be sure to thank all your beta testers for their help in the development of your
resource when the time comes to submit it to the
Editors Depot.
When your resource has been honed to near perfection and is deemed ready for
general release, mark it as
READY changing the topic of the corresponding beta thread, at this time, OFPEC staff will submit it to ED (if the resource is considered worthy to be there) where it will be available for use by the whole OFP community and will be preserved for all eternity, or maybe longer.
If you subsequently want to modify or further improve your resource, you can always, if necessary, update it after it has been submitted to the
Editors Depot.
Many thanks go to various
OFPEC members for contributing some of the ideas and suggestions in this thread.
Another great community effort!!
HAPPY EDITING!!
Topic: Posting Guidelines (Read 4464 times)
