Re: Draft rules, next competition


Mon, 23 Oct 1995 20:35:58 GMT

In article <gkWdBoe00WB444s2UV@andrew.cmu.edu>, "Andrew C. Plotkin" <erkyrath+@CMU.EDU> writes:
|> whizzard@uclink.berkeley.edu (Gerry Kevin Wilson) writes:
|>
|> > B) You must keep the text adventure to yourself until the Upload
|> > Window. Do not show it to anyone else who might be voting in the competition
|> > until that time. You may opt, however, to have it betatested by the
|> > contest's official betatesters, and only them. They will be under strict
|> > orders not to spend more than X hours betatesting each game, but there will
|> > be 2-4 'drafts', and your game will be tested by different betatesters each
|> > draft.
|>
|> Bleah! Wah! Restricted beta-testing? How can I trust a tester who is
|> under orders not to do his best?

Well, I've already privately replied to Whizzard and apparently
successfully divined his intent. The beta testers are a service for
those who believe they will not have an appropriate group of beta-
testers or those who need a schedule like that to keep themselves
moving :^) The use of the 'officially-sanctioned' testers would not
be mandatory, just a useful service for those who feel they need it.

In other words, if you think you have good beta-testers, by all means
use them. If not, here's a guaranteed-not-to-screw-up-the-competition
testing crew.

|> Either make X very large, or change the orders to "Do as complete a
|> job beta-testing the game as possible."

.....within the limits of testing ten games within two weeks' time.

|> You mean voting begins at the end of May and continues til the end of
|> September? Sounds way too long. But, of course, many people are
|> off-net during the summer (I assume that's why you chose those dates.)
|> Problematic.

I think the 'voting in September' works reasonably well, although the
timing of the start *might* perhaps be moved up to August 15th-ish, to
catch all the new/returning students with time on their hands the first
week or two of classes (or imagined time on their hands ;-) at least
until classes catch up with them).

Would a month and a half of playing/voting be enough time, you think?

Mike Phillips, msphil@aardvark.cc.wm.edu