-Robert-

2nd most intelligent thing I've read on the DayZ forums this week.

The most intelligent thing I've read on the DayZ forums this week.

You're using a good debating point, using backwards logic. This is a public alpha. We're not all paid in-house testers. The only reason alpha quality software is ever released publicly... is for more help testing (read: not playing), and for free! Standing by the point that more people playing/testing makes it fine to restrict the ability to actually test features, is not sane. Considering the shock that the DayZ popularity has brought to BIS/Rocket/etc, I highly doubt they released it as an alpha for mostly non-testing players.

I disagree on the "need" part. It should be a choice.

NOTE: "Too long did not read" people, skip to bottom. So I commonly see "it's an alpha, bruh" thrown around a lot, used as an awful excuse for, well, everything. I get that, by definition, DayZ is an alpha-level quality release. The only thing I'm confused about is the "test" part. Any alpha test I've participated in (read: tester, logger, worker. not playing) had means of testing nearly every component or feature that was added. DayZ does not. Presently, 90% of the population test 5% (running around, inventory, getting killed, respawning) of the game. Indeed, I pulled that figure out of my ass, but I'd bet money it's fairly accurate. The problem with so many whiners, is that DayZ, in all its hardcore difficulty, glitchy glory, is emulating how the game will eventually be intended to play, forcing people to get all angsty about problems they will encounter. I get pissed, only because I am legitimately testing all I can, only to have hours of time building up a character (to actually be able to actively test) wasted on some insane bug. I am not mad because of a sense of entitlement to a stable-ish game - I am mad because I'm volunteering my time to try and help make DayZ better, and I'll likely get curb-stomped for it. My point is, this is an alpha test, bound for many global wipes, so why not give us the ability to actually test items and features that only <10% of the population can manage to even reach? Think of it. The way things are right now (more ass-found figures), only the top 2-5% can actually test NVGs (read: test, not just play with), 20% can test vehicles, and so on. Especially after the latest hotfixes, people now just commonly die within minutes, much less spend the hours/days trying to meagerly survive, unable to actually test things. Yes, people should test the hardcore survival aspect of the game. I love testing it. How is anything else ever going to be tested? Other alphas, and even betas, give you tools to modify your char, spawn items, etc. to create/test scenarios that will be encountered in the live/production state of the game. Obviously, these perks won't be carried over, but at least now you can give everyone the chance to test everything, and find all the bugs they otherwise cannot, and don't get found until it's way too late. Solid example: I should be able to spawn a rangefinder, and make myself invincible, so I can test zombie aggro, tell the ingame range, and make notes. Instead, I have to care about wasting hours of play-test time to simply get to that position. In closing, DayZ is not yet at the point where people should get butthurt about character power, or egos over items, deaths, kills, etc. It is in too raw of a condition to be so difficult to be allowed to test.

For clarity sake, I'm not complaining or criticizing. I'm a patient and seasoned tester, and I know this is actually fairly normal behavior for this early in development. I still find it fun/amusing, and especially get "the lulz" from all the people who still treat DayZ as a gold/master build, and get so angry at the development cycle. :D