Perpetual Open Beta

*if you have a good internet connection

 

Personnally, it could take me a while, depending on how much gap there is between the two versions.

usually upgrades are not to huge between one version or another, well sure internet speed is a decisive factor of choice.

Actually, they come together for every stable release since 2.5!

You don't think the beta version continues to get more updates when the stable version finally gets an update.?

You don't think the beta version continues to get more updates when the stable version finally gets an update.?

At the time of the stable release update, both it and the OB are the same. This lasts until the OB is next updated, usually, the week after.

Ok, I haven't been paying attention to that.

I have seen figures of 400-500k mentioned before.

Pure speculation IMO. They are a private company and absolutely no figures are publicly released. I'll leave it at that.

I removed the last sentence because I don't want to push the issue mainly because everyone that works for including 3rd party developers and associates to ED are almost certain to be on NDA's and I don't want this thread to be turned into a quest for numbers that could cause a problem for me or anyone else responding to this thread.

Too late. Wags has already dispatched the secret police to your house. Nineline will be kicking in your door wearing mirror lense Oakleys and a black suit within the hour ;)

The Open Beta is there for Specific Reasons:

You are not required to have both.

So, The Questions you ask yourself:

1. Am I Willing to participate in reporting bugs with the Open Beta Software

2. Am I Willing to update more frequently with the Open Beta Software

If You can't Answer Yes to both of those, then the release version is where you should be.

The Open Beta Branch is to test new features/fixes on a larger scale before being deployed to the release branch.

The Open Beta is there for Specific Reasons:

 

You are not required to have both.

 

So, The Questions you ask yourself:

 

1. Am I Willing to participate in reporting bugs with the Open Beta Software

 

2. Am I Willing to update more frequently with the Open Beta Software

 

 

 

If You can't Answer Yes to both of those, then the release version is where you should be.

 

The Open Beta Branch is to test new features/fixes on a larger scale before being deployed to the release branch.

So, if the open beta is constantly run alongside the standard release version then the community is diluted as the choice is constantly one or the other or both and/or constant chop and change, depending on what is best at the time. Was it always like this? Is this a long term strategy or a short term expedient.

Do any other games have this sort of business model?

Happy landings,

56RAF_Talisman

 

 

Do any other games have this sort of business model?

 

Yes, PUBG even for example has test servers and regular. They even had a experimental so they had 3 different and that is a FPS game.

I know how you are looking at it as the community splitt but that is not it. The test server ensures that the stable is in fact stable for those that want it.

Too late. Wags has already dispatched the secret police to your house. Nineline will be kicking in your door wearing mirror lense Oakleys and a black suit within the hour ;)

:)

So, if the open beta is constantly run alongside the standard release version then the community is diluted as the choice is constantly one or the other or both and/or constant chop and change, depending on what is best at the time. Was it always like this? Is this a long term strategy or a short term expedient.

Talisman, my advice if you only want one install: Go Open Beta.

As you know, most of the ww2-related servers (and the online player base) stay on open beta.

There are seldom game breaking bugs in that version.

In any case, both open beta and stable seem to be on the receiving end of updates every couple of weeks, so no matter what version you have you're going to have to run updates every 10 days or so.

So, if the open beta is constantly run alongside the standard release version then the community is diluted as the choice is constantly one or the other or both and/or constant chop and change, depending on what is best at the time. Was it always like this? Is this a long term strategy or a short term expedient.

The open beta branch was introduced with DCS 1.2.7 in december 2013.

In theory the release version should be "mostly" bug free. In practice unfortunately this is usually not the case, so there is no real reason not to stay on the open beta install especially if you want access to the latest updates and beta modules.

Yes, PUBG even for example has test servers and regular. They even had a experimental so they had 3 different and that is a FPS game.

 

 

 

I know how you are looking at it as the community splitt but that is not it. The test server ensures that the stable is in fact stable for those that want it.

Thanks for your reply Smokey. Interesting about PUBG. I am not familiar as I am only interested in flight simulations, but I presume the community player base is rather larger than DCS and can more easily support multiple communities with large numbers.

I do think the community split for DCS is a thing though. I suggest it is a case of cause and effect. Sometimes unintended consequences can occur, or perhaps consequences that are considered as of no consequence by some. I know the effect this is having on me as a customer though, because I am experiencing it first hand. I shall leave it at that for now.

Happy landings,

This discussion could be solved if both the OB version and the stable version could join on the same multiplayer servers which now is not the case (and why not?).

But i can imagine then that: your bullets are bigger then mine 'cause you're using the OB version discussion could start to roar it's ugly head... children...:music_whistling:

Personally, i ditched the OB version the moment they announced it would run along the stable version with a delay of max a week (or 2).

Multiplayer servers run Open Beta and then online players come crying on the forum when RWR or Mavs get broken ...

Agree entirely with the OP. I find the situation frustrating as well.

If done right, this whole situation should be mitigated by the release of dedicated servers hopefully sometime in the fall. With that we should have servers in each branch that people can fly in based on their preference. In the mean time; If your main frustration is the lack of MP servers for the Stable release vs. the Open beta, then you should address these concerns with the owners and operators of (insert your server of choice here). They are the ones that choose which version of DCS to run on their servers and not ED. I'm sure cost and man hours are more than likely why they don't support a server for both versions of the sim. Not to mention that most people (not all) who fly online want the shiny new features compared to those who are willing to wait.

As far as multiple development branches; That is becoming more and more prevalent in the PC world especially in Sandbox and MMO style games or games/sims that are in active or constant development.

The Open Beta is there for Specific Reasons:

 

You are not required to have both.

 

So, The Questions you ask yourself:

 

1. Am I Willing to participate in reporting bugs with the Open Beta Software

 

2. Am I Willing to update more frequently with the Open Beta Software

 

 

 

If You can't Answer Yes to both of those, then the release version is where you should be.

 

The Open Beta Branch is to test new features/fixes on a larger scale before being deployed to the release branch.

I don't think these are the actual questions in practice. Updating frequently (even daily) is a norm in today's online world. I am also probably not alone in being a user who uses the open beta exclusively, yet has never reported a bug (I'm not knowledgeable enough to differentiate between features/bugs...).

The release version still has bugs and in general the open beta is remarkably stable in comparison to release. I think also there is a general (not unanimous) acceptance that a simulator is vastly more complex then most other entertainment software and subject to many bugs.

Plus DCS is always evolving and in this way, release functions as a "beta" anyways. Personally, I love it this way. Far better than going from Flanker 2.0 to LockOn to FC series, etc., in discrete stages.

I think in practice the two primary questions for choosing release vs open beta are:

1. Do you want to fly multiplayer?

2. Do you want the latest features/modules?

If you answer yes to any of the above, open beta is for you.

I was frustrated to see that whenever I wanted to join in multiplayer, all of my invites were for open beta and I have 2.5 stable. I personally feel that as the beta version will always be an ongoing development, that the need for a stable version is irrelevant. If as is said, the beta version is a test bed and any problems are sorted which I think is fab, its just like having the full game and having patches to update it.

So whats the point, if you play single player or multiplayer, keep just the open beta and keep fixing it as we go along. I will be downloading the open beta as soon as possible so I can fly some cracking multiplay and also benefit with the modules I have.

OpenBeta only!

I'm kinda growin' with the sim... :D

Here's DCS' problem. The multiplayer community is tiny compared to other titles. Having a beta/release versions makes that worse - period. Something better needs to be hashed out in this regard as it's an unfortunate situation in the community.

Yes PUBG has 3 total branches. Their player base is so huge that it does not impact the flow of multiplayer.

However, the vast majority of developers do not split their community in this was unless they have a major release coming. MMO's come to mind in this regard. However, in general you do not get beta branches that are literally dividing the community in half.

My vote is just make everything beta and roll with the punches. It's not like the stuff they break is so crippling you cannot play anymore - at least that's not my experience. And if people do encounter issues allow rollbacks to different version but only allow single player. And if something is so broken...well I sure hope the update is backed out of beta!

Thanks for your reply Smokey. Interesting about PUBG. I am not familiar as I am only interested in flight simulations, but I presume the community player base is rather larger than DCS and can more easily support multiple communities with large numbers.

 

 

I do think the community split for DCS is a thing though. I suggest it is a case of cause and effect. Sometimes unintended consequences can occur, or perhaps consequences that are considered as of no consequence by some. I know the effect this is having on me as a customer though, because I am experiencing it first hand. I shall leave it at that for now.

 

 

Happy landings,

You are correct about pubg, also I agree with you that it sucks how it seems that players seem split between versions.

I would only say that maybe the real problem is too few players either version. And most players on publics seem to be 12 year old greifers and I rather not share airspace with them:music_whistling:

I think what you need to do (no offense) is the same as me and find a group of people to share a password server. Hopefully when game fully release we get influx of people playing.

Happy Landings

Hopefully when game fully release we get influx of people playing.

The game will never be ‘fully release’. It is in a permanent state of development with new modules, bug fixes introduced almost weekly.

There are very few users on multiplayer servers, so I think you’ll have to get used to the current situation.

As Repth correctly assessed, this isn't ED's problem. The server owners choose the version in play, not ED. Run the beta or don't, but take it to the appropriate venue.

Many/Most the servers also require voice comms and SRS. This is also not ED's problem.