From the Maj'Dul AMA: Soteria: @Devs Could we have a test copy server to help provide data and feedback during the process of reworking class balance? Sykle: agree with soteria << Maris: ^ Soteria Caith: Soteria – Test copy was renamed to beta. Beta server is that exact thing. Earlier today: Following the foreshadowing from devs in Discord and the AMAs (Good idea to whoever pitched those!), it sounds like class balance is getting some well deserved attention. The player base seems to support this move, but I've observed a lot of uncertainty and trepidation about the end result within my social sphere as well. Of course you will never make everyone happy with any change, no matter what it is... but giving players a chance to test and give feedback on changes to class spells, ascension spells, and certain item effects (such as class cloaks) can alleviate concerns and greatly help players to accept and adjust to changes before they reach live servers. Furthermore, class/ascension class balance adjustments can have significant impact on raid progression, especially when a patch unintentionally breaks certain class spells, the way we saw with swarm pets and mimicry during GU100, just as one example. A well implemented year-round test environment could greatly reduce incidents like that, and improve the player experience on live servers. I realize there is still a test server, but it is a prohibitive time investment for players to level a copy of their character(s), grind at least one ascension class to 10, and get their epic 2.0, to effectively test changes on the off chance any are added to the test server. Even if a player was willing, they would be hard-pressed to find other players to help with the group update quest steps. As a result, the test server just doesn't serve the needs outlined above. To encourage participation, some cosmetic/convenience type rewards could be made claimable on live servers for people who fulfill whatever test objectives would generate relevant data, when/if any is needed? Titles, color variants on mounts/armor sets... that kind of limited availability fluff is pretty meaningful to players when it's given out for beta.
+1 there`s no way I will find group support to complete epic 2.0 , and if there was, it's unlikely I could complete it before the 9th. It would be awesome if beta was used year round, not just for xpac. Test is dead every time I log on there. There's plenty that would help if given the chance.
As someone who does play regularly, if not hard on Test server, I actually agree. Most players are not going to spend the time to level up another character to the levels needed to test this new stuff on test server. I've actually suggested in the past that we needed to retain the test copy server/beta server when big high level updates happen. Sometimes they've opened it, sometimes not. When things that roll out that need intensive high level testing, we really do need to have beta made available or even those who have higher level characters on test server, won't be able to properly test them.
The Public Test server isn't the same as the Beta Server, which hasn't been opened again for quite some time. :-/ You can copy folks over to the Beta Server (when it's open), but Public Test is its own thing, and you can create up to 7 free toons there, since it's considered a "different region." Uwk
I would play on test if they let me copy my toons over, I just do not have the time to dedicate to re leveling a primary toon on test. for high end testing I could prob talk a few of my guild mates into following me as well. Hmm Can you request a server transfer to test?
You can not copy to test server, which is why we are saying they should make more use of the Beta server for high end release testing.
