Android - Request Compiling list of Android Beta Testers

Scumble373

FarSight Employee
Jul 1, 2014
252
0
Hey Everyone!

Recently, I have been working on a better way to conduct beta tests for android users. Posting a link to our .apk file to the general public and having all discussions posted in a thread just didn't seem like the best way to go about it.

It turns out that Google play has a really great way to conduct beta tests, that is done all through a Google+ communities page. After playing around with it for a while, I really think this is the best way to conduct beta tests going forward. Here's basically how it will work:

1. You express interest in being one of our android beta testers.
2. You get invited to a private google+ community dedicated to beta testing the Pinball Arcade on android.
3. There will be a link in the community you click on where you can "opt in" to be a tester.
4. Upon opting in, you will be prompted to update your current version of The Pinball Arcade. This will be the beta version.
5. When finding a bug, or having a comment or complaint, you can go to the community page and post text, photos, videos, links or whatever else to help show the bug you found.
6. Once the table is released, you should see an update in Google play, and you can download the final version.
7. If you ever want to "opt out" of being a tester, it is very easy to do so. Just click the same link you did to opt in, and choose the "leave the test" option

There are three reasons for changing the way we beta test:

- We want our beta tests to be private. We want the people who are beta testing to be helpful, and we want to be able to remove anyone who is disrupting our testers.
- We want to allow our testers to have the full version. As you saw from the Dracula beta test, in app purchasing was disabled. I didn't feel comfortable giving out the full version to the general public. However, with a closed group of trusted testers, we will be able to open up the purchasing option once again.
- We want to improve the table as much as possible. By doing the beta testing through the Google play store, we get access to all crash logs and ANR's statistics.


SO... that leads me to the point of this post: Do you want to be an android tester? I'm compiling a list of android testers to add to the google+ community. All you need to have is a gmail account. If you don't feel comfortable posting your email address below, feel free to send me a private message with the address included.

I'll be accepting anybody for the first run of beta testing, and afterwards be able to see who is contributing, who is not contributing and who is being disruptive, and eventually get the community to where it should be. Please remember, this is the first time we're using this as a beta testing method, there may be some confusion and some questions, but I believe this is the best way to go about beta testing in the future.

Thank you all :)
 

jaredmorgs

Moderator
Staff member
May 8, 2012
4,334
3
Finally!!!!

I've been waiting nearly one and a half years for FarSight to manage beta testing this way. Being a moderator for the XDA Android App Testers G+ Community, I can attest to how well this system works.

I'm public with my web presence. Contact me anytime on jaredleonmorgan@gmail.com
 

jaredmorgs

Moderator
Staff member
May 8, 2012
4,334
3
One thing to be mindful of. While you are marked as a beta tester for the app, you can not leave a public review for the app you are testing. You must opt out, install the GA version, then leave your review.
 

Scumble373

FarSight Employee
Jul 1, 2014
252
0
Glad you are all as excited about this as I am! Jared it's great to know you've had experience with this method of testing!

I'll be inviting everyone to the group at once tomorrow, at that point you can all start testing the new table! :)
 

Bass Mummy

Member
Jul 26, 2012
282
0
I've been contributing to the Andriod beta testing process for a long while now. (Oftentimes with as many people participating as we've had the major bugs get picked up early.) But if the process is going to be closed off I'd like the opportunity to continue to contribute.
 

jaredmorgs

Moderator
Staff member
May 8, 2012
4,334
3
But if the process is going to be closed off I'd like the opportunity to continue to contribute.

I get the sense that you think moving this away from the fan forum and into Google Communities is akin to restricting access like iOS Beta Testing.

I'm confident this is not the reason why @Scumble 373 is taking the action he is.

Hey Everyone!

Recently, I have been working on a better way to conduct beta tests for android users. Posting a link to our .apk file to the general public and having all discussions posted in a thread just didn't seem like the best way to go about it.

...

There are three reasons for changing the way we beta test:

- We want our beta tests to be private. We want the people who are beta testing to be helpful, and we want to be able to remove anyone who is disrupting our testers.
- We want to allow our testers to have the full version. As you saw from the Dracula beta test, in app purchasing was disabled. I didn't feel comfortable giving out the full version to the general public. However, with a closed group of trusted testers, we will be able to open up the purchasing option once again.
- We want to improve the table as much as possible. By doing the beta testing through the Google play store, we get access to all crash logs and ANR's statistics.

...

I'll be accepting anybody for the first run of beta testing, and afterwards be able to see who is contributing, who is not contributing and who is being disruptive, and eventually get the community to where it should be.

Back when Ryan began offering Beta Test builds through the forum, the member demographic was different to what it is now. Because of the game's popularity, more and more folks join the forum each day. Unfortunately some of these folks' intentions are not as pure as ours.

Currently, *anyone* can download the APK without authenticating to the forum. While this gives maximum exposure for testing, it also introduces some risks.

Using this deployment system will mitigate risk because you should now have to prove your worth as a forum contributor before being accepted to the program. Quality over quantity is a good thing in this scenario.
 

Bass Mummy

Member
Jul 26, 2012
282
0
I get the sense that you think moving this away from the fan forum and into Google Communities is akin to restricting access like iOS Beta Testing.

I'm confident this is not the reason why @Scumble 373 is taking the action he is.

I'm sure that they're not trying to be restrictive, but I don't want to be shut out just because I don't make ~15 posts per day here.

I'm confident that this shift will be an improvement. I just want to make sure that even though I tend to be a lurker that I'm not dis-included from the beta process. I have a very sharp attention to detail, but I make it a point to be careful to read each beta thread before I submit any bugs. If I notice a bug I make it a point to first scan the bug thread to make sure that the bug I've noticed hasn't already been submitted. If it has, I won't make a redundant post. As a result, as the Android beta has become more popular, my posts have become more scarce. I just hope that this tendency doesn't remove me from the beta process simply on the merit that I'm trying to save the development team time by not repeating things.
 

jckatz

New member
Oct 1, 2014
3
0
I know I am new to this forum and your product, but I have to admit I am impressed...

Completely addicted to Mars Attack just like I was in University 16 years ago.

That being said, I think I will be useful to your beta test group for the following reasons.

1) Behind the great firewall of China.
2) Running HTC One (802W)
 

rob3d

New member
Feb 20, 2012
478
0
This sounds like a great idea. I've gone through this google+ plus beta process with a couple of other apps and its pretty seamless. You get updates automatically like you would with a normal app update. No more hunting for the right link in the forum pages.

PM Sent
 

Scumble373

FarSight Employee
Jul 1, 2014
252
0
Invites should be out! Join the community and post or message if you have any questions :)
 

Baron Rubik

New member
Mar 21, 2013
1,852
1
Just sent out another round of invites! Message again if I missed you!

Sorry about this, but still struggling

When I click the G+ page 'click here to become a tester' all I get is...

7eqejuja.jpg
 

Scumble373

FarSight Employee
Jul 1, 2014
252
0
This is really weird... I have both accounts in the members tab...I have no idea why this wouldn't work. If you want, you can create another gmail account and we can try again.
 

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