Thousands upon thousands of gamers who call the Halo Nation their home sit poised on the border of what is widely anticipated as “The Halo 3 Beta”. It’s become the new brass ring among ravenous Spartans. Among this virtual citizenry, the premiere question has become “Are you in the beta?” – much in the same way that hunters in Maine pass the time with “Get yer deer yet?” The specter of this testing phase has been elevated to the heights of legend or myth.
When THE BETA will launch in anyone’s guess. And that is not the only question rattling around inside hostile, eager, young minds. How long will the test last? How many maps will we have on which to game? Can we alter gravity like KP? Will I roll the new Warthog? What if I get pwned [or worse!] with the new button scheme?
Maybe not everyone is asking those specific questions, but it cannot be debated that THE BETA is enshrouded in mystery. During this desperate hour in which we have to ponder, perhaps the most important question that should be asked is: “What is a beta test?”
Really. With so many gamers mustered for this experimental battle, it is inevitable that many of them will have no idea as to the significance of their participation. In making this test phase public, Bungie is exhibiting an unprecedented showing of loyalty to their fanbase.
Yet still, “What is a beta test?” If we look to the communal oracle at Wikipedia, we can learn all about the development process for software – in all of its agonizing detail. Let’s dumb that down. Shall we? For the beta testers of Halo 3, here are some things of which we should remain mindful. Setting accurate expectations of a thing, after all, is the best means of insuring one’s enjoyment of that thing…
1. Your role in THE BETA is a privilege, not a right.
Those of us who have earned a seat for THE BETA have been invited to work for Bungie. You are there to help them get it right. You are the volunteer. You are the rat in the lab. In a virtual fashion, we have been invited to their house to help them build a wing onto their sprawling compound. First rule about being a guest in someone’s house? Don’t be a jackass. If you aren’t sure about what constitutes Jackassery, there are a lot of backdated stories about jackasses on this here blog.
2. THE BETA is not a finished product.
If you listen very carefully, you can almost hear the echoes from the future. Some of the gamers who participate in THE BETA for Halo 3 will be anxious to be the first kids on their block to issue their proclamation to the world that “Halo 3 is a’gonna suck!” There is no pleasing some people, and they will be the ones on the lookout for the smallest hiccup or flaw – the very things that THE BETA has been engineered to reveal. These people would be better served heckling work crews at a construction site over the fact that a building without a roof will never hold back the rain.
3. As a Tester, you are owed nothing.
This is a derivative of number one [above], but worthy of its own category. The Halo 3 beta is free. That means that we, the testers, have no legs to stand on if we somehow end up feeling ripped-off or let down. Our expectations for THE BETA are not factors in Bungie’s quest to perfect this game. This test phase may run one week on one map. It may crash daily. It may be scrapped early. Even in the worst-case-scenario, you get to play a role in launching the next arena for the Master Chief Live Combat Simulator. Say thankya.
What’s that? You paid $60 to get into the beta? No. You didn’t. You paid $60 to get Crackdown, so go play that if you don’t dig on making sure the table is set in a way that prolongs the feast, yo.
It must be admitted that this blogger does not speak for Bungie. I do not work for Bungie. I am a gamer, just like you – a consumer, running in the wheel as it was designed for me. If someone asks me how they can better make that wheel, I gladly help them do that.
And yes… I will see you in THE BETA. Me and all my friends, that is. They are a crew of hard-cases who call themselves Gunslingers. At last count, about 20 of us were pre-selected [through chaos and luck] to storm these new beaches. Yet more of us will be entering the fray through a door opened in Crackdown.
Keep an eye out for us, for we are the defenders of the Good Game.
TTL Gunslingers registered for participation in the Halo 3 beta test phase:
My weapon of choice for this Beta will be an open mind and helpful voice. No badmouthing will ever spew forth from these lips. Crackdown is my door… I look forward to finishing the Beta.
Our names look really pretty in that font. Especially on that background.
Good article. I really hope that the people who were selected come forth with open minds and the eager hearts of a child allowed to peek at a (holiday of your choice) present.
There will probably be a few Timmies—and some new, neato tech to boot those who try to cheat—but I have a feeling that a lot of those who get/got in through the first wave, second wave, and the friends and family program will repsect this.
It’s the Crack-downers who have me worried. The 13,130 (?) opened durring school hours across the country, and I’m sure this happened for a reason.
In any event, I can’t wait to get my Halo on, and I can’t wait for it to feel like the first time yet again.
Enjoy it, gang. And the rest of us want full reports so we can ‘enjoy’ the Beta vicariously.
Heh.
I can already ‘see’ the posts about “wtf, the beta hardly lasted any time at all, this is bs waaaaaaaah” etc.
And that’s just from me…
I’m going to need some time off work…
I really DO read the blog ya know…...
I am going to need a week off work a nanny and about 50 feet of Cat5 cable so I can properly enjoy the beta with no worries everytime that microwave goes off… also I am gonna need a maid and butler to clean up around me and bring me food as well as a nurse for the catheter.
Okay, that’s just gross thinking about your man parts and catheders.
As a software developer, I hear most of these things. Luckly, my userbase isn’t rabbid fans and hormonally imbalanced teens who don’t climb trees anymore. It’s a great article but as reality sets in on day one, our base humanity will kick in and we’re all just apes who fight over territory.
Personally, I can’t wait for the chance to preview this game just as I’ve been doing for Shadowrun. It’s been a lot of fun to see how new games are being developed then to hop onto a fourm and have a discussion with a developer and get their insight as there was still time to make a change!
Use it to your advantage if you feel that the shotty is too powerful for HOST and make them FIX that :D SWEEP sniping irritate you? Well, only when I’m on the recieving end.
BUT PLEASE, my #1 feature will be SIMPLE FAST muting because no matter how well you make your game, it’s the last meter from the TV that makes the biggest difference and when TIMMY’s have a controller in their hand, they’ll do their antics. So to combat that, Social Engineering is what I’m looking for in Halo 3, such as:
Voting out Overlords who are unpopular (watch out DJ).
Easy Muting of screamers.
Taking advantage of the trueskill and recreation/pro categories.
Inspiring ways to manage grieffers.
Ideas are out there and I hope and expect that Bungie has used the last three years to collect them from the ether and put them in the game.
See you on the BETA.
Goose – “Can I get an invite?”
Hey! I know Stuicide and Wayn0ka!! We played against each other in one game…it was awesome, congrats!! Nice article btw.
Enjoy it ‘slingers, because there are many waiting in the wings. I might try and get some games in on my little brother’s 360, so you might have to watch out for this Crazy Train.
Yes, THE BETA, a dream come true. Power in your hands, the power to make things better. The power to bring a Good Game to birth of something new, and a power to GIVE BACK a little to those who have gien us so much.
Oh, and nice article Deej, hehe
I know I’ve read from Bungie that they are working on features of H3 out of order so the Beta will be better functioning (such as UI).
I know it’s just a beta, but I still have some higher expectations because of what Bungie has said about it.
Morpheus,
I’m honored you remember my name from matchmaking. We can play more if you like. All you have to do is go by the Forum and say Hi.
Hey guys, nice blog, Im probably gonna be a Crack-downer too to get in THE BETA (dun dun dun) and I actually enjoy Crackdown instead of letting it rot until THE BETA is released.
See you on XBL! My tag is Lazerblade23
I personally hope that Bungie is very clear about the intentions of this Beta. If they want us to be temporary Timmies where we try and superjump and button glitch and sword fly and whatnot (remember that one where you got in and out of the warthog and became invisible as long as you didn’t move?) I really hope they spell it out.
And if they are just looking for data related to a large scale use of the network then I hope they spell that out.
Obviously Halo 2 would have been a better game without the superjumps, button glitches and whatnot. And had Bungie held a Beta for Halo 2 maybe those things would have been discovered. Maybe not. But if they want us to intentionally try these things they had better let us know in advance. Because it isn’t the kind of thing we normally look to do.
I’m looking forward to just walking on the new landscapes in my new spartan skin. The Beta will give a window into the “New World” of Halo 3. It’ll be akin to being an early explorer to a new land. Of course along the way will be a plethora of restless natives. Oh well, it won’t be all roses. Here’s to me walking over your corpse in the New World. ;)
Well this realley is a nice blog, it’s good to know that there are more who arnt jsut going in to say halo sucks, i will be entering through the crackdown door also, so all i can realley say is i will be assisting all i can, as an experenced beta tester of many MMO’s this will be a challenge however i will be partisipateing fully, enjoy the game eveyrbody and i will see you on the other side!
Gamertag: euden
Comment: if you would like to join me dureing the beta look me up.
“Voting out Overlords who are unpopular (watch out DJ).
Easy Muting of screamers.
Taking advantage of the trueskill and recreation/pro categories.
Inspiring ways to manage grieffers.”
All these can be avoided by playing with a group of people you know. I rarely venture out into public games because I don’t need the hassle. If you are playing with friends you will almost always be guaranteed an enjoyable gaming experience. If you still choose to game with the general population you will get what is coming to you.
I have been waiting for this game for a while it has been confirmed that the halo 3 beta testing from crackdown will begin May 16 1:00pm and end June 7 7:59 pm.
This game will make bungie infamous and will make them extrodinarily rich
Anyone who wants to talk can add me to Xbox Live my Gamertag is: Gr00ming ZuLu the two o’s is grooming are zeros
my name in lights! Finally!
This 42 year-old is as giddy about this opportunity as I would have been 30 years ago!
Thank you already Bungie!