This section concerns all other issues that you may encounter during your beta-testing. When commenting/reporting, please make it as detailed as possible. 🙂
Not sure if its a bug maybe just a feature, but if I play in easy mode, the enemies are moving accordingly but once I go in the first subterranean area they’re running pretty fast. Is the enemies speed increasing in that area, or is it increasing if you’ve fire upgrade?
Kamel
Hi Kamel, This is a “feature” back from the Amiga version to add a bit extra difficulty overall. Some of the (same type) subterranean air enemies fly 20% faster than they do above ground 😉 Enemy speed is not changed when changed difficulty level…
Speaking of changes in the subterranean area, do you ever get the chance to continue there, or if you lose all your lives is it game over even if you have continues left?
You are only allowed to continue on the surface level… and only before you have first entered your first subterranean level 😉
it depends on the developer I suppose, and as for now the code is solid.
But as a QA Engineer I see bugs everyday 🙂
Kamel
Nice for a coder to hear that the code seems “solid” 🙂
Regression testing :
I’m wondering if its possible to have beta1 and beta2 at the same time to verify that a bug is also or not reproducible on beta1 etc
Kamel
Interesting idea. It is certainly possible to have “a second installation” of BS ONE the phone, e.g. called BS ONE 2. I however could be concerned it will lead to more confusion than usefulness. Maybe the best way is just to focus on having beta2 work properly? … And in the rare case there should be a “regression test” of beta1 one could just install it again from the original file… though slightly tedious 😉
I’m not really sure it would matter if a bug is reproducible in beta 1. If a bug is suddenly introduced in beta 2, hopefully there’s a half way decent method for being able to compare source between the two versions in relation to the area that is having difficulty. Whether or not the bug existed in beta one, if it’s in beta 2 it will have to be fixed anyway. However, should the need absolutely rise, I agree that, while slightly annoying, we could just reinstall the first beta to test the issue.
I don’t think there should be any new bugs in beta2, but of course you never know 😉 I think we will also go with the one version principle for simplicity for everybody 🙂
I don’t expect there to be any more bugs either, but as a developer myself, I know that sometimes unexpected “features” can creep up 🙂
Yeah don’t need to do all the features in the first version only the mandatory ones to make BS a (very) good game. In fact if you’ve upgrade that are nice to have but not for the first version then its a good way to add value to the game and so increase customer satisfaction by sending notification when they’re available so the game will not just be installed but not played. Look at counter strike still played today 🙂
As for Internet lack come one 🙂 I can play Mario Kart over internet and it play very well “n’est-ce pas ?”. But then again I know that trick exist to make this possible, I’m sure google can bring a lot of technical articles in that area, you could also check quake source code.
I’m not sure if you plan to do copy protection, its maybe not worth it don’t know except if its a really good one that force people to buy the game.
Kamel
Yes, of course it will be best if BS ONE can be played over the Internet 🙂 It is a little difficult to predict at this point. I could be wrong, but there is a fundamental difference in shooters and fx. Mario Kart. If you just loose a few frames then “weird stuff” can probably happen 😉 We will start with Bluetooth and work our way to the more “long distance” networks 🙂 As you mention the idea is to build on features in coming upgrades… but of course there is a minimum required for the first version to get people interested 🙂
>Why facebook
I’m not into the facebook trend myself but sadly this is where the teens are…
Kamel
Since we’re talking about iOS, though, there’s just as good a chance that players will have Game Center and / or OpenFeint as they will Facebook. The ultimate reality is that you probably need to support more than one in the end anyway.
Yes, that is an unfortunate reality 😦 In practice, we will however at least in the first version probably limit it to Game Center to get things finished up…
Cope-Com 
Not sure if its a bug maybe just a feature, but if I play in easy mode, the enemies are moving accordingly but once I go in the first subterranean area they’re running pretty fast. Is the enemies speed increasing in that area, or is it increasing if you’ve fire upgrade?
Kamel
Hi Kamel, This is a “feature” back from the Amiga version to add a bit extra difficulty overall. Some of the (same type) subterranean air enemies fly 20% faster than they do above ground 😉 Enemy speed is not changed when changed difficulty level…
Speaking of changes in the subterranean area, do you ever get the chance to continue there, or if you lose all your lives is it game over even if you have continues left?
You are only allowed to continue on the surface level… and only before you have first entered your first subterranean level 😉
it depends on the developer I suppose, and as for now the code is solid.
But as a QA Engineer I see bugs everyday 🙂
Kamel
Nice for a coder to hear that the code seems “solid” 🙂
Regression testing :
I’m wondering if its possible to have beta1 and beta2 at the same time to verify that a bug is also or not reproducible on beta1 etc
Kamel
Interesting idea. It is certainly possible to have “a second installation” of BS ONE the phone, e.g. called BS ONE 2. I however could be concerned it will lead to more confusion than usefulness. Maybe the best way is just to focus on having beta2 work properly? … And in the rare case there should be a “regression test” of beta1 one could just install it again from the original file… though slightly tedious 😉
I’m not really sure it would matter if a bug is reproducible in beta 1. If a bug is suddenly introduced in beta 2, hopefully there’s a half way decent method for being able to compare source between the two versions in relation to the area that is having difficulty. Whether or not the bug existed in beta one, if it’s in beta 2 it will have to be fixed anyway. However, should the need absolutely rise, I agree that, while slightly annoying, we could just reinstall the first beta to test the issue.
I don’t think there should be any new bugs in beta2, but of course you never know 😉 I think we will also go with the one version principle for simplicity for everybody 🙂
I don’t expect there to be any more bugs either, but as a developer myself, I know that sometimes unexpected “features” can creep up 🙂
Yeah don’t need to do all the features in the first version only the mandatory ones to make BS a (very) good game. In fact if you’ve upgrade that are nice to have but not for the first version then its a good way to add value to the game and so increase customer satisfaction by sending notification when they’re available so the game will not just be installed but not played. Look at counter strike still played today 🙂
As for Internet lack come one 🙂 I can play Mario Kart over internet and it play very well “n’est-ce pas ?”. But then again I know that trick exist to make this possible, I’m sure google can bring a lot of technical articles in that area, you could also check quake source code.
I’m not sure if you plan to do copy protection, its maybe not worth it don’t know except if its a really good one that force people to buy the game.
Kamel
Yes, of course it will be best if BS ONE can be played over the Internet 🙂 It is a little difficult to predict at this point. I could be wrong, but there is a fundamental difference in shooters and fx. Mario Kart. If you just loose a few frames then “weird stuff” can probably happen 😉 We will start with Bluetooth and work our way to the more “long distance” networks 🙂 As you mention the idea is to build on features in coming upgrades… but of course there is a minimum required for the first version to get people interested 🙂
>Why facebook
I’m not into the facebook trend myself but sadly this is where the teens are…
Kamel
Since we’re talking about iOS, though, there’s just as good a chance that players will have Game Center and / or OpenFeint as they will Facebook. The ultimate reality is that you probably need to support more than one in the end anyway.
Yes, that is an unfortunate reality 😦 In practice, we will however at least in the first version probably limit it to Game Center to get things finished up…