What an exciting week! This past weekend MAV had it’s very first closed beta test. This is a bit different than the normal way things go, as in the past I have used snapshot builds for this type of testing. This was a very different type of testing though.

MAV, for what I feel was the first time, underwent a very coordinated battery of tests hammering out all the issues myself and the other testers could find. In the short testing time we were able to generate and file ~100 bugs with screenshots, debug.logs, multiple confirmations, and even some videos! Having all this detailed information has allowed me to quickly address issues and I have been in a mad bug fixing scramble ever since.

Some of the issues were small, but there are quite a few big ones in there as well. We found a fairly massive issue with the game not generating the new GameConfig.ini file and all the near craziness that can cause. Also, lots of fun multiplayer issues, like your ghost staying around on siege games and playing forever under AI control, even after you leave the game entirely!

These AI for Arena Servers man. Brutal little buggers. No mercy. I mean really. I crest a hill in wheels, and bam. My legs are at 5%. Tester

Lot’s of positive feedback as well! My favorite feedback was in reference to the AI: These AI for Arena Servers man. Brutal little buggers. No mercy. I mean really. I crest a hill in wheels, and bam. My legs are at 5%.

We did start talking a few balance issues as well. It was REALLY fun to hear a mine beep through teamspeak, followed by some serious cursing 😛 After the first day of me running a mine layer build it was universally declared that mines are very over powered.

Does all this sound like fun? Join in on the next batch of testing then! Send me an email to MAV@bombdogstudios.com with the subject of Multiplayer beta testing and you will be considered to join the testing happening this week. Hurry up though, you need to be able to fill out some paper work and the slots are limited!

Well, that is all the big news for this week! I have absolutely not been working on any other secret projects at all.