Live Test Server

Plenty of other MMOs have open test servers, why not Guild Wars?

Wouldnt it be better to get feedback on changes while they are still being developed rather than blindly dropping everything into live.

Such a server could also provide updates with more testing, avoiding bugs we've seen introduced.

They could have dedicated test forums to collect feedback from changes.

Why are all updates so secretive and shrowded in mystery?

Especially for Guild Wars, it would be a brilliant idea. But it takes a lot to get one going, and especially when that's used frequently. If we get enough resources, it's definitely something that needs to be done.

Semi-public (by invitation) test servers used to exist until January this year. For GW1, public test servers make no sense any more as the game is in maintenance mode. For GW2, it's still way too early to be thinking about post-release development.

ETA, nothing is being done "blind". A pretty large segment of the PvP community has been invited to test out the skill update to come this week.

ArenaNet prides themselves in their utmost secrecy and "awesome" QnA.

IMO, they don't have the manpower or serverpower to establish a beta test server.

There is no need for such servers when Anet said themselves that the game is in the end of it's days. We shouldn't expect too much. The future will bring us a monthly update with fixes and small changes until GW2 is released in 2010.

An open public test server would be better, especially for PvP changes.

Since it is supposed to be a competitive activity, how can giving a minority of players access to the changes be fair. Having advanced knowledge of up and coming changes could effect build setups. Those not in the loop are at a disadvantage.

Should a minority have influence over skill changes when they are actively partaking in competitive play? Sounds like a conflict of interests.

GW and conflicts of interest? No way, not like having a part of the admin team playing for rawr or giving away mini pets prior to their actual release.....

Keep in mind that only one person does skill balance.

Everyone is obsessed with telling Anet how to run their game and what to change. The game is so old and stagnant changes at this point are somewhat irrelevant for the 90% of players who have basically finished the game. I don't see why the 10% of people who are still playing though the game should be changing stuff around after three years of players have played though the current model.

There was a test server for HB and as of right now there is a test server for VoD mechanics.

As for an "open' test server, well, that's almost the same thing as a regular server; we're all guinea pigs anyways.

If that was the rule instead of the exception, PVP wouldn't be the disaster it is today. I'd like to see Anet continue to work with its community, maybe they can turn this train wreck around.

uhhhh I have a Guild Wars test client installed on my computer. There has been various testing that a few people have taken a part in. (AT testing)

A real testing server for PvP would be really ineffective tho. For PvP to be really tested, you need to play lots and lots of games. And for that you need lots of players. Since you can't play at the test server and the live server at the same time, you have to lure people to the test server for the test to be effective. Which makes your test server the actual server so you might as well drop the 'real' one.

For small tests requiring small amounts of people, a limited test server can be useful. But I think Anet already has one of those.

And about the "pretty large segment of the PvP community". You mean a small amount of the high end American GvG community I guess. I'm actually curious about how many people were involved in that. My guess is less then 100.

I think they should get enough servers working for the normal game first.

Maybe it is a little late in GWs life cycle for such an open and honest approach to testing, but they could use it as a prototype for the new game, whenever it rolls around the corner within the next few years.

Its not just about testing of course, if you look at most MMOs, they have on their test servers the latest build and notes up for weeks before they go live. Wouldnt it be better for us to see what they have planned, and to be able to give active feedback about features before they are set in stone?

I really dont like their 'Surprise' approach to updates; we arent kid, this isnt christmas and santa isnt real . They play their cards to close to their chest about everything, we have no idea what they are working on.
(GW2 you say? Yes well theres still no hard proof of that either )

Anet does this, only slightly differently. Only a small (well rather large now) group of people are given access to the planned skill updates and it's their responsibility to give feedback on what's good, what's bad, and what should be changed. If the entire community had access to it I wouldn't want to think of the amount of annoying threads that would pop-up from people who don't know what they're talking about. I believe that Anet giving this kind of access to only a small % of players is a much better choice than giving it to all.

MMO's charge, GW doesn't. This is why there will never be an open test server.

I doubt they will ever have an 'open' test server to regular Guild Wars players since this game is at the end of it's 'life'. We'll have to wait and see if theres going to be one in Guild Wars 2 however.