Alpha and Beta

[:1]Hi,
I've heard somewhere guildwars 2 is in closed alpha right now, can someone validate that?
If its true, what would that mean for the release date?|||Quote:








Hi,




Hi.

Quote:




I've heard somewhere guildwars 2 is in closed alpha right now, can someone validate that?




GW2 has been in closed alpha for pretty much since the start. That's what closed alpha is for. Early game testing.

Quote:




If its true, what would that mean for the release date?




Nothing.

Quote:|||Can "outsiders" go on this alpha? If this alpha is not only for the devs, a lot of information would have been leaked right? At least, that's what I suspect would happen.|||alpha is an inside game, only when it go's beta an outsider can play it when they allow you to.|||So alpha's are not for friends/family of devs? Sorry for the questions, I just need to know for sure. :)|||Alpha testing is most likely the province of Anet's hired in-house QA team, devs, programmers, etc. I think it's been repeatedly stated that there won't be a long beta for GW2 like there was for GW. It's likely still going to be quite awhile before we hear anything about that, much less anything about a release date.|||Quote:








Can "outsiders" go on this alpha?





No.|||The devs have made a number of references to the results of some of their usability (alpha) tests in interviews over the last year or two. With an iterative development process, which is what they're using for GW2, alpha testing must begin almost immediately after the start of development. That's how iterative development works: slap together something that functions, get feedback from testing, make corrections and add more features, rinse and repeat. So they've been alpha testing for years now and I'm sure they have all the testers they need.
There were certainly "outsiders" (non-ANet employees) involved with the alpha test of GW1, since I know one. However, I'm sure they were selected very, very, VERY carefully and ANet is certainly not soliciting applications from random fans. Also, there are some companies in the industry that offer testing services to game developers, so ANet has access to alpha testers who are almost guaranteed to be leak-proof, since leaking would cost them their jobs. They are "outsiders", but they're professionals at testing, not just enthusiastic fans.|||keep your undies on. you'll get a chance to play it eventually. For myself, I lost my undies years ago. It's a comfort thing.|||Quote:








keep your undies on. you'll get a chance to play it eventually. For myself, I lost my undies years ago. It's a comfort thing.




You just made my mind shudder, considering the avatar you use. God, that was awful to imagine!