So i got to thinking. Blizzard should do a public test server for hearthstone that only becomes available right before a new expansion. (like 2 months in advance and before the expansion is finalized, with the server only being available for a total of 4 weeks) Why? Because it would give players time to understand the new sets better and would give blizzard a chance to Buff/Nerf problematic cards. I mean, it worked great for the Launch of the game. (granted that was a longer period) If they did do this. Make it where only 25% of the new cards from the set are unlocked with all prior sets being unlocked for the first week. Note Player's input. Then next week do a different 25% of the cards. Note Player's input. For the third week another 25% of cards leaving 25% hidden. Note Player's Input. Then follow up with a week where you have access to 75% of the cards from the set. To allow players to discover problems with interactions and what not. Note Player Input. Close the Server. Make adjustments to cards players commonly found Overpowered and Underpowered.
Sure the players would already have a feel for how the set plays prior to launching the set, but by allowing players test 75% of the cards, you could get positive feedback. Then following the month of Testing. (and during the testing) you could better balance cards.
Then you throw in that the public test server offers no rewards other than the chance to play with new cards prior to their release. If you limit the public tests to where each week only X randomly chosen players get in, like how they did the beta test. this would cause players to develop Hype naturally.
Hearthstone's initial hype wasn't developed by hiding from players, it was developed by making it inaccessible to all players at once. Players watched streamers to see what the game was about, to see how it played. Same thing would happen here. People would build hype. Then as an added bonus there would still be 25% of the cards never before seen. So for example:
If there was a test period before GvG launched. Players Notice Dr. Boom. Some see it as perfectly balanced, but the majority see it as broken. Either way, it's an amazing card. Hype is built to get this card. then Boom the test server goes offline. and when it goes live: Dr. Boom winds up being different than what it currently is, which makes the majority of people happy because they saw how broken he was. Sure there would be complainers about "You nerf'd X card" Happens regardless.
Benefits to blizzard:
Builds Hype.
Helps Maintain Streamer Community
Allows Cards to be reworked before launch, thus, no refunds are being given so no free dust. (if they nerf Dr Boom now, i net 3200 dust (got 3 Normal Booms.) If they don't nerf it i net 800 dust, Which means 2 legendaries that i don't have to buy packs for.
Benefits to Players:
Allows players to devise strategies and be ahead on the meta.
Lets players play with cards they didn't have.
Helps Maintain streamer Community (keeping them hype engines streaming keeps money in their wallets AND attention the game.)
just a thought i had. It worked for the launch of the game why not the expansions too? Other games do it, why can't hearthstone do it too?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Doctor Who? Dr. Boom. Timelord and Friend of All Daleks(Boom Bot).
I think them are doing great internal testing. Look at GvG, how many card you consider "broken"? Probably only Dr. Boom out of 120 cards and you can not even call him broken, very strong only. Therefore your suggestion won't make the game better only more complicated for the developer. To include a beta before every expansion would reduce the hype and them would have more work to do.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
So i got to thinking. Blizzard should do a public test server for hearthstone that only becomes available right before a new expansion. (like 2 months in advance and before the expansion is finalized, with the server only being available for a total of 4 weeks) Why? Because it would give players time to understand the new sets better and would give blizzard a chance to Buff/Nerf problematic cards. I mean, it worked great for the Launch of the game. (granted that was a longer period) If they did do this. Make it where only 25% of the new cards from the set are unlocked with all prior sets being unlocked for the first week. Note Player's input. Then next week do a different 25% of the cards. Note Player's input. For the third week another 25% of cards leaving 25% hidden. Note Player's Input. Then follow up with a week where you have access to 75% of the cards from the set. To allow players to discover problems with interactions and what not. Note Player Input.
Close the Server.
Make adjustments to cards players commonly found Overpowered and Underpowered.
Sure the players would already have a feel for how the set plays prior to launching the set, but by allowing players test 75% of the cards, you could get positive feedback. Then following the month of Testing. (and during the testing) you could better balance cards.
Then you throw in that the public test server offers no rewards other than the chance to play with new cards prior to their release.
If you limit the public tests to where each week only X randomly chosen players get in, like how they did the beta test. this would cause players to develop Hype naturally.
Hearthstone's initial hype wasn't developed by hiding from players, it was developed by making it inaccessible to all players at once. Players watched streamers to see what the game was about, to see how it played. Same thing would happen here. People would build hype. Then as an added bonus there would still be 25% of the cards never before seen. So for example:
If there was a test period before GvG launched.
Players Notice Dr. Boom.
Some see it as perfectly balanced, but the majority see it as broken.
Either way, it's an amazing card. Hype is built to get this card.
then Boom the test server goes offline.
and when it goes live: Dr. Boom winds up being different than what it currently is, which makes the majority of people happy because they saw how broken he was. Sure there would be complainers about "You nerf'd X card" Happens regardless.
Benefits to blizzard:
Benefits to Players:
just a thought i had. It worked for the launch of the game why not the expansions too? Other games do it, why can't hearthstone do it too?
Doctor Who? Dr. Boom. Timelord and Friend of All Daleks(Boom Bot).
If there is no gold or pack rewards for testing, i won't be bothered. Testing is Blizzard's job, not ours.
"Put your face in the light!" - Tirion Fordring
I think them are doing great internal testing. Look at GvG, how many card you consider "broken"? Probably only Dr. Boom out of 120 cards and you can not even call him broken, very strong only. Therefore your suggestion won't make the game better only more complicated for the developer. To include a beta before every expansion would reduce the hype and them would have more work to do.