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Discussions of approved MM1 and MM1 HD custom mansions (Mac and Windows) >> Jacques' Revenge - Part I >> Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
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Message started by leo on 12.08.2009 at 15:21:11

Title: Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
Post by leo on 12.08.2009 at 15:21:11
Hi everybody!

So this is what happened: After my first version of "Jacques Revenge" - which is the sequel to "Palais Pompomrouge", for those who don't know - got corrupted I redid the whole thing again and ALMOST finished, when the second file, too, suddenly became corrupted. Luckily this time I had a back up. But this one also showed the symptoms: I wasn't able to add a new room? I don't know why. Total room number is less than MM&M, sprite number too, so no limitations were broken.

Anyways: The storyline was at a crucial and decisive moment at that time, so what I did is, I decided to make "Jacques Revenge" a two-part-mansion. I was able to create a somewhat satisfying ending with the first part and have now started to work on the second part. the Second part will be smaller than the first but it might (just might) be a tiny bit harder. We'll see.

This means, of course, that the first part of the mansion is now up for grabs for eager beta-testers. The mansion is pretty big (444 rooms) with more than 150.000 in gold to be made (if you find all the secrets).

The story follows the adventures of Jacques Moilone, a master thief from Paris, during the time of the French Revolution. If you haven't played Palais Pompomrouge yet, I don't want to give away too much and wont go into the story. If you haven't played Pompomrouge because you heard it was too hard or because you tried and were frustrated after a while: I'll be sending the announced EASY version of Pompomrouge to the Admin sometime today. Easy means less beasties, a bit more money, less crazy jumps and less insane deaths. It does not mean total sissification and candystriping of everything that seemed a bit demanding, so especially in areas where you rip off tons of gold from a secret space, you still might encounter some heavy monster traffic or the occasional difficult jump.

So I'd advice you to go and grab the easy version Pompomrouge (as soon as it is up) and give it a try. Play it, so you'll better feel into the story of the upcoming sequel.

In the meantime I'd like to see some hands! Who wants to BETA-test "Jacques Revenge"?

Title: Re: Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
Post by sherryl199 on 14.08.2009 at 05:55:36
Hi Leo -

If you're not in a rush, I would love to give it a go. I am, however, tied up - not literally! - with Grayson who has Whooping Cough - until early next week. Let me know if you can use my help then.

Title: Re: Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
Post by Missy on 14.08.2009 at 09:19:09
Hey there Sherry,

Boy, are you ever brave!   ;D

Whooping Cough is real nasty business.  I hope he gets over it soon.  Please say Hello to Grayson for me and ask him when he's going to design one of his cryptic specials.  

Hi Leo, I can't wait for your 444 (btw: real unlucky numbers in Asia) mansion.  Maybe you should add a couple of rooms to change the number scheme.  lololol


Title: Re: Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
Post by leo on 14.08.2009 at 15:11:18
Sherryl: You're on! I'll make a run through the mansion on my own one last time this weekend and then send it to you early next week (is your eMail public? If not, can you message it to me?). No problem if beta testing takes a bit of time. I'd rather do it thoroughly anyways.

Missy: Does "I can't wait" mean you can't wait to have the finished product in your hands or that you volunteer for BETA-testing? You did an amazing job last time, so if you'd like to give this one a try, I certainly wouldn't mind (Just to be on the safe side: If you want to test, please message me your email again. I think I deleted all the mails from our last beta-testing, because there were justs too many in my box...)
I'd probably really add some rooms, if the stupid file wasn't corrupted and would let me ADD rooms, which it doesn't. So some higher power apparently wanted it to be 444 rooms. Beware, Asians!  ;D

Thanks, ladies!

Title: Re: Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
Post by Missy on 14.08.2009 at 21:26:58
Hi Leo,

Are you trying to bait me into beta testing???   ;D

Did you not see the reprimand that 2 lovely lady beta testers got in Veronikas ladders CM?  It brought back soooo many bad memories from the time I beta tested for you.  That is why I posted to Sherry that she is brave!  lololol

I loved beta testing.  But the back lash took it all away.

Here is what I wrote to a forum member that PM'd the other day to beta test their CM.

I would be honoured IF and only IF when the CM was released, that a note be posted above the
download link to stating:  NO CHEAP SHOTS ARE TO BE GIVEN TO BETA TESTERS, THEY ARE ONLY HUMAN & IF THEY WERE PERFECT, THEY WOULD BE WALKING ON WATER AND NOT BETA TESTING.
lololololol

Leo, this is the best offer I can make.  Let Sherry do the beta testing first, then, when YOU make the changes to the things she finds wrong with the CM.  WHEN SHERRY IS FINISHED, then and only then send the AMENDED CM to me.  
WHY???  Because when you make changes, it could shift something somewhere else, in rooms that Sherry already finished beta testing, and a JS could go unnoticed because of that.

Having said that.....I AM NOT PERFECT.  I TRY TO BE. I REALLY DO.  JUST LIKE EVERY BETA TESTER, I TRY, BUT IF I MISS SOMETHING, I DO NOT WANT CHEAP SHOTS, so even if I beta test AFTER Sherry and I still miss something.......DEAL WITH IT FORUM MEMBERS....for those of you who are prone to jumping all over a beta testers.....I don't see you offering to do the work!!!!    :-/

Let me know what you & Sherry decide Leo via a PM please.

Title: Re: Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
Post by sherryl199 on 15.08.2009 at 10:06:31
Missy - I love your "No cheap shots ....." - maybe we need one of those "Agreements" like when you download something from Apple and players should sign it (just joking, but maybe all players should take that as a silent oath). There is no way any one or two or even three beta testers can possibly cover every odd possibility - I just had a JS in The Complex because I happen to jump in a way that puts me between electricity bolts. That's my quirk, and there's a chance no one else who plays that wonderful mansion will jump in such a way. I would advocate sending PM's to builders when we find a JS and let him/her decide what to do with it. That doesn't reflect on the testers hard, conscientious work but allows the builder to fix it on a subsequent update. It will also keep criticism to a minimum.

Title: Re: Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
Post by SandyBean on 16.08.2009 at 06:11:26
Hi Leo !   Great of you to do PPR easy, going to get into it this weekend with my Jack, after we have conquered the updated "Church", thanks to all the hard work by Semi-Native~!   We're lovin every minute of it !

Really looking forward to "Jacques' Revenge", another of your fantastic mega-mansions, always so many beautiful rooms, and things for Jack to explore, and nasty monsters to beware of!

Very nice of you Sherryl for offering to beta test, and I certainly do hope Grayson recovers from his whooping cough quickly, that's not fun for either of you !     [smiley=engel017.gif]

Just a comment on the communication of JS's and CD's, and other glitches that are occasionally found in a new mansion;  If we only alert the designer by PM, then s/he may get 20 PM's on the same item.  If we post about it, then others will know it has been noted, and also to avoid it.  Just a thought.  

Thanks again, and have a great weekend !

SandyBean   [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]

Title: Re: Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
Post by brell on 16.08.2009 at 22:21:24

SandyBean wrote on 16.08.2009 at 06:11:26:
Just a comment on the communication of JS's and CD's, and other glitches that are occasionally found in a new mansion;  If we only alert the designer by PM, then s/he may get 20 PM's on the same item.  If we post about it, then others will know it has been noted, and also to avoid it.  Just a thought.  
[smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]


Agree with SandyBean.

Title: Re: Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
Post by sherryl199 on 17.08.2009 at 09:23:06
I agree in theory with SandyBean - the problem seems to be that not only are the JS's posted in the forums, but also comments about the abilities of the beta-testers. That is why I suggested sending JS's to the builder rather than on to the forum.  Back when the original mansions and the early custom mansions were built and tested, they were not nearly as complex as the current mansions nor were there as many players and/or as many players with such variable skill levels, increasing the odds of sending Jack "Where no Jack has been before". Sometimes we sound like such a group of crabby players - that must be a turn-off to newbies checking us out, besides denigrating the good work of those who beta-tested the mansions. I'm sure the 'regular' players have noticed that fewer and fewer people volunteer to test a mansion. It used to be a fun thing - now the tester is hung out to dry in most cases. I do not know what the answer is - and I hate making rules and rules - perhaps criticisms of the beta-testers should go to the builder rather than the forum? People's feelings are getting hurt, and they are the ones who are willing to test the mansions for everyone else's enjoyment.

Title: Re: Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
Post by SandyBean on 17.08.2009 at 10:44:38
Hi Sherry and all,

I agree, Sherry, that the forum has had a number of 'negative' comments in the last year or so about some mansion's particular beta tester not feeling appreciated, and/or mansions being 'too hard'.

I would also like to put forth, that having been a member, mansion designer, and beta tester for a long while, that these comments have been incited from what I can see as being mainly one member, and are not really necessarily reflective of the whole forum, and that they not wholly altogether constructive.

It is true, however, what you say about newcomers potentially being turned off of beta testing and designing new mansions by this person's comments and complaints.  I for one, am hoping that this will be a reminder to all to give positive feedback as well as constructive criticism.  When a new member offers a mansion, and it is beta tested, it is normal to find glitches, and JS's, so this should be expected, and from what I have read (if you don't include this one person's thoughts) this has been the case, with the designer expecting and modifying changes as needed.

We have always had 'easy' to 'very hard mansions' (think of Freddy's MM & M's), yet we have all pursued the goal of Jack finding his way!   The forum "family' has posted comments for help, hints and suggestions, and all have been forthcoming !  We have also felt free to post about how hard a mansion is, yet not gang up on the creator to make it easier for us.

It may be best to get back to business as usual where mansion designers feel free to let loose their creativity, and beta testers are appreciated for doing their best.  I for one will be available in the months of Oct. and Nov. to beta test, since up to this point, have been simply swamped with my work as lead horse adoptions / intake and trainer at Circle F Horse Rescue.  Hopefully by then, things will be a bit calmer.  Perhaps others are also busy with work/life/events, so that the number of recent beta testers seems to be few?   :-?

I do want to say however, that no matter how proficient or how numerous our beta testers, there will always be what I fondly call 'our suicidal Jacks', that are driven to find a death where no other Jack has dared to go.  (my Jack is best known for his capabilities to 'vault into certain death' habit ! )

Again, I salute our beta testers, and most certainly our new creators of CM's, and no one is laying any blame on them or the designers, it's just the fate of any new, undiscovered mansion, that some of our Jacks will find an odd place to die!  

As always, just my thoughts, and feel free to pipe in everyone as you see fit.

Take care all, and the best for a great week ahead    8-)

SandyBean [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]

PS {} Also hoping Grayson is doing better, and that you and he are 'wooping' that darn whooping cough !






Title: Re: Who wants to BETA Jacques' Revenge?
Post by josephine on 18.08.2009 at 14:07:27

SandyBean wrote on 17.08.2009 at 10:44:38:
Perhaps others are also busy with work/life/events...


Yup. (Seriously, the only Jack time I've been getting lately is on my lunch break.)

I didn't see the "cheap shots" (again, those work/life/events) so please don't anyone take this the wrong way. But the job of the beta tester is not to have fun playing a new CM before everyone else, it is to find the problems. Beta Test Jack should be throwing himself at every single wall, jumping off every cliff and making ridiculous moves he would never try in a real game. Yes it's easy to miss things, that's why it's a good idea to have multiple testers. As a designer it's super easy to make mistakes (speaking from personal experience here!  ;D  ) That's another reason we need thorough beta testing. It all serves the same goal of making the mansions better.

Anyway, here's to playing nice, thicker skins and more CMs  [smiley=beer.gif]

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