What's up with all the "test" boards that are in beta? There are 9 of them, none of them even close to functional, and all by a different designer... Something seems fishy to me.

Strangely enough, "Test" and "test" are possibly the two most commonly used file (game) names out there.  I myself have been known to use them, although truth be told ..my perennial favorite is "Erase Me". 

But seriously, I wonder that it's bad PR when non-functional boards show up. It's almost as if WarGear is willing to tolerate/support a section of the site with inferior product. I don't really see its purpose. I suppose it is possible that a player might want others to initiate Dev games on their board, but I really don't see a need for this feature.

Kjeld - that is very weird. 

I like the idea of moving a board into beta when it is ready to be played, although I 'm not sure how often 3rd party games get started on beta boards.  You have to either visit beta boards on purpose or change the default setting to allow them in your open games queue, so I'm not too worried about some newb stumbling into them unwittingly.

That said, maybe a popup when you try to join a dev game, or create a beta game.  When you join a dev game, it should warn the map is not finished and list all the things the host can do (change rules, board, restart & terminate, etc?) When you create a beta game it should warn that the board is not finished and mention that things *could* change as they are playing the game.

Also, one thing that would make it much more useful.  Board designers should get an email when someone starts a game on one of their beta boards.  That way they also know that there is someone to warn if they do change something.

Ozy -- good call. I brought this up more because it seems someone may be trying to do something questionable with the site. Notice that one board author is Cartographer (aka tom), who I'm absolutely positive didn't actually put that up for beta. So it seems someone is somehow releasing boards to beta under other designer's names.

Many of them were also created at really old dates, back to 2009 and 2010.

Kjeld wrote:

Ozy -- good call. I brought this up more because it seems someone may be trying to do something questionable with the site. Notice that one board author is Cartographer (aka tom), who I'm absolutely positive didn't actually put that up for beta. So it seems someone is somehow releasing boards to beta under other designer's names.

A couple of people have access to the Cartographer account. I removed that one. Probably we should block boards with 'test' in their name from being promoted to Beta.

Just out of curiosity, what has to happen for a board to be listed in the beta boards section?

Attila - I think the designer just has to click the beta flag for the board under their designs.

Also, the board only stays in beta for a month once the designer has flagged it. After that, you have to re-flag it again, every month.

Kjeld wrote:

Also, the board only stays in beta for a month once the designer has flagged it. After that, you have to re-flag it again, every month.

didn't know that!