Beta-Test Comp 2003

Download the game here! ~ Available as of 11:01 pm EST, August 15, 2003.

Finally: the interactive fiction competition that you don't have to write a game to enter! Yes, the All-New Beta-Test Competition will pit your skills at evaluating a not-yet-finished game of IF against other players! How well can *you* beta-test? IF you have ever wanted to enter a Comp but never managed to get a game done (or started!), then this is the Comp for you. Note that by being part of this Comp, your name/online identity will be released to the IF Community as a possible beta-tester. Don't let that scare you - authors need you!

Here's how the Beta-Test Comp works:

First, you have until 11:59pm EST on 15 August, 2003, to let the organizer (that's me) know of your desire to enter the Beta-Test Comp. At that time the .z5 file will be ready for download. Then entrants will have two weeks to test the game, make notes of any problems, and compile all bugs/comments into a report which will be their entry. I must receive all reports by 11:59pm EST on the 30th of August, 2003. The length of the judging period will then depend on the number of entries, but I'm expecting not more than a week or so. The results will be announced on this website as well as on the newsgroup rec.games.int-fiction.

Note: I don't expect anyone to spend an entire two weeks on just testing a short game like this. On the contrary - I would expect the total time required for people who enter to be more like two evenings' worth, max. Of course, this is the first time I've run a Comp, even just a Beta-Test one, and I could be way off. There may even be prizes*.

The beta-test reports shall be judged on the following criteria:

• Organization. Is there any? If so, how is the report laid out?
  Is it easy to tell which section I'm looking at?
• Clarity. Ease of understanding what the problem is, as well as
  what the tester tried. Well-written reports are easier to read
  than reports that are poorly or incompletely written. Does the
  tester fully explain himself?
• Thoroughness. If there are lots of problems with the game, how
  many does the tester find and report?
• Ability to criticize. Does the tester comment on and criticize
  the bigger issues in the game, such as bad plot holes, overall
  design and layout, general comments about puzzles and the game
  as a whole? How well thought-out are these comments?

Remember, if you think this sounds interesting, send me an email at jessicaknoch@mindspring.com and let me know! And email me if you have any questions about the Beta-Test Comp, also.

* - This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. Use of the word "prizes" is not meant to imply that prizes will actually be awarded.

Last updated: 20030806.