May 12, 2016

Server Rewrite Update: Member PTR Test

Next Phase of Server Rewrite Testing Begins TODAY!

Hello all! If you're just joining us, you've come at a pretty exciting time -- we are completely rebuilding the core game engine of AdventureQuest Worlds! That will let us add in more new fucntionality and make the gameplay even better... but we need a LOT of testing before we can launch the new version of AdventureQuest Worlds. 

Over the last year and a half, Yorumi (and lately his assistant, M) have made great strides, and we are sliding towards the finish line. The biggest, most important thing we have left to do is test the new code they've built. 

We have PTR (that stands for Public Test Realm) servers where you guys can try out the new code, but up until today, nothing you did on those servers has been saved.*

Starting today, on the member PTR server, we are turning on player data saving, which means that any time you complete a quest, kill a monster, buy an item from a shop (aka all the things you do on normal servers) that information will be saved to your account on the PTR server.**

Starting VERY soon (but not before next week), we will turn on player data saving for the free player PTR server, as well.

And to give you all a reason to log on that server and play the game like you usually do, we are going to start having PTR server exclusive boosts PLUS more rewards... and testing missions! 

Boosts, Rewards, and Testing Missions?!

You heard me! Starting today on the member PTR server, you'll get a 15% XP boost. The types and amount of boosts will change over the course of the next few weeks, as testing continues. Once testing missions begin, we'll give you specific in-game systems to test out, then report any bugs you find. 

Heroes who help us during these testing missions will get exclusive rewards (possible rewards include character page badges, items, and more)!

Keep an eye on the Design Notes next week for the details of what testing missions will be, how they will work, and what the rewards are.

What do I do right now?!

If you're a member, log onto the member-only PTR testing server and play the game like you normally do. If you encounter any bugs while playing, report them on the Bug Tracker. (And check out Cemaros' handy guide for reporting bugs on the PTR).

Yorumi built a more robust backup system JUST to make sure that what you do during this Player Data Save test will not affect your account. 

As soon as you log into the member PTR server:

• a new backup of your character/account will be created
• Every 5 days, a second backup of your character/account will be created (which will overwrite the first backup)

NOW... If you're the kind of person who likes having a to do checklist, the list below will help direct your testing efforts over the course of the weekend!

Here's how to help test!

1) Log onto either Testing Server (all players can still help test on Testing Server 2) at www.AQ.com

2) Keep your handy, dandy "New Server Testing Checklist" (shown below) next to you as you play so you know what to do. Test out as many things as you can from the list

3) Report any issues you find HERE

4) Log back in and FIND MORE BUGS! /cheer

New Server Testing Checklist

Maps:

• Joining Maps, does this ever fail?
• Joining instance(/join name-#####)
• Are new instances properly generated? Are new instances destroyed?
• Do monsters load properly? 
• Do monsters respawn properly?
• Do clickable items for quests appear and disappear as they are supposed to?
• Do all special functions work? (Think wars, clickable items, unique effects, etc)
• Do players appear/disappear from the map properly? 

Chat:

• Test all chat channels (say, whisper, party, guild)

Combat:

• Test skills, effects, buffs, debuffs.
• Do monsters fight back, drop gold, exp, cp.
• Do items drop and get added to inventory? 

Player Saving:

• Check that your player's data saves properly after completing quests/killing monsters, etc (it will not save after you log off the testing server...YET) 
• Check that your items, gold, exp, etc are what they should be each time you kill a monster, complete a quest
• Do items equip and unequip properly? 
• Do Factions get added, and do points properly save?

Guild:

• Check that all commands work: add, remove, promote, demote

Party:

• Check that all party functionality works
• Check that players are removed from list when logging out

Quest:

• Do quests display properly?
• Check description, rewards, end text
• Check to make sure your Quest progress is saved as you complete stories/quets 
• Check to make sure story quests are completable

Shops:

• Test both shop types: regular and merge. 
• Check to see that Gold/ACs are gained/lost in correct amounts
• Check to see if items added to inventory
• Check to see if merge requirements removed. 
• Are Shop location checks working?

Inventory:

• Items display properly including preview (name, desc, enhancement, etc).
• Items can be equipped and unequipped properly.
• Items sort into the correct tabs
• Regular items can be removed 
• AC items should prevent deletion

Bank:

• Items show in bank correctly
• Items sort to correct bank tabs
• Items can be moved between bank and inventory. 
• Add to bank, add to inventory, and swap two items work
• Items are recognized as in bank when dropping.

Thank you so much to everyone who has, is, and will help us test! We say that we build our games for and with you, and it's TRUE! We could not create AdventureQuest Worlds' weekly updates or its server rewrite without you, and I'm so excited that we are all building this together.

* This prevents potential issues from affecting your game account.
** This also means we are turning OFF /item loading. Otherwise, you could load any item you wanted to and it would carry over to normal servers.