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From: msphil@aardvark.cc.wm.edu (Michael S. Phillips)
Subject: Re: Draft rules, next competition
Message-ID: <1995Oct23.203558.29666@lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu>
Sender: msphil@gateway.lawlib.wm.edu (Michael S. Phillips)
Organization: Marshall-Wythe Law Library
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References: <46c1s5$e74@agate.berkeley.edu> <gkWdBoe00WB444s2UV@andrew.cmu.edu>
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 1995 20:35:58 GMT
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In article <gkWdBoe00WB444s2UV@andrew.cmu.edu>, "Andrew C. Plotkin" <erkyrath+@CMU.EDU> writes:
|> whizzard@uclink.berkeley.edu (Gerry Kevin Wilson) writes:
|> 
|> >         B)  You must keep the text adventure to yourself until the Upload
|> > Window.  Do not show it to anyone else who might be voting in the competition
|> > until that time.  You may opt, however, to have it betatested by the
|> > contest's official betatesters, and only them.  They will be under strict
|> > orders not to spend more than X hours betatesting each game, but there will
|> > be 2-4 'drafts', and your game will be tested by different betatesters each
|> > draft.
|> 
|> Bleah! Wah! Restricted beta-testing? How can I trust a tester who is
|> under orders not to do his best?

Well, I've already privately replied to Whizzard and apparently
successfully divined his intent.  The beta testers are a service for
those who believe they will not have an appropriate group of beta-
testers or those who need a schedule like that to keep themselves
moving :^)  The use of the 'officially-sanctioned' testers would not
be mandatory, just a useful service for those who feel they need it.

In other words, if you think you have good beta-testers, by all means
use them.  If not, here's a guaranteed-not-to-screw-up-the-competition 
testing crew.

|> Either make X very large, or change the orders to "Do as complete a
|> job beta-testing the game as possible."

.....within the limits of testing ten games within two weeks' time.


|> You mean voting begins at the end of May and continues til the end of
|> September? Sounds way too long. But, of course, many people are
|> off-net during the summer (I assume that's why you chose those dates.)
|> Problematic. 

I think the 'voting in September' works reasonably well, although the 
timing of the start *might* perhaps be moved up to August 15th-ish, to 
catch all the new/returning students with time on their hands the first 
week or two of classes (or imagined time on their hands ;-) at least
until classes catch up with them).

Would a month and a half of playing/voting be enough time, you think?

    Mike Phillips, msphil@aardvark.cc.wm.edu
