NWN2 Beta Stages, v2.2
Definitions
Core areas: the areas at the heart of the server design (typically including PC starting areas, merchants, low-level content, accommodation, storage).
Consequences: the results of a satisfactory review process.
Live areas: all of the areas intended to be in the server when it goes Live.
Mod Requirements: the minimum build level that is necessary for the server to be reviewed.
Review: the focus of the parties involved assessing the suitability of the team and server for progression.
Team Requirements: the level of DM training necessary for the server to be reviewed.
Roles
DM Admin will be responsible for approving progression between Beta stages.
Infra Admin will be responsible for confirming suitability of hosting infrastructure.
Server Selection Team will be responsible for qualitative analysis of the server.
Standards Team will be responsible for quantitative analysis of the server.
Tech Admin will be responsible for confirming compliance with Tech standards and scripts.
Training Team will be responsible for training NWN2 DMs.
Beta One
Mod Requirements: Core areas built and connected; ATs and doors connected; mod available for testing via player client at regular, announced, times; PWC available for download.
Team Requirements: Appropriate DM to take responsibility for maintenance of Standards Review Spreadsheet.
Review: Server Selection Team conduct ongoing review, focussing on the build of the core areas (particularly, quality and canonical accuracy), adherence to Server Proposal, and plans for further development; Server Selection Team provides feedback to Server Team indicating any areas of concern.
Consequences: DMA may grant Beta Two status; full status for NWN2 HDMs and EADMs.
Beta Two
Mod Requirements: content added to Core areas (non-hostile spawns, merchants, some scripted static quests); OOC areas (morgue, starting area and merchants) in place; some non-core Live areas included; mod available for regular, announced, testing by DM-run sessions; ACR (and any related global scripts) to be fully incorporated.
Team Requirements: DM team begin training and preparing for Live NWN2 DMing, including DM101.
Review: Infra Admin tests host connection; Standards Team conduct ongoing review of server content based on player-testing feedback - focussing on merchants and scripted static quests - providing feedback to Server Team indicating any areas of concern; Tech Admin confirms use of global scripts.
Consequences: DMA may grant Beta Three status; server DMs may apply for NWN2 DM status.
Beta Three
Mod Requirements: content added to all Live areas (hostile and non-hostile spawns, all merchants, all scripted static quests); all server-specific scripts to be fully operational; persistent storage implemented and tested; host to be stable and fully operational; mod to be consistently accessible; copy of the mod uploaded to DMftp.
Team Requirements: DM team to have sufficient numbers and training for Live NWN2 DMing; DM schedule and faction-involvement published; server lore published.
Review: DMA reviews server DM team; Server Selection Team conduct ongoing (in game) qualitative review; Standards Team conducts final (out of game) review based on Server Review Spreadsheet and a copy of the mod, as well as testing feedback; Tech Admin confirms use of server-specific scripts; reviewers provide feedback to Server Team indicating any areas of concern.
Consequences: DMA may grant Live status; full DM status for NWN2 DMs.
Beta Stages Defined [old]
Beta Stages Defined [old]
Last edited by Rusty on Thu Apr 26, 2007 1:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Beta Stages Defined
Please note that this thread is no longer up to date. The EADM position no longer exists and I am not entirely sure that this Beta stage process is going to be followed for the future.
I'm still looking for more information about when HDM status is granted. Perhaps this is the only place where it mentions the timing, but I could have sworn there was another thread about this somewhere. Please PM me if you have info, thanks.
I'm still looking for more information about when HDM status is granted. Perhaps this is the only place where it mentions the timing, but I could have sworn there was another thread about this somewhere. Please PM me if you have info, thanks.
Revision
I am considering changing this thread up a bit, by more clearly delineating what an Alpha server is, combining all three Beta Stages into one stage, and listing the basic essentials for a server to go Live. Here is a tentative revision:
Suggestions welcome.NWN2 Server Stages
Alpha Stage
The first step is for a member to submit an application to the DM Admin to build a server. Directions for this process are found here:
http://www.alandfaraway.org/node/963
Once the DM Admin has approved the application, the server will be considered to be in the Alpha Stage up until the time that it meets the criteria below.
The requirements for the server to advance to Beta Stage are as follows:
Core areas built and connected
Once these are met, the server team must notify the DM Admin that they are ready to advance to Beta Stage. The DM Admin will review the server at this time and advance the server when the criteria have all been met.
Beta Stage
In order to advance to Live, the following requirements must be met by the server:
DM Admin may grant full status for NWN2 HDMs.
DM team to begin training and preparing for Live NWN2 DMing, including DM101.
Review process:
Final checklist:
When all of the above criteria have been satisfied, the DM Admin may grant Live status to the server and full DM status for NWN2 DMs.
Live Stage
The HDM is fully responsible for the server. Responsibilities are listed in section 2.2 the ALFA Charter found here:
http://www.alandfaraway.org/charter
Re: Beta Stages Defined
I suggest, therefore I am welcome.
I would say it would be a good idea to remove the regular testing requirements from the move from Alpha->Beta. Of the other requirements listed, the only testing that is really required is of walk mesh, which I believe can be done easily enough without hosting the module on a regular basis.
Also, I cannot pass by without noting that this does have further effects that just a name convention. As we've already discussed, according to the Charter, all HDMs (be they beta 1 or Live) get to vote. So by removing two of the beta stages and adding in an ALFA stage, this would have the effects of setting the criteria for been a voting HDM higher.
I would say it would be a good idea to remove the regular testing requirements from the move from Alpha->Beta. Of the other requirements listed, the only testing that is really required is of walk mesh, which I believe can be done easily enough without hosting the module on a regular basis.
Also, I cannot pass by without noting that this does have further effects that just a name convention. As we've already discussed, according to the Charter, all HDMs (be they beta 1 or Live) get to vote. So by removing two of the beta stages and adding in an ALFA stage, this would have the effects of setting the criteria for been a voting HDM higher.
< Signature Free Zone >
Re: Beta Stages Defined
Not a problem. Changed it to:Rotku wrote:I would say it would be a good idea to remove the regular testing requirements from the move from Alpha->Beta. Of the other requirements listed, the only testing that is really required is of walk mesh, which I believe can be done easily enough without hosting the module on a regular basis.
Does that work?
I think it is important to distinguish that it is the Alpha Stage (greek word) and not an ALFA Stage (acronym). Also, I only copy and pasted the information from the original post, before editing them into bullet points. There is not any actual change like you are referring to.Rotku wrote:Also, I cannot pass by without noting that this does have further effects that just a name convention. As we've already discussed, according to the Charter, all HDMs (be they beta 1 or Live) get to vote. So by removing two of the beta stages and adding in an ALFA stage, this would have the effects of setting the criteria for been a voting HDM higher.
If I remember correctly, at Beta 3, a prior DMA had not yet granted HDM status. According to the wording in the revision, HDM status could be awarded at any point during the Beta Stage, at the discretion of the DMA. I'm not sure how anything is changing there?
A final point is that I am not adding in an Alpha Stage, it already exists. All I am doing is reorganizing the information about what it is and how to get to Beta.
Re: Beta Stages Defined
I wasn't of the notion anything changes, if you check for the conditions, basically the same still need to apply. So there's not a big upheaval of voting stages here. And even if there was some jumbling around, I'm rather convinced that is within DMAs purview.
Personally I think full status, access and voting rights need to be tied to measurable achievements, so whenever we think that yes, this server is really actually going to go live eventually.
I'd prefer it if HDM status required a host too, for instance, to add one "hard" requirement apart from all the software. That's really committing ressources.
I think it's okay if DMs get their full access only at live. Most are DMs on, or can DM on, other servers anyway - may actually be good that they have an incentive to do so, and we can spread the love around a little. Also, the HDM of the unfinished server can represent them up until that point.
Personally I think full status, access and voting rights need to be tied to measurable achievements, so whenever we think that yes, this server is really actually going to go live eventually.
I'd prefer it if HDM status required a host too, for instance, to add one "hard" requirement apart from all the software. That's really committing ressources.
I think it's okay if DMs get their full access only at live. Most are DMs on, or can DM on, other servers anyway - may actually be good that they have an incentive to do so, and we can spread the love around a little. Also, the HDM of the unfinished server can represent them up until that point.
The power of concealment lies in revelation.
Re: Beta Stages Defined
Moved the first two lines of Beta Stage to a spot after the requirements. Not sure if they need to be reworded or not.
Re: Beta Stages Defined
You can really give off the impression of hostility sometimes, Veilan. Let's not get back to the pathetic bickering over this is my domain and not yours sort of things. We've moved on from there. HEEGZ approached me in chat to ask my opinion and all of what I said above we had discussed and came to an agreement on. You seem to be a bit stuck in 2006 there, mateVeilan wrote:I wasn't of the notion anything changes, if you check for the conditions, basically the same still need to apply. So there's not a big upheaval of voting stages here. And even if there was some jumbling around, I'm rather convinced that is within DMAs purview.
Need I say: Welcome to ALFA. Good luck on your second PC
[Edit]To put it another way, I am commenting here as someone who was asked to comment - the whole "Comments Welcome" part of his post is the key there. Not as an evil megalomaniacly inclined Admin trying to steal control off my fellow Admin (especially one of them who I spent ages trying to convince to run for Admin).
< Signature Free Zone >
Re: Beta Stages Defined
Heh, of course. You'll see my use of alpha sort of started falling through the roof the further on in my post you go, as tiredness kicked it. It's what happens when one spends the whole evening running around deleting forumsI think it is important to distinguish that it is the Alpha Stage (greek word) and not an ALFA Stage (acronym). Also, I only copy and pasted the information from the original post, before editing them into bullet points. There is not any actual change like you are referring to.Rotku wrote:Also, I cannot pass by without noting that this does have further effects that just a name convention. As we've already discussed, according to the Charter, all HDMs (be they beta 1 or Live) get to vote. So by removing two of the beta stages and adding in an ALFA stage, this would have the effects of setting the criteria for been a voting HDM higher.
Other than that small change to the alpha requirements, I've got absolutely no problem with these changes. And I agree that voting HDMs should be tied in with some evidence of work (or at least activity).If I remember correctly, at Beta 3, a prior DMA had not yet granted HDM status. According to the wording in the revision, HDM status could be awarded at any point during the Beta Stage, at the discretion of the DMA. I'm not sure how anything is changing there?
A final point is that I am not adding in an Alpha Stage, it already exists. All I am doing is reorganizing the information about what it is and how to get to Beta.
Works perfectly.HEEGZ wrote:Not a problem. Changed it to:Rotku wrote:I would say it would be a good idea to remove the regular testing requirements from the move from Alpha->Beta. Of the other requirements listed, the only testing that is really required is of walk mesh, which I believe can be done easily enough without hosting the module on a regular basis.Does that work?
< Signature Free Zone >
Re: Beta Stages Defined
See, I was not aware of that - giving your initial comment a bit of a negative light, making it appear to me as if you invited yourselfRotku wrote:I am commenting here as someone who was asked to comment - the whole "Comments Welcome" part of his post is the key there.
. Regardless, you should know better than to try to construe hostility when I speculate that maybe some rearrangement may have been intended. I'm neither very positively engaged by your condescension.That said, you know I have no beef with you nor your input, so let's not make an issue out of nothing. But addmittedly, yes, the experiences of ayergo's and Rusty's term have made me cautious.
Anyway, we all seem to agree on the issue at hand. So, hooray for us.
The power of concealment lies in revelation.
Re: Beta Stages Defined
Veilan wrote:Anyway, we all seem to agree on the issue at hand. So, hooray for us.
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Re: Beta Stages Defined [old]
http://www.alandfaraway.org/forums/view ... 84&t=42383
Okay, I've posted the new version. Let's have a look at it one last time and post any additional changes in the new thread. Thanks for your help.
Okay, I've posted the new version. Let's have a look at it one last time and post any additional changes in the new thread. Thanks for your help.