whats the TLDR of this thread?

Thinking is hard? i got about 2 paragraphs into the OP and my eyes glazed over.

I believe this thread has the record number of facepalms from me

congratulations OP

Tldr is that the skills and market is very complicated and while that is not in itself bad, the core gameplay, graphics and player counts are not good.

Do me a favor and Google beta.

OK.

From Wikipedia.

Alpha

The alpha phase of the release life cycle is the first phase to begin software testing (alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, used as the number 1). In this phase, developers generally test the software using white box techniques. Additional validation is then performed using black box or gray box techniques, by another testing team. Moving to black box testing inside the organization is known as alpha release.[2]

Alpha software can be unstable and could cause crashes or data loss. The exception to this is when the alpha is available publicly (such as a pre-order bonus), in which developers normally push for stability so that their testers can test properly. External availability of alpha software is uncommon in proprietary software. However, open source software, in particular, often have publicly available alpha versions, often distributed as the raw source code of the software. The alpha phase usually ends with a feature freeze, indicating that no more features will be added to the software. At this time, the software is said to be feature complete.

Beta

Beta (named after the second letter of the Greek alphabet) is the software development phase following alpha. It generally begins when the software is feature complete. Software in the beta phase will generally have many more bugs in it than completed software, as well as speed/performance issues. The focus of beta testing is reducing impacts to users, often incorporating usability testing. The process of delivering a beta version to the users is called beta release and this is typically the first time that the software is available outside of the organization that developed it.

The users of a beta version are called beta testers. They are usually customers or prospective customers of the organization that develops the software, willing to test the software without charge, often receiving the final software free of charge or for a reduced price. Beta version software is often useful for demonstrations and previews within an organization and to prospective customers. Some developers refer to this stage as a preview, prototype, technical preview (TP), or early access. Some software is kept in perpetual betaGÇöwhere new features and functionality are continually added to the software without establishing a firm "final" release.

Open and closed beta

Developers release either a closed beta or an open beta; closed beta versions are released to a restricted group of individuals for a user test by invitation, while open beta testers are from a larger group, or anyone interested. The testers report any bugs that they find, and sometimes suggest additional features they think should be available in the final version. Examples of a major public beta test are:

Open betas serve the dual purpose of demonstrating a product to potential consumers, and testing among an extremely wide user base likely to bring to light obscure errors that a much smaller testing team might not find.

---

OK. So as you can see, alphas have stability issues, data loss and crashes. Sounds familiar. Invalid fittings, anyone? Hard lock, anyone?

Betas are used to test software that is feature complete - read and understand what that means. It means that core functions are ready, but need volume stress tests to identify bugs that cannot be identified internally by the developer due to not having the ability to generate large volumes of test metrics. This is achieved by open or public beta, or by controlled closed beta.

What we have with dust, is software where the core functions are still being refined, but the developer has chosen to move to beta stage despite stability issues in the core which technically mean that what we are testing is a later variant of an alpha build.
The reasoning for this is simple, the software is not yet feature complete, so by definition, it cannot be a beta.

That's going by the book of sdlc.

Come on, you quoted paragraphs of the definition and still got it wrong.

What makes you think that people will wait more time to get from Dust 514 what other games can deliver now...especially with 2 shooter MMO coming in 2013 on console.

I don't feel any loyalty towards CCP, especially after participating to this beta.
If their product is poor I won't wait for them to fix it: it will just play games of developers I trust and let Dust die.

^^^
Gaikai is coming on Playstation and with it eventually PlanetSide 2 which is a SOE game and Sony already brought a SOE MMO on PS3.

You've been trying out demos.

Try again when you've played games for quarter of a century or so.

Having to constantly buy every weapon and every item we use for each time we spawn is horribly inconvenient and annoying.

Sorry, but you completely missed my point in a massive, massive way.

What fps beta where you in? It doesnt seem like you understand the process, so I dont think you have been in any.

We compared Dust 514 to good products.
If Dust was good and unpolished I would be happy.
Finished or not Dust lacks the basic.
CCP build this game without having the foundations to sustain it.

So for you we are all testing smoke.
CCP then is doing things far wrong then I thought.

So CCP is letting us test a mock build.
This then means they have mocked us for all these months.

Nice...or rather not.

So CCP is letting us test a mock build.
This then means they have mocked us for all these months.
Nice...or rather not.

Cling to you hopes but betas can't turn common stone into Gold.