I think that giving players unlimited resources will screw up perception of the game. It may be good to catch technical bugs, but not things like balance, etc.
Yes, but balance is something that can't really be "tested", it's more measured and compared over time
So these kind of problems are sorted our during longer periods of time on the "normal" servers. This is however a *test*-server, and the purpose of it is to effectively find bugs and mistakes that havn't been found yet. Let me give you an example
When ME was released, they wrote in the ME-mission that the mission included testing of all buildings and units, for instance; test that all buildings gave back the right amount of coins and supplies when we sold it. After like 2-3 weeks ME was released on the normal servers. This means that in 2-3 weeks we are going to produce all goods, unlock all techs, collect enough coins/resources, and then test different buildings.
The thing is; there's more focus in playing the game normally than to actually test things really serius. And as a result of this, not all bugs are detected, the ones that get detected are not always sorted out and that is why we end up with so many problems on the normal servers.
This is a test server, and testing is what should be done here
Allow us to make a copied test account from our main accounts at any time and allow us to fill up all values in game by 1 click, then we can test much more effectively
Bugs have a large share in the development of the game. And I don't know how well it would be for us to receive unlimited resources to easily switch to the last age. There may be bugs and in lower ages ...
I think that you've missed the point with what a test server actually is
A test server is supposed to test *new* features, not old ones. The old features have already been tested and most of the bugs *should* have already been sorted out due to the testing that was done back then. If any more bugs are detected, they are reported from the normal servers and fixed in the next version. Testing that the bug is solved is done at developper stage so that is not something we need to test
And, for special things like when they released the bonus area for EMA: As this is a test server, it should ofcouse be possible to jump backwards in the tech tree aswell. Think of it this way; currently only small players can test "early" features, and only large players can test "later" features (i.e new eras). If all testers could jump between all techs (both forward and backwards), *all* players could test whatever is new
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It is really simple to make the test server work really effective. Implement a test-management-tool that let us:
- Reset the entire tech tree.
- Finish the entire tech tree.
- Reset one age in the tech tree.
- Finish one age in the tech tree.
- Reset one technology in the tech tree.
- Finish one technology in the tech tree.
- Insert 1'000'000 coins.
- Insert 1'000'000 resources.
- Insert 1'000 medals.
- Insert 1'000 of each good.
- Insert 1'000 diamonds.
- Insert 9 blueprints for one GB.
- Insert any special building.
- Level up GBs.
- Level down GBs.
- Add expansion.
- Remove expansion.
And also very important: This is actually a test server. You (InnoGames) should actually be a little ashamed of yourself that you even allow players to *buy* things here. I've never seen any games that accepts cash on a test server
I think you get the idea
It sounds OP, but remember that this is a test server
If you're affraid that people will start playing here instead of the ordinary servers, do a full reset of all accounts after each update