Fog of War: The Battle for Cerberus -- BETA TESTERS NEEDED

As a newly commissioned sublieutenant in the Astral Corps, you and your Hoplite troopers must put down a rebel insurrection on the planet Cerberus.

Set in the Virtues of War series of novels.

If you have a successful playthrough, please post a copy of the stats readout into your feedback email.

Email me, jason AT choiceofgames for access. DO NOT SEND ME A MESSAGE THROUGH THE FORUM MAIL SYSTEM. When you send your EMAIL, include your forum-name, your real name, and the game you want to test.

DO NOT POST ASKING WHAT MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS. The first test to becoming a beta tester is inferring what it is based on the above paragraph.

(You cannot be testing two games at once. Send feedback on one and you can apply to another.)

I will send you a link, a username, and a password.

Return feedback TO ME. Preferably part of the same thread, rather than a new email.

I’m looking for “high level” and “low level” feedback. Not mid-level feedback.

Low-level = typos and continuity errors. A continuity error is when a character’s gender flips, or someone comes back from the dead, or you run into a plotline that just doesn’t make sense (because it’s probably a coding error).

For these low-level issues, SCREENSHOTS are VERY HELPFUL. If you see a problem, take a screenshot, or copy and paste the text that is in error, and email that. Also, the “BUG” button is great; but if you use BUG, make sure to say in your email who you are, so I can give you credit for the report.

“High level” feedback has to do with things like plot, pacing, and characters. “Scene A didn’t work for me because x, y, and z,” is useful feedback. “B character was entirely unsympathetic, because u, w, and v,” is also useful feedback.

“Mid-level” feedback describes things like grammar, style, or the use of commas. As I said above, I do not want mid-level feedback. In particular, DO NOT WRITE TO ME ABOUT COMMAS.

“I had a great time and saw only a few spelling errors,” is not useful feedback. In fact, it’s the sort of thing that results in you not being given access to future betas.

Some examples of useful feedback:

In Choice of the Dragon, you get to choose what type of wings you have: leather or scaled. Someone wrote in and asked about having feathered wings. Great suggestion! Done!

In “The Eagle’s Heir,” someone asked about Eugenie. They said that the romance moved too quickly–because she only appeared in the last third of the game–and wished they could have had an opportunity to meet her earlier. So the authors added an opportunity to meet her and start the romance earlier in the game (in a scene that already existed).

In “Demon Mark: A Russian Saga” several people commented on how the PC’s parents were unsympathetic, so the authors added a choice or two to deepen the relationship with the parents in the first chapter, to help better establish their characters.

Similarly, pointing out a specific choice and saying, “this is who I imagined my character was at this particular moment, and none of these options seemed right for me. I would have liked an option to do X instead,” is really helpful feedback.

Another useful piece of feedback: if you choose an #option and then the results of that #option don’t make sense. Like, if you thought an #option might test one stat, but it seems to have tested a different one.

16 Likes

Wow! A lot of applications! Thanks all…I’m going to wait until I get a new draft to send out more acceptances. Please be patient!

2 Likes

You have to send the email to Jason…

2 Likes

If you’re beta-ing the game, please send in your feedback! Almost 20 people have been admitted but haven’t sent in any notes yet.

1 Like

New draft posted!

2 Likes

Done with my first run and quite enjoyed it…YAY!
Characters - relatively interesting and possess unique individuality. Strong sets!

Plot - Splendid will give you an immersive experience as the story unfolds sometimes it gave me a dilemma what to choose…good replay value. Obviously there’s a sequel…

Setting - Intergalactic means huge coverage but the author handled it with superb pacing and familiarity.

Style Prose: light to read and no need to check on dictionary regularly. Grammar wise perfect!

Overall: Brilliant but It felt like it was just about to start when it ended (felt I was left hanging and still asking for more), and still I highly recommend this to everyone! 2 thumbs up!

I think you need to send your feedback via personal email to Jason , and not here :slight_smile:

Done already…thanks

2 Likes

New draft posted! Lots of continuity fixes!

1 Like

We’re reaching the end of the beta. Time to send in any last notes!

1 Like

New draft up!

Mostly fixes around continuity errors if you made it through 7 without getting captured, and another thread around meeting/not meeting Zhang in 8.

Last call for beta feedback!

2 Likes