What is the GSB Beta?

The beta is a pre-release period when the game is being balanced, polished and fine-tuned for eventual release. Most big games companies hold an internal beta where the game is only playable by staff rather than gamers. Whilst GSB is in beta, it is *not* finished and it is not considered 'released'.

How do I get in on the beta?

We only want people playing the beta copy who are very interested in the game, because we believe that you get more relevant feedback that way. (Too many people beta test everything and declare that it all 'sucks') As a result, we are making beta copies of the game available to people who pre-order the game. Obviously, once the final game is released, those people who pre-ordered will get the final finished and polished copy.

How long will the pre-order/ beta period last?

I have no way of knowing that until we have got a good number of people giving me feedback on the game. I am not keen to release an unfinished game, or one with bugs, so I will have to assess how 'release-ready' the game appears during the beta period. I think this game has a lot of potential for extra features and content, so I'll probably get sidetracked into adding extra bits during the beta period anyway!

Will the game cost more or less than the pre-order price?

I am not 100% sure of the final price yet, because we I'm still negotiating with publishers concerning the full release of the game. However, it is likely to be higher priced upon release. Regardless of the final price, pre-ordering means you get the full game on release without paying any extra.

Why would I pay for an unfinished game?

You don't have to. The game will not be released until it's finished. This is just an opportunity to play the game early, and to get feedback to the developer (me) in time for me to improve the game and fix any issues before the general release. If you don't like the idea of paying when a game is in beta, just join my mailing list and wait until the game is announced finished. The game *is* working, complete, and playable right now, so you aren't buying something with all placeholder art or missing levels. This is a full, playable game.

Is there a demo?

No. Not yet, although of course there will be one on release day. The problem with releasing a beta demo is the word 'beta' always gets ignored and people who encounter bugs or balance issues write off the game as 'buggy' before it's even had a chance. Because of this, and the time needed to produce an accurate and polished demo, I will be waiting until the game is ready for release before I put together a demo. There are plenty of videos and explanations of the game if you are unsure how it works. If you only have a laptop, and do not think it supports a screen height of 768 pixels, or have a very old PC or graphics card please wait until there is a demo before buying the game.

How do I give beta feedback, and do I have to?

Through the GSB beta forum here! Or if you have problems with that, just email me at cliff@positech.co.uk. If you aren't interested in giving feedback, that's fine, but it really helps to develop a game better if the developer knows about every niggle, problem, bug, slowdown or crash that ever occurs. It might well be that a problem you have on your PC just doesn't happen on mine, and if you don't tell me what's wrong, I don't know to fix it!

So how do I pre-order?

Click here, and buy the game. You will automatically be sent a link to the beta copy of the game, and a serial number for setting up an account for challenges. Thanks. I appreciate it! It means I can buy food and pay the bills!