/vr/ - Retro Games

You're projecting other people's usage of a word.

>>5028074
It's just a way of categorizing stuff based off date and how close to it's end goals a project is. Beta works because it can mean anything from before the finished product. The word itself has connotations of being the lesser/minor of a pair or group. Alpha can mean the same idea but the idea of alpha builds really only applies to software development. Outside of that alpha usually has connotations of being first of/greater/major of a pair or group. That meaning has been around longer than the idea of an alpha build so when talking to people it's simpler and more direct to refer to all early build of a finished project as betas.

>>5028106
It would seem that "prototype" would be a better catch-all term than beta, because beta has more connotation of being near release, whereas prototype is vague enough to not give an indication of completion state beyond being incomplete. Or hell, do as the Japanese seem to do and just say "sample."

>>5028074
Betas who don't understand what words mean

>>5028074
Beta testing builds are the ones we as the public are usually made aware of, since the beta testing phase is where they start letting people outside the development team try it. There is also the alpha testing stage, but that is all internal in the company and sometimes never even make the light of day. That's why beta testing is what we usually hear about, because it's the second phase of testing.

>>5028074
>videogame betas
Tautology

>>5028074
You realize that sort of terminology well predates video games, right? It's been in widespread usage in the software industry since there was a software industry. And even prior to the software industry, it was used in other industries.

>>5028074
The term beta is used for all software projects, it isn't strictly a video game term lol.

>>5028348
>>5028359
>missing the point

>Why did it seem to catch on as the catch-all term for prototypical versions of videogames, despite actual beta versions having a lesser chance of being truly interesting compared to, say, alpha or pre-alpha versions?

It's almost like these words aren't arbitrary and refer to some sort of sequential alphabet of sorts. Wait a minute... "alphabet?" Alpha-bet? Alpha-beta? That can't be some kind of coincidence, can it?

>>5028608
No we got the point, op is retarded

yet another thread that could have been pre-solved with google

>>5028620
>google

Used to be great now it's like microsoft.

>>5028620
>>5028623
Pretty sure any search engine would get him his answer
But this is /v/. no, don’t let “r” fool you, this is still /v/

>>5028613
This. Also...

>>5028608
He's retarded too.

>>5028613
>>5028792
Point me to one other place beyond beta kiddie communities where "beta" is used as a catchall term for all pre-production versions of games.

>>5028314
This is the only post in the thread that seems to have any semblance of understanding of what I was saying. Well done.

>>5028797
>beta kiddie communities
What the fuck are you talking about? What are you talking about?

>>5028797
Most traditional board games. Look at any Kickstarter for them.

>>5028821
Ever heard of Beta64?

>>5028797
Machine labs, office tech, anywhere that’s above minimum wage uses Beta as a term for preproduction hardware/software. Hell, go to Lowe’s and watch that demo Video display about that portable generator. It’s clearly a production model but the guys are saying they are “beta testing” it.

>>5028797
Almost every game released in early access refers to itself as "alpha" or "beta"

The alpha is from creation until the point they have something playable. The beta is from playable to releasable. This isn't rocket science and anyone trying to figure out something from this is fucking retarded.

>>5028803
Yeah, it's just a troll thread for /vr/ kiddos to commiserate about how little they understand English.

>>5028797
>Point me to one other place beyond beta kiddie communities where "beta" is used as a catchall term for all pre-production versions of games.

How clueless can you possibly be?

Ocarina of Time "Beta Quest"

>>5028612
Sorry I don't speak European, I speak american. I don't care how you count in Italian or whatever dialect this is supposed to be

>>5032212
>I speak 'murican.