If you label the beta read an extravaganza, itâs more exciting. This post is meant mostly for some local friends, but if you happen to come across it, well, youâre welcome to join.
You can sign in via Discord at beta.veiledage.com. Beta accounts are separate from the main ones. Youâll want to make a new character.
The Purpose of this Beta Read / Beta Test
Right now, you canât actually spend money on Veiled Age. I would like for that to change soon. That means it needs to be actually good. Like any writer Iâm pretentious and want praise. But please include whatever harsh criticisms you can come up with, because I need it to land with people on the internet who donât know me.
I donât expect you to play through all the content. Finishing the prologue is required due to how the game works. But after that, you can select any story. Though they are meant to be played in order, feel free to skip to what interests you. You also donât need to finish any story. Obviously, the end is where your choices will come to fruition, but simply playing until you get bored and giving feedback at that point is still useful.
Whatâs most helpful is feedback on the content after the paywall, which almost nobody has seen yet: a short called For Whom the Chime Rings, and the longest story, Dwellers of Bodenforst. Iâm looking for feedback on Veiled Age as a story and a game. Iâm not too concerned about proofreading at this stage.
You can leave general feedback as replies here, or just tell me in person. Iâll also make threads for each of the four parts.
Note on the Paywall
The beta site has a paywall, but the payments are not real. This is to test that the process works and the user experience makes sense. To âbuyâ, put in the credit card number 4242 4242 4242 4242 and invent the other details.
What Kind of Feedback is Most Helpful?
1. The Ultimate Question
Would you buy this? How can I improve the quality so that it feels worth it? Imagine you didnât know me and were actually paying $8 at the paywall. Would you do it? What would give you more confidence or entice you more?
2. Bugs
Most importantly, did the game ever crash (did it stop unexpectedly)? If so, whatâs the last thing you did? Was there an error message or, more commonly, did the story area just go blank? If it crashes, try reloading a previous save.
Continuity errors are also rampant in interactive fiction. Examples: The game assumes you know about something you havenât encountered yet. The game acts like you did something you didnât do. A character makes a comment when they shouldnât be present in the scene. A scene seems to be missing.
3. Getting Stuck or Bored
Not counting bugs/errors, was there ever a point where you couldnât figure out how to progress? Was it frustrating or was it part of the fun? Even if you werenât totally stuck, did you ever just feel bored and want to put the story down?
4. Player Character Agency
By design, some of your choices make a tiny difference, some make a large difference, and some make no difference â kind of like real life. But I would like to hear about your experience with this. For example:
- You had an idea of something you wanted to say or do, but there was no option to do so.
- Times when you felt disappointed that a particular choice you made didnât have an interesting consequence or reply.
- Times when you expected or wanted your characterâs species/sex/homeland/stats to have more of an effect on the story.
- Choices you found difficult or had to mull over. This is usually a good thing.
5. NPCs
Iâd like to know what you think of the prominent characters. What do you like about them? Do their actions and dialog feel consistent? Do they have enough personality?
These characters are often tagging along, waiting for you to do things, like in any party-based RPG (Final Fantasy, Baldurâs Gate, etc). This naturally hinders their realism somewhat as compared to non-interactive fiction. I tried to strike a balance where you are in the driverâs seat of the experience, but characters still have a mind of their own and will occasionally show some initiative. Iâd like to know how you think I did, and I welcome any specific ideas you have about something a character might say or do.