Playtest rules (Rules and Policies)

These are the rules our playtesters should follow while testing areas. If you are found to be violating or bypassing one or more of them, you risk yourself being removed from the playtester ranks immediately. Furthermore, depending on the severity of the infraction, more punishments may be applied.

1. Rather than using your own character to test with, you will create a character specifically for playtesting. The character is designated through the 'playtest designate' command; see 'help playtest' for more details on how to do it (note: you must be an approved playtester to see that help file fully).
2. The playtest character must NEVER enter the released part of the game or interact with non-playtesters at any time. Because of this, he or she will have commands available to modify level, race, profession and alignment (makeprof), and to equip with regularly used questing equipment (playtest equip).
3. Multiplaying rules apply to your playtest character as much as they apply to your real character. Apart from the brief moment during playtest character designation, you may not be logged on both of your characters at the same time. This, however, applies only to realmud testing; testmud testing has separate rules: see below.
4. The point of playtesting is to test out new code, features and areas of Arda to ensure that things work correctly. Any bugs, typos or ideas you have should *always* be reported using the appropriate commands. The point of playtesting is to help improve Arda, not to get a preview of new things. Furthermore, if you test something and it works just fine, file a report anyway: just to tell us you've tested it! The report should preferably be of the 'commend' type.
5. If you have any problems, you get outside the area, something bad happens and you are unable to get help from an Ainu, use the 'playtest stop' command to return to the playtest hall. Do not use the command to escape death or to cheat yourself and us out of a proper test; death means nothing to your playtest character! Some areas have special code pertaining to character death; help us test it by allowing yourself to die.
6. Apart from testing new areas on realmud with the playtest character, playtesters are also sometimes asked to test system changes on the testmud. Testmud is a separate copy of the MUD running on a different port, where the system changes are first implemented. You may use both your main character and the playtest char on the testmud. Furthermore, you may multiplay with them on there: some changes regarding eg. the PvP system need more than one character! You are also allowed to be logged on both testmud and on realmud at the same time.
7. While you gain some liberties while on testmud, be aware that testmud access is meant *only* for playtesting purposes. Do NOT use testmud to test and explore in-game areas; instead focus on what is mentioned in a relevant 'ptnews' post or is listed on 'change' command output. If these do not mention anything new to test on testmud, you have no business logging on there at all.
8. Be active. Remember that you have *volunteered* to be a playtester, and with this comes responsibility. There is really nothing more frustrating for us than constantly pushing the 'volunteers' to actually do something. Read the 'ptnews' board regularly, check the 'change' list, be tuned to the 'ptcomm' line and try to dedicate some of your time to playtesting. Playtesters who do not do anything will be removed from the playtester ranks.

And finally, this cannot be stressed enough: report, report, REPORT! Playtesting without feedback is all but useless. If you find a bug or a typo, report immediately. If you have a suggestion of an enhancement, file an idea report. When you've finished your testing without detecting any problems, file a commend report stating so.