According to the Bethblog, the beta is actually the full version of the DLC, and those that get into the Beta don't have to pay for it when it comes out, well, since they already have it... excuse me for being slow if this is already known, but it was suprising to me..

I play on Xbox so if i'm lucky enough i may get the great honour of getting it for free, but on the other hand for people who don't get in, or people who play on pc/ps3. i can imagine this is slightly annoying, as its chance's fault that they have to scraqe out around 10 pounds (or 20$) or however 1600 points equals...

I would rather the people who do their job as a beta tester get in however, i know will certainly be doing my best if i get in...

but anyway, what do you guys think about the testers getting the final thing for free?

They shouldn't have made it free, that way they could justify more people getting into the beta.

Or announced it as a prize towards the end of the closed beta

Well, it won't be the finished 'finished' product. It'll probably get a number of updates to iron out bugs and balance and the like. When the beta period ends, they'll get a final update that takes it out of beta, similar to the beta patches.


Since getting it free seems to be an incentive to beta test, perhaps there should be a requirement of actually filing a minimum number of beta reports as, y'know an incentive to beta test. Any one that doesn't make a least a certain number of bug reports should have their beta code deactivated and be forced to make do with the 'unfinished' buggy version. That'd weed out the ones that applied with no intention of beta testing.

Meh... If there was going to be a PC side to the Beta then I "might" be interested. However, I'm just fine with waiting till launch on PC. Whenever that ends up being.

I guess you could argue that their is a possibility that the Beta could corrupt saves or something but I agree with Radioactive Bacon - if the access to the beta didn't grant the full version for free alot more people would be granted access codes and their would be much more feedback that Bethesda could use to make the release product less buggy.

On the other hand, the more people involved the greater the chance of somebody lacking scruples getting the beta and then sticking it on a torrent site or even just posting massive spoilers all over the place. And if that happened, could you see Bethesda doing an open beta for the DLC again?

TBH I think it makes perfect sense I mean if we get in we would be helping them clean up the EXP that for some reason they may not have time to do due to E3 or whatever, I think it makes perfect sense to get something in return and sending out money would be to much law put into it really be worth it so they did this.

To me regarding it being with PS3vs360 its just like any other exclusive, both systems have them and MS just happens to I suppose pay off Beth faster than Sony did (if they even tried) to get this EXP/DLC for us a month exclusive and maybe Beth just thought "hey since they are getting it a month exclusive why not let them be Beta Testers?" Though I can understand if they are upset about us getting it and not having to pay but I just see it like any timid exclusive between the two.

PCvs360 Really...Only thing I can say to this is I feel no shame when it comes to these to just because PC gamers, you have the construction kit, you KNOW what it feels like to ADD to a game and help the community in a big way, you also have a crap load of Mods to use right off the bat, so imho if PC gamers ARE whining about this I really have no tears to shed for them because they basically have everything while we console gamers only got the vanilla game which is fun but could be so much better with the things they got.

Oh god, don't start the PC Vs Console argu- *Gets crushed by angry PC gamers storming in*

I find it rather simple, keep the beta tester numbers low, but give them enough incentive to actually do their 'job'. Is it unfair that the rest have to pay? Poppycock, they haven't earned it, whilst those who actually get chosen have been given so for a reason. Now, imagine if Beth were paying people to beta this DLC, it'd rack them far more than ten pounds. Other than petty jealousy, I can't quite tell why people would have a problem with this. But then, this is the internet after all.

Good point but whats going to stop people who would have the entire game for free anyway from doing the exact same thing? If the Beta was restricted by some sort of timed DRM that would make the beta unplayable after a certain date, piracy would be reduced and still Bethesda wouldn't be giving away a few free copies (until some pirate decided to find a work around to the DRM).

EDIT: btw i'm not against Bethesda giving away free copies of Dawnguard, i am just questioning their logic.

Have you guys never done a beta before?

Standard practice, you are beta testing their game so in a way you ARE paying for it. You are providing a service to bethesda they would have payed for otherwise.

This is why open betas are popular. People get free games, companies get feedback. Thats how it works.

I was a beta tester for halo reach (not the multiplayer beta, real beta) and I got a free copy of the game in return... This is how it works.

We have reason to believe you are hiding a console gamer... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXVN7QJ8m88

I've never done a Beth Beta and given how buggy their games tend to be at launch, I would sort of dread how buggy they must be in Beta.

I think that is the payment for their work.

hope i get in

Sorry for being off topic... But is my avatar a tree on you guys screens?

I have a wolf avatar... And I didnt change it...

Edit: and now it is back to wod after reloading 3 times.

Whoever is in my account, get out now or the flaming wrath of hell will smite you and whatever means you used to get in.

I agree sorta I mean I have hardly run into bugs in Skyrim so who is to say after beta testing the game for 100 hours or more or whatever I only find 5 bugs yet supposed to report 10 but don't make it so I don't get the game? Thats not very fair if I put in just as much time as the rest if not more while searching for them and just happend to not find as many.

it's a wolf on mine.

XD take that as you will hon but thats not how I meant it to be LMAO
I am just saying all that for PS3 n PC so that if they end up [censored]ing they can read that on my opinions on how it IS fair to get it for free n on 360 atm tho they can always ignore it

Thanks. It change to a random tree for about 5 minutes... I refreshed the page 3 times before it changed back.

If someone is messing with my account, believe me.... You do not want to do that.

I don't mind it, seeing as we're (supposed to be) doing QA work for Beth.

Well, a beta test isn't just about finding bugs, there's also scope for reporting on balance. But I think a system where you can at least show that you're testing for issues would be best. ie: A reporting system perhaps where you make a log of what you did? Stuff like doing quests at different intervals, visiting locations in different orders and from different directions or even just running around any new areas just to see if anything pops up.

More Xbox 360 circle jerking by beth? Color me surprised.

'Hon'?