D&D 5E D&D Beyond Announces Combat Tracker

"We're happy to announce the Alpha release of the Combat Tracker tool to subscribers of D&D Beyond! Try it out in your D&D games and your feedback will be used to make this the best it can be!"

D&D Beyond has just announced the alpha development version of a combat tracker. You can track monsters, initiative, and access quick reference information. This functionality is similar to that offered by Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds.

You can read more about the combat tracker here. The Alpha version is available to DDB subscribers.

"We have been using the Combat Tracker in our home games for a few weeks, and although it is certainly not in a finished state yet, we experienced enough value that we have decided to go ahead and release it now - even in its unfinished state - to both 1) let subscribers gain some of that value and 2) get feedback as early as possible.

Please keep in mind that this is not a finished product, and we invite subscribers to help us make it the best it can be!

Who can use the Combat Tracker?

All D&D Beyond Subscribers. The Combat Tracker is in full active development right now. We will be allowing early access to NEW Combat Tracker features to our Subscribers first, to prove out concepts and new functionality. We took the same approach with the Alpha version of the Encounter Builder with much success. This delivery method allows us to digest feedback in bite sized chunks and perform testing to figure out the best user experience possible.

What is a Development Alpha?

The Development Alpha of the Combat Tracker allows us to test features and user experience.

• Functional but expecting a lot of bugs
  • Should be no core functionality bugs
• Core functionality could change with feedback
• Functionality could appear or disappear at any time

We will be working on validating bug reports and cleaning up the Combat Tracker. Once these tasks have been completed we will release to Beta, essentially meaning the Combat Tracker tool is complete."

 

[Oofta]

Not me. But all of those links I provided. They are the experts. But you seem hellbent on misrepresenting my argument anyway, so why stop now?

Alpha testing being released to the public is a thing that a lot of companies, particularly entertainment companies, do on a regular basis. Beta tests are designed to get feedback and work out bugs.

That's the reality no matter how adamant you are about it. Despite your insistence that no web site should ever crash and that if it does happen (to alpha/beta code) the world is ending.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Alpha testing being released to the public is a thing that a lot of companies, particularly entertainment companies, do on a regular basis. Beta tests are designed to get feedback and work out bugs.

citations please. As well as citations from reputable sources that define alpha testing in that way.

That's the reality no matter how adamant you are about it. Despite your insistence that no web site should ever crash and that if it does happen (to alpha/beta code) the world is ending.

When have I ever said websites should never crash? When you repeat the same strawman over again, that doesn't speak well for the strength of your argument.

 

[Oofta]

citations please. As well as citations from reputable sources that define alpha testing in that way.

LOL. No. I'm done. Have a good one.

 

[Sacrosanct]

As expected. You jump in with two strawman, and then when asked for citations to support your argument, you refuse and walk out.

I've provided not only first hand subject matter testimony on my own behalf, but I've linked several times in this discussion to sites that also define how testing works and what those terms mean. And you disagree, but can't manage to provide any supporting evidence of your own.

You said you're a software developer, right? Did it for years?

This would be like you saying how coding a particular piece of software works, and me coming in and saying "nope. That's not how it works." despite me having no real direct coding knowledge (only visual basic, PASCAL, and whatever minor stuff I've seen when working with developers myself).

So you repeat, "No, this is my job. I'm telling you how it works. This is how. And here are some links to professional sites that show you how and why that works."

And I say, "Nope. Are you the one true way? I know a guy who does it this way, so it must be the right way." Despite you knowing that I'm not remotely accurate. And despite me not providing you any evidence to how my assumptions are accurate to counter all the evidence you provided.

That's how this conversation went.

 

[Oofta]

As expected. You jump in with two strawman, and then when asked for citations to support your argument, you refuse and walk out.

I've provided not only first hand subject matter testimony on my own behalf, but I've linked several times in this discussion to sites that also define how testing works and what those terms mean. And you disagree, but can't manage to provide any supporting evidence of your own.

You said you're a software developer, right? Did it for years?

This would be like you saying how coding a particular piece of software works, and me coming in and saying "nope. That's not how it works." despite me having no real direct coding knowledge (only visual basic, PASCAL, and whatever minor stuff I've seen when working with developers myself).

So you repeat, "No, this is my job. I'm telling you how it works. This is how. And here are some links to professional sites that show you how and why that works."

And I say, "Nope. Are you the one true way? I know a guy who does it this way, so it must be the right way." Despite you knowing that I'm not remotely accurate. And despite me not providing you any evidence to how my assumptions are accurate to counter all the evidence you provided.

That's how this conversation went.

Dude, I don't care any more. I'm done.

 

[HarbingerX]

Man. 9 pages of software methodology and quality arguments.

 

[slobster]

As expected. You jump in with two strawman, and then when asked for citations to support your argument, you refuse and walk out.

I'll try one more time, myself. Granted these aren't dictionary sources or anything, but since we are talking about a term in common usage I imagine that should be okay.

Video Game Beta Tests

List of all tests currently available worldwide. Beta Tests.

www.gamepressure.com

This site tracks games that are in some form of early release, including closed betas and closed alphas (games that are distributed to a select group of players for playtesting before release, often people who have preordered but sometimes just people who managed to get their hands on a beta key or something), as well as open beta test games, which are games in beta that anyone can download and play and report any bugs encountered to the developers.

As you can see, several of the games classified as in "open beta", which again means anyone can download and play them, have been so for several years. Just browsing the first couple pages I can see that Ashes of Creation has been in Open Beta (that's their classification) since 2018, Escape from Tarkov has been in closed Beta since 2017, Lost Sector Online has been in open beta since 2016, etc. Upvoid Miner has apparently been in open Alpha since 2014!

I'm sure you consider that an incorrect use of the terms for software design, and sure, you are more qualified to talk about industry terms than I. But in terms of common usage, among gamers specifically, this D&D initiative tracker usage of the term Beta Test made complete sense to me from the beginning, is in line with the examples I've given (in this comment and before), and represents a common usage of the term.

Have a good day!

 

[Sacrosanct]

I'll try one more time, myself. Granted these aren't dictionary sources or anything, but since we are talking about a term in common usage I imagine that should be okay.

Video Game Beta Tests

List of all tests currently available worldwide. Beta Tests.

www.gamepressure.com

This site tracks games that are in some form of early release, including closed betas and closed alphas (games that are distributed to a select group of players for playtesting before release, often people who have preordered but sometimes just people who managed to get their hands on a beta key or something), as well as open beta test games, which are games in beta that anyone can download and play and report any bugs encountered to the developers.

As you can see, several of the games classified as in "open beta", which again means anyone can download and play them, have been so for several years. Just browsing the first couple pages I can see that Ashes of Creation has been in Open Beta (that's their classification) since 2018, Escape from Tarkov has been in closed Beta since 2017, Lost Sector Online has been in open beta since 2016, etc. Upvoid Miner has apparently been in open Alpha since 2014!

I'm sure you consider that an incorrect use of the terms for software design, and sure, you are more qualified to talk about industry terms than I. But in terms of common usage, among gamers specifically, this D&D initiative tracker usage of the term Beta Test made complete sense to me from the beginning, is in line with the examples I've given (in this comment and before), and represents a common usage of the term.

Have a good day!

Some of them do. Others follow the actual methodology. As I said, because some companies don't follow methodology doesn't mean that the terms and definitions of the methodology change. It just means those companies aren't following it. And as I also said upthread, the problem with that is because it increases risk, and we end up with what we had happen. Something broke core code* and they had to scramble to try to fix it.

What people seem to be glossing over is that the issue isn't this one error. A lot of folks are getting hung up on "this didn't ruin the world did it? No big deal!"

The issue is that it seems to imply that they aren't following industry standards, and that brings risk and poor quality. That's the concern. That they have shoddy processes for quality control. Not just this one issue. But the root cause. There is a reason why we have industry standards for quality assurance testing.

* and yes, beta is core code. By literally the definition of what beta is. and they said that core code should not be impacted, which it was.

 

[Fenris447]

That's the concern. That they have shoddy processes for quality control. Not just this one issue.

Congratulations. You, and you alone, have discovered the true issue. The alarm bell has been rung. Nobody else believes you. We have not yet established a pattern of poor quality from D&D Beyond. But you surely have proven it's coming.

Now what? What do you want to happen? From D&D Beyond, from everyone here arguing with you, from the world? What is your objective here, other than to prove you're an expert and know better than all of us?

Why are you doing this?

 

[Sacrosanct]

Congratulations. You, and you alone, have discovered the true issue. Nobody else believes you.

This is not true. But you already know that (assuming you've been reading the thread). There are others in this thread who have made similar observations as me. Comments like this are unwarranted, untrue, and unduly hyperbolic.

We have not yet established a pattern of poor quality from D&D Beyond. But you surely have proven it's coming.

Now what? What do you want to happen? From D&D Beyond, from everyone here arguing with you, from the world? What is your objective here, other than to prove you're an expert and know better than all of us?

Why are you doing this?

You never answered my question the first time you brought this up. Is your standard that we can't bring up or address concerns unless we actively do something to address it?