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<blockquote data-quote="GSHamster" data-source="post: 5912372" data-attributes="member: 20187">There are multiple types of testing. To use a software analogy, you have two extremes of tests. One type is called &quot;end-to-end&quot; or integrated testing. This is where you test the entire system from start to end, and make sure that all the components work well with each other.The other extreme is unit or component testing. This is where you take a single component and test it in isolation. Give defined inputs to the component, and get outputs.Both types of testing are necessary. But in general, you want to start with the unit tests, with testing the individual components before stringing them together.Let's say you only did integrated testing, and a problem popped up. You can't really be sure if it's a problem inside a component, or if the problem happens because two components aren't talking to each other correctly.WotC is starting with a more specific test. Their &quot;inputs&quot;, the characters and the encounters, will always be identical. If there are issues in this playtest, like a majority reports that the rogue is not fun, they don't have to worry that the rogue creation rules are unclear or bad. Instead they know that there is something wrong with the default rogue mechanics.Integrated testing will happen eventually. But component testing with defined inputs needs to come first. If anything, this setup says to me that WotC is taking the public playtest seriously, and it's not just a publicity stunt.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="GSHamster, post: 5912372, member: 20187"] There are multiple types of testing. To use a software analogy, you have two extremes of tests. One type is called "end-to-end" or integrated testing. This is where you test the entire system from start to end, and make sure that all the components work well with each other. The other extreme is unit or component testing. This is where you take a single component and test it in isolation. Give defined inputs to the component, and get outputs. Both types of testing are necessary. But in general, you want to start with the unit tests, with testing the individual components before stringing them together. Let's say you only did integrated testing, and a problem popped up. You can't really be sure if it's a problem inside a component, or if the problem happens because two components aren't talking to each other correctly. WotC is starting with a more specific test. Their "inputs", the characters and the encounters, will always be identical. If there are issues in this playtest, like a majority reports that the rogue is not fun, they don't have to worry that the rogue creation rules are unclear or bad. Instead they know that there is something wrong with the default rogue mechanics. Integrated testing will happen eventually. But component testing with defined inputs needs to come first. If anything, this setup says to me that WotC is taking the public playtest seriously, and it's not just a publicity stunt. [/QUOTE]

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