[MMO (HTML5 Based)] Need Beta Testers

Doesn't work with internet explorer.

(And no I don't plan to use other software then the one micro$oft provides me as I am a lazy average user who doesn't care for other browsers. /sarcasm but true)

Maybe in the future IE will work, but the simple fact is that the latest version of internet explorer is missing a shiat-pile of HTML5 features, as well as other things. Lack of true support means no real-time rendering of graphics. Lack of true

That is completely reasonable I was jus being funny. ;)

The case is I would really be interested to beta test the game and was just expressing my sadness to realize the game does not support my browser. I myself know the flaws of IE anyway.

Will you upload some screenshots at least, for us (currently) average (and in future, below average) users? Just curious to see the game.

For IE users being picky, you could add a notice for them to download Chrome Frame.
They can still use IE, but with a specific tag on your site it will kick in the chrome renderer inside IE.

Please note the URL is partially censored because it is the path to my working copy. I make updates, then push them to the "live" version, which then causes anyone on the game to get kicked off, and causes their browsers to reload to grab the latest release. I do this so I can work on the game without banning user logins. Worry-free coding ftw.

(The starfield is real and comes at you at an angle depending on where your mouse is.


Every dot on the starmap is a solar system stored on the server's database. It is NOT faked. The scale is also accurate.


This is an older screenshot showing that I am indeed using accurate scaling in the game.

Quote:

Original post by Azgur For IE users being picky, you could add a notice for them to download Chrome Frame. They can still use IE, but with a specific tag on your site it will kick in the chrome renderer inside IE.

Excellent suggestion, never heard of that (being I don't use IE :p). I will update that right now!

(update)
OK I haven't had my tester try it yet, but it ~should~ work. I redirect to a friendlier page if IE is used. If GCF gets installed and they click play again, the page has a tag instructing IE to use GCF, which means they should be good to go at that point.

[Edited by - essial on May 23, 2010 10:57:26 AM]

OK we have tested and verified that now Internet Explorer runs our game (and apparently quite well) with the google chrome frame plugin installed. That should round out all of the major browsers.

Hmm it seems it was a very good idea of me to mention the lack of IE support in the game.

Quote:

Original post by JadeDragon Hmm it seems it was a very good idea of me to mention the lack of IE support in the game.

Obviously, hence the need for beta testers ;)

Our artist just created a couple new images that better represent the level of detail we will have in the game. Below is an image of a planet, and a moon; both are seeded with an atmosphere. Tonight he'll be making an example of the particle effect of the atmosphere being transferred from the planet to moon.

It looks great and I support you 100%. Good job for actually having an MMO come this far.

But I had one question..."bleeding edge HTML 5 technology". Is there really a reason to sell your product with a silly phrase like that? Be modest :)

I'm not selling it right now, I expect it to take at least a year before I can release it to the general public. By then I hope HTML5 WONT be bleeding edge any more :p

There already exists a JS library for enabling HTML5 elements in IE.
http://code.google.com/p/html5shiv/
The new IE9 engine is rumored to support HTML5, CSS3 and SVG, though i did not had a chance yet to install it and test it out.
So hopefully, it will work out in the end for IE6 also.

But regarding your "i have not received any complaints from beta testers with IE".
The problem with that statement is that people who have been around the net (designers/developers and so on) are usually people who have learned to stay away from IE for a few years now.
But your target audience contains regular joe's who will be visiting the site with IE.
Let's also remember a lot of people do not like to install aditional software like that chrome frame thing.

In a continuance of budabar's post...

IE9 will not be available on Windows XP, because it makes use of new display code that wasn't introduced until Vista. In case you were hoping that IE9 would resolve your issue's with IE compatibility, IE 8 is the last browser that will target Windows XP and previous versions...

A lot of users (myself included) are remaining on XP for one reason or another, and therefore would still be using IE8 or older (if they so chose to stick with IE and not get another browser). Furthermore, I expect that a fair portion of your userbase would be persons logging on from their company's corporate network (office employees). Many companies restrict the user's ability to install new software (including IE extensions) on their computer, so installing a Google Chrome plugin to resolve the issue of IE/HTML5 compatibility won't be a valid work-around for these users.

Personally, when I reach a site that requires me to install a component to view it, or use it properly, I respectfully decline and take my business elsewhere. I have a feeling that I am not the only one who feels this way, so I wonder how much of your potential customers you'd be driving off by not offering IE support? Would it be valid to develop a second (or more) front end that targets older browsers and possibly Mobile phones (not sure if mobile phone is valid here, really don't know much about your app's visual interface)?

Just some thoughts,
Cheers,
FireSickle.com

Quote:

Original post by FireSickle In a continuance of budabar's post... IE9 will not be available on Windows XP, because it makes use of new display code that wasn't introduced until Vista. In case you were hoping that IE9 would resolve your issue's with IE compatibility, IE 8 is the last browser that will target Windows XP and previous versions... A lot of users (myself included) are remaining on XP for one reason or another, and therefore would still be using IE8 or older (if they so chose to stick with IE and not get another browser). Furthermore, I expect that a fair portion of your userbase would be persons logging on from their company's corporate network (office employees). Many companies restrict the user's ability to install new software (including IE extensions) on their computer, so installing a Google Chrome plugin to resolve the issue of IE/HTML5 compatibility won't be a valid work-around for these users. Personally, when I reach a site that requires me to install a component to view it, or use it properly, I respectfully decline and take my business elsewhere. I have a feeling that I am not the only one who feels this way, so I wonder how much of your potential customers you'd be driving off by not offering IE support? Would it be valid to develop a second (or more) front end that targets older browsers and possibly Mobile phones (not sure if mobile phone is valid here, really don't know much about your app's visual interface)? Just some thoughts, Cheers, FireSickle.com

I agree and I for one have not budged from Window XP because it does everything I need it to do. Granted I do not use Internet Explorer, but if your audience is casual gamers then I say it is a must that you do support it. Its like how casual developers create games for DirectX 7 or even better, software rendering when developing for the casual market.

I also don't appreciate the developer's attitude towards the people that use the web browser that was bundled with their operating system.

The OP is trying to make a game with the latest HTML5 features.
It's great there are developers trying to use what HTML5 offers and stretch it to the maximum.

If he has to drop a user base who stubbornly keeps running a decade old OS, this is perfectly acceptable for the sake of progress.

You can't always keep clinging on to the same old.
I'm guessing by the looks of his game it just wouldn't work out the same if he didn't use HTML5. Or even worse, he'd be forced into using Flash instead.

Also, a large majority of the Help Wanted forum users are hobbyists/students.
Let's worry about actually making a game first before jumping in on how to market it or reach a large user base :)

@Azgur

Correct but don't forget the OP asked for feedback and so far people only provided feedback and did not tr to enforce their decision (of using IE) on the developer, just given feedback about the subject. No one should feel bad about it. ;)

Another thing to note is many people play games on their working computers just as I did when I was employed in a bank. Yes even if there were strict limitations on what can be used some html based mmos and flash game sites were not banned (obvious why hehe) while others were, so I was able to play some games of my choice during work when there was nothing else to do.

Now how is this related to the subject? Guess which operating system and which browser did the bank used on the computers. ;) A modified version of internet explorer 6 !!!!!!!!!!, es that's right, version 6! it doesn't even support alpha channel transparency, whenever you viewed a site with inviible background images you saw whie background. And guess what, they used windows XP. Reasons are obvious, the bank management was full of cheap solutionists so they can keep the mone for themselves, shame.

So when you consider the player base you may also consider those who play online games solely or half of their playtime during work, and the limitations hose environments force on them. So this is not just a user behaviour relate subject where it is always the user's fault that there is no more up to date browser, nor the user can not install extensions, updates, additional components as in corporate environments such may require administrative permissions and would obviously be declined b the system admin due to corporate regulations.

Finally: And as I wrote earlier in this post, this is not to force the developer to even slightly change his methods, plans or anything at all, or at leas not my intention, just to provide useful feedback. Even if he doesn't answer it it is completely fine as we are not here to discuss and come to a onclusion, we are here to provide feedbak which the OP will use to his benefit the way he wants, so I personally don't even expet (or better say: don't even require) an answer at all.

Wow this is not supposed to be a political debate; so I'll make this nice and simple for everyone:

This game is designed for HTML5, and HTML5 only. No shims, hacks, plugins, or add-ons. Yes I use jQuery and google APIs, but my actual code makes no adjustments based on browser, other than loading google chrome frame for IE, or redirecting if it is not installed. It doesn't even write HTML code, just DOM creation via &#106avascript. Simply put, Internet Explorer has no element. It is not capable of rendering graphics for the game, and thus will NOT work. Case closed; it doesn't matter what drama you want to put behind it, its still not going to work, and I'm not going to switch to a static website, or sacrifice the ability to have particle effects and real time animation without plugins; nor am I going to trash my code by adding shims or hacks to get things to run properly. Opera works, Firefox works, google chrome works, and I wouldn't be surprised if safari works. With google chrome frame IE will also work until such time microsoft decides to support standards in a new version. Anyone who can't be arsed to download GCF OR another browser is just SOL, you can't win them all you know.

Anyway, I'd really like to keep brining in the peoples as I need all the support, testing, and help I can get. Here's another two screenshot with my latest updates.

Next time dont ask for any feedback if you cant handle what you get.