Beta testers wanted for "The Master's Lair" (IF Comp Entry)

Playing Beta Testing Requests and Discussion
1

I am looking for beta testers for my IF Comp Entry “The Master’s Lair”.

“The Master’s Lair” is a kind of escape game. You are a thief who wants to steal a valuable gemstone from the master’s lair. Small spoiler: You succeed almost without any problems. But how do you get out of the hiding place?

  • Explore the master’s hiding place and find the strangest items

  • Use your amateurish knowledge of magic and cast all kinds of questionable spells

  • Find out devastating details about the master’s lifestyle without being asked

  • Prove your negotiating skills in conversation with all kinds of stuffed animals

Technology, game mechanics, etc.:

  • A parser-based interactive fiction with a playing time of approx. 2 hours

  • The game can also be controlled via multiple choice and voice input

  • Multiple choice-based dialogs

  • Developed for Windows and Android (It should also be possible to play on a Mac using an Android emulator. But voice input will certainly not work then. A Mac version probably will become available later)

  • The system used is a proprietary development.

  • English and German texts

The test can probably start after the coming weekend. By then, the game should be reasonably pre-tested. I suspect the biggest weaknesses are in the English texts, because I’m not a native English speaker and even together with my buddy DeepL I’m a long way from perfection. But with your help, the dubious pleasure of stealing the master’s jewel will be almost complete!

2 Likes
2

I don’t want to promise anything, but I’d be willing to beta-test it.

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3

Great to hear that, Stormi! And of course you don’t have to promise anything.

Windows or Android or both?

4

I’m not sure if this is the sort of testing you’re interested in, but I run Linux, and can let you know whether it works under WINE.

5

Hello Daniel,

of course I am. :grinning:

I’m really excited to see if this works!

6

In that case, send me a Windows version, and we’ll see what happens!

1 Like
7

Oh, good question. Linux too, but there’s a Windows machine I could also use if my children let me access it when I need it :sweat_smile:

8

After reading through all the texts again, the Android version is now finally available for testing.

I would be really pleased if anyone else would like to install it, at least as a test. I need a total of 20 people to have installed it so that I can be properly activated in the Google Play Store.

If you like: Send me your Google Playstore account name (= email address) via PN so that I can unlock you.

The Windows version will follow as soon as the submission is accepted. I’m still very curious to see if it really runs on Linux. :slight_smile:

9

I can try on Android! I may not get through the whole thing, but I can scour very heavily for implementation problems (missing objects, etc) in certain areas.

1 Like
10

Hello Max, thank you for your willingness to take a look at the game. Playing through is not so important, I’m happy about everyone who looks in. (By the way, also because of my required 20 testers)
You have a PN for the details.

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The Windows testversion is also available now. If you want to take a (short or more intense) look, let me know. I’ll send you a download link then.

12

The first Mac version will be available in the next few days (hopefully next weekend). Probably still without installer and bells and whistles, but mostly executable. If anyone wants to have a look before I release it to the world: PN.

13

Sorry, i was supposed to test your Android version already with my jkj gmail account. But by the time i managed to reactive it, i was sidetracked on testing my own entry.

I’ll try again if you added the account. Also i can see if the Windows version works if you like.

1 Like
14

jkj yuio, just send me your google playstore name via PN, then I’ll activate it for you.

Since the IFComp has already started, the beta test for this two platforms is more or less over. The Android version is now also quite stable. The only problem is that Google is currently only allowing closed testing, but not an open release, as I didn’t have enough testers for my game. That’s exhausting with Google. Your installation really helps me in this regard.

So the version in the closed beta test is actually a final release version. You just have to think away a few warnings because Google isn’t sure yet whether I’m not perhaps an idiot after all.

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I’ve installed it. I’ll send you email

1 Like