Public Test Server?

[ippig]

Does any of you know wether there will be a PTS? This might be a good opportunity to test cetain changes to the gameplay before releasing it finally.

Since we the founders won't be able to fill that gap anymore due to the final release.

Maybe this would help identifying bugs before implementing them to the live servers.

[DarkLanX]

@ippig I don't think there are enough player base for this kind of things.

[ippig]

@DarkLanX Sure, at the moment it makes no sense at all. But I really do hope that the player base will grow much more in the near future.

[CJackson5083]

The way they are ignoring the problems this game has and not releasing patches and hot fixes weekly, this game will be dead in 6 months.  People don't have patience for the poor customer service they are showing on this game.

[ippig]

@CJackson5083 I am afraid you could be right. GW2 was so broken when it was released but later on I really enjoyed playing it. I won't lose hope for BfN.

[GammaX6]

@CJackson5083 You're absolutely right. The problem with PvZBFN is the existence of other games, like Fortnite and even Overwatch, that do a better job at patching and pushing content. And if people played those games before, hopped to this game, and they didn't receive a similar treatment, they'd most likely lose patience and switch back.

The truth is, this event is probably considered "underwhelming" by Fortnite/Apex Legends standards. Because both games try to introduce new maps/mechanics/items now and then. If the next BFN event is exactly like this one, you just grind for prize bulbs, I can see people getting tired for not "experiencing" anything new at all and just doing "more of the same".

Regarding PTR.

If I were them, I'd make hero tuning server-based rather than client-based. What I mean is, they could create a "beta mode" that has tuned values for abilities, duration, damage... etc.

For example, they could make a quick tuning to Super Brainz by decreasing the damage from 80 to 70 and test that out in the "Beta Mode" that should be available during weekend only to ensure that many players are trying it out. And all of that without having to patch your game. It is all just "values" downloaded from the server that would change the hero. (I'm fully aware that this is just for values only; they won't be able to change advanced features to heroes or add new sound effects.)

[Iron_Guard8]

@GammaX6  I largely agree with you here, but have a few points to add:

They will need to accelerate patching and new content once it's launched. We don't want rushed content that doesn't work but we do want critical issues fished. We do have a decent number of maps and modes here, but we need more and soon, along with new characters. Paladins adds a lot of new characters, there's a new one coming soon in fact, but they have a lot of bugs in their updates as well, at one point Terminus was unplayable, he was so bugged. The Trello board helps but there are critical issues that really should be fixed before the full launch tomorrow and while on the board, aren't scheduled there right now.

On events, Overwatch's events are generally terrible. The loot box system in that game is a nightmare for limited events if you really want something from it, and I'd rather be able to pick my prize path like we have here than get a useless spray for actual money for the 15th time and get a pittance of coins from it. I only briefly played Apex Legends and my foray into Fortnite BR mode (as opposed to the save the world mode which was fun), made me loathe the BR genre, but the battle pass there reminded me of the pass in Paladins, and isn't that different from the prize bulb map, except that at least the prize map here has some branches so there's some player agency involved. 

That being said, they could definitely spice the events up here. The weekly challenges could help with this, and new characters and maps could be added when new events pop up as well. Some of this will hinge on how Rux and rainbow stars will work and what he sells. We'll have to see how launch goes tomorrow and go from there.