Can I become a beta tester?

Sure!

We're always glad to have new beta testers on board! We especially like to have people willing to put in a critical eye, and feed back with comments about our new products. This helps us stay sharp and helps to make sure that all our new releases are as good as they can be!

We run our beta tests through our Forums which is attached to our web site. Whilst anyone can read several of the forums that are available on the board, we have a number of additional forums that only get displayed to people who register on the board, and sign up as a beta tester.

We now require each beta tester to sign and return a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to have access to our beta downloads and bulletin board.
The NDA is a legal agreement between Astraware and the beta tester enforcing the confidentiality of software downloaded from our beta boards.

1. First, sign up and register as a user of our Forums here
2. Then, upgrade your registration to be a Beta Tester Applicant, from the User CP Group Memberships page
3. Check that your details are complete and correct in your member profile. All beta testers need to have completed all of the fields.
4. Download our NDA from the bulletin boards (or email paul.scorthorne@astraware.com), and ask for the NDA to be sent to you if you cannot find it on the boards
5. Read carefully, and sign only if you agree to all of the terms. I draw your attention to the requirement to keep beta versions or information from becoming publicly accessible. Deliberate leaks will not be tolerated, and will be dealt with according to the agreement!
6. Fill in all details then print out and sign two copies. You will also need to include a photocopy of a photo ID (such as a driving license or passport).
7. Return by regular post to the our office address (on the NDA), marked as follows:
   
   
   FAO: Paul Scorthorne
   Astraware Limited
   Unit 6, Brock Way
   Knutton
   Newcastle-under-Lyme
   Staffordshire
   ST5 6AZ
   United Kingdom
   
   
   (In our experience, the regular post is often faster than sending by courier, so don't waste the expense!)

NOTE: You will not be able to legally sign this NDA if you are under 18 years of age. Sorry.

Once we receive it we will then sign and return one copy to you. You'll need to confirm when you receive it by quoting the Return ID in an email to us, and then we will raise your beta testing security level accordingly!

Beta testers of new products who help are normally eligible for a free registration - a small incentive for helping out!

How to sign up as a beta tester

1. First, sign up and register as a user of our bulletin board here
2. Then, upgrade your registration to be a Beta Tester Applicant, from the User CP Group Memberships page
3. Finally, go back to the board page and take a look at the new forums that should be there for you to see, containing information on the Non-Disclosure agreement and for asking any questions you might have!

As with all groups, its normally good to read around and get a good feel for how things work first, and then feel free to post into the forums you're interested in! There's normally an introduction post explaining about the game, and giving a download link for the first beta version - that's the best place to start!

You'll find that its fairly informal, and nobody will criticise you for poor spelling or grammar (unlike most of the internet!), all that matters is that you get your point across! Not everyone will agree with everyone else all of the time - it wouldn't be so helpful if they did - but you'll find everyone remains fairly civilised about it all.

You're not under any obligations as a beta tester - if you get time to help on a product that interest you, great! If not, then there'll be another beta along soon that you might prefer...

Finally, as a beta tester, you can't expect to see the final finished, polished, bug-free version... You might be the one to find a new bug, and if its a serious one, it could mean a reset, or even (gulp!) a complete data loss!
While we try to eliminate all of these types of bugs before it gets to beta, our testers have to be prepared for the worst - we advise that everyone have complete backups in place before beta-testing!