🌳Branches
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Introduction
Want to test your game ... yes even before its released?
This is the way to do it. Branches are useful for more than just testing, but they are the gold standard for full-game testing as well.
Branches can be created from your Builds page in Steamworks developer portal. You can define as many as you need ... for example, if you want to test in phases (Alpha 1, Alpha 2, etc.) or if you want a simpler Test Build vs Live Build setup you can do that too.
Test Release
So you want to use a branch to have people outside of your development team test your game?
To give them access you will need to generate a key for them. Keys are described in more detail in the page linked above but in short
Yes you can issue a key for a specific branch
Yes you can revoke keys
What about Playtest?
A playtest is a separate app and has some crossover with the concept of a Beta branch. the below cards list some "rules of thumb" but of course, your mileage may vary. There is also the concept of Early Access to consider so keep that in mind as well.
Best before release not usually used post-release.
Want the test to be open to everyone or to a very large group 2,000 or more
Would benefit from a separate app e.g. a focused test
Stress test
Game Mode test
Game Mechanic test
Boss test
The main thing to keep in mind is that with a Branch the player is playing on the "main app" so they are simply playing a different version of your main game.
For a playtest they are playing a separate app, some factors do cross over for easy setup but by in large a playtest is an isolated app configuration and package.
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