How does the Alpha, Beta etc. System work ?

The Siphon

The Siphon

L6: Sharp Member
Mar 2, 2015
278
190
Hello ! So I was making a map, it was doing good, but I started to build it with extreme detail at the beginning (even it was in some kind of Alpha stage). At first I did not guess that it would screw up the whole map and make it 10 times harder to make the map.

So I tried to find more about the Alpha, Beta system when making maps.
One thing that I did not find a answer to (also) was about the order of making a map. I don't have too much idea on what I should start with and what I should do next.

Knowing this would make it a lot faster and easier to make maps.

(additional note): I had to scrap the idea for the map I was working on first, then a idea that I had for a Source Film Maker animation came into my mind.
A payload map about the BLU team stopping RED team from launching a missile into their base. So this is what I most likely will start doing.

Thanks for your time !

Preview of some signs, pictures etc. :

BLU%20MISSILE%20LOGO_zpszzhisqmm.png
 
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Kill_the_Bug

Kill_the_Bug

aa
Oct 6, 2008
1,948
446
Alphas are rough cuts - basic geometry minimum detail - lots of change are made

Betas Are more details - the geometry does not change a lot

Release Candidates - almost no geometry is done - maps get really detailed

Final - no geo or detailing or other changes made
 
henke37

henke37

aa
Sep 23, 2011
2,075
515
The idea of a "release candidate" is that you are ready to release that version if no problems are found. It's a candidate for a released.
 
Pocket

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,696
2,580
Generally speaking, "beta" means it's ready to release to the general public instead of just us testers. (Or at least, that's what it used to mean back when there were still public servers that ran relatively new custom maps.) Hence why it usually means the map is fully detailed. In this respect, "beta" and "release candidate" are essentially the same thing: If there happen to be no problems, it might as well be finished. The choice of when to switch from "beta" to "release candidate", or even to ever switch at all, is yours to make, but I guess in general it's when the map gets reasonably popular and stops getting complaints that you agree with. But, again, that assumes that anyone other than TF2maps testers will ever be playing your map, which is an increasingly narrow possibility for anyone.
 
Idolon

Idolon

they/them
aa
Feb 7, 2008
2,107
6,116
I've come to know alpha as a signal to testers to leave feedback on layout, beta as a signal for detailing feedback (layout feedback still ok), and release candidate as a signal for nitpicking. It's all very vague and everyone has their own interpretation, but I've found that this system generally works.
 
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