Uru tests
From MYSTlore
Uru, in its various iterations, has gone through numerous pre-release tests, in order to ensure that players were content with the quality of the content, the usability of the client and, most importantly, the stability of the massive multiplayer network interaction.
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[edit] Uru Live (Ubisoft, 2003, cancelled)
[edit] Choru, Authorized Explorers
Main article: Choru
In early summer of 2002, Choru was the first test involving participants that weren't employees of Cyan were invited. It was a small group, but distributed across multiple continents. The testers were referred to as Authorized Explorers; some of the very first invitees appear in the credits of Uru.
[edit] Ubiru, Beta
Main article: Ubiru
From January 2003 to late August, Ubiru expanded the test from dozens to eventually a few thousands, and was managed on a server of Ubisoft's instead. Curiously, its focus was on single-player game testing most of the time. A Cyan page lists all participants.
[edit] Prologue
Main article: Prologue
Weeks after Uru: Ages Beyond Myst's launch, Prologue - still invite-only, but lacking an NDA - was another massive expansion of testing, and once again refocused, this time entirely on multi-player.
Prologue was unique in that it already had a story arc, surrounding a conflict between the DRC on the one side, and Douglas Sharper and followers of his on the other.
For a while, Prologue grew at a continuous route until the Clerical Error occurred. In early February, it was halted, cancelling Uru Live altogether.
[edit] Rehearsal
Main article: Rehearsal (2003)
In December 2003, Rehearsal was a small-scale test in parallel to Prologue, giving a few hundred people access to new content a week or two early, letting them test it before it becomes available to everyone else. Though aborted within mere weeks due to the Clerical Error, Rehearsal continued to be under NDA for a year.
[edit] Myst Online: Uru Live (GameTap, 2006)
[edit] Nuru, Closed beta
Main article: Nuru
The closed beta, internally nicknamed Nuru and roughly comparable to Ubiru, started out in July 2006 with a few hundred testers, and in November hosted close to five thousand.
[edit] Uru Live Preview
Main article: Uru Live Preview
Somewhat analogous to Prologue, Uru Live Preview was still invite-only, but lacked an NDA. The Nuru NDA remains in effect for three years for everything Preview testers cannot access or witness. Other than that, it had replaced Nuru testing on November 28.
[edit] Open beta
Main article: Open beta
Open beta, launched on schedule on December 12, removed the requirement of invitations for GameTap customers, allowing them to participate without delay.
[edit] GameTap Preview
Main article: Preview of Uru Live
Preview, not to be confused with Uru Live Preview, had launched on December 20, following a close of open beta and a vault wipe on the 18th. It slowly ramped up the first Live story arc, and was succeeded by the release in February.
