In order to get more valuable feedback and decrease the turn-around time when fixing bugs, I have been wanting to make the test builds of osu! available to the public. This is now the case, and all osu! supporters can now access the test build. Read on for the full details!
Things to note:
In order to switch to the test build, please run the osu! updater and check the "Download and use test build" option to switch which osu! version is used.
Note that your shortcuts to osu! will still run public. If you want to always run the test build, make a shortcut to osume.exe (osu! updater) and run that to start osu!, or make a new shortcut to osu!test.exe.
Reporting issues:
Don't report problems while using the test build on the Help forum.
In order to track issues, the existing osu! bug tracker (sifter) will be used. If you wish to contribute on a regular basis, please contact Derekku with your email (necessary), first/last name (you can make these up if you don't feel comfortable), and he will make you a sifter account.
Please read some existing reports before you make a report, so you know what is required. If you want to make your bug reports more effective, please read this article; it is a great read and will definitely help.
Make sure when you make a report, you check whether you can reproduce the problem on the latest public build (non-test). Mention whether you can or not; this is always helpful!
Also, I usually reply to issues very fast and regularly, so remember to check back in-case I need more info (you will get e-mail notifications from sifter when an issue is replied to).
Finally make sure to search before reporting your bug, and make the title something relevant so others can find it.
Things to note:
- It will be broken at times. If you don't want your osu! broken, then don't use it (before you complain, please!).
- It is not usable unless you are logged in to a supporter account.
- There is a possibility it will force an update, instantly closing osu!. This is a security measure in case something is very wrong with the build that could potentially cause damage.
- Be prepared for regular updates.
- If you don't want to help fix bugs, and get annoyed when something breaks, don't use it.
In order to switch to the test build, please run the osu! updater and check the "Download and use test build" option to switch which osu! version is used.
Note that your shortcuts to osu! will still run public. If you want to always run the test build, make a shortcut to osume.exe (osu! updater) and run that to start osu!, or make a new shortcut to osu!test.exe.
Reporting issues:
Don't report problems while using the test build on the Help forum.
In order to track issues, the existing osu! bug tracker (sifter) will be used. If you wish to contribute on a regular basis, please contact Derekku with your email (necessary), first/last name (you can make these up if you don't feel comfortable), and he will make you a sifter account.
Please read some existing reports before you make a report, so you know what is required. If you want to make your bug reports more effective, please read this article; it is a great read and will definitely help.
Make sure when you make a report, you check whether you can reproduce the problem on the latest public build (non-test). Mention whether you can or not; this is always helpful!
Also, I usually reply to issues very fast and regularly, so remember to check back in-case I need more info (you will get e-mail notifications from sifter when an issue is replied to).
Finally make sure to search before reporting your bug, and make the title something relevant so others can find it.