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Codemasters Needs You!

Calling all gamers! How would you like to play DiRT 3 before anyone else?

We’re looking for people of all different ages and gaming experience to visit the Codemasters HQ for a day of focus testing. ‘What’s focus testing?’ I hear you ask. A focus tester plays the game and gives us their fresh perspective on what we’ve done so far. We want to hear what you liked and what you disliked so we can make it even better. (Obviously we’re hoping you like it!)

DiRT3-03

DiRT 3 has more cars, more locations, more routes, more events and more fun than any other game in the series. This is your chance to be one of the first people to play DiRT 3 outside of Codemasters. You’ll also be grabbing a unique chance to meet the developers behind the game. So are you interested?

Before you jump up at the chance, we’ve got a few small requirements we need you to look over first:

  • You need to be free on the Thursday 3rd of February. If you have work or go to school, you’ll need to arrange some time off.
  • You need to be able to get yourself to the Codemasters HQ in Southam, UK (near Leamington Spa). We promise it will be worthwhile!
  • If you’re under 18 we will need your parents’ consent.

Still waving your hand in the air? Great! Then head over to our facebook page and just answer the five questions we’ve listed so that we can get to know you a bit better.

We’ll be contacting the lucky individuals next week, so don’t miss out: apply today.

23 Comments
9 Author replies

Great news for those able to get time of and have the means to travel abroad to the UK. I will just wait for the game to be released.. :D

I can’t come :(

How about you send it in the post to my address i test it at home. ;)

Yes/No.

Make grid realoaded 8-ball pack codes work at finnish store… only then we talk.

4

Gaming company encourages adults/kids to take time off work/school to be an unpaid game tester for the day hmmm.

I wonder why the industry has a poor reputation.

Benjamin Bateman 17 January, 2011 @ 15:17
4.1

This isn’t like a QA job where you need to find bugs. This is your chance to just play the game and tell us what you think. That way we can improve the game and make DiRT 3 the game you all want.

Unfortunately running this on a Thursday was the only option we had this time around. In future we’d like to run it at weekends

Give me a ticket (Rotterdam-Southam) and I’ll be there!
:-)

besides it should be a Beta Not a Skip School/work Cheap labour Play test lol :D

Benjamin Bateman 17 January, 2011 @ 15:18
6.1

He he. Nah this isn’t about getting you to bug test. We play and develop DiRT 3 all day. It’s nice to get a completely fresh opinion from an outsider.

7

Nothing happens in Finland.

lol i just got the irony of their codes not working… real code-masters muahaha!

hmmm focus testing…so does that mean after a game has been watered down to appeal to everyone that 6 months after the game initially comes out we’ll see the developers cut release?

Benjamin Bateman 17 January, 2011 @ 15:22
9.1

Not at all. This is about getting a fresh outside opinion. Some of the game will be locked down and unchanged. Similarly we can’t change or add big features. But the opinions matter all the same. We need to know how easy it is for people to pick up and play the game. How difficult they find the different options. Whether the controls aren’t right, or whether menus, modes are difficult to understand. None of this feedback will water down the game. It’s designed to improve it.

Hope this helps?

Hmm, have to go past that traffic jam machine called London then…
Hey, why don’t you move your office to Cambridge instead? It is a much cooler location :)

Benjamin Bateman 17 January, 2011 @ 16:18
10.1

Cambridge is really nice! It’s got a few game developers of it’s own. Off the top of my head I believe Jagex are based there.

Not interested in CM products anymore after the F1 2010 beta that was released as a full game and the lack of support.

Benjamin Bateman 17 January, 2011 @ 15:24
11.1

This is why we hold focus groups. This lets us get feedback before the game is released from everyday gamers like you and me. That way we can improve DiRT 3 and make it even better.

I can tell you the one thing I want without playing it.

The ability to arrange online races with friends.

13

ME LOVES DIRT 2 LOOONG TIME!! Being able to rewind a race was huge to me. It’s interesting to at least try to race on gravel in GT5 compared to Dirt 2. Dirt 2 was just pure FUN. I’m not saying GT isn’t. They’re very different in many ways. I can’t wait to play Dirt 3 (and to finish Dirt 2). I’ve now written Dirt 2 so many times I think you understand how much i like Dirt 2!

Dirt…on!

14

Nice idea, a lot better than beta testing because you feel superior >:)

Unfortunately, i can’t go because I have a swimming tournament, good luck anyways

I am very interested in participating in this.

I absolutely loved Dirt 2 and in my opinion it was the best racing game of 2009. Yes, better than Forza 3.

What is the start/finish time of this focus test?

as I live in Ulverston

Matt

Benjamin Bateman 17 January, 2011 @ 16:16
15.1

We’ve currently pencilled it in as 10:30-18:00

16

I must be blind…but I’ve checked every single tab on the facebook page and searched every single pixel on the screen, but I can’t seem to locate the five questions? :P Am I being a bit dense here? I’ve liked the page, so content shouldn’t be hidden. *Cries* I want to enter :(

17

Well it seems that the questions are available on your community forum so I’ll enter there :D

Benjamin Bateman 17 January, 2011 @ 17:12
17.1

Glad you found them. The facebook update was restricted to the UK, so apologies if you couldn’t see it.

as much as i would love to, sadly i guess college work must come first… just
my first post ever!

Benjamin Bateman 17 January, 2011 @ 17:13
18.1

Kudos to you for getting your work done. If any more opportunities come up we’ll be sure to let you know.

19

I would love to go too, however it is the same for me like Outrunn.
College comes first, seeing as I am starting University at the end of the year, studying BSc Games Programming at Derby Univesity which is something I am really happy about.

Will you be holding another one of these events again sometime soon?

Benjamin Bateman 17 January, 2011 @ 18:02
19.1

We’d like to hold more of these kind of events in the future for all our games. While I can’t say for sure when the next opportunity will be available, I can promise we’ll be sure to let you all know if anything happens.

20

Don’t companies normally pay for a focus group? I would love to do it but I have no idea how to get to Southam :(

PSN-OmniusALX 17 January, 2011 @ 20:36
21

Unable to make it but I felt the need to express an opinion on the whole ‘CM Rally’ games from the Codies…

For me all the Dirt games have moved too far away from what I would have expected from a Colin McRae product. I remember back in the PS2 days that us rally fans had a choice between the Evolution Studios WRC games and the CM Colin McRae games (It was CMR 1 that made me buy my first Dual Shock controller for my PS1!!! It was that good!!!!) But now we’ve got an ‘americanised’ rally experience which is quite frankly damning to the Colin McRae name and the sport of rallying.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I can only guess that Codies are financed from the U.S. and so they are making a game for gamers across the pond, well I’m sorry but this type of game won’t wash with the ‘euro’ rally market, the Dirt series is no where near WRC, Group A/B, Super 2000 etc….

PSN-OmniusALX 17 January, 2011 @ 20:36
22

What it needs is a total re-boot, even start a new Colin McRae series off, and just use the Dirt name without tagging Colin’s name as a subheading. I think all UK rally fans just want what you would see when watching WRC, IRC, British Rallycross etc….AND the lure of driving some of the Group B behemoths in the correct enviroments, not just orange sandy deserts, and absolutley no stunt courses and stupid jumping through burning hoops! Please!

We just have to look at how well Ken Block has done this year in the WRC…….that speaks volumes for me with regard to his apparent driving skill……looks like racing through a forest is a little bit harder than doing doughnuts in a car park eh Ken????

Dirt is awesome!..just thought i’d throw that in there…;)

I loved the old games, and I love the new games. They’re different, but they havent lost their awesomeness. In fact they’ve gained some..:D

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