Evocati Test Flight (ETF, also known as Evocati or Avocados) is a term for a group of players who are voluntarily playtesting Star Citizen's content for future updates of the game before they are released to the Public Test Universe (PTU). The group has since grown slightly over time, and waves of inactive players were also removed at some point. They are appointed and invited by CIG, based on their contributions in the Issue Council and activity in the PTU.[1][2]
Task
The Evocati Test Flight volunteer test program started in April 2016, initially of about 800 players.[2] Evocati are volunteers under a non-disclosure agreement. According to CIG their task is "playtesting builds to make sure they are stable before the build goes out to a wider audience." [3] ETF players often participate in very specific and time-limited playtests of certain features, as a way for CIG to quickly receive player feedback. ETF players were said to have also tested the Theatres of War game-mode several times in May 2020, which as of April 2022 has not been seen again.
CIG considers the Evocati an extension of the QA department and highly valuable contributors to the development effort.[4]
Non-Disclosure Agreement
Evocati members are required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) upon joining.[5] On 2024-02-14, CIG announced that future Evocati patch notes will be released publicly. The change allows open discussion (text/voice) for upcoming features and content listed specifically in the patch notes, but the NDA remains fully in effect when it comes to visuals, access, or other content.[6]
Name
The name comes from the Latin evocatio, which means summoning/recalled.[7] An evocatus, plural evocati, was a veteran soldier in the Ancient Roman army who had served out his time and obtained an honorable discharge (honesta missio) but had voluntarily enlisted again at the invitation of the consul or other commander.[8][9]
The name was picked by Will Leverett trying to conform to some of CIG Roman nomenclature that had been used, such as Imperator and Centurion, and on the volunteers being chosen based on previous contributions.[10]
External Links
Evocati twitter account used to announce information relevant to upcoming Evocati releases, playtests, and more.[11]
References
- ↑ Montly Studio Report October - Game Support from 2016-11-04.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Monthly Studio Report April from 2016-05-07.
- ↑
- ↑ Open Development as Disruptive Game Design Practice, Clash of Realities 2015/16, page 580, Ortwin Freyermuth, degruyter.com, ISBN: 9783839440315, October 27, 2017
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ logeion: A calling out, summoning of soldiers on an occasion of sudden danger, Auct. Her. 3, 2, 3: militiae, Jul. Val. Rer. Gest. Alex. 2, 7; cf. Don. Ter. Eun. 772; Serv. Verg. A. 7, 614.
- ↑ logeion: evocati, veterans (recalled to service as volunteers)
- ↑ Lucuius Cassuis Dio, Roman History, 45.12: "From these men was constituted the corps of evocati, which one might translate the "recalled," because after having ended their military service they were recalled to it again."
- ↑
- ↑ Evocati twitter account
