What is the difference between an alpha and beta version of a game?

[Sir Perceval of Daventry]

Just wondering.

[wilco64256]

Alpha's typically super full of bugs, all testing being done internally, whole sections of the game still unplayable, animations and various files completely missing, etc.  Beta is still being tested for bugs, but is often enough "done" that it can be opened to the public for testing.  You normally wouldn't turn the public loose on a product in it's alpha stage because it's so broken it would just be a sucky experience.

[Lambonius]

Yes, more or less.  I would add to this that a Beta version is typically fully playable from beginning to end, and only in need of testing and very minor sound and/or graphical tweaks.  Like our current SQ2 build.

[MusicallyInspired]

Alpha is completable but could have unfinished or missing game assets, and is riddled with bugs. A beta has all the assets complete (usually), a lot less bugs, and just ironing out the wrinkles. Whereas Alphas usually just exist to play through and fix problems to make it playable and enjoyable. Balancing gameplay mechanics, etc. Alpha testing is usually in-house as well, while beta-testing can be outsourced.

Just for a third standpoint.

[wilco64256]

Yeah an alpha version typically can't be played all the way through without using console commands, stuff like that.

[Cez]

it varies from company to company, and a lot depends on the genre of the game, too. In some companies, Alpha just means having all the systems in place, meaning there's no more changes to the core systems. In action games, for example, missions may be unfinished, meaning you can't really play the game all the way through. In Telltale, an alpha was, like MI mentioned, the game scripted from beginning to end, but with little cutscene work, textures unfinished, music not there. It's just the programmer going through and wiring everything that will take you from beginning to end.

Aside from the beta description already given, many companies producers lock and hold over the rails of the source control once beta is reached, only allowing the necessary people in that need to fix bugs, but again, it varies depending on the production, etc. Telltale's betas normally happen a week or two at max before release, as opposed to bigger games, where beta can take place up to two months before release.

[DawsonJ]

I agree with what all y'all are saying. However, two more levels of development beckon a placement on the list:
Prototype
Release Candidate (RC1, RC2, etc.)

How would you describe Protos and RCs?

[snabbott]

I would say that what we do as testers is really not "beta" testing, since there are big pieces missing at the beginning. We work with bug fixes and implementation of new features throughout the process.

When we get close to release, we get what I would call a release candidate - an .msi installer with everything implemented (as opposed to the Subversion working copy. The term "Release Candidate" implies that it is a potentially final product that could be deployed to the general public. It may (actually, will - there's no such thing as bug-free software) still have bugs, but it is "good enough." Though with Episode 3, the first "RC" was still missing a lot of stuff (mainly models, textures, sound effects, music, etc.) Even the final version wasn't really good enough, but we had put ourselves in a difficult position by moving the release date once and then committing to another date. It happens. You live and learn. I'm guessing that will be different this time. That's why we have been very careful about committing to a release date for Episode 4.

[wilco64256]

I agree with what all y'all are saying. However, two more levels of development beckon a placement on the list:
Prototype
Release Candidate (RC1, RC2, etc.)

How would you describe Protos and RCs?

The Prototype is the absolute very first playable part of a game.  Usually just a tiny part of one scene of the game (or maybe two) just for the purpose of testing basic game mechanics before expanding the game.

We actually did two Prototypes of Infiltrator - one in Torque2D and then another one later in Unity.  We liked Unity a ton better so we decided to stick with that engine for all future projects.  One of the reason's we've had that project ongoing for so long - it's still a spare time development and it took us a few months just to get the basics in place in each engine before really seriously moving forward.