So I, like many foundrarians, applauded the introduction of the Beta specification for new maps. It seemed to be an elegant solution to the potential problems with new maps that seemed to come to a head with the loading and subsequent removal of Das Schloss.
However, given that today the Beta tag was removed from Prison Riot, and since Halloween Hallows seemingly completely skipped that phase, I find myself at a loss for how the Beta period is being adjudicated.
For my money, the Beta phase for simple maps (i.e. Archipelago, Charleston, Haiti, etc.) should end when it's determined that the XML isn't broken, bonuses are not hideously unbalanced, and the map itself is visually clear. Thus, a couple of days to a week would be quite sufficient.
For more complex maps, the Beta stage should last longer. Hell, there's still quite a lively discussion of potential changes to bonuses and neutrals in the Prison Riot map, yet with the removal of the Beta tag it would appear that said map's setup and gameplay are now cast in stone. Obviously Hallows is a special case given the holiday, but skipping the Beta phase on a map that at the very least should be classified as Moderate on the complexity scale seems short-sighted.
So is there any reason to the rhyme here?
