Beta is a software release phase where the software is generally feature complete, but is likely to contain lots of bugs and thus isn't ready for release yet. For Chicken Invaders games and others released by InterAction studios, they usually happen before a normal edition gets released or when they are attempting to port to another platform for the first time.
InterAction studios has so far used four different types of betas - Initial Release, Beta Branch, Closed, and Early Access.
Initial Release[]
Initial release betas only tend to last up to a week or two before the final game is released. During the beta, an initial release version becomes available for download. On the same page where it is available, there's a section which details bugs already found and changes InterAction studios is about to do. By the time the beta is over, if you have managed to find a bug that wasn't recorded in that section, you would receive the full game for free.
So far it's been used only three times, for The Next Wave, Island Wars 2, and the Linux port of Revenge of the Yolk. The amount of testers there were in those games hasn't been written down, but it's known that only 5-8 of them received the prize.
Something similar was used for Chicken Invaders Remastered, with two builds that were freely available for testing, one week before the game was finished.
Closed Beta[]
Regular Editions[]
Closed betas are first announced months before the final game is released. People can then sign up a form to have a chance to apply. There are three beta teams, though Revenge of the Yolk and Loco appear to have had only one. Once the beta starts, four weeks before the game is released, the first team receives access to version 0.10. This version usually has some of the features locked. In the case of Chicken Invaders, many Weapons are locked, only Rookie is available, and cutscenes only show the text "BETA VERSION: Cutscene not available". Three weeks before the game is released, the second team joins in to test version 0.20. It usually includes some quality of life changes, making the game easier in some places, and has all weapons available. Two weeks before the game is released, the third team joins in to test version 0.30. The "final" version looks more like the final game, with cutscenes and all difficulties. Two days before the release, the beta ends. The testers don't receive the final game, but they do receive a discount to buy it for cheaper, and an optional mention in the credits.
In Cluck of the Dark Side's case, the testers who have helped the most also received version 0.50, which gives all unlockables from the start.
The beta versions start with an access screen. You have to enter your mail address in order to proceed. After that is a warning to not share any info regarding the game. While playing, you can send a comment at any time by pressing C. Once the beta is over or if your version is outdated, the game is no longer able to progress past the access screen.
It's the most used beta type. It has been introduced with Loco, and has since been used for Revenge of the Yolk, Piggly, Ultimate Omelette, the android port of that game, and Cluck of the Dark Side. Revenge of the Yolk had 44 unanonymous testers. Based on the size of the whole team, it probably wasn't divided into beta teams like later games. Ultimate Omelette had three times as many unanonymous testers, with each team, assuming the positions were distributed evenly, having as many testers as Revenge of the Yolk's team. Cluck of the Dark Side has 175 unanonymous testers, or technically 176 unanonymous testers because there was one person who applied as two. The actual number of testers for Ultimate Omelette and Cluck of the Dark Side might be closer to 200.
Editions[]
Regarding Editions, they are tested only by those testers who did the most work when testing the regular version of the game. It's unknown how they proceed but it can be assumed that the testers are trying to find new glitches and suggesting other changes that could be done to things to make them look more in theme with the edition.
Early Access[]
Early Access has been introduced with Cluck of the Dark Side Christmas Edition. Updates are announced publicly and anyone can test them if they bought the game (or in case of Universe, entirely for free). The beta can be months, or even years long. You are able to give feedback ingame. Sharing videos is allowed only if you explicitly mention in the title of the video that it's the Early Access version.
Cluck of the Dark Side Christmas Edition and Universe used it.
Beta Branch[]
Introduced with Universe as a necessity due to mobile updates requiring updates to be approved, this one is similar to the Initial Release betas. These are posted on the Chicken Invaders Universe forums, freely available for anyone to test, usually only as standalone Windows versions. They connect to a separate Beta server which isn't always online, and they aren't intended to be used outside of testing. Closer to an update's release, there are also "preview" versions that connect to the Beta server up until the update goes live on all platforms, in which case they behave like a normal version.
Comparison Table[]
Type
Application
Duration
Reward
Initial Release
Download from special page
3-10 days
Full game, if new bug found
Closed
Filling a form
26 days
Credits mention, price discount
Early Access
Already owning the game (not in the case of Universe)
Ion Blaster Gift • Neutron Gun Gift • Laser Cannon Gift • Vulcan Chaingun Gift • Lightning Fryer Gift • Plasma Rifle Gift • Utensil Poker Gift • Boron Railgun Gift • Photon Swarm Gift • Positron Stream Gift • Hypergun Gift • Riddler Gift • Corn Shotgun Gift • Atomic Powerup
Ion Blaster Gift • Neutron Gun Gift • Laser Cannon Gift • Vulcan Chaingun Gift • Lightning Fryer Gift • Plasma Rifle Gift • Utensil Poker Gift • Boron Railgun Gift • Photon Swarm Gift • Positron Stream Gift • Atomic Powerup
Ion Blaster Gift • Neutron Gun Gift • Laser Cannon Gift • Vulcan Chaingun Gift • Lightning Fryer Gift • Plasma Rifle Gift • Utensil Poker Gift • Atomic Powerup