>>> "why do companys always have a sell now fix later atittude? Don't they use testers anymore?" <<<

A very valid question. But, there are a few factors to keep in mind:

1.) How complex is the game:
If you have ever done anything as relatively simple as setting up a website, you know that no matter how much you test things out you will always miss something and have to do tweeking later.

Older RPG's were very linear, you have to do A before you do B to then do C. Testing that kind of game is very easy. Now look at Beyond Divinity. It is very non-linear and allows you the freedom to do most things in any order that you choose. As a tester in a game with nearly endless possibilities how can you possibly test every circumstance? Considering that playing the game straight through will take 80+ hours, there is no way every possible action can be tested. Look at the MMPORPG's, some of them have been online for well over a year or two, have gone through extensive Alpha and Beta testing, yet new problems are still encountered and patches are frequent.

2.) Is the game breaking new ground:
If the game is just a clone of another game, testing again is rather simple. But if the game introduces new concepts Pandora's Box is opened. People will always try possibilities that no one even thought of during the development and testing phases. There are basically two options then, tell your customer not to do that, or eliminate the problem.

3.) Financial limitations and pressure from the investors:
The Computer Games magazine has an interesting interview with Richard Gariott where he talks a bit about the limitations he had to work under while making the Ultima series. When a company tells you that you will not exceed your budget and your deadline is 12 months, you do the very best you can within those limitations. This factor alone can make or break a game, and has (think Origin/EA, SirTech, New World Computing/3DO - companies that produced fantastic RPG series, but did not have the financial backing of a Sony or Microsoft). Actually Black Isle Studios and Blizzard have the right idea. When asked what their release dates are they just say "When it is ready", but they seems to be the exception.

4.) Is the game really worth the effort:
If the game is crapware most people could care less about bugs. They will play the game part way through until they throw it into the bottom drawer of their desk and run out to spend another $9.99 on more crapware. The developer is also not interested in investing any more money in the game.

But games like the NWN series, the Divinity series, the BG series, etc. are gems in the RPG community. The developers will do what it takes to make the game flawless, and the fan base will point out the problems because they want the game flawless as well.

4.) How familiar are the testers with the game:
If a tester is already familiar with the game they pretty much know how to play the game. They can not test every conceivable possibility in a game or the development time would be in years rather than months.

So the bottom line for me: If the game is fun, relativily bug free, and supported with patches, it is a winner. I also assume that many of the problems that have been encountered in BD stem from a few core sources that Larian will root out and fix. Who could ask for more?