Agreed
 

Have to agree with the main point here, test server is for testing things and sometimes things break when you stress them. Finding and reporting game problems is the purpose of playing on the test server. By allowing more players access to the server you have an entirely different set of circumstances to test out. A good example is SVS on test. Even with only 2 servers there is rarely anyone in SVS. The only times I see anyone there is when 2 pirates are sinking eachothers ships for the purpose of completing a quest. I have never been able to sail against anyone there who even has a war sloop. Its usually the battle of the light galleons! LOL I don't see how letting the unlimited players have access to the test server will ruin anything.

One thing I did notice was that there were a larger number of very polite, adult players on test then in the open server. I've managed to share space with many of them to both our advantage and I want to thank any of them that read this because its that kind of game play that this game really needs. I hope that the influx of new players doesn't spoil that (as it did 2 weeks ago)

Honestly, if they need more rest players (and it sounds like they desperately do), this way of getting them makes sense.

Previously, they would choose accounts, send invites, and hope that a good portion of them responded. Out of all their invites, only a small percentage probably turned out to be viable testers because not everyone wants to be/has time to be a tester. Not a very efficient method to fill the test servers, which, realistically, is what they need.

Opening the servers to everyone, even though that's how I got in, wasn't terribly smart either. As many have pointed out, for every good tester they got out of that, there are probably just as many people who joined it to goof off, and who will never report anything. And worse, many potentially good testers were left out entirely simply because of work/school schedule.

What they have done here should give them a pretty good list of people who want to be testers. If they are smart, they can look at the accounts, and decide who to let in, which should give them more testers quickly without just opening the flood gates.

Weird, I go to the link, and I log in with my correct password, etc and the page just keeps staying at the login for test server access page. Very strange. Someone did send me the exe for it awhile ago, but just thought I'd try to access it the right way.
I'm not aware of any bans, etc on me.

Access it the right way?

The correct way to access test, is to download the test launcher (the exe) and use it to login. I know of no "web" login, or "link" for test or is this something new?

Added: Just checked the site, I believe what you are doing is simply "signing up" for test. It doesnt take you to the test server.
It states: "Invitations are sent via e-mail if you meet these qualifications.", and does not provide you with immediate access.

I'm guessing that's more the way to go with this, still, I do dread all the glitchers lagging up the only two Test servers we actually have.

I haven't seen a single lag-storm on test yet. I suppose we could all try to stress it, as a single event. But I doubt it would work with fewer than 200 lag-inducing participants. The latest GM tours had zero cluster-lag from pirate density, from what I saw. So, I don't share your concern/worry about this at all. (Sheesh, don't you remember what Tortuga/Abassa was like a couple months back?)