Why is it tabu to talk about time frame for patch 1.3 ??

I have stated this several times that in most mmo's communication is a huge problem due to fact that people are being kept in dark for too long.

Why is it tabu to talk and make a time frame for patch 1.3

If something unexpected happends, just go out and tell people : " we encountered problem with ********* " we are going to delay the patch for xx amount days/weeks/months.

I think that people will be more patient and more forgiving if something like that happend instead of keeping them in that dark day after day without anything to look forward to.

Or meaby something that could be even better is instead of giving out big patches like 1.2 or 1.3 just add stuff to game as soon as it's ready...

I don't know this is just something i wanted to say in case someone reads this.

They've already told you it'll be on the test server within the next few weeks, what more do you want?

I find comments like 'next couple of weeks' a very bad way of communicating information. Give us your target date, If it has to change, then communicate it in advance. Vague statements on time are no statements at all. But that's just a preference I guess

That being said, at least it was 'something' better than 'beginning of summer' which had to be the worst communication ever: Summer solstice? Summer break from school? When the temperature hits X?

... " we are going to delay the patch for xx amount days/weeks/months. ...

... Give us your target date ...

I'd like you two to research, design, and bugfix server transfers, taking every variable into consideration. Also communicate with the PR department and make sure you're within budget.

Now, give your bosses and the players a specific date on when this will be finished. Keep in mind that players latch onto target dates with iron jaws and don't let go of them.

Also keep in mind that you're not the only ones working on this project, and a number of things may go wrong at any given time with any number of departments on a daily basis in terms of progress of any one specific technicality that may or may not need to be completed before other departments can proceed.

Do you see how specific target dates are impossible, or at the very least how the date would need to be changed on a near-constant basis? And how much of a waste of time recalculating all of that every day would be?

I agree that I love target dates as much as the next forum poster, and I agree that they need to communicate more, but what you're asking for simply isn't realistic.

I find comments like 'next couple of weeks' a very bad way of communicating information. Give us your target date, If it has to change, then communicate it in advance. Vague statements on time are no statements at all. But that's just a preference I guess

 

That being said, at least it was 'something' better than 'beginning of summer' which had to be the worst communication ever: Summer solstice? Summer break from school? When the temperature hits X?

Negative. If they give a target date for some reason it has to change regardless of how much warning that is given, the unhinged masses here go into hysterics about how BioWare has lied to them.

That is why you do not get target dates.

what is early summer ? what is few weeks ? is it 2 weeks 3 weeks ??

Feeling that i have is that there is just too much random and cloud talk and nothing specific, that's why we are seeing all these sky's are falling kind of threads on forums.

But if people actually was talked to and if they were able to see all process and development progress, i think people would have more understanding and patience

i think people would have more understanding and patience

You must be new to these forums.

Well, "Early Summer" to me is June. Mid summer would be July, and late summer August.

Given that 1.3 isn't going on to PTR for "a few weeks" (we'll say week ending 8th at the arliest) I can't see 1.3 hitting Live before mid to late August (6 weeks of testing), especially if (as expected) Server Transfers are part of this patch.

Well, "Early Summer" to me is June. Mid summer would be July, and late summer August.

 

Given that 1.3 isn't going on to PTR for "a few weeks" (we'll say week ending 8th at the arliest) I can't see 1.3 hitting Live before mid to late August (6 weeks of testing), especially if (as expected) Server Transfers are part of this patch.

I really don't see that many weeks being spent on testing server transfers on one patch server. The PTS is there for players to report bugs and to update their metrics. How are you gonna find player-reported server transfer bugs on the PTS?

Taboo.

Not tabu.

Well, "Early Summer" to me is June. Mid summer would be July, and late summer August.

 

Given that 1.3 isn't going on to PTR for "a few weeks" (we'll say week ending 8th at the arliest) I can't see 1.3 hitting Live before mid to late August (6 weeks of testing), especially if (as expected) Server Transfers are part of this patch.

I don't see 1.3 needing to spend more than a week or two on PTS.

There isn't hardly any new content in it. Nothing's going to need to be extensively tested like the 1.2 balance changes and additions were.

If 1.3 hits the PTS by the 8th, which according to the calendar is NOT summer yet, then having it go live by the first day of summer (June 20) isn't out of the question. Early Summer is anything until mid-July, even if it's already 100 degrees outside by mid-May.

Just because kids are on summer vacation doesn't mean it's not still technically Spring.

I really don't see that many weeks being spent on testing server transfers on one patch server. The PTS is there for players to report bugs and to update their metrics. How are you gonna find player-reported server transfer bugs on the PTS?

Patch 1.3 isn't just Transfers. It's about polishing what's already there, expanding things and intorducing Ranked Warzones. We all know how problematic they were last time, so 6 weeks doens't seem unreasonable to me. 4 at a push, but any less and i'd be worried that they aren't listening to feedback.

The Legacy stuff should just be Live-ready straight away, but other elements such as LFG will be problematic I reckon.

[EDIT] Thought i'd add that I am still hopeful that Transfers are pre-1.3!

But if people actually was talked to and if they were able to see all process and development progress, i think people would have more understanding and patience

LOL ....

You must not have been on these forums long ... It is a wretched hive of scum and villainy ...

Seriously though, if they posted an exact anything and it literally was off by even 10 minutes, the forums would erupt in posts of 'OMGWTFBBQ BW LIED TO US AGAIN" and other such cries of the unemployed kids on these forums

I don't see 1.3 needing to spend more than a week or two on PTS.

 

There isn't hardly any new content in it. Nothing's going to need to be extensively tested like the 1.2 balance changes and additions were.

 

If 1.3 hits the PTS by the 8th, which according to the calendar is NOT summer yet, then having it go live by the first day of summer (June 20) isn't out of the question. Early Summer is anything until mid-July, even if it's already 100 degrees outside by mid-May.

 

Just because kids are on summer vacation doesn't mean it's not still technically Spring.

Isn't 21st of June Mid-summer? Highest point of the sun etc etc??

Isn't 21st of June Mid-summer? Highest point of the sun etc etc??

Negative. Summer does not officially begin until the 20th or 21st of June.

Negative. Summer does not officially begin until the 20th or 21st of June.

"According to meteorologists, summer extends for the whole months of June, July, and August in the northern hemisphere and the whole months of December, January, and February in the southern hemisphere"

"The meteorological reckoning of seasons is used in Austria, Denmark and the former USSR; it is also used by many in the United Kingdom, where summer is thought of as extending from mid-May to mid-August."

"However, according to the Irish Calendar summer begins 1 May and ends 1 August."

"In North America, summer is often the period from the summer solstice (usually June 20 or 21 in the Northern Hemisphere) to the autumn equinox.[6][7][8][9] Unofficially, the U.S. summer season is commonly regarded as beginning on Memorial Day weekend (the last weekend in May) and ending on Labor Day weekend (the first weekend in September), more closely in line with the meteorological definition."

The only place in the entire world from what I can gather that regards summer as being the 21st of June is NA, and they don't even use that definition.

"According to meteorologists, summer extends for the whole months of June, July, and August in the northern hemisphere and the whole months of December, January, and February in the southern hemisphere"

 

"The meteorological reckoning of seasons is used in Austria, Denmark and the former USSR; it is also used by many in the United Kingdom, where summer is thought of as extending from mid-May to mid-August."

 

"However, according to the Irish Calendar summer begins 1 May and ends 1 August."

 

"In North America, summer is often the period from the summer solstice (usually June 20 or 21 in the Northern Hemisphere) to the autumn equinox.[6][7][8][9] Unofficially, the U.S. summer season is commonly regarded as beginning on Memorial Day weekend (the last weekend in May) and ending on Labor Day weekend (the first weekend in September), more closely in line with the meteorological definition."

 

The only place in the entire world from what I can gather that regards summer as being the 21st of June is NA, and they don't even use that definition.

You are trying too hard. When a US company talks about summer, they more likely than not mean the US summer. In the US, summer officially does not begin until June 20th.

It seems like it will be sometime in July.

I hope they understand that the deployment of this patch has to be seamless and that a mess up like the one

in 1.2 will kill the game.

I'll go by the Irish definition

They're late!!

In all seriousness, I still believe in the 4-6 week test cycle, so still aiming for sometime around 17th July, which would be 3-4 weeks after the start of "US Summer".

I'd like you two to research, design, and bugfix server transfers, taking every variable into consideration. Also communicate with the PR department and make sure you're within budget.

 

Now, give your bosses and the players a specific date on when this will be finished. Keep in mind that players latch onto target dates with iron jaws and don't let go of them.

 

Also keep in mind that you're not the only ones working on this project, and a number of things may go wrong at any given time with any number of departments on a daily basis in terms of progress of any one specific technicality that may or may not need to be completed before other departments can proceed.

 

Do you see how specific target dates are impossible, or at the very least how the date would need to be changed on a near-constant basis? And how much of a waste of time recalculating all of that every day would be?

 

I agree that I love target dates as much as the next forum poster, and I agree that they need to communicate more, but what you're asking for simply isn't realistic.

Actually, it's completely realistic and well within expectations. It's called project management. There's even software out there to let you plug in your project goals, milestones, checkpoints, and do-or-die dates, and can even handle skewing your dates further out in the future or closer to the present based on task completion.

The issue here isn't an inability to provide projected dates; it's refusal to do so.

Actually, it's completely realistic and well within expectations. It's called project management. There's even software out there to let you plug in your project goals, milestones, checkpoints, and do-or-die dates, and can even handle skewing your dates further out in the future or closer to the present based on task completion.

 

The issue here isn't an inability to provide projected dates; it's refusal to do so.

There is a refusal to do so, because the loudest part of the forum is also the ones who do not have any grasp of "projection" and would flip out and scream about how BioWare has lied to them if it turns out that a projection cannot be met.

You are talking about dealing with rational people who can deal with projected dates and what comes with that. However, this forum is NOT that audience. As you can see if you look around, the vocal types around here are less than rational.

Actually, it's completely realistic and well within expectations. It's called project management. There's even software out there to let you plug in your project goals, milestones, checkpoints, and do-or-die dates, and can even handle skewing your dates further out in the future or closer to the present based on task completion.

 

The issue here isn't an inability to provide projected dates; it's refusal to do so.

Of course, they refuse. Projected dates are ... projected, they aren't 100% sure it will be ready at that time and as community don't hear projected date but 100% sure release date, it always backlashes (?) when they give dates.

As for project management, yes it's somehow doable but when some people just got fired and so they have to rearrange teams and a part is research not just development, giving a good projected date is even harder.

I used to play an online football management game (FML), developed by Sports Interactive and published by Sega. The Devs were very vocal with the community, and set dates etc etc. If something slipped once the community would forgive them. But then it happened again, and again, and again and therefore both SI and Sega were getting flamed.

I believe the call came from Sega to "shut up shop" on the forums and never say anything. They went from one extreme to the other, and it just made things worse. Needless to say the game collapsed after 18 months. Not sure what will happen here.