Chicktopus Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I've been wondering for a while now which project-management methodology does BioWare use for SWTOR. Is this the same method they use for their other games, or is it different? Could the ramp-up of development releases which is coming with the F2P option indicate a switch to SCRUM from something like Waterfall? Now I'm no game developer so I don't know how the intricacies of the industry, but I am a software developer and certainly in my opinion, SCRUM would be a step in the right direction if they're not already using it. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goretzu Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 (edited) The dartboard method? Although I suspect it maybe the infinately more progressive "hamsters choice" system. Edited August 8, 2012 by Goretzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theninjafuzz Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 The method where you introduce more bugs than features each patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devlonir Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I think they were used to Waterfall from their single player experience but have moved on to Sprint development, possibly SCRUM as well. Anyway: the type of development cycle needed is so different when you are in maintenance and development mode than when you are merely in development mode, that I would not be surprised that some problems with slow development at this time are related to the company culture and experience not being ready for this change in Methodology. Would explain the layoffs as well by the way. When people that did good work in the past seem to not be capable of working in this new methodology, it is better to lay them off and replace them than to try and re-educate them. Old Dog, new tricks etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drudenfusz Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 The method where you introduce more bugs than features each patch. Testing could help... but BioWare seems to prefer not to use the PTS most of the time and give us instead those bugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katsuragisama Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 The method where you introduce more bugs than features each patch. Some bugs have been around so long, I thought they were features. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goretzu Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 (edited) Testing could help... but BioWare seems to prefer not to use the PTS most of the time and give us instead those bugs. That's because they (through pre-pre-preparing pre-post forward planning in this space) incentivise the feedback loop cascading management system going forward through a supply based consolidation to standardise the infrastructures (whilst remembering to touch base about that offline) and to drive down operating costs whilst exploiting best-in-class technologies and practices with loop back leveraging group spend to provide robust, scalable and agile services with excellent customer experience through a holistic, cradle-to-grave approach. And, of course, actioning an idea shower for 720-degree thinking every thursday as Bizmeth Co-opetition to mindshare the event horizon for a next genreation Knowledge Process Outsourcing paradigm shift. Never for once forgetting the granularity of the strategic staircase. Edited August 8, 2012 by Goretzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nippon Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 The method where you introduce more bugs than features each patch. Or..... The method where you fix something that was not broken, and completely break it, so its unplayable...!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glower Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Huh? "Soon with more bugs" or "fail to deliver"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicktopus Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 Anyway: the type of development cycle needed is so different when you are in maintenance and development mode than when you are merely in development mode, that I would not be surprised that some problems with slow development at this time are related to the company culture and experience not being ready for this change in Methodology. Would explain the layoffs as well by the way. When people that did good work in the past seem to not be capable of working in this new methodology, it is better to lay them off and replace them than to try and re-educate them. Old Dog, new tricks etc Sounds like SCRUM is what they've switched to to me. Smaller teams, quicker release cycles. Fits with the layoffs and promise of shorter release cycles. At my company we're developing new content at the same time as fixing bugs in the current and two older versions of our system and we're using SCRUM. Hell, at the minute I'm working on an enhancement and looking at our Radiator I can see several bug-fix/testing stories lined up for this Sprint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImperialSun Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I've been wondering for a while now which project-management methodology does BioWare use for SWTOR. Is this the same method they use for their other games, or is it different? Could the ramp-up of development releases which is coming with the F2P option indicate a switch to SCRUM from something like Waterfall? Now I'm no game developer so I don't know how the intricacies of the industry, but I am a software developer and certainly in my opinion, SCRUM would be a step in the right direction if they're not already using it. Thoughts? Waterfall is dead...long live Agile development...errr or something like that Driz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turjake Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 That's because they (through pre-pre-preparing pre-post forward planning in this space) incentivise the feedback loop cascading management system going forward through a supply based consolidation to standardise the infrastructures (whilst remembering to touch base about that offline) and to drive down operating costs whilst exploiting best-in-class technologies and practices with loop back leveraging group spend to provide robust, scalable and agile services with excellent customer experience through a holistic, cradle-to-grave approach. And, of course, actioning an idea shower for 720-degree thinking every thursday as Bizmeth Co-opetition to mindshare the event horizon for a next genreation Knowledge Process Outsourcing paradigm shift. Never for once forgetting the granularity of the strategic staircase. Finally something i can wholeheartedly agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HammersteinSW Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I believe the whole development process must have been very secterian in nature. Where voicing any concerns or critique would get you a stern talking-to from your boss about your "negative attitude" and "lack of faith" in the vision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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