XTREDEN Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Pretty sure I read/heard BW right when they said that frequent content updates was a big part of the plan, in fact they said they restructured their team so that it could happen. Since that was said we got 1 new mini event. Is this what they mean by frequent updates? What do you expect or what would you be happy with. Myself, I was kind of expecting a little more than this. At my software company we release something almost every 2 weeks, sometimes its a lot, sometimes just a little, but that is what I am comparing too. I doubt they follow Agile though, so their iterations are probably a lot longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vandicus Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 The new rate of content they're aiming for is something substantial every 6 weeks, although not individually as large as 1.2. So say we get and ops in a patch, 6 weeks later we get a warzone, etc. That doesn't mean they're forgoing larger patches, it just means they are separate from the regular content releases. As far as I'm aware 1.4 is the last of the major content patches we'll see before they move to this new schedule of ops/warzone every 6 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpazCats Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 I agree with you, that mini event was pretty mini when it comes to content. It's like Bioware threw that itty bitty event together at the last minute just so they can say, "see, there was content this month". I found it a little insulting actually. Not that I'm against little events here and there, but not if that's what they want to try and pass off as new content under their new plan. More is coming, as we all know, but it was a pretty lackluster start. I'd be pretty happy with quarterly updates that contained new quests (both solo and group quests), and expanded the class storyline a little each time. Throw in several yearly events on top of that (that last longer than a week and have sweet rewards), and a big expansion every 1.5 to 2 years and I would be a very happy camper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiritinblack Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Ya know.... I never really thought about it till you brought it up. The event was mini in my eyes, but it was still content. If that was done every six weeks, with something big say every sencond time. ( so 3 months ) I could live with that. The thing for me is that "something big" better be something big. I don't need a new OP every three months. That to me is just a little too much. ( MY OPINION PEOPLE NO FLAMES, BUT I DO NEED THEM AT LEAST EVERY SIX MONTHS) But something that lasts for 2 weeks every three months is good. Plus you would have that mini event running for a week. If they spaced it out right, content would be going on for like three weeks at a time. (Or one week, then a week off, then 2 weeks, then a couple weeks off. I think you get what I mean.) Then a lull for those that did not burn through it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarjarloves Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Pretty sure I read/heard BW right when they said that frequent content updates was a big part of the plan, in fact they said they restructured their team so that it could happen. Since that was said we got 1 new mini event. Is this what they mean by frequent updates? What do you expect or what would you be happy with. Myself, I was kind of expecting a little more than this. At my software company we release something almost every 2 weeks, sometimes its a lot, sometimes just a little, but that is what I am comparing too. I doubt they follow Agile though, so their iterations are probably a lot longer. and there it is. I'm calling BS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOULCASTER Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 (edited) Personally, what I would constitute as frequent updates would be having scheduled bug fixes at least once or twice a month, with a large content update every 3rd month. So thats a minimum of 12-24+ bug fix patches and 4 or more major content updates a year. This is of course, the game and its content is already stimulating and full of enjoyment. And this view is EXTREMELY conservative by many standards......and bioware hasn't even come close to even that. hahahaha Edited August 31, 2012 by SOULCASTER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominius Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Assuming the 1 month between content idea actually happens I'd like to see something along the lines of this: Month 1: Story/Hard Mode of a new OperationMonth 2: Non-Operations content (Flashpoint/Warzone/Event/etc.)Month 3: Nightmare Mode of the most recent OperationMonth 4: Non-Operations content (Flashpoint/Warzone/Event/etc.) And then continue this cycle. I consider this very wishful thinking but hopefully they'll actually start putting out content to make up for the past several months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kthx Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 I don't want content updates (other than bug fixes) more often than once every 2-3 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpazCats Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 and there it is. I'm calling BS Well that would depend on what he is updating, but I certainly can't see it being an MMO, that's for sure, so yeah, I'm not sure why the OP made that comparison. I do find his original question an interesting one though for what others think about how often content should be released. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthOvertone Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Depending on how deep the content is, every two months would be the minimum expectation for what I would consider frequent content updates. BW seemed to be very on track with this up to 1.2, and then just fell off the map. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTREDEN Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 (edited) and there it is. I'm calling BS Why would you call BS? I am a Software Architect for a major project at the Air Force Reserve Command. Before that USARC. I have been using Agile philosophies for about 6 years now. Mostly Agile Model Driven Development and Test Driven Development. You might think its impossible to release software every 2 weeks, but I assure you its not. With regular scrum meetings, lots of coordination and excellent testing its very possible. Some things take long for sure, but you should be able to break it up into iterations and release SOME content. Is it too hard to believe that someone writing software all their life might also enjoy gaming? As I said before, they are probably not doing that here because customers would not be satisfied with partial content updates. We want complete packages. Probably why they chose 6 weeks and staggered teams. Oh and I chose the comparison because as I said that is what I am used to where I work. never expected BW to be able to do this, but actually their sustainment team was going pretty close to 2 weeks with bug fixes for a long time before 1.2 (as stated earlier). Edited September 1, 2012 by XTREDEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nastynas Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 (edited) "Frequent content updates" is when you take content that would have been in a single patch, and spoon feed it to your player base in six-week intervals. While continuing to work on your Free-to-Pay transition. Edited September 1, 2012 by Nastynas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kthx Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Why would you call BS? I am a Software Architect for a major project at the Air Force Reserve Command. Before that USARC. Since you don't have to make a profit, or even revenue, your situation does not make for a good analogy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalmorn Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 (edited) Since you don't have to make a profit, or even revenue, your situation does not make for a good analogy. This has got to be the dumbest comment and rationale of thinking I have ever seen. I am willing to bet you probably never served in the military and even if you did, pretty sure you didn't work as a systems programmer/architect creating or maintaining much if any of the vast applications they use. The Air force may not have to make a profit, but they have a mission to support, of which is way more important than any profit margin, especially when they are in support of the troops on the ground, in the air or out at sea. Each Branch of the military also has a limited budget, time constraints and expectations they have to live up to. If a program does not fulfill its responsibilities, meet expectations and commitments, people get fired or relieved of command. Contrary to what you think you know about the military, there are some real smart people in or in support of the military. The stuff they create, support and maintain I guarantee is a lot more technical and sophisticated than this MMO. Whether it is for profit or for military application, it makes no difference. When there are programs involved, there are expectations for regular improvements. Regular two week updates is not just a possibility, but is fact, cause it does happen. I have seen it happen first hand in my 13 years of service. Edited September 1, 2012 by Dalmorn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heechJunzi Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I remember some of the feedback written by BioWare devs (on vault) was that their work tended to be highly regimented. Careful documentation + specs, instead of haphazard hacking. This would translate to a slow pace of work, but in theory would translate to long-term stability / extensibility. So, there are potential pros as well as cons. That said, they really need to adapt their development cycle. Madden 2012 is fine with annual iterations, a MMO isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vandicus Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 This has got to be the dumbest comment and rationale of thinking I have ever seen. I am willing to bet you probably never served in the military and even if you did, pretty sure you didn't work as a systems programmer/architect creating or maintaining much if any of the vast applications they use. The Air force may not have to make a profit, but they have a mission to support, of which is way more important than any profit margin, especially when they are in support of the troops on the ground, in the air or out at sea. Each Branch of the military also has a limited budget, time constraints and expectations they have to live up to. If a program does not fulfill its responsibilities, meet expectations and commitments, people get fired or relieved of command. Contrary to what you think you know about the military, there are some real smart people in or in support of the military. The stuff they create, support and maintain I guarantee is a lot more technical and sophisticated than this MMO. Whether it is for profit or for military application, it makes no difference. When there are programs involved, there are expectations for regular improvements. Regular two week updates is not just a possibility, but is fact, cause it does happen. I have seen it happen first hand in my 13 years of service. There is actually a substantial difference. Most companies do not use the same amount of resources as the military on any single given project. Simply put, the military overspends. It pays a disproportionate amount of money for some products. This is not to say the fine people in our military are the cause, but has more to do with the fact that the military is a government run organization, and as such the process of kickbacks and general corruption exists in the spending process. More to the point, a business will tend to use a smaller amount of people to accomplish the same objective. Sure having twice as many people might speed up the project by 20%, but it would take twice as much money. As a result, resource allocation in businesses tends to be radically different. I'm sure if half the dev team was put onto Warzones, we could have one out every 2 weeks. Instead smaller teams are being put on a lot of different projects, developing them at a more efficient(cost wise) rate, though they take more time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafaman Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Pretty sure I read/heard BW right when they said that frequent content updates was a big part of the plan, in fact they said they restructured their team so that it could happen. Since that was said we got 1 new mini event. Is this what they mean by frequent updates? What do you expect or what would you be happy with. Myself, I was kind of expecting a little more than this. At my software company we release something almost every 2 weeks, sometimes its a lot, sometimes just a little, but that is what I am comparing too. I doubt they follow Agile though, so their iterations are probably a lot longer. 4 to six weeks sounds about right to me. But the quality of the updates is key. Mini events with some relevance and and new fps that have been tested are IMO badly needed as a regular coinsurance. Fluff updates are ok, but I would not expect them to require long development time and thus I don't consider them new content and applicable to a 4 to 6 week duration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamthehoyden Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 (edited) I'd like to see something significant at least every 6 weeks, but I'd also like to see small changes more often. Even something as simple as npcs doing something slightly different would make the worlds feel more dynamic. Edited September 1, 2012 by iamthehoyden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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