Would you support a quarterly release schedule if it meant more complete updates?

[ZionHalcyon]

What I mean is, BioWare moves to a rough 13 week schedule, and in exchange, we get to do away with the 3 months to release the same content plan that they did for GSF and are doing for GSH, we get complete raids instead of 2/3rds of one now, and NiM pimped as its own content later, etc.

 

Basically, it would help BioWare to stop treating us like we're stupid, and updates would be an event. Patches and combat balancing can be done as needed.

 

Thoughts?

[collinc]

I would support this if that was the net effect, but there's nothing for me to believe that this would have the affects you describe. It's not like they take a week off to party every time they release a patch, they're still in there working on the same content they would be.

[Taorus]

I would. But alas EA has not shown it wants to, or is unwilling to share the significant revenue it along with FIFA Online 3 generated back in to this game.

[ZionHalcyon]

I would support this if that was the net effect, but there's nothing for me to believe that this would have the affects you describe. It's not like they take a week off to party every time they release a patch, they're still in there working on the same content they would be.

 

Perception is reality, and I think this would improve player perceptions

[TUXs]

Wouldn't change anything. Supposedly they went to THIS release schedule to pump out more content and we all know how that hasn't happened.

[BrianDavion]

Perception is reality, and I think this would improve player perceptions

 

no it wouldn't haters would still hate. they could release new content on a DAILY basis and haters would hate. you see it was the new strongholds. something people had been asking for since launch. yet some people are dismissing it as "not real content" because it isn't related to the one narrow singular thing said person does in game.

[Joesixxpack]

Wouldn't change anything. Supposedly they went to THIS release schedule to pump out more content and we all know how that hasn't happened.

 

^ This.

 

I think your idea is interesting OP but BW will flex and do as they see fit anyway so why change anything.

[collinc]

Perception is reality, and I think this would improve player perceptions

 

I really don't know what you mean here. You think that people simply wouldn't realize that there hasn't been a new operation in nearly a year because the game is updated less? Or they would be more satisfied with only one operation in nearly a year because content comes out less often?

[Reno_Tarshil]

I think the current schedule is fine as is. They are likely understaffed and on a budget to do more than they currently can realistically.

[ZionHalcyon]

Wouldn't change anything. Supposedly they went to THIS release schedule to pump out more content and we all know how that hasn't happened.

 

Indeed, and they were supposed to be more open in their communication too.

 

But have to start somewhere.

[ZionHalcyon]

no it wouldn't haters would still hate. they could release new content on a DAILY basis and haters would hate. you see it was the new strongholds. something people had been asking for since launch. yet some people are dismissing it as "not real content" because it isn't related to the one narrow singular thing said person does in game.

 

Lovely dose of fatalism, but it ignores one simple truth: criticising the game doesn't make a person a hater. That term gets grossly overused by people who think its not alright to question the quality of a product they purchased.

[ZionHalcyon]

I really don't know what you mean here. You think that people simply wouldn't realize that there hasn't been a new operation in nearly a year because the game is updated less? Or they would be more satisfied with only one operation in nearly a year because content comes out less often?

 

They'd have to be up front that they are doing it, but as long as the 4 major updates are used as content release points, and things like balancing the game, patches and updates, etc had their own team and timetable, I think it can have a positive mental effect.

 

And if you doubt it, all I will say is there is a reason for PR and marketing firms, and a lot of times, what is done isn't as relevant as how its done, when it comes to public opinion.

[ZionHalcyon]

I think the current schedule is fine as is. They are likely understaffed and on a budget to do more than they currently can realistically.

 

They are the #4 grossing MMO as of right now.

 

If they are as hamstrung as you say, there are deeper issues that go all the way up to EA.

 

I just don't see that as a valid excuse any more.

[Reno_Tarshil]

They are the #4 grossing MMO as of right now.

 

If they are as hamstrung as you say, there are deeper issues that go all the way up to EA.

 

I just don't see that as a valid excuse any more.

 

Maybe, maybe not. It could be that they are waiting till the expansion at the end of their year to be their big pay off.

[ZionHalcyon]

Maybe, maybe not. It could be that they are waiting till the expansion at the end of their year to be their big pay off.

 

Perhaps, but they could do a much better job of marketing and positioning themselves in a better light.

[AshlaBoga]

I would support this if that was the net effect, but there's nothing for me to believe that this would have the affects you describe. It's not like they take a week off to party every time they release a patch, they're still in there working on the same content they would be.

 

^This.

 

If it worked I'd be 100% for it, but I don't think it works like that. We get around 8 small releases a year. Changing that into 4 releases would give us the same content, but with longer periods of no new content.

[ScarletBlaze]

There is one slight problem. What you consider content I may not and what I consider content you may not. See that is the problem. Everyone has their own definition of content based on their style of play.

 

While raiders want more operations for raiding, some people would not consider that content as they have no interest in raiding.

 

Same with pvp , housing, ships, etc.

 

So how can content be judged accurately when there are different people seeing content differently. Bioware has to do content based on a variety of people not just one group and sometimes that creates a problem with some people.

[shackboredguy]

They've gone from 6 weeks to 6-8 weeks to a stated 9 weeks in the road map from February, which they're already breaking with it being 10 weeks between 2.8 to 2.9. The patches haven't really gotten any bigger as the time has been extended so no, i don't think them extending time between updates would be a positive.

[Arkerus]

What I mean is, BioWare moves to a rough 13 week schedule, and in exchange, we get to do away with the 3 months to release the same content plan that they did for GSF and are doing for GSH, we get complete raids instead of 2/3rds of one now, and NiM pimped as its own content later, etc.

 

Basically, it would help BioWare to stop treating us like we're stupid, and updates would be an event. Patches and combat balancing can be done as needed.

 

Thoughts?

 

I wasn't aware Bioware treats us like we are stupid. Your vision of an event of release may not match bioware's (or anyone else's) but that doesn't mean we are being treated like morons.

 

PR is generally a very tricky process because of the way people can misinterpret the message. If messages seem simplistic and vague at times, its not because you're a super genius and were all morons. Its because they are controlling expectations, like any video game company does.

 

As for your question...I don't care either way. I enjoy content and appreciate the current schedule, even if its smaller chunks at a time.

[eartharioch]

I think the current schedule is fine as is. They are likely understaffed and on a budget to do more than they currently can realistically.

 

Being understaffed is not usually considered a "plus point" when discussing whether or not a project is doing fine. It might be relevant in a discussion of whether or not the *developers* are doing fine, but not the game/project as a whole.

 

That said, if it wasn't for the snail's pace of new content, I would have quit ages ago. I personally like to take my time in a game, and if this game would have released content at an expected/acceptable rate for most players, I would have quit a long time ago, as I would have been left very far behind.

[Reno_Tarshil]

Being understaffed is not usually considered a "plus point" when discussing whether or not a project is doing fine. It might be relevant in a discussion of whether or not the *developers* are doing fine, but not the game/project as a whole.

 

That said, if it wasn't for the snail's pace of new content, I would have quit ages ago. I personally like to take my time in a game, and if this game would have released content at an expected/acceptable rate for most players, I would have quit a long time ago, as I would have been left very far behind.

 

I was speaking realistically from what I've observed and how I currently view the pace of content.

 

New content patches every 9 weeks with 3 week minor patches in between currently works fine for me. I would love more content per patch but I feel they may be understaffed or not funded more but the content they do produce I personally like.

[ZionHalcyon]

There is one slight problem. What you consider content I may not and what I consider content you may not. See that is the problem. Everyone has their own definition of content based on their style of play.

 

While raiders want more operations for raiding, some people would not consider that content as they have no interest in raiding.

 

Same with pvp , housing, ships, etc.

 

So how can content be judged accurately when there are different people seeing content differently. Bioware has to do content based on a variety of people not just one group and sometimes that creates a problem with some people.

 

Which is why 4 releases a year would work better because instead of meager updates like "New Update! NightMare Mode for Raid X!" and little else, all those updates would be combined and those bigger updates would have something for everyone, since it would be when they would release any major pvp updates and new content.

[ZionHalcyon]

I wasn't aware Bioware treats us like we are stupid. Your vision of an event of release may not match bioware's (or anyone else's) but that doesn't mean we are being treated like morons.

 

PR is generally a very tricky process because of the way people can misinterpret the message. If messages seem simplistic and vague at times, its not because you're a super genius and were all morons. Its because they are controlling expectations, like any video game company does.

 

As for your question...I don't care either way. I enjoy content and appreciate the current schedule, even if its smaller chunks at a time.

 

Stupid, ignorant, unimportant, etc - you are entitled not to feel this way, but one has only to look at the giant list of people you've personally yelled at and mocked to see that I am far from the first person expressing this concept that BioWare does indeed make a significant portion of their players feel taken for granted.

[ZionHalcyon]

I was speaking realistically from what I've observed and how I currently view the pace of content.

 

New content patches every 9 weeks with 3 week minor patches in between currently works fine for me. I would love more content per patch but I feel they may be understaffed or not funded more but the content they do produce I personally like.

 

The thing is, I am not even talking about the devs having to put out significantly more content - I am talking about how they release existing content.

 

I think a 4 release a year cycle can be really advantageous from a keeping players happy standpoint, as each patch would have something for everyone. I think the key would be BioWare opening up the lines of communication though and really speaking about each update a bit further out, as most MMOs do.

 

Anticipation is a great way to keep players hooked and looking to the next thing, and reorganizing updates into larger ones with something for everyone would deliver a far better payoff.

 

Think about it - how many times have we seen an Operation released, only to get the Nightmare mode one as its own hyped up update a month or two later, and the Ops people are already bored of it because they've already been exposed to the raid? Now imagine how different the reaction would be if they got a new op in an update with ALL 3 modes already there, and at the same time, the PvP players got a new map or two, the story people got a new leg of a faction quest that bridges the gaps between planet expansions, 2 new flashpoints are now in, and a new daily area?

 

Suddenly that pack feels a lot better to players all around. And would that be every pack? No, but I think even if you cut out the daily area and a flashpoint, or sub the daily area for the Op, there's enough play there to give something to almost everyone that they otherwise might have planned on releasing anyway, but organized better to make more people feel payed attention to, and diffuse some of the "they got something and we didn't" hurt feelings that arise from these piecemeal updates we get now.

[CyberneticDucks]

What I mean is, BioWare moves to a rough 13 week schedule, and in exchange, we get to do away with the 3 months to release the same content plan that they did for GSF and are doing for GSH, we get complete raids instead of 2/3rds of one now, and NiM pimped as its own content later, etc.

 

Basically, it would help BioWare to stop treating us like we're stupid, and updates would be an event. Patches and combat balancing can be done as needed.

 

Thoughts?

 

i would love a seasonal, 3-month content release schedule! i also wish that the events were more that just spamming dailies or doing bounty contracts over and over. if they want to make an event it has to be engaging and nonrepetitive, pretty much a micro-expansion. maybe if they were to only do events biannually and focused on creating something entirely new every time with a different, nonrepetitive formula it would be a bit more fun.

 

if it happens every 5 or 6 weeks for a full week it's not an event!

 

maybe if they handed out mounts, pets, and gear that were available in the collections (possibly event-exclusive CM items) or supermods available only during the event people would be more inclined to do them. maybe a removable dye or something, that would get people exited. i wasted a ton of money gambling and wound up with a mount for only one alt.

Edited July 24, 2014 by CyberneticDucks