In software development (mainly in gaming industry), there are always deadlines and even while devs themselves would love to have more time to fix all the bugs, sometimes it is above them and they can not get more time to finalize things.
Latter is more relevant in the current, digital era, where devs have the soft cushion to land on, called: updates. This means that the game doesn’t have to be 100% bug free and can contain bugs that are fixed in later date. This is best seen with any game that is labeled as “Early Access”.
Before the digital era, when games were sold on physical copies (CD, DVD), devs had to iron out all bugs since once the game was released, it couldn’t be updated anymore (though, there have been instances where physical copy game has gotten post-release update but those are rare exceptions).
In that sense, earlier era games were better. While it may took devs more time to finalize them, at least players got the perfected product.
On the flip side, it’s easier to add additional content to the digital era games in form of DLCs.
I can understand the pressure from investors on devs to release on announced release date.
But in this case it was gamebraking mission bugs and constant crashes and they got understandably bad reviews, even though some of them was a bit unfair.
I have friends and collegues who will never touch an Avalanche game again…I’m the only one who kept playing because I always play a purchased game through and because I actually loved the core of the game.
But they kept releasing updates and the AU with new bugs and crashes. Through this GZ Journey on PS4 I’ve encountered an insane amount of different bugs and they seem to never stop, although I’m now playing on the most stable version yet.
All I say is when releasing in that kind of a poor state the problems seem to accumulate, especially when limited access to staffers, a complex game and 3 platforms to deal with. And add new content into the equation too.
Imo this game would be a commercial winner if released in a proper state on all platforms.
And luckily some games are still released in a flawless conditions like Ghost of Tsushima by SuckerPunch
@Balla_Jazzuz That was the main problem, either the investors, or someone that does not deal with code, made a lot of pressure to them, and they were not ready!
That is why GZ is having so many problems.
If a good strategy was used with the development of the game and with the adaptation necessary for the Covid19 epidemic, things would be Ok, as they are in many other game studios, including small studios.
Three non-sisters (biologically unrelated), all bought a desk from a desk company. It turned out that two of the sisters (who actually represent a tiny % of the desk users) had a misshaped knees and needed more clearance under the desk. The desk company then dedicated all resources to re-designing the desk using money from all the sales, which halted production of long-awaited desk accessories for the normal model.
A tiny %?
From what steam charts indicate, the numbers should be almost equal, you seem to forget, that consoles are a lot more common than the number of Pc´s used for gaming.
Half or more of the comments in the forum are from console users, that just serves as a good group sample.
I don´t know about Xbox GZ communities, but on the PS4, the official GZ community has a lot of activity.
There are indeed no official public record from console sales, but all seems to indicate that they should have almost the same or even more users than on PC.
And one thing is certain, Xbox and PS4 active users together surpass the number of GZ active PC users.
For the steam charts: https://steamcharts.com/app/704270
Note: And yes, a small % of PC users don´t use Steam for most of the games, not being represented on the Chart.
I don’t know about exact numbers but it doesn’t change the fact that while all this ordeal is happening on ps4/xbox, pc users are not benefiting from all that manpower that we also funded, as you say, almost equally. I think that’s the gist of how lots of people playing GZ on pc feel right now.
It´s a fact that the game development halted since June and it´s been 4 months since the PC version saw a new update.
But the Fault is not from half of their consumers, just because they play on other systems, systems in which the game was available since the official Launch.
Tomorrow it will mark 6 months since the PS4 version saw any update, not even a small fix for some bugs that were introduced on that same day (April 27).
The Xbox version has Serious game breaking bugs since September (it´s almost November).
So as you can see, the most affected users are not the PC users, because even with some bugs it´s the most stable version at the moment.
It´s quite worst for the others.
If you want to blame someone, focus your attention to the right persons, not to other affected costumers.
And on a side note, a new update will arrive soon.
Right. I’m not saying users are to blame, but that this problem wouldn’t exist if they suddenly disappeared. I don’t claim to offer any solutions, just expressing my discontent.
Well no one is happy with the latest 6 months in some way, but the console users won´t disappear in thin air.
And if you think clearly, this problem wouldn´t exist if propper testing was made prior to updates release, some poor decisions are to blame for all of this.
A new update is coming, we´ll see what improvements or problems it brings.
You bought a product, you didn’t make an investment and you’re not paying for a service. Have you had your moneys worth from the game?
Regardless of what’s going on with the console versions, you bought a game and have had a good time with it. Avalanche’s obligation to you is fulfilled.
Xbox owners who bought their product right now can barely play, and that’s ENTIRELY down to Avalanche, no one else. It’s not because the console “can’t run” GZ, it’s because for whatever reason (budget / time / manpower constraints) Avalanche released a buggy game and are now trying to fix that.
Mad Max (same studio, same engine) doesn’t have these issues, so they’re more than capable.
But the thing is, when you push a buggy game out, you’re kind of obliged to fix it, and despite what you may think, these patches and optimisations will feed back into, and improve, the PC experience and you’ll have a more stable update because of it.
Besides, the update on social media from Avalanche today clearly states that they’ve been working on an update for the PC version and it’ll be here soon.
I can agree with the later part of your post but as for the rest, this isn’t 1950, nobody buys “Software products” anymore. You bought a license to use their game, one that you bet they can revoke anytime, so yes, you paid for a “membership”, one that allows you to complain when things don’t turn out the way you like. The whole Early Access scheme is exactly about people “investing” in developers in the hopes that they can produce a game that would qualify as a ‘ROI’.
While the Recycling station shows it’s weight limit as 250.000, do note that it also includes grams. E.g Field Radio weighs 1 kg or 1000 grams. Latter is shown in game as 1.000.
I´m from Portugal, we use metric and Kilos System.
My confusion was never about the Kilos, but about being only 250.000 which is very low.
That is why I asked.
I thought I read In June they upgraded it to 500.000 or 1.000.000 max kg.
I do not think so. I never read something like that. If you could find the announcement that would be great. I will check the June update announcement.
Unfortunately it must have been some sort of confusion from my part.
Or a lucid dream, because that is what I wanted lol.
It´s too low, I´l do a Features request later then.
Only 50.kg? Too low, that would have been acceptable before having new components (ingredients), the more weapons or new recipes appear the less space we have.
But this is about schematics, i´l create the Topic later .
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