Jump to content

Battlefront: please info on the new patch


Txema

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 196
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

There is no soap operaa and there is no artifical delay going on. Thats the #1 issue everyone seems to fail to understand. There is much more to releasing a patch than simply getting the files from 1C. First off, even though they send us there version of English, EVERTHING and I mean EVERYTHING they write has to be re-edited into actual READABLE English.

In this case, because the Uber-Patch includes an entirely new Map Editor which allows realtime 3D editing of terrain, plus another new Campaign, all those files have to be proofed as well as tested.

Battlefront NEVER simply accepts code from ANYONE and releases it without allowing our own testers to hack away at it.

I am glad that 1C has released this patch already in Russia, thats meaningless to me though because I have not as yet approved of it for OUR customers.

You want to know WHY this game was delayed so often in the past, WHY it went through so many different publishers? Because no one had the BALLS to stick with it until now and PARTNER with 1C to help sculpt this game into what I have always known it could be.

Did the game get released in a condition which was below my expectations? Yes, it did and making that decission was not an easy one and one in which I was never pleased with but the game HAD to get released otherwise it was never going to see the light of day and Battlefront and 1C have both commited to this game longterm lifespan and future development.

The first big patch fixed the majority of technical issues that the game exhibited and this next uber-patch not only fixes some of the other ones but offers a huge amount of new content.

That new content needs to be tested, and the results sent to 1C for review and thats whats been going on.

Recently, 1C and Battlefront have put in motion the next batch of game improvements and additions and where we are right now is looking into if we can easily encorporate those even newer features into the patch we have now, or not.

All of this work also has to fall into Battlefront.com normal release schedule as Theatre of War is NOT our only game and just like every other company, we must position our products to get the maximum limelight with coordinated media alerts, press releases and gaming website coverage. Do you really think we can snap our fingers and a patch just magically appears on dozens of sites overnight?

And remember, all of that can't even begin to occur until AFTER the final Quality Assurance tests are completed.

Battlefront is in the business of ENTERTAINMENT and I agree, Theatre of War can only benefit from some renewed gamer excitement, which a patch like this can generate, but only if its released in a closely coordinated and planned way.

I know you want the patch, and I want you to HAVE the patch, 1C wants you to have the patch, EVERYONE wants the damn the patch, but please let us do our jobs and get it to you in the right way and in the right shape which will not only benefit you the gamer (who's love of the game we will always appreciate and respect) but in a way that will also benefit the games long term survival.

I am sorry if you sometimes feel leftout in the dark. I am a gamer first and foremost and I really hate it too when I have to wait on a patch for my favorite game, so I can relate. Hell, I work with 1C and I still don't know when the 4.09 patch for IL-2 is coming out so I really DO know how this all feels. But, having said that, I also know why this stuff can take longer than expected and thats why we sometimes have to be more guarded than we would like in what we can tell you.

So, the patch IS being worked on, and I can say 100% that it won't be out this Xmas week, but I can also say that if I can get it out in what some are referring to as the Jmayer version WITHOUT waiting for some of the new stuff we are working on currently (like the Quick Battle Generator and new Online Server Browser) then I will do so and such a patch could, thats COULD, capital C "OULD" be released as early as the first week of January.

So, there you go, no soap opera, Jmayer wasnt permently kicked from the team (but I did yell at him and step on his weewee some for breaking the rules of a NDA), we aren't delaying the patch for artificial reasons, we arent going to simply move all the patch features into a new "for-pay" addon (although such a product is in the works but more on that later) and beleieve it or not WE and more to the point, ,I am ever bit as commited to this game as I was the first time I saw a beta of it and rushed to tell the rest of the guys that "we have to get to work on this game!".

So, there you have it. It's not pretty, it may not be what you want to hear, it may irk you that sometimes outside business factors influence a patches release but as I have always tried to tell you, it IS the truth.

Now, go and spend a happy holidays with your families this week, enjoy the new years celebrations and when you all come back here in 2008 maybe I can have something new for you to play with!

Madmatt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys Matt is correct here... There are many new improvements that I was not prevy to and I see the time to test those is going to be a bit more intensive. They are truely tring to make the game the greatest tactical game made and I for one am still standing with BF and 1C on that fact.

It is true I felt that the patch was good enough to play with you guys , Mostly because I wanted someone to play it with, I now see that with all the massive things they are working on will take a bit more time. I am willing to give that time because from what I see the game has improved greatly sofar as to what I have seen.

I know it is hard to wait, I too am very excited to play , I know they will need more time But rest assured it will and I say this with all honesty BE Worth the wait.

Matt's last post here has made it clear to me that they will make it the best game ever and I for one will not give up on that. Thanks agian for the heads up on the developement Matt.

Guys trust me when I say you Will truely enjoy the new improvements in both the game and the editor inhancements to come.

[ December 23, 2007, 12:38 PM: Message edited by: Jmayer ]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well i am pleased that you (Madmatt) have said this but really you should have told everyone in the BEGINNING that it was not complete and why it was being published.

A bit late IMO but still better late than never as my old gran used to say.

Also i agree with Jmayer.

[ December 23, 2007, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: crazyman56 ]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by crazyman56:

...A bit late IMO but still better late than never...

dito

But anyway, thank you Madmatt for the insight info.

And one thing in general:

I really appreciate the open info Sneaksie is giving us here on the forum. I am fully aware that this is not making your job (as the publisher) easier, but keep it that way, please! I see it with some other games where the information flow from the developer through the publisher (forum) to the customers is more restricted. I definitely prefer your way here at Battlefront. Now and then it leads to some (uhmm) disturbance, but I prefer this ten times over being left out in dark!!!

It gives me a warm feeling of being "at home" here with your team.

Happy holidays!

Uwe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Madmatt:

Now, go and spend a happy holidays with your families this week, enjoy the new years celebrations and when you all come back here in 2008 maybe I can have something new for you to play with!

Madmatt

Great vent, Madmatt. I feel your pain.

I have been lurking around here looking for "official" news and checking for patch release a few times a week. All I look for is little communication from the team with a progress report, and I'm more than satisfied to wait until it's ready. Many thanks for contributing that.

Happy holidays, and good luck with the testing!

Best,

sg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A big THANKS for your post, Madmatt.

I always like to know what to expect, and since gaming industry is a business and marketing is above all the art of dosifying information, I can rarely know what to expect from developers and publishers. Fortunately, this is not the case with you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WW2Wargamer, while your idea semms to be the best logical solution, Madmatt had stated before that it is unfortunately not that simple to "put out" a patch.

Battlefront can not just copy a huge file to a server and will be done with it. He said they have to coordinate the announcements, maybe adds, on the different sites. And biggest of all to have the according bandwith ready with the sites hosting the patch. I assume Battlefront pays $$ for the reservation of 1) a acertain bandwith for 2) a certain time. Now, if you stretch out the time because you release parts of the patch later, you have to reserve the bandwith for longer time..... making the whole thing way more expensive. Sure all depending on the pricing policy of the hosting sites - which we do not know in detail.

Again it is my assumption, that it is cheaper to have a certain bandwith for a certain time, than to split the time in two...

Uwe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Reichenberg

Battlefront put out 5 patches for CMSF and CMSF is out a shorter time then TOW. My point is that we waited for months already. I think that if we get a patch now and another latter it not only will help us, but it also will help them on the bottom line. Remember better game more sales.. Quicker patch better game.

Happy Holidays

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I for one prefer to wait.

On another forum for another game a poll was set up to see if players wanted a quick release with half the goodies and bugs or would the rather wait till the summer for the complete package with most of the old and new bugs exterminated. The former won out but the makers of the game should have waited.

I get weary of waiting too but if the patch is released and lives up to BF’s ISO level (not sure if Battlefront is a member of ISO or not) then we will all be happy.

Believe it or not my friend and I dig the original game with the three tigers in multiplayer.

Yes it’s sad but getting down to turret level and sneaking around the countryside without any intel is cool and death comes swiftly. Of course we are sitting at the same table and having a few drinks/puffs but hey….it’s all good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, personally i got tired of the same story for about 2 weeks now, so i probably wont install ToW again. So good buy community.
ToW is a game where you have to be inventive. Preview Webring's sticky on the mission editor and go from there. Like the rest of us you'll have to wait for the upgrade.
Link to comment
Share on other sites


×
×
  • Create New...