How should TW handle patch release dates?

[WhiteEyedSh4rk]

The problem is IMO that an approximate time range builds expectations (and some people even set aside time for a patch) and should thus only be given if there is a reasonably good foundation to make such an estimate (especially as an individual developer). I could have said last week that I am hoping to get the patch out last week - which i was. But it didn't happen and I am glad that I didn't make a false "promise".

This post made me wonder, would you guys prefer to be given an approximate release date (or at least a release time range) for patches, that probably get delayed later on a few times, or would you rather get a "safe" release date, which would mean you don't hear anything at all from the devs about the next patch, until they are finished with it/ know "for sure" when its finished?

 

[Bannerman Man]

Honestly, just drop the patch when it's ready. No real reason to make a big thing out of it and announce release dates in my eyes.

 

[cyresdog]

Approxiamte Release Dates, even tho they don't make much sense since its TaleWorlds we are talking about here.
Looking back how serious they take their "promises" or vague dates for something i couldn't take any statement of theirs serious even if my life would depend on it.
TW is like the Coworker that comes late on a regular basis and everyone hates him for that, but he himself thinks its totally cool and no one actually cares.

 

[Gerta]

If the reason for not giving approximate patch dates is that it will create expectations and the fear of making a false promise, then it makes no sense to tell us the patch is coming "soon" and "very soon" because that creates the same expectations. The only difference is that when you say "very soon" and the patch still doesn't come in almost two weeks, you can deflect and say "well I never promised a specific date." That only helps the TW employees deflect blame but it doesn't help the players in any way. We get the same false expectations if the patch doesn't arrive "very soon."

They could also give a approximation in the form of a range, like "patch is 1-3 weeks away." It may also help manage expectations by being more conservative with the estimates. If you think patch may be ready in a 1-2 weeks, maybe build a bit of buffer in the estimation and say it would be ready in 2-3 weeks. It tempers expectations, and if the patch comes early, everyone is going to be pleasantly surprised. Under promise and over deliver is the key to customer satisfaction.

 

[Ananda_The_Destroyer]

I'm really hoping this refactor makes it easier for them to make more stable patches (less bugs). If so I'l like them to go back to more frequent small patches and just tackle 1 issue, or group of related issues, patch it, then pound out the next thing.
There's seriously a hundred+ things that need to be added,changed or fixed.
Create UI to place units before battle: Patch it in
next day, create function to save unit formations, patch it in
next day, figure out why archers don't shoot thing sometimes in siege, patch it in
.....stuck on the ladder
....not follow placement when reinforcement waves spawns
....can't tell them to stop using siege weapons
PATCH IT IN!
The stupid dialogue loop glitch fix it!
The too many fiefs crash fix it!
Tell companion parties to NOT RAID add it!
Can I have a different board game from my culture in my fief PLEASE ADD IT!
And on and on and on
Just knock this stuff out!

Now of course if they're making a big sweeping change that doesn't work, but they need to go on and DO IT! Change the leveling, change the whatever big change so they can start adding stuff.

I don't think the beta idea worked out at all. They still put bugs into the main branch and they stopped fixing the beta bugs for the last month.

 

[Slithy]

Honestly, I think the right approach is saying "patch happens when it happens" but providing non-date progress info for us to see.

"We've implemented 2/3 of the big changes(usually features) we targeted for this release and fixed 13/19 of the "blocker" bugs we've encountered." The denominator for the bugs will grow(which is fine), but just having some idea of how their forward guidance looks and getting some idea of how long it takes them to work stuff would go a long way towards keeping people happier.

I work in software and I get that release dates regularly have to change unless you are cutting the scope of the release. Predicting a date isn't easy and the false expectation as a customer sucks. However, giving completely worthless updates (saying the same nonspecific status multiple weeks apart) or saying nothing at all is a terrible way to keep your stakeholders happy.

 

[WhiteEyedSh4rk]

Honestly, just drop the patch when it's ready. No real reason to make a big thing out of it and announce release dates in my eyes.

I and many others are desperately waiting for new patches. Saying nothing at all means the patch could come tomorrow or in a month, so we basically expect a patch and get dissappointed every single day. I wouldn't expect an exact release date, but it would really make a difference to at least get a vague time range we could look forward too, so we don't expect a patch every day but next week for example and can take care of other things for that time instead of constantly pressing f5 in the forum. If the time frame gets delayed again for a week or so, allright, we come to the forum next week again. You get what I'm saying?

 

[Bannerman Man]

I and many others are desperately waiting for new patches.

Well... don't do that. And I mean that in the most sincere way possible. If it's causing you that much anxiety you owe it to yourself to step away for awhile.

 

[WhiteEyedSh4rk]

Well... don't do that. And I mean that in the most sincere way possible. If it's causing you that much anxiety you owe it to yourself to step away for awhile.

I wouldn't, if there was any damn other game for me to play, but there isn't. I played Bannerlord many hours already but it gets boring without any new content for weeks.

 

[Cri11e]

I wish Taleworlds kept us as informed as Paradox do for their game developement.
This website e.g. is clearly heavily inspired by Paradox's previous website, wish I really like.

I think that if they communicated more then the patience and excitement of everyone would be on a stable level, weakening the need for specific release schedules.

 

[Tacostrom]

I think they should go with approximate release dates. I personally love reading whatever proposed changes/discussions the devs have about the game, even if they are speculative.

My favourites examples that I can think off the top of my head; Rimworld, Stoneshard & Project Zomboid. Rimworld devs are very active in communicating what they're planning or what they have in mind, in my opinion this is unparalleled.

Stoneshard is another early access game that I can think of where the devs are very open about what they're planning and what they have in mind.

Oh and Project Zomboid! The devs behind that game do weekly dev blogs, I find it extremely interesting to read their technical limitations and what they've tackled for the week.

 

[Tacostrom]

I wish Taleworlds kept us as informed as Paradox do for their game developement.
This website e.g. is clearly heavily inspired by Paradox's previous website, wish I really like.

I think that if they communicated more then the patience and excitement of everyone would be on a stable level, weakening the need for specific release schedules.

Yeah Paradox is another really good example.

 

[Cri11e]

Yeah Paradox is another really good example.

Yep and their development teams are much smaller than Taleworlds for each paradox game.
Of course finding game developers in Sweden is way way way easier than in Turkey.

 

[WhiteEyedSh4rk]

I personally love reading whatever proposed changes/discussions the devs have about the game, even if they are speculative.

Yea, I'd like to hear more about the development process in general, I don't really get why they act so extremely secretive about everything they do. It just seems to create a wider gap between community and devs, making room for all kinds of weird speculations and conspiracy theories.

 

[Bannerman Man]

Rimworld devs are very active in communicating what they're planning or what they have in mind, in my opinion this is unparalleled.

It's interesting that you bring up Rimworld. Here's a direct quote from Tynan shortly after the release of their latest DLC:

I thought it would be a good idea to write a bit about what to expect next. In the past I've rarely written about the future because release dates and game designs often change unexpectedly during development. I can't tell you how many times in the past I had a firm expectation of some development outcome that was totally wrong in the end. Not talking about the future avoided the risk that something would change and people would get angry because they perceive some promise to have been broken. Talking less also allowed me to focus on making the game great instead of spending time managing public expectations.

Sounds familiar.

(I do agree that Tynan posts very detailed patch notes though)

 

[dannazgu]

I wouldn't, if there was any damn other game for me to play, but there isn't. I played Bannerlord many hours already but it gets boring without any new content for weeks.

Don't you think this obsession is being bad for you? I mean, Idk which country or continent you're in, but, dude/girl, step away a bit. Focus on other things, I mean keep refreshing the forums is being a bit stalker right? I'm not making bad judgment of you, seriously. I just see so many attacks on this forum on TW that makes me think if people has a life. They will deliver the finished game, they're working on it, they're doing everything. I'm sure of it, or this could be TW fall, I sincerely hope not, I sincerely hope that they're doing their best. But, attacking the company everyday, taking their words piece by piece on forum is just disheartening, even for them. Think with me, would you keep a communication going with someone if that said person attacks every word you say?Of course not, it shows lacks of civility and many ppl on this forum has proved that attacking every damn second and word TW has pronunced, calling then scammers, attacking their jobs.. Holy f*** sometimes even their own lifes and culture.
I'm just saying take a break, come regurlaly to check, but don't be so obsessed about it, you may get an AVC for that, being angry, spitting on your computer screen words of anger like so many users in here

 

[markp27]

As Nin3 has stated before, coding can go wrong, so stating it will be released on such and such a date does not work. Unless you want them to add a month to the date, to give themselves that wriggle room. That would further delay releases when everything does go right.

I would rather hear about what they are hoping to add to the next update, than an actual date.

 

[110951667]

would you rather get a "safe" release date, which would mean you don't hear anything at all from the devs about the next patch, until they are finished with it/ know "for sure" when its finished?

I vote the "safe release date", but I would like to hear from the dev team from time to time about their thoughts over certain controversial mechanic that current build has during the period between two releases. I think in this way could allow the dev team to have less pressure on development while still stay engaging with the community.

 

[LeChat]

Honestly, just drop the patch when it's ready. No real reason to make a big thing out of it and announce release dates in my eyes.

+1

 

[LeChat]

Don't you think this obsession is being bad for you? I mean, Idk which country or continent you're in, but, dude/girl, step away a bit. Focus on other things, I mean keep refreshing the forums is being a bit stalker right? I'm not making bad judgment of you, seriously. I just see so many attacks on this forum on TW that makes me think if people has a life. They will deliver the finished game, they're working on it, they're doing everything. I'm sure of it, or this could be TW fall, I sincerely hope not, I sincerely hope that they're doing their best. But, attacking the company everyday, taking their words piece by piece on forum is just disheartening, even for them. Think with me, would you keep a communication going with someone if that said person attacks every word you say?Of course not, it shows lacks of civility and many ppl on this forum has proved that attacking every damn second and word TW has pronunced, calling then scammers, attacking their jobs.. Holy f*** sometimes even their own lifes and culture.
I'm just saying take a break, come regurlaly to check, but don't be so obsessed about it, you may get an AVC for that, being angry, spitting on your computer screen words of anger like so many users in here

❤