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Policy Change: QA Server and Release Instructions Early Drafts Open to All (starting with R45)

Discussion in 'Announcements' started by DarkStarr, Jul 24, 2017.

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  1. DarkStarr

    DarkStarr Executive Producer SOTA Developer

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    Due to the potential economic and gameplay advantages of access to the QA server, QA Bug Forums, and Release Instructions prior to a Release we are no longer going to make those exclusive to Dev+. Starting with next release (Release 45) access to the QA server, QA Bug Forums and early drafts of the Release Instructions will be available to ALL paying backers regardless of level. This will put everyone on a level playing field and remove any potential advantages.

    Please accept our sincere apologies that our previous policy has allowed some players to gain advantage over others. This was entirely our fault and we hope to avoid this kind of advantage from taking place in the future. Thanks to everyone who provided feedback on this matter and alerted us to the problem so that we could change our policy.

    NOTE: Dev+ Forums and access to them will remain unchanged. Only access to the QA servers (and associated bug forums) is changing.
     
  2. Earl Atogrim von Draken

    Earl Atogrim von Draken Avatar

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  3. Drocis the Devious

    Drocis the Devious Avatar

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    Great.

    Would it be possible to stop announcing massive changes weeks before the changes will go into effect? I see that as an equally important issue. I can think of multiple instances where players knew a change was coming and abused the mechanics for weeks (or even months) before the change went in to fix the problem. That's not good for our economy either.

    I understand and appreciate the want to get feedback on large changes. But I don't like how it's often communicated in ways that allow a small portion of our player base to min/max the hell out of the game for their own advantage at the expense of people that just want to play a good and balanced game.
     
  4. Juvir

    Juvir Avatar

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    Well, not sure what Dev+ will mean anymore honestly. This is the one thing I was hoping would NOT be the case.
     
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  5. Brass Knuckles

    Brass Knuckles Avatar

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    Good move!

    Its time for this.
     
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  6. Earl Atogrim von Draken

    Earl Atogrim von Draken Avatar

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    I am undecided.
    I understand why this change is important.
    But I can as well understand everybody that is going to be pissed now because dev+ is non existing anymore from r45.
     
  7. Aartemis

    Aartemis Avatar

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    It is a good change, however I do think Dev+ needs to be reviewed for some sort of cost balance. Many players bought very expensive bundles and pledges to get to that level for a reason. I know, I did. Slowly, things like Daily Standups were moved to General, and posts about things to come (with discussions on them) just did not happen anymore.

    We do get previews to Update of the Avatar posts, but Dev+ is no longer what we bought into.

    I really do understand why this change is needed and honestly I can't argue with that, but an adjustment of some sort does need to be made to make Dev+ worth the cost investment again. Time moves forward and things change, but just please don't push aside what we pledged to.
     
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  8. liz_the_wiz

    liz_the_wiz Avatar

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    Im sad. This really is a big disappointment.
     
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  9. Bow Vale

    Bow Vale Avatar

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    No apology needed, stuff happens that is overseen always, especially when up to now it is something that didn't really matter, taking the correct action when needed is what matters and this announcement proves that. Thank you.
     
  10. Earl Atogrim von Draken

    Earl Atogrim von Draken Avatar

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    Life ain't that easy.
     
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  11. Vladamir Begemot

    Vladamir Begemot Avatar

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    Unity Assets! The true tangible of Dev+, may it happen to a grand scale someday.

    I approve of the above move. It was causing a lot of unnecessary heartburn to have the upcoming changes secret. And the QA server being locked was lowering our eyes on, and probably causing extra patches to the live server.
     
  12. LoneStranger

    LoneStranger Avatar

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    So what exactly is Dev+ anymore anyway? When was the last time we had an asset pack?
     
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  13. Drocis the Devious

    Drocis the Devious Avatar

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    That's needlessly insulting.

    The whole idea behind DEV+ was to help QA the game and the design of the game. Although I'm in favor of expanding that, you don't need to say things like that to point your finger at people that may have good intentions for not exposing information to the masses. I can think of one very important reason, the masses are not very good with information or changes.
     
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  14. Mischievous Dragon

    Mischievous Dragon Riparian Reaper

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    I am NOT in favor of this Policy Change.
     
  15. Krissa Lox

    Krissa Lox Avatar

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    Are the Unity assets really available to all Dev+ backers? I had gotten the impression the rights to them had expired with the actual Developer pledge tier and have been honoring that since I didn't find Shroud till after that expiration.
     
  16. Stephalan

    Stephalan Avatar

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    The game has been live for a year now. Everyone for the past year that has had access to this has had an advantage. How do you plan to rectify this with the people that haven't had knowledge about the changes?
     
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  17. Drocis the Devious

    Drocis the Devious Avatar

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    By NOT doing a wipe.
     
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  18. Jens_T

    Jens_T Avatar

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    I am torn - opening QA to the playerbase could be good for bug testing. Although it takes away the last tangible Dev+ perk - I am not too hung up about that.

    However, this particular incident on economic rebalancing could have been solved much easier by not disclosing it altogether.
    Simple spawn-rate changes or cost changes probably don't need extensive testing or test metrics. They could just roll out. So for the obsidian chips issue not disclosing it before R44 would have been the better strategy.
     
  19. Earl Atogrim von Draken

    Earl Atogrim von Draken Avatar

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    If my memory serves me right you are correct.
    And sorry to be that plain but at the moment they aren't worth the effort. Last update to them is ages ago. And tbh it isn't why I backed dev +.
     
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  20. Earl Atogrim von Draken

    Earl Atogrim von Draken Avatar

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    Ach. Don't get baited by b/s like that.
     
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