No Q3 schedule post. Is there a plan?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by mystarr, Jul 2, 2019.

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  1. Browncoat Jayson

    Browncoat Jayson Legend of the Hearth

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    Well, when they had an office, Richard logged in via his telepresence device (robot!) to visit the various devs and see what they were working on. That was at least some one-on-one with the team. The entire team was present at stand-ups, so they could know how the game was progressing daily. Richard also plays the game quite a bit, and offers feedback to various devs as items come up. @Lord British might not be a programmer, but he was certainly a motivator.

    Exactly.

    I'm not saying that it can't work with how they are doing things now. However, personally I'd feel better if they team started doing standups again each day; this could easily be done in Discord, or Google Hangouts if they wanted to use video. Post the notes from that (voice-to-text is a lifesaver here). Get a single item each month that we need to finish to reach Episode 2, and post those as the new Q3 schedule. And get somebody into community relations; Chris does an awesome job streaming, but that is a horrible communication method (without @Oracle Watcher, I'd never know what was going on in them); we need forum posts or announcement threads on the website.
     
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  2. Hornpipe

    Hornpipe Avatar

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    Everything is fine.
     
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  3. Forum Name

    Forum Name Avatar

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    I am sorry for this, but taking care of someone who needs constant care versus someone passing on creates very different responsibilities. I am not gleeful for any situations like this and never implied such.

    I wasn't asked that question, so I can't ignore something that wasn't asked of me previously. But here you go - LB is the leader of this game and project - if he appears to not be in involved as much as he was in the past, it does create questions for those who came to this project largely because of him. He doesn't have to be a coding developer - it feels to many (and it is fine if you disagree) that he is not around like in the past. Your mileage may vary on how important this is or isn't.
     
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  4. Paladin Michael

    Paladin Michael Bug Hunter

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    Warning: don't take this too serious ;) Pelase find the hard facts below 'Leaving speculations, BACK TO REALITY'
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Plans changes daily ... Plans could change like this (nobody would have believed me, if I told this at January):
    Step 0: Remove "Lord British's" from SotA
    Step 1: Remove office
    Step 2: Remove Telethon
    Step 3: Remove Q. Schedule Update
    ... what next ... ? ? ?
    Step 4: Remove Monthly Schedule Update
    Step 5: Remove Darkstarr :eek:
    (What the heck should he be used for after office is gone,Telethons gone and, well Schedule Updates are gone ...)

    Darkstarr's reaction, I suppose something like this: "I am so excited!"

    Chris' reaction, I suppose something like this: "Anyways, it will keep the forum alive!"

    Well, any speculation about plans is the same speculation about anything.
    I think, worst what could happen to this community:
    Step 99: Remove Forum ...
    or in other words:
    ... --- ...
    ... --- ...
    ... --- ...

    Who cares, as long as we truly don't fear, because our Chris is here :)
    Step 100: Chris is courageous singing: "I'm just a streamer, I stream my life away" - or what was this song exactly? [@Chris, play it again, please ;)]
    As all of us know: one person can take a dream alive!


    And best what could happen? Let's do more speculation:

    Step 101: Reveal Episode 2! :)
    Episode 1 content debugged
    Episode 2 promised lands in
    Episode 2 stretch goal Horses in
    Episode 2 story presentation at it's best

    I hope you got my kind of humor right - not always easy to sound humorous, if you use another language ;)
    Also F. R. David knew it in the 80's ... 'Words don't come easy ... '

    ________________________________________________________________________________

    Leaving speculations, BACK TO REALITY:

    I am not exactly with the 'only 20% of promised content from last releases was delivered' information ...

    As we can read in
    Q2 2019 Schedule Update:
    Chris did the Taming system expansions with R66!
    Extended permissions for doors started in R67!
    And new Skills -not even mentioned in last Releases, but promised- are in since R67, too.

    So furthermore there are a few things mentioned in Release Notes before, which should come in with Q3:
    delayed from R65:
    Combat: A pass will be done on summoned pet balance (was done with R66!) --> This will include additional party bonuses based on pet type. (I don't know if this was done?)
    Crafting & Economy: Fertilizer will now be able to be used in Agriculture to affect the outcome.
    Player Towns & Player Housing: Our first ever paintable homes will also go live!
    delayed from R66:
    Combat: Players will be able to join multiple groups into large Raids (groups of groups).
    Crafting & Economy: Crafters will be able to choose a single Crafting Specialization (Smithing, Tailoring, Alchemy, Carpentry) which will allow them to choose effects during Masterworking or Enchanting (versus random selection).
    Player Towns & Player Housing: We will provide lot owners the ability to flag their Row Lots as empty which will open up the ability to do things like plant crops on Row Lots for the first time ever!

    So we can still be excited for Q3 2019 - EVEN WITHOUT any Schedule Update ;)
    Not everything is fine - but:
    1. Tamers are more happy since R66,
    2. 'No' magic users and Magic Users with pets are more happy since R67,
    2. After R68 Crafters will be more happy
    3. After R69 . . . will be more happy

    Consider, what can be done from R70 until end of year with R73 !!!

    Hopefully all Episode 2 and story related fans will get their chrismas gift at least with R72 / R73 ...


    Last but not least:
    yes, less speculation and more exactly information would be good for all of us:
    So, @DarkStarr is
    more than needed to keep us up to date :)
     
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2019
  5. Eina Stein

    Eina Stein Avatar

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    I love SOTA no matter what they do. I have the innate ability to support them no matter how bad it gets. I will post on the forums that they always make the right decisions. I AM AN AVATAR!!!!!!
     
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  6. King Robert

    King Robert Avatar

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    I love SOTA and wish they would follow what the market told and tells them, viz., do as the funds desire. Make the game we all paid to fund. Listen to those who pay you, else their dollars leave.

    Politicians figured it out ages ago.
     
  7. Eina Stein

    Eina Stein Avatar

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    No, politicians learned ages ago to promise big and not really worry about delivering. Just keep promising. Port has done a fine job. Maybe one of the devs could run for President!
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2019
  8. King Robert

    King Robert Avatar

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    Funds; not public or voters. Laws have been written well to serve lobbyists’ interests for centuries. As their paid employers demand. Whenever something occurs, a good economist and explain why by following the economic interest served. When they cannot, it is largely unintentional consequence of an idea thought good but not well thought out.
     
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  9. Greyfox

    Greyfox Avatar

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    Why would we, the consumers, NOT want to spend thousands on deeds and houses worth 90% less a month later? Portalarium math? Bernie bucks? I hope these guys EVENTUALLY realize AND implement how to incentivize their virtual goods BEFORE the ship sinks. We can only bail so much water before collapsing.
     
  10. King Robert

    King Robert Avatar

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    @Greyfox I agree with your sentiment as usual. I find it hurtful, feeling it almost intentionally so, when in the name a little new money ‘the vault’ or deed upgrades allow things to be purchased anew when we were all understanding that would not happen. @DarkStarr writing we did not sell as many as we said we would, etc., makes it worse. Don’t lawyer me bro goes both ways, in my view. I bought that Star Citizen package for the exclusive residence that now can be bought for much less.

    I have invested much money into this experiment we play, viz., SOTA. Despite choices I would not have made (and an occasional and regrettable ‘Scotch’ fueled rant) I have been satisfied. But degrading our exclusive things, to get new money, makes sure those who opened up our checkbooks for large sums will not do it again. I keep trying to stay positive, but when I learn deeds (Castle and Keep) are now easily available, and exclusive homes (even the LoM house) are reissued, it hurts. Heraldry went from exclusive to all. Universal chat? For all. Early access? Gone. Unique avatar head? Gone.

    I even emailed about not getting my Duke dungeon room, without response. I love reading how large backers get special treatment. I assure those who think so that is not true. My email from 5/25/19 remains unanswered.

    LoM2 (2) Duke (2) and LoI (1). Metropolis. Blood requiem. More bundles than I can count.

    I wish the Vault would be closed, promises heretofore kept and the game succeed. We all paid and played for years. No more vault, deed upgrades etc. I thought Port had stopped that; sad to learn I was wrong. A deal is a deal. My checks cleared. Did the promises made clear? There is still time.
     
  11. Sea Hunter

    Sea Hunter Avatar

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    This is starting to make my head hurt! I am here reading thru forum post to avoid going into the bedroom where my beautiful wife is watching the political news for the day! Such is marriage at 19 years!
    Tip for you youngsters, Happy Wife = Happy Life! In my younger day I could go wow her with my bedroom acrobatics, now...not so much! lol
     
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  12. King Robert

    King Robert Avatar

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    @Sea Hunter on my 20th wedding anniversary I was offered by my wife “super sex”. I said to my wife, before I decide, tell me a little about the soup? It is a bisque? A cup, a bowl or a pot? I want to make an informed decision here ........ And she stayed with me, content in my electing ramen and a good movie (at the house; too old for a public theater that shows movies too late and charge too much for Scotch).

    An Old joke, but a good one. Like me. Old, tried but comforting like good soup.....
     
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  13. Eina Stein

    Eina Stein Avatar

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    Let's not worry about road maps. I believe in this project! The devs need the ability to be nimble. I wouldn't be surprised if Episode 2 launches before the end of the year!
     
  14. Bow Vale

    Bow Vale Avatar

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    I really hope it isn't.

    Episode 2 is an opportunity to generate hype and get new and returning players and giving review sites an opportunity to re-review the game with all the new changes and thus it needs to be expansive, bug free and impressive. It is an opportunity if released all in one go and not in dribbles through monthly releases to give the game a new start so long as it is of a high value and so i don't mind if they take as long as they need to give the game the hopefully generated hype a 'new' expansion can produce.
     
  15. Vladamir Begemot

    Vladamir Begemot Avatar

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    Yeah exactly. We already saw what a disaster the early release of Episode 1 was. Lets make sure it is finished first, and that 2 is releasing as it is finished, not as the first parts of it come online in shaky format.
     
  16. Duke Gréagóir

    Duke Gréagóir Legend of the Hearth

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    I wish that they make Taming OP again like years ago when it originally came out. in OFFLINE mode it is over-challenging with the upper tier bosses (like the Spider lady) that I cannot kill even with three companions and an Obsidian Destroyer. In OFFLINE mode there needs to be an easier way to kill everything.
     
  17. Paladin Michael

    Paladin Michael Bug Hunter

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    It's also a question of definition what Episode 2 means. Darkstarr is clear about that and what Episode 2 content means:
    Taming system expansions and expanded permissions for doors is done.

    So we could say: yes, parts of Episode 2 content has launched ...

    For me Episode 2 means:
    Continue the storyline of Episode 1 in the new lands with a better story presentation (revamp of Quest and Journal system)

    How shall this happen until end of year? Sannio alone is doing quest stuff. He is still busy with debugging quests ...
    And somehow I don't get it, that there are bugs now where everything was fine before ... I suppose ... Gremlins inside the system ;)

    About 40 hours of story and quests with just one person in 6 months?
    Lum was busy over 4 years with that, and the (really good) Outskirts quest took also a few months by another person ...

    About new lands: If List would work on this (instead of another dungeon), until end of year, may be this could come true, because the land mass is less than the previous one.
    I don't think so.

    Episode 2 early access may start in Q3 or more likely in Q4. I would say, that's good enough to keep the promise of early access for Episode 2 content into the new lands ...

    I really hope Sannio can manage to get rid of all current bugs until end of year. And more important: to manage it to find out, why bugs appear where no bugs were before ...
    @Sannio, find the Gremlins! ;)

    And even if I would rather have it sooner, I suppose, start of revamp of Quest and Journal system will not happen before Q IV 2019, more likely Q I 2020 ...
    If it will be a good revamp, it's not important. If it is a very good revamp, Episode 2 will get alot of players back :)
    To have an amazing Episode 2 would sound like a very good plan ...
     
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  18. Vladamir Begemot

    Vladamir Begemot Avatar

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    Oh man, I hope they tell someone when Episode 2 happens.... I can see it coming and going with only Massively and MMORPG knowing about it.
     
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  19. Chatele

    Chatele Avatar

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    Episode 2 must have a totally revamp of the Character Creation system.... More options, better hair styles and colors, . etc... and fix the darn eyes …. sometimes they look like they are popping out.
     
  20. Arcanoxer

    Arcanoxer Avatar

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    The official answer is still pending.
     
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