Post v1.0 - Fixes vs. Features
Delphic
Join Date: 2006-11-02 Member: 58262Members
Join Date: 2006-11-02 Member: 58262Members
<div class="IPBDescription">a balance between cool features and bug fixes / game balance!</div>*ehem* I'm brace myself and make my second thread in this sub-forum. The first being an age ago, suggesting that we should do away with the Grenade Launcher and replace it with a rifle mounted one only to be mauled by the inhabitants... oh wait! :D, Anyway...
Creating a feature complete game is obviously the priority at the moment for UWE, my suggestion is that once v1.0 is released that a allowing a balance between cool features (i.e. things on UWEs wish list - I'm fairly sure they keep one) and the obviously necessary game-balance tweaks and bug fixes, in terms of development time allocated would be better for the evolution of the game. Rather than, say, pushing all the wish list items back of the priority list.
This is all rather general, so here's an example, character customisation. In a dev blog way back Charlie talked about it would be cool to allow players a degree of character customisation, he talked about possibilities of various armour sets, multiple player models, decals etc. Some of these would require huge amounts of resource and money and so not a good idea 'just-post v1'. However, decals and simple additions to character models would presumably be fairly inexpensive.
I would imagine a panel in the options screen where could choose up to three custom details, like a choice of decals on the chest plate (e.g. kill counts, taunts, little characters) or a bandanna / rag of cloth attached to the arm or around the helmet (maybe with a selection of colours - but please god not a colour wheel) and other little things. These relatively asset cheap (and hopefully dev time cheap) features could be added early on, and then if UWE wanted to put the more expensive female model, alternative male models, armour/helmet variations in later they could.
Away from the example, I think this wish list feature / bug fix balance is important because, asymmetrical games never finish needing balance (even if balance is found at one time for the game mechanics, 6 months later when the community has changed perhaps it won't be balanced anymore because all the marines have better aim or something) and these kind of fun features are part what can make games fresh and fun and one of those things PC games always used to do, but has died away in this era of all effort trying to please everyone and failing. Plus the additional benefit of allowing the devs to build fun stuff they - presumably - want to build!
Quick example from another game, WoW, the wardrobe feature, completely pointless but very cool and one of those things that made (/ makes) WoW more successful and, for me at least, more fun that other MMOs.
Anyway I'd be interested in hearing other peoples thoughts on putting dev time to towards frivolous features post v1.0, but of course not neglecting essential fixes. Sorry about the large post!
Creating a feature complete game is obviously the priority at the moment for UWE, my suggestion is that once v1.0 is released that a allowing a balance between cool features (i.e. things on UWEs wish list - I'm fairly sure they keep one) and the obviously necessary game-balance tweaks and bug fixes, in terms of development time allocated would be better for the evolution of the game. Rather than, say, pushing all the wish list items back of the priority list.
This is all rather general, so here's an example, character customisation. In a dev blog way back Charlie talked about it would be cool to allow players a degree of character customisation, he talked about possibilities of various armour sets, multiple player models, decals etc. Some of these would require huge amounts of resource and money and so not a good idea 'just-post v1'. However, decals and simple additions to character models would presumably be fairly inexpensive.
I would imagine a panel in the options screen where could choose up to three custom details, like a choice of decals on the chest plate (e.g. kill counts, taunts, little characters) or a bandanna / rag of cloth attached to the arm or around the helmet (maybe with a selection of colours - but please god not a colour wheel) and other little things. These relatively asset cheap (and hopefully dev time cheap) features could be added early on, and then if UWE wanted to put the more expensive female model, alternative male models, armour/helmet variations in later they could.
Away from the example, I think this wish list feature / bug fix balance is important because, asymmetrical games never finish needing balance (even if balance is found at one time for the game mechanics, 6 months later when the community has changed perhaps it won't be balanced anymore because all the marines have better aim or something) and these kind of fun features are part what can make games fresh and fun and one of those things PC games always used to do, but has died away in this era of all effort trying to please everyone and failing. Plus the additional benefit of allowing the devs to build fun stuff they - presumably - want to build!
Quick example from another game, WoW, the wardrobe feature, completely pointless but very cool and one of those things that made (/ makes) WoW more successful and, for me at least, more fun that other MMOs.
Anyway I'd be interested in hearing other peoples thoughts on putting dev time to towards frivolous features post v1.0, but of course not neglecting essential fixes. Sorry about the large post!
Comments
i) character customisation it was an example to illustrate the actual suggestion, not the suggestion itself.
ii) the example was flat, non-grinding, non-achievement, limited and non-gimmicky customisation, like was found in the original HL DM
iii) I'm sorry I mentioned WoW.
If people want to discuss the BS that is achievements, Hats etc, go start a thread on that, that wasn't what this was supposed to be about. I should probably thank you Hoodedsniper 'cause if you hadn't mentioned crafting I might have thought you were serious. :)
trolls a lame nerdy word anyways, just call me an ass.
This is a thread to discuss how much time should be spent on extra shiny features (say character customization) versus bug fixes/balance tweaks?
If so....
I think for the first month or so it should be completely on balance fixing and bug hunting. TF2 didn't even really start going "HAVE MORE CONTENT" until nearly a year after its original release (I could be wrong, someone correct me if I am, I'm running off of memory here).
Once the game stabilizes, then they can start diverting it to nice extra features.
Also, remember we have the power of community here. LUA scripting lets us design loads of community content, so instead of developing it themselves they could pick up community work, polish or work with them to polish it, and integrate it into the official build.
I obviously don't think game breaking bugs and balance show be neglected but I assume they are going to be working pretty hard initially after release improving the game rather than new projects and I think it would be worth putting a percentage of the effort into these things. However, I see the argument that initially after the release they should try and improve the gameplay and game stability as much as possible to ensure their name as a quality developer (as if anyone doubted!).
But yeah, anyone reading don't take my 'waah, don't troll' to disuade you commenting on character customisation or the importance of female marine models if you like. :)