ETA on Playable State?

LoweLowe Join Date: 2010-07-22 Member: 72661Members
Has UWE mentioned anything about getting the game to a playable state for testing anytime soon? I've kinda dropped NS2 off my radar for the past few weeks, only checking for patch notes every now and again.
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Comments

  • EyelessEyeless Join Date: 2010-02-01 Member: 70391Members
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA probably not till beta lol so 2 years and even then who knows.
  • AvalonAvalon Join Date: 2007-03-04 Member: 60224Members
    edited September 2010
    <!--quoteo(post=1797222:date=Sep 2 2010, 06:34 AM:name=Eyeless)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Eyeless @ Sep 2 2010, 06:34 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797222"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Probably about a month.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    +1.
  • Squeal_Like_A_PigSqueal_Like_A_Pig Janitor Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 66Members, Super Administrators, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Developer, Reinforced - Supporter, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Developer
    We are very focused on getting the server lag issues sorted so that the game can be in a playable state, as soon as humanly possible. Max is busy setting up separate testing conditions so that he can adequately ascertain what exactly is causing the biggest lag issues. In programming, it seems often that the mos time consuming part can be tracking down, collecting data, testing and figuring out exactly why something is not working the way it should, and once that information has been figured out the fixes can be relatively quick. Or, there's the possibility that you can find out that there is an issue deep in the engine framework that means a bunch of stuff needs to get ripped up and reworked and put back together again.

    So, all I'm saying is that it just makes it very hard to give a precise ETA on when the issues will be fixed and when the next patch will be out. I can say that we are hoping there are some fairly easy and quick things that can be fixed that make a big difference, and that we can get this next patch out next week sometime.

    In the meantime, while Max is hard at work on fixing the lag, the rest of us are able to continue to crank on getting the rest of the game in shape and adding lots of new gameplay items, art, and bug fixes.

    --Cory
  • RulgrokRulgrok Join Date: 2007-04-04 Member: 60559Members
  • PsiWarpPsiWarp Gifted Gorge Richmond, B.C., Canada Join Date: 2010-08-28 Member: 73810Members
    Eagerly awaiting the day of the Fade + major lag fix!
  • HarathanHarathan Join Date: 2010-07-26 Member: 72845Members
    I realise "playable" is probably subjective, but 4v4 the game is entirely playable enough to do bug testing. Which is, you know, what people are supposed to be doing.
  • DelphicDelphic Join Date: 2006-11-02 Member: 58262Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1797249:date=Sep 2 2010, 11:36 AM:name=Harathan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Harathan @ Sep 2 2010, 11:36 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797249"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I realise "playable" is probably subjective, but 4v4 the game is entirely playable enough to do bug testing. Which is, you know, what people are supposed to be doing.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    +1

    It's not like Halo servers for PC could ever cope with those 32-64 (or I saw one that was 128) player servers without ridiculous lag. So for anyone out there trying to run 32 player servers... it's probably going to be laggy with that number of players until servers and client PCs are on average good enough to cope.
  • TigTig Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71674Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    <!--quoteo(post=1797233:date=Sep 2 2010, 03:48 AM:name=Rulgrok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rulgrok @ Sep 2 2010, 03:48 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797233"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->fade reveal pls<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    +1
  • chopperchopper Join Date: 2009-05-29 Member: 67537Members
    edited September 2010
    <!--quoteo(post=1797232:date=Sep 2 2010, 02:25 AM:name=Squeal_Like_A_Pig)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Squeal_Like_A_Pig @ Sep 2 2010, 02:25 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797232"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->We are very focused on getting the server lag issues sorted so that the game can be in a playable state, as soon as humanly possible. Max is busy setting up separate testing conditions so that he can adequately ascertain what exactly is causing the biggest lag issues. In programming, it seems often that the mos time consuming part can be tracking down, collecting data, testing and figuring out exactly why something is not working the way it should, and once that information has been figured out the fixes can be relatively quick. Or, there's the possibility that you can find out that there is an issue deep in the engine framework that means a bunch of stuff needs to get ripped up and reworked and put back together again.

    So, all I'm saying is that it just makes it very hard to give a precise ETA on when the issues will be fixed and when the next patch will be out. I can say that we are hoping there are some fairly easy and quick things that can be fixed that make a big difference, and that we can get this next patch out next week sometime.

    In the meantime, while Max is hard at work on fixing the lag, the rest of us are able to continue to crank on getting the rest of the game in shape and adding lots of new gameplay items, art, and bug fixes.

    --Cory<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Good to hear you are fixing lag before releasing other changes. Was wondering if outsourcing this problem might help you in the long run. Cause you know, time is money. In my field it is a great advantage to outsource small parts of a project that would take a lot of time to do (i.e. dna sequencing, fine-tuning hplc on complex samples), and money is saved in the long run even if you paid up front for the service. Just wondering if that was even o possibility for that part of your project.
  • AvalonAvalon Join Date: 2007-03-04 Member: 60224Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1797249:date=Sep 2 2010, 11:36 AM:name=Harathan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Harathan @ Sep 2 2010, 11:36 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797249"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I realise "playable" is probably subjective, but 4v4 the game is entirely playable enough to do bug testing. Which is, you know, what people are supposed to be doing.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Agreed, I usually ran a 6-8 man server for this reason, because it was quite manageable.
  • LoweLowe Join Date: 2010-07-22 Member: 72661Members
    <3 for the reply. I'm glad no one took this as a QQ thread. I was legitimately curious and patiently waiting my NS2 :)
  • ZekZek Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 7962Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=1797249:date=Sep 2 2010, 06:36 AM:name=Harathan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Harathan @ Sep 2 2010, 06:36 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797249"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I realise "playable" is probably subjective, but 4v4 the game is entirely playable enough to do bug testing. Which is, you know, what people are supposed to be doing.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Public "testers" are under no obligation to be doing real testing. The purpose of an open test is for people to simply jump in and play the game. All they have to do is report any bugs they encounter and they're doing great. There's no point in guilt tripping them over not wanting to play when the performance issues are too debilitating.
  • Chris0132Chris0132 Join Date: 2009-07-25 Member: 68262Members
    edited September 2010
    <!--quoteo(post=1797355:date=Sep 3 2010, 02:14 AM:name=Zek)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zek @ Sep 3 2010, 02:14 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797355"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Public "testers" are under no obligation to be doing real testing. The purpose of an open test is for people to simply jump in and play the game. All they have to do is report any bugs they encounter and they're doing great. There's no point in guilt tripping them over not wanting to play when the performance issues are too debilitating.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Generally an alpha test is simply bug reporting and actual testing, usually destruct testing, trying to break the game in every way possible, I wouldn't expect gameplay out of it, usually an alpha version of a map I make is hardly finished, usually with walls missing or drops into the void all over the place, but I run around and try to get stuck in the geometry that's there already, and try to break any scripted sequences, you don't play it, you just smash it against the wall a lot and note down exactly where the cracks form.

    I think the problem is that the 'alpha' part and the 'public' part are at odds, an alpha is by definition very shaky, a public release is by definition very polished, and at the moment the alpha is winning. My entirely uneducated opinion would be to try and make it a bit more polished and playable just to get your very public testers a bit more inclined to test. Public anything is more like sheep herding, you poke them with sticks and dangle carrots at them to make them do things, asking nicely very rarely works because half won't hear you and half won't care.

    To get people to do stuff you generally need to give them a reason to care, with internal testers it's because you're paying them and/or they are invested in the game because it's something they've been working on for a long time. With public testers they don't have any real investment in it, if you buy a game the prevailing attitude is that you are owed everything and have given all you need to when you paid, so if you want people to test you probably have to make it fun, or offer them something for it like prizes or first access to a really popular franchise and thus bragging rights, or something else.
  • TurbosniglenTurbosniglen Join Date: 2010-08-13 Member: 73607Members
    edited September 2010
    People don't seem to realize that we have access to the alpha build, we are not "testers", it's just our privilege to play around in the alpha for pre-ordering the special edition.
    Reporting bugs is entirely optional.

    <!--quoteo(post=1797356:date=Sep 3 2010, 02:23 AM:name=Chris0132)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chris0132 @ Sep 3 2010, 02:23 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797356"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Generally an alpha test is simply bug reporting and actual testing, usually destruct testing, trying to break the game in every way possible, I wouldn't expect gameplay out of it, usually an alpha version of a map I make is hardly finished, usually with walls missing or drops into the void all over the place, but I run around and try to get stuck in the geometry that's there already, and try to break any scripted sequences, you don't play it, you just smash it against the wall a lot and note down exactly where the cracks form.

    I think the problem is that the 'alpha' part and the 'public' part are at odds, an alpha is by definition very shaky, a public release is by definition very polished, and at the moment the alpha is winning. My entirely uneducated opinion would be to try and make it a bit more polished and playable just to get your very public testers a bit more inclined to test. Public anything is more like sheep herding, you poke them with sticks and dangle carrots at them to make them do things, asking nicely very rarely works because half won't hear you and half won't care.

    To get people to do stuff you generally need to give them a reason to care, with internal testers it's because you're paying them and/or they are invested in the game because it's something they've been working on for a long time. With public testers they don't have any real investment in it, if you buy a game the prevailing attitude is that you are owed everything and have given all you need to when you paid, so if you want people to test you probably have to make it fun, or offer them something for it like prizes or first access to a really popular franchise and thus bragging rights, or something else.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I don't want to sound rude but you don't seem to grasp the concept of "public". Something that is public is what is open to everyone, which this alpha isn't.
  • EzekielEzekiel Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3006Members
    It may not be open, but it is public.
  • HarathanHarathan Join Date: 2010-07-26 Member: 72845Members
    edited September 2010
    <!--quoteo(post=1797372:date=Sep 3 2010, 04:09 AM:name=Turbosniglen)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Turbosniglen @ Sep 3 2010, 04:09 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797372"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->People don't seem to realize that we have access to the alpha build, we are not "testers", it's just our privilege to play around in the alpha for pre-ordering the special edition.
    Reporting bugs is entirely optional.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    Well arent you useful to the development process.

    <!--quoteo(post=1797355:date=Sep 3 2010, 01:14 AM:name=Zek)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zek @ Sep 3 2010, 01:14 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797355"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Public "testers" are under no obligation to be doing real testing. The purpose of an open test is for people to simply jump in and play the game. All they have to do is report any bugs they encounter and they're doing great. There's no point in guilt tripping them over not wanting to play when the performance issues are too debilitating.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    No guilt trip intended. What I was implying was that in my opinion, half the people in the Alpha didnt even bother with the "report any bugs you encounter" part and just jumped straight into moaning about how its not "playable".
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Whining about stuff is at the core of human nature, even when it is unfounded (that might even trigger bigger whining :P)
  • TigTig Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71674Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    based on the progress tracker, it seems they're grinding a few last things before a patch, i wouldn't be surprised if they're trying to get a patch in for the long weekend. with all the effort they put into this longer sprint, i would think that this next patch will be "playable."

    GO GO MAX NETWORK BUG SQUASHING!
  • TurbosniglenTurbosniglen Join Date: 2010-08-13 Member: 73607Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1797408:date=Sep 3 2010, 01:00 PM:name=Harathan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Harathan @ Sep 3 2010, 01:00 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797408"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well arent you useful to the development process.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I am sorry, but I bought the special edition to help fund the company, if that's not useful then please sue me.
  • SewlekSewlek The programmer previously known as Schimmel Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16247Members, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, Subnautica Developer
    you cannot say for sure that fixing the lag problems would bring ns2 in a playable state :) dont expect any eta
  • Cereal_KillRCereal_KillR Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1837Members
    Fall 2009





    (Don't hit me please)
  • KarbaKarba Join Date: 2006-09-23 Member: 58040Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Gold
  • yimmasabiyimmasabi Join Date: 2006-11-03 Member: 58318Members
    edited September 2010
    When you code something with high optimization techniques, sometimes you think 3,4,5 ... or more than 10 times only a line of a code to achive best result. You test many different algortihms for the same case. So after this stage everything will go fast, like a rolling wheel from a slope. I think they are able to relase "NS2 beta" in this November. And "NS2 1.0" may be released few months later with support of additional maps. Those maps may be tested after the first relase of beta.

    They finished all chars except female model of rine which is easy for them. They finished many development tools. Except bugs this alpha is really good to play after the bug fix state.

    So November 2010 is a good time (first version also relased at Hallowen) to release beta or final. I'm sure after this release there will be many players playing NS2.


    November 2011 is really far away for this game. lool.
  • katzenkorbanfasserkatzenkorbanfasser Join Date: 2010-07-27 Member: 73224Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1797576:date=Sep 5 2010, 04:44 AM:name=yimmasabi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (yimmasabi @ Sep 5 2010, 04:44 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797576"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->They finished all chars except female model of rine which is easy for them.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    This will be the hardest part. They can't even take one of their wifes as model...
  • yimmasabiyimmasabi Join Date: 2006-11-03 Member: 58318Members
    edited September 2010
    <!--quoteo(post=1797581:date=Sep 5 2010, 03:43 AM:name=katzenkorbanfasser)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (katzenkorbanfasser @ Sep 5 2010, 03:43 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797581"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This will be the hardest part. They can't even take one of their wifes as model...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Hahaha.

    Are they married? May be they are far away from female species for a long time. No discos, no beaches ....
    Just Bears and keyboard sounds. Rofl What a life :)
  • Baron_Bad_EggBaron_Bad_Egg Join Date: 2004-07-09 Member: 29823Banned
    uhh they dont have all the characters... or all the structures... still doing art.... so... yea...
  • davidcavalcantedavidcavalcante Join Date: 2009-06-08 Member: 67754Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1797584:date=Sep 5 2010, 12:51 AM:name=yimmasabi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (yimmasabi @ Sep 5 2010, 12:51 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797584"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Hahaha.

    Are they married? May be they are far away from female species for a long time. No discos, no beaches ....
    Just Bears and keyboard sounds. Rofl What a life :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Did you forget the money?
    So many pre-orders... :P
  • katzenkorbanfasserkatzenkorbanfasser Join Date: 2010-07-27 Member: 73224Members
    Haha.
    It was meant more like "she should have boobs like this" - "are you crazy more like this" - "no like this" - "dude, this doesnt fit to the waist" - "you call this a waist?"
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    <!--quoteo(post=1797584:date=Sep 5 2010, 05:51 AM:name=yimmasabi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (yimmasabi @ Sep 5 2010, 05:51 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797584"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Hahaha.

    female species for a long time.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Aren't we all just Terran, I mean human!
  • That_Annoying_KidThat_Annoying_Kid Sire of Titles Join Date: 2003-03-01 Member: 14175Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1797232:date=Sep 2 2010, 12:25 AM:name=Squeal_Like_A_Pig)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Squeal_Like_A_Pig @ Sep 2 2010, 12:25 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1797232"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->We are very focused on getting the server lag issues sorted so that the game can be in a playable state, as soon as humanly possible. Max is busy setting up separate testing conditions so that he can adequately ascertain what exactly is causing the biggest lag issues. In programming, it seems often that the mos time consuming part can be tracking down, collecting data, testing and figuring out exactly why something is not working the way it should, and once that information has been figured out the fixes can be relatively quick. Or, there's the possibility that you can find out that there is an issue deep in the engine framework that means a bunch of stuff needs to get ripped up and reworked and put back together again.

    So, all I'm saying is that it just makes it very hard to give a precise ETA on when the issues will be fixed and when the next patch will be out. I can say that we are hoping there are some fairly easy and quick things that can be fixed that make a big difference, and that we can get this next patch out next week sometime.

    In the meantime, while Max is hard at work on fixing the lag, the rest of us are able to continue to crank on getting the rest of the game in shape and adding lots of new gameplay items, art, and bug fixes.

    --Cory<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    In other words: When it's done?
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