Just In from IRC...

[Aamer Khan]

<David-BlightedWeapons> Blazzax: I just talked with Tango about it. He says that he absolutely knows what is causing it and the current client on Blight has the fix for it.
<Blazzax> When is that delta gonna hit?
<Qal-[Unity]> WTB: Cabel or DSL pst with offers :D
<David-BlightedWeapons> If all goes well with testing, we'll move the client from Blight to Chaos and Order on Tuesday.
<Qal-[Unity]> hehe
<Blazzax> Thanks for the info... I can suffer for a while longer *snicker*

[LaughingOtter]

Woohoo!!!!! Huzzah!!! W00T!!!!!




Now, what was the subject they were talking about?
[:^)]

[Seranthor]

Tuesday is the 14th, the Court Hearing is on the 15th.

As Arsenio used to say, Things that make you go hmmmm?!?!?

[evilkarl]

Tuesday is the 14th, the Court Hearing is on the 15th.

As Arsenio used to say, Things that make you go hmmmm?!?!?

and?

tuesday is normal patch day

[Tryagain]

and yup tuesday is indeed normal patch day. I can see them wanting to roll out client changes fast.

But I am not optimistic for much improvement. If they couldn't do it the 11 months prior....

I guess we will see.

[evilkarl]

There have been many improvements to the client in the past 11 months

[Fireclaw]

<David-BlightedWeapons> Blazzax: I just talked with Tango about it. He says that he absolutely knows what is causing it and the current client on Blight has the fix for it.
<Blazzax> When is that delta gonna hit?
<Qal-[Unity]> WTB: Cabel or DSL pst with offers [img]/Web/emoticons/emotion-2.gif[/img]
<David-BlightedWeapons> If all goes well with testing, we'll move the client from Blight to Chaos and Order on Tuesday.
<Qal-[Unity]> hehe
<Blazzax> Thanks for the info... I can suffer for a while longer *snicker*

Is it possible to provide a bit more detail? perhaps the earlier part of the conversation? What is the "it" you refer to in your excerpt? I really have no idea what is going to go live next week from this post.

Thanks![:D]

[Belot]

The detail, seeing I am Blazzax, concerned the bug with the health bar never going down in certain fights, rendering your judgement impared on healing or your health status. It was mentioned that there will be a fix coming.

[AmonGwareth]

Fireclaw, check out the announcements section of the forums. There you can find the latest patch notes for what went to blight earlier this week.

- Amon

[Seranthor]

Why yes, thats exactly correct, but by AE's own admission what goes to Blight and when has no bearing on what actually gets to live servers or when. How many times have there been things on blight bugged to h*ll and reported and still pushed live? There is no correlation of when something goes to Blight and when it goes Live again thats by AE's own admission.

So we are left with either taking AE at their word (most of us did at one time or other) or waiting until we see it live for ourselves (what most of us do now seeing we have experience with the former)

[Demelza Flameclaw]

From what ive been reading in IRC, They are using a new compiler for the client, which is why delta 56 took so long, so hopefully this new compiler will be a great deal better than the current one

[Seranthor]

not saying that AE should listen to me at all, however, I've personally learned that when your trying to curry favor with folks you wish to retain as customers its customary to be upfront with things that may delay the product they are buying, hence instead of repeatedly pushing delta56 without a hint of whats going on how about coming to us back in mid-Nov and being straight with us saying 'hey, this might take a bit longer'... it would have been wiser to say 'hey, this looks like this might take a while, we are looking at late December for xxxx...' and if you get it done early then you look like your smart... if you say nothing at all then you look like stonewallers.

[AA0]

Seranthor... one moment you are bashing AE for pushing things out too fast, now you are bashing them for taking too long and fixing things... get some sense.
As much as I've liked you in IRC before, you are being irrational and filled with hate.

[Seranthor]

I'm not bashing them for taking too long, I'm pointing out that failure to communicate effectively is a critical necessity in situations when your in situations that require as many people as possible to support your position, (ie. AE staying in business is incumbent on them retaining customers, not driving them away).

The email that we got covered somethings about what they are adding, yet they know there are huge glaring issues that should be addressed first. There is no shortage of bugs for them to stomp, yet I dont understand their incessent need to add more content until they have resolved those issues. Adding more usually compounds problems that already exist. Please dont insult yourself or me by trying to pretend that elephant isn't in the room.

As far as being irrational I'm being quite rational, I'm also trying to hold them to their word, sadly I know this is business and someone's word really doesn't mean spit, but it should mean something, at least thats the way I was raised.

No, its not hate that I'm filled with, its anger and disappointment that there are those that refuse to work with others or if its not their way then they have to tear it down.

As far as what you have seen in IRC recently, part of the issue is the blatant lies, or speaking and only saying what someone wants to hear. The remainder of the problem is there are those that may read this that have a very heavy method of censoring posts they dont agree with. However, that too shall pass.

I'm going to enjoy what I can of HZ and when it no longer becomes enjoyable I'll move on.

[Aamer Khan]

Seranthor's current feelings and others like him are why I felt the need to post the conversation from IRC.

Lately, David and the others have become extra quiet. Yes they indeed did send out an email listing what they are working on. The trouble comes from having long time players who have done their part in reporting bugs, errors, missing items and the like, and then being told the fix is in delta-56. Then when asking for an eta, they hear silence.

( even the "plans" that were mentioned in IRC may change, and we may still have to wait )

To any of you at AE that may read this...

Many of us have supported you from day one. We still want to support you and see this go on for years. We are on your side. I for one can feel for the stress you are feeling. And I feel you are doing a awesome job, considering the limited resources you are working with ( personnel, time, funding )

It's those very things that make the player base scared. You are doing the best you can. We know that. We want to give you support, but that might mean letting us in on at least some details. If you are having problems with the new compiler, and really have no idea when delta-56 will go out ... just say that. Those that are devoted to Horizons will understand, feel for ya and continue to be patient. Say nothing and speculation will start flying that there are more sinister things going on, and it will inflame others.

Perhaps I'm misguided in this view and none of this is true. But at least I'm sincere in my efforts to pass along good news, help others to be patient, and try to generate a positive outlook.

[AmonGwareth]

ETAs are bad, m'kay? Just kidding.

Seriously though, Delta 56 was pushed back to give us some extra time to get more things in before the Christmas holiday.

We are still here and working hard on the game, for you.

- Amon

[Kulamata]

Thank you Amon. We know, but AE's tendency to default to silence can leave players a bit worried. Transparency would probably allow more criticism, but would, I think, also quell more criticism thanwould be added. There was a communications surge a while back, when journals were started, but it died down, undoubtedly under the pressure of work and tight deadlines. It would help if that got restarted. It needn't be very ambitious.

And Aarmer, I think you spoke for many of us, and spoke well.

[Guaran]

If the dev's have a journal or blog somewhere (where? link?) perhaps they could get in the habit of once a day making a post as to wha they worked on that day. A single simple sentence. Nothing major or time consuming. That way people can monitor progress if they like.

Example:
12-9-2004 Completed graphics for upcoming event. engine compile work
12-10-2004 engine compile work. rop quest 12 wip ( work in prgress)
12-11-2004engine compile work. various rop quest work.


something short and simple would be better than nothing at all. Would be one less thing for people to wonder about. WHy?? not everyone uses IRC or stares at it long enough to catch the conversations that might be relevant. My irc is always running but I play Hz fullscreen.

[Malaficeint]

What is this Delta-56? It sounds a lot like "miracle build" ....of which I am mourning the death of as of today when the game went live and it was discovered that "miracle build" had been completely and utterly destroyed.

[Jaraiden]

I would just like a "State of Horizons" post once per week in a single topic in News. Have it set for No replies. No time frames (or VERY conservative as in put in February if you think that content will be done in December). No PR fluff, just factual information for players to use to spread the game via word of mouth.

Not too much to ask for communication is it?