Let me set up one scenario for you....
Developer: We realize that there are some bugs in our program and we will be releasing a patch.
Forums: "When is the patch coming?", "and how come it's taking so long?"
Weeks later....
Developer: Ok, we've released a patch that fixes such-and-such problem and we are still working on a patch to fix the other issues.
Forums: "Why did you fix that first?", "When is the other patch going to be released", "This is BS, you should've fixed everything and released a patch"...etc.
Weeks later....
Developer: Ok, we've released another patch alleviating all of the remaining known issues with the game.
Forums: "How come you didn't add anything?", "The bugs are gone but I don't understand why it took so long, I mean these are EASY fixes"....again etc. etc....
Now let me unleash my fury on those of you who make posts like this in comment sections and forums
.....after the jump....
How many of you are programmers or developers? How many of you know your favorite game's code inside and out? Very few, that's what I figured. Then why in the hell do you have to constantly bash companies when they don't do things in what you think is a timely fashion. These people worked hard to get the games in your hands and there are going to be bugs, it's the nature of the beast. The countless hours of overtime that they worked on a game and spent away from their families and friends in order to get it to you just goes unnoticed to the majority of you. You want to bitch and moan about what YOU want while treating these workers like their lives are insignificant when compared to yours. It's ok to state the problems with a game but when you start calling names and telling people how to do their jobs when you are clueless on how it's done, that's just ridiculous. Do you really want some guy off the street coming into your place of work and telling you that you're doing it wrong or not fast enough?
You've stated your issues with a game and now the company comes out, says ok we goofed on some parts but we are going to patch it for you, our loyal fans. Are you, the fans in question, happy with that? Hell no, you decide that is just another opportunity to poop in your hands like monkeys and fling it at the developer. The developer for all intents and purposes could have said to hell with it, you'll have to wait till the next version. That is exactly is what happened on the console systems before the advent of xbox live and whatever Sony decides to officially call theirs. Now companies have the option of correcting what was wrong with their otherwise stellar game and you want to bitch like they owe it to you. Now if it's a game that's just so horribly bad from beginning to end due to bugs than I'm all for bitching about it. However, if it's a game that you thoroughly enjoyed for the most part except for a few bugs and the developer says they are working on a fix then they should be applauded not flamed.
It takes time to make changes to code in order to fix something that was broken especially something as complex as a game. Lots of testing needs to be done and a lot of times when one thing is fixed it breaks about 20 other things that were working fine. It's not like they can just go in and fix one little line of code to cure the problem. It often takes several changes to get everything working properly and most importantly working together. You want your patches almost instantaneously and that's just absurd. Then when they do release one, you want to bitch about it because it didn't fix everything the first go around....well, boohoo, cry me a f'n river.....ever stop to think that they were just being nice and releasing the one thing that they did get fixed while they still work on the other things so that the people who weren't enjoying the game because of that one thing could now enjoy it.
I say when a developer makes a good to great game that has its issues there really isn't need to bitch. If they fix said issues, then we as gamers should be thankful that they took the time to fix what wasn't working instead of just ignoring it altogether.
If a developer, however, makes a bad game and it's due to bugs not design then hell yes, they should be taken to task for it. These are games that had great potential and were just horrible because bugs made them virtually unplayable. This is where most of the bitching and moaning should take place.
So this is for all you COD2 whiners.......STFU!....they said they are working on a patch and I believe them. They are even supposed to add a couple of new maps so not only are they fixing the game but they are giving more content as well. How many developers have done that in the past? Very FEW!
....and always remember it isn't always the developers fault, some blame rest with its publisher as well and in some cases, all of it does.
-Brad
eh... i both agree and disagree with you. Telling the COD 2 whiners to "STFU" is just wrong. It's one thing to tell people to shut up over minor game flaws or glitches, but as far as I know, COD 2 has some major online problems... Stuff that should've been caught early on in testing. Remember, we are the reason a company either succeeds or fails. If they want us to continue to support them and their products, they better make sure that they're giving us something worth our money.
You almost wonder if companies are slacking on the testing these days, simply because they can patch it later on... think about it, why spend money on a team of beta testers when they can instead release the game to the public, where people basically PAY the developer to beta test it for them. Then go back, fix what you can, and release patches.
And no offense to you, Brad, but you're beginning paragraph is one of the most cliched rebuttals ever towards aggravated gamers. Whether or not we know how to program has nothing to do with any of this. If I go to a tax collector to have my taxes done and he screws up, are you saying I can't complain simply because I don't know how to file myself?? Or I take my car to a mechanic to have it fixed and they screw up. Well I have no idea what I'm doing, so I can't complain right??
Developers have a job to, and gamers expect a certain level of quality from something that they've invested so much time and money into. We spend money on their products BECAUSE we don't know how to do it ourselves, so we better damn well get something worthwhile in return.
...ok and i need to shut up and get back to work. This site is addictive, and the fact that it's not blocked by my works internet filter only makes it worse, haha
The mechanic and tax probably aren't that great of analogies. If I take my car to a mechanic that normally means I'm taking it to get one or a few things fixed that have gone wrong. However, using your car analogy, if I buy a new car and something goes wrong with it, yes I get a little upset but that's why it has a warranty and thus I take it back to the dealership where they will or should fix the problem.
Now take COD2 for instance, most people initially played the single player and wow we were impressed with the exception of the few who encountered the save game bug. We "drove" it for a little while longer, trying out the different options and discovered that one of the options isn't working like it should. We tell the "manufacturer" with hopes that they will attempt to rectify the problem. Now if they fix that problem and screw something else up or make the problem worse than your mechanic analogy comes into play. They attempted to fix something and either a) made it worse or b) broke something else entirely. Then you have a reason to bitch because you just spent an ungodly amount of money to fix something and they didn't.
I spent $60 bucks on COD2....I spent $230 to get our taxes done....and the average car repair expense is around $200 for routine stuff, more for major things. So that's kind of an apples and oranges kind of comparison. I enjoyed the COD2 single-player immensely and feel I got my money's worth but if some guy screws up my taxes not only did I not get my money's worth but I'll have some issues with the IRS. I won't see anyone knocking on my door just because Infinity Ward made a mistake. In other words, a game screw up isn't really a life changing experience but having a car that doesn't work or being audited by the IRS is.
"Developers have a job to, and gamers expect a certain level of quality from something that they've invested so much time and money into. We spend money on their products BECAUSE we don't know how to do it ourselves, so we better damn well get something worthwhile in return."
the thing is people complain because we have a basis for comparison... weather or not people know how to program doesnt imply weather or not that have a scale with which to judge. the problem here is that people have bought games that didnt have bugs, they have bought buggy games and seen them patched almost instantly, and then they by cod2, a title that was basically one fo the flagship games for this new console. the pc version works does it not? yet the 360 one is spotty. the prob is that it was obviously rushed a bit to make launch because they new it was only th eonlien component that had problems, and when the only people who will complaine are going to deffinitly have internet, you know for sure you can patch it.
i dont think companies are skimping on all testing, bet they coudl definitely be skimping on online testing. of course beta testing an online game for an unreleased system is also nearly impossible considering the difference between a closed network test and a world wide run. that said... it has been months... if this issue is big enough that it takes moneths to iron out... you tend to think maybe they noticed it before and just knew they would never get it straight in a timely fashion.
who knows... only the developers really... and they are kind of tight lipped on it.
The COD2 multiplayer problem goes far beyond a simple bug that people are continously bitching about; it's virtually unplayable. I (and others who have posted elsewhere) have been plagued by the inability to join games. We keep getting the same message again & again - "cannot connect to session." It has absolutely nothing to do with my internet connection as I have (and have never had) problems on Xbox Live in the past. I think that Brad brings up some good points about gamers bitching and moaning about everything under the sun. They just never seem to be happy (for examples, you don't have to look any farther than the Major's blog). However, in the case of COD2 they are completely justified. The multiplayer is complete garbage and should have been caught during MS certification. If they advertise an online component, it should work.
Part of the point is that people are bitching about them not fixing it yesterday....either you want it fixed and working properly (i.e. properly tested) or you want a rushed patch that may or may not work well enough....they may pull it off and it could be a great online experience or it'll just be a great single player game that had high aspirations for multiplayer that never came to fruition...it's not like it would be first time that's ever happened. It's always better than a game that is just complete crap in both single and multi-player. Then it's nothing more than a $60 coaster or conversation piece.
Completely agree with you Brad. I think folks should bitch once and then wait
for it to be fixed (and that doesn't mean overnight). If they (developer) never bother to fix the problem the best thing you can do is show them with your wallet and don't buy the sequel. All this complaining day-in and day-out gets tiresome. Give the developer the time to fix it.
I have to disagree, in part, with Brad and Bert in their most recent posting. That is so chiefly because there are two additional factors playing into why gamers are complaining loud and long.
1. Denial by producer that there was a problem, followed by an acknowledgement that trivialized the concern - "some gamers are having problems". "Some gamers", riiiight. If the company had been honest and open with the public about the issues, the gaming community would demonstrate more trust and complain less.
2. Previous experience with companies that did not fix games where the relevant community did not complain loud enough, or was not large enough to raise sufficient noise. Unreal Championship 2 is the classic example from recent months. Great game, poor online play, no patch, dead game. I believe gamers are afraid of that possibility and refuse to ease up on the publisher and developer.
As a general matter:
The advice to just not buy the next product is not very helpful, or very practical advice. Within a development house with several teams, which team's work are you going to boycott? The team that made the faulty game? Any team that contains a member of the team that spawned the broken game? All teams? Will they know that your decision not to buy is motivated by the lack of support for a prior game? Will it matter, when there are millions of gamers out there?
There is no reason to remain happy with the single player experience of COD2. The game advertised offline and online play and only delivered the offline play, which is significantly less than half the game, judging by hours played (or potential hours played). Whether the consumer is spending $60, $230, or $2300, he deserves the product for which he contracted, not half of it. And as for your car analogy, what is the remedy for those who bought the game for the multiplayer and went straight to that? Hmmm?
In this story, there are a couple of areas where gamers are at fault.
1. Being ungrateful cusses. Brad is correct that there is rarely acknowledgement or gratitude rendered for any effort by the game developer/publisher after release.
2. Being uncivil and poorly spoken cusses. Why must the most vocal voices of gamers be thick, cacophonous poorly reasoned and poorly articulated? I am quite sure that console and software development would be more responsive to consumer feedback if it were articulate and civil.
I would be pleased to read more of your articles, Brad. 'Looking forward to them.
I'm trying my best to do this kind of article on a weekly basis...one is to unleash my opinion on the unsuspecting masses ;)...two is to allow this kind of articulate discussion without having a bunch of people slinging shit at each other like a bunch of primates. Civilized discussion...wow, what a concept... :D
Oh and thanks for everyone's feedback....whether I agree with you or not, it's the point of these articles to "stir the pot".
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