Dear Tolero:

[ahpook]

Dear Tolero,
We have asked in the past for an improved release plan and testing model to ensure that game updates are released with minimal issue and disruptions to our enjoyment of the game. This request appears to have fallen on deaf ears and here are again with a release that leaves a poor impression in your customers. Since it appears that our concerns are not worth acting on let me address this from my development team manager perspective.

It appears that your team is rushing to fix some issues and restore the game play that is currently not performing. (https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...ate-56-0-1-TBA). To get this out your developers are probably working extra time under extra pressure and with some uncertainty that they will achieve success. This is not the best way to run your development team. Your best will get fed up and the mediocre will cease to care. A proper release strategy of your product is not just to make sure customers are content but also to ensure that your development team is equipped to produce their best results. Your developers will appreciate being able to release a product that does not create this kind of drama.

Your current release model is not working as is evidenced by the consistent need for emergency patches immediately after the release. From the outside I cannot state why your product is coming out the way it is but I would guess that release dates trumping other concerns are part of the problem. I am sure your team will be able to come up with a strategy to ensure that releases go more smoothly (and if not there are plenty of resources that can help them). Your job is to make sure they have the correct goals and then defend the plan and let them execute it.

This may mean delayed releases. Since the player base has repeatedly stated that we don't care I would guess that the release pressure is coming from inside the company (or parent company). That is where your job comes into defend the plan. Do it while you still have a player base who cares. And a development team that cares.

Thanks.

[Arkat]

Dear Tolero,
We have asked in the past for an improved release plan and testing model to ensure that game updates are released with minimal issue and disruptions to our enjoyment of the game. This request appears to have fallen on deaf ears and here are again with a release that leaves a poor impression in your customers. Since it appears that our concerns are not worth acting on let me address this from my development team manager perspective.

It appears that your team is rushing to fix some issues and restore the game play that is currently not performing. (https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...ate-56-0-1-TBA). To get this out your developers are probably working extra time under extra pressure and with some uncertainty that they will achieve success. This is not the best way to run your development team. Your best will get fed up and the mediocre will cease to care. A proper release strategy of your product is not just to make sure customers are content but also to ensure that your development team is equipped to produce their best results. Your developers will appreciate being able to release a product that does not create this kind of drama.

Your current release model is not working as is evidenced by the consistent need for emergency patches immediately after the release. From the outside I cannot state why your product is coming out the way it is but I would guess that release dates trumping other concerns are part of the problem. I am sure your team will be able to come up with a strategy to ensure that releases go more smoothly (and if not there are plenty of resources that can help them). Your job is to make sure they have the correct goals and then defend the plan and let them execute it.

This may mean delayed releases. Since the player base has repeatedly stated that we don't care I would guess that the release pressure is coming from inside the company (or parent company). That is where your job comes into defend the plan. Do it while you still have a player base who cares. And a development team that cares.

Thanks.

Agreed, for the most part.

But consider it may not really be up to Tolero as to when Updates and Expansions must be released by.

It just may be EG7 that is giving the marching orders to Severlin who then passes those orders on to Tolero.

[GeneralDiomedes]

Agreed, for the most part.

But consider it may not really be up to Tolero as to when Updates and Expansions must be released by.

It just may be EG7 that is giving the marching orders to Severlin who then passes those orders on to Tolero.

For an update this small which is not monetized, maybe, maybe not. Would like to know what constraints forced their hand, though.

[Xgya]

For an update this small which is not monetized, maybe, maybe not. Would like to know what constraints forced their hand, though.

I'd say any update that introduces more ways to make the mouse wheel squeak IS monetized, at least to some extent.
Not in the same way expansions are, sure, but many people want to keep their toons at maximum efficiency; increasing the cap on efficiency by adding more Past Lives means the ones that spent the most on boxes/pots spend more on those to get back to their maximally efficient character.

I'm still curious as to what forced them to release this quickly and even openly admit that the third preview/testing phase on Lamannia didn't consider much if any of the feedback given.

[ahpook]

Agreed, for the most part.

But consider it may not really be up to Tolero as to when Updates and Expansions must be released by.

It just may be EG7 that is giving the marching orders to Severlin who then passes those orders on to Tolero.

Agreed. Which is why "That is where your job comes into defend the plan." is important. They come up with a plan for a release model that takes N weeks. EG7 says you have to release on Day X. Everything has to be done by Day X less N weeks because that is what is required to have a successful release. If not decisions are made in advance of that N week window.

It seems now that there is no plan and everything has to be done by Day X (or Day X plus a few days if we want to be uncharitable). That is not working.

[DreamingReality]

I would guess that the release pressure is coming from inside the company (or parent company).

Ironically, the few reviews of SSG on Glassdoor complain about just this. Even more ironically with this update, TOEE was probably split up for all those who wish to reincarnate as often as possible, and now no one can reincarnate.

[Seph1roth5]

This may mean delayed releases. Since the player base has repeatedly stated that we don't care I would guess that the release pressure is coming from inside the company (or parent company). That is where your job comes into defend the plan. Do it while you still have a player base who cares. And a development team that cares.

That's crazy, all I ever hear people saying are to release updates ASAP. Every lam it's like "wait there's ANOTHER lam? No, update now!"

[Question2005]

That's crazy, all I ever hear people saying are to release updates ASAP. Every lam it's like "wait there's ANOTHER lam? No, update now!"

Thats because the kind of people who rush onto lam and start drooling at the new stuff are the ones who want it the most. Its like bringing kids to a candy shop and wondering why they arent concerned about their sugar intake.

Most veterans have learned by now that rushing out updates out results in the kind of fiasco that u56 created and desperately want SSG to spend more time testing and fixing stuff before releasing them. SSG shows no sign of doing this however. Notice how expansions are being rushed out in ~9 months now, compared to the 1.5 years they spent on ravenloft and sharn?

[Firebreed]

I'll say it here just so it's on record somewhere.

I wish they would fundraise to help bugfixing. Think of it like an optional subscription model like VIP; you buy a bundle with token items (cosmetics/consumables/bonuses/whatever) for a ridiculous price, but all money generated from that goes directly into bugfixing. They're never going to catch up on bugfixing otherwise, each patch gets us further away instead of closer.

In regards to new releases, personally I couldn't care less. If they only did one update per year (or none for all I care, but that would spook some), I'd play just as much. And for the revenue lost as a result of less releases, see above.

[LightBear]

I'll say it here just so it's on record somewhere.

I wish they would fundraise to help bugfixing. Think of it like an optional subscription model like VIP; you buy a bundle with token items (cosmetics/consumables/bonuses/whatever) for a ridiculous price, but all money generated from that goes directly into bugfixing. They're never going to catch up on bugfixing otherwise, each patch gets us further away instead of closer.

In regards to new releases, personally I couldn't care less. If they only did one update per year (or none for all I care, but that would spook some), I'd play just as much. And for the revenue lost as a result of less releases, see above.

The problem with fundraisers is that you may pay but may not expect an actual delivery of what you paid for.

[Firebreed]

The problem with fundraisers is that you may pay but may not expect an actual delivery of what you paid for.

Well yeah, if they don't deliver/the communication is inadequate, then you stop paying. But I don't doubt they would deliver if they had the leeway/time/money to spare.

[NemesisAlien]

I'll say it here just so it's on record somewhere.

I wish they would fundraise to help bugfixing. Think of it like an optional subscription model like VIP; you buy a bundle with token items (cosmetics/consumables/bonuses/whatever) for a ridiculous price, but all money generated from that goes directly into bugfixing. They're never going to catch up on bugfixing otherwise, each patch gets us further away instead of closer.

In regards to new releases, personally I couldn't care less. If they only did one update per year (or none for all I care, but that would spook some), I'd play just as much. And for the revenue lost as a result of less releases, see above.

They got 4 roll outs per year, I've been saying for years they should take 1 quarter to FIX bugs. Make it the december quarter, since they will disappear for 2 weeks anyway.

[LightBear]

Well yeah, if they don't deliver/the communication is inadequate, then you stop paying. But I don't doubt they would deliver if they had the leeway/time/money to spare.

When I say fundraiser I do not mean a subscription or products sold. I mean it as a donation for charity kind of way, or like a kickstarter. I get the impression you mean something different by it, no biggie.

[KoobTheProud]

Agreed, for the most part.

But consider it may not really be up to Tolero as to when Updates and Expansions must be released by.

It just may be EG7 that is giving the marching orders to Severlin who then passes those orders on to Tolero.

I'd be really shocked if EG7 had any hand in the normal operations of anything at SSG.

I have no doubt that they have targets on annual revenues and cash flow for each of their subsidiaries but keeping a person in house at EG7 to overlord each division is like a guaranteed way to bleed profits.

[fatherpirate]

Have to post this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4Sn91t1V4g&t=2s

:-P

[ShotCaller]

I'd be really shocked if EG7 had any hand in the normal operations of anything at SSG.

I have no doubt that they have targets on annual revenues and cash flow for each of their subsidiaries but keeping a person in house at EG7 to overlord each division is like a guaranteed way to bleed profits.

A single overlord will do just fine, and his operations responsibility probably works something like this: Said overlord is interrupted on the 9th hole by EG7 minion armed with an Excel P&L spreadsheet. After taking a moment to examine it, overlord dismissively hands the spreadsheet back to minion proclaiming "We need to get those numbers up. Okay, fore!!!"

[Onyxia2019]

Dear Tolero,
We have asked in the past for an improved release plan and testing model to ensure that game updates are released with minimal issue and disruptions to our enjoyment of the game. This request appears to have fallen on deaf ears and here are again with a release that leaves a poor impression in your customers. Since it appears that our concerns are not worth acting on let me address this from my development team manager perspective.

It appears that your team is rushing to fix some issues and restore the game play that is currently not performing. (https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...ate-56-0-1-TBA). To get this out your developers are probably working extra time under extra pressure and with some uncertainty that they will achieve success. This is not the best way to run your development team. Your best will get fed up and the mediocre will cease to care. A proper release strategy of your product is not just to make sure customers are content but also to ensure that your development team is equipped to produce their best results. Your developers will appreciate being able to release a product that does not create this kind of drama.

Your current release model is not working as is evidenced by the consistent need for emergency patches immediately after the release. From the outside I cannot state why your product is coming out the way it is but I would guess that release dates trumping other concerns are part of the problem. I am sure your team will be able to come up with a strategy to ensure that releases go more smoothly (and if not there are plenty of resources that can help them). Your job is to make sure they have the correct goals and then defend the plan and let them execute it.

This may mean delayed releases. Since the player base has repeatedly stated that we don't care I would guess that the release pressure is coming from inside the company (or parent company). That is where your job comes into defend the plan. Do it while you still have a player base who cares. And a development team that cares.

Thanks.

Well said. As a software developer, who takes pride in his work, I could in no way work for such a company as SSG. Rather that having a plan for success they seemingly set themselves and their development staff up for failure. In the development community SSG has a reputation of being a company you work for if nothing else is available.
I was apart of the initial beta testers under Turbine. Tester feedback was given the utmost attention. We were not paid to do this and I dare say we worked as those we were.
It was not a matter of just documenting the issues but we had feedback and would retest after a fix was implemented. Things moved like a well oiled machine.

This approach would work even better now, considering the knowledge pool of the users. We can test at a deeper level and with more varied criteria.

One can only hope that after this latest rushed update SSG will take a page from Turbines playbook for testing.

[Loriega]

EG7 got taken over by Daybreak, well more or less.
Ji Ham is the "new" chief.
Read more: https://forums.eq2wire.com/threads/d...ng-ceo.237024/

Like I wrote before, I'm a burned child with EQ2 and I absolutely expected something like this and it will get worse and not better.
Once the 2 months of VIP expire I'll be gone. I'm not dealing with yet another abusive relationship.
This crew seems friendlier than Darkpaw Games' crew, which is openly hostile, rude and abusive, but this u56 remove things that were fun for me in the game. So like I wrote, you remove my fun, I'll find other places to have fun and I'll remember why I left.

This update is a breach of trust, if there ever was any.
Publishing nerfs, build breaking nerfs, after 1 month of 3 of hardcore league (the 20rp reward text was copy/pasted from the 5k reward btw), changing the game, introducing so many bugs, not fixing long open bugs, adding copy paste trees no one asked for in the first place...

I'm so much reminded of SOE (Daybreak was SOE before) and SWG with the NGE bait and switch, where they sold an expansion then after the sales completely changed the game into something no one asked for.
It's not the same but goes into the same direction. Backstabbing and abuse.

You might say "Oh it's just a game why do you care so much", because I spent a lot of time playing that game.
In real life when someone does something you don't like you can protest, this may be virtual and of little consequence in the real world, but it affects your life.

I was planning a sorcerer life because I liked the fast casting sonic blast so much. I can't do that anymore.
My wizard on hc had sonic blast as a crowd control spell that did a bit of damage as well. Can't use it anymore.
I'm not a big fan of the bard class but sonic blast made it bearable. I started playing one on my 2nd account on hc, can't play it anymore because it's crippled and no fun. With every cast of sonic blast I'm reminded of that and what you did.
I don't want to play a spellslinger anymore and the stormsinger sucks. Snowballs? ***
All the archetypes suck. Nothing there is remotely fun.
Absolutely stupid idea.

It just shows that you have 0 respect for your players.

[TitusOvid]

I'd like to support my fellow players pleas and demands for better quality in the game and associated areas.
This was not the first and it won't be the last release of bugged content. No one demands perfection but it is still possible to strive for it.

SSG in whole, not just the devs mind you, is perceived as not caring and ignorant by lots of player. Why is that?
If something is broken with your product, you (the company) are responsible. I stated before no one demands perfection. But if feedback to problems and bugs get ignored on Lamannia and the upate/patch gets published without any fixes that is in fact ignorance. And it is furthermore ignorance, when problems get reported for weeks and month and even years on live and nothing is done.
And if there is little to no sign of communication or getting in touch with the people affected that is not caring.

Some employess of SSG said time and again that the forums and other platforms are hostile and that is why they have withdrawn from contact. You are right and withdrawing is your right to do but is it constructive? A big part of the criticism and hostility is because of your ignorance and not caring attitude.
And because this is going on for years, I do suspect you gave up and it is planned to drive DDO smack against a wall. You just milk it as long as possible.
Isn't that a sad point of view? Especially for someone who sees the glass full most of the time. I can't imagine that is news for you though. But if it gets proven over and over, someone like me arrives at that point of view.

There are several approaches to this problem but it seems SSG has to change its mindset 180° to address these issues.

Disappointed but still hoping,
Titus.

[Memnir]

As much as I agree that their testing needs to be much more robust and comprehensive before a launch - I've given up on it actually happening. It's just a fact of being a player of this game as much as lag, IMHO. I'm not happy about it. But, I can't see it ever getting noticeably better. Ya know... like lag.