Should Ludeon release Alpha 17 as refinements, or wait for new content too?

Started by Tynan, February 08, 2017, 01:05:49 PM

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Should we release Alpha 17 as just a refinements-and-fixes update, or wait to have new content as well?

Release refinements, and then new content in two updates
497 (38.7%)
Wait until there is significant new content to release in one update
787 (61.3%)

Total Members Voted: 1282

FalconBR

I loved the alpha 16, bug I think it is the versions with most bugs since alpha 7!
Normally there are a couple of hot fixes as soon as a new version is released... This is not the case with alpha 16!
Traveling and loading caravans is impossible right now, you need to launch everything...
Also, multiple animal area are not working, something really bad if you life to create several types is animals!
And the medicine nerf made several pawn died to sleeping sickness, I didn't know before it could kill!
I play rim world a lot, but those 3 fixes is essential to me if I will continue to play!
If you are afraid of breaking mods, I suggest something like Stellaris, on the beta tab you can select any version of the game to play it! I am a vanilla player...

skullywag

As a modder with a silly amount of mods. Id like to state that i want the update. Working around bugs and not quite polished systems is no fun. Also as others have said it makes no sense to delay from a software development standpoint. Release early release often. Also a smaller set of changes is easier to update than taking a load of under the hood changes then applying a load of new content that the mod may need balancing against. If it all came at once.....thats a lot of work and means slow updates for modders. If the code is ready, release.
Skullywag modded to death.
I'd never met an iterator I liked....until Zhentar saved me.
Why Unity5, WHY do you forsake me?

Fluffy (l2032)

As a modder, I'd prefer you update now.

1) A16 is kind of a mess (e.g. caravans, medicine), so it desperately needs an update.
2) I'd prefer to do several smaller updates to my mods where I have a reasonably good idea of what changed rather than one huge update where I have to go hunting for all the changes.

On a side note, some people are suggesting semantic versioning. PLEASE don't do that. Semantic versioning is great if you have a proper dependency system, but the workshop (and RW's own version check) are not a proper dependency system. I would much rather have not updated mods fail hard, then have them load buggy as all heck.

For comparisons' sake, look at the workshop for Cities: Skylines. It's a jungle of mods that are compiled for different target versions, and the user has to read each mod's descriptions to see if it's compatible with his game. Adding the alpha number as a tag and filtering by that was a stroke of genius if you ask me.

Don't worry about save games, it's an alpha after all.

edit: I swear I can do English! (typos/grammar)

Canondeath

out of the perspective of somebody who is playing Rimworld daily, i say we wait for additional content. A lot of people will get pissed with a bugfixing patch since they need to wait for mods to update and don't really have new content to play with

skullywag

But youll just have an EVEN longer wait when the larger alpha drops....using "i dont wanna wait for mods to update" is not a sensible excuse.
Skullywag modded to death.
I'd never met an iterator I liked....until Zhentar saved me.
Why Unity5, WHY do you forsake me?

zandadoum

Please release bug fixing & balancing ASAP as 16.1 like any other decent software company would do.


Other than that, take your time.

Brrainz

I would prefer to release fast and often. Easier to keep the mods updated and quickly released through workshop updates.

Lightzy

The best refinement for this game would be adding content.

The lack of content currently constitutes the lack of refinement because there aren't enough jobs and skills, so 90% pawns are absolutely useless while 2% are very useful and the other 8% are situationally useful.
Adding different skills for carpentry/siegeworks/electrician/etc to diversify the "build" skill, adding "weaving/armormaking/wtc" to diversify the "craft" skill, are the most necessary refinements to the game.


(Leaving 99 out of 100 drop pod survivors to die doesn't make the very best storytelling, and you know you probably haven't polished things enough when you implement a "wanderer joins" event as a punishment rather than a boon)

slippy

If I could choose I would say to wait and release the update with new features.  Alpha 16 is really entertaining as it is and if you wait to release with a bunch more content, it makes the next alpha that much more exciting.  Personally I think that the game is bug free enough to wait patiently till a more featured release hits. 

Also, is it safe to assume that if you wait to release the alpha with features that it would speed up development?  If that's true, that is a nice benefit.  Good job on this game, it has taken far too many hours of my life ;D

skullywag

Surely testing 2 small updates is quicker and easier than testing 1 large one, its definitely the case in professional software development, so the larger release "speeding up development" I believe is false.
Skullywag modded to death.
I'd never met an iterator I liked....until Zhentar saved me.
Why Unity5, WHY do you forsake me?

hwfanatic

I voted for. I don't see a point in waiting to release refinements and fixes. We could all use them.

Even if you have decided to designate it as new alpha, instead of an in-place update. I'm pretty sure you have a great reason for that.

EldVarg

I really think faster smaller updates are better than slower longer ones. I can't see why it would take a total longer time to not release it now? Because you will have to answer questions about it? And bug fix it? Well you will have to do it for a bigger release too, but a lot more.
Work Skrumm/Agile as more and more do nowadays.

Is it not selfish/short term fix for people to think - don't update now because then MY game will not work, I want to play NOW, not later!

I don't think waiting will help modders have to do less work updating their mods. There are other ways of helping modders, like stating all the names that have changed.

In the modding channel there seam to be an agreement to not wait with the release.

biship

I look forward to the fixes: https://ludeon.com/mantis/view_all_bug_page.php?page_number=1
Theres some things fixed there I'd love to see deployed soon. Especially once 2782 is fixed.
I'd can help test builds if invited.
For me, content can wait.

taha

I voted for bug-fixes. ("kind" pawns insulting everyone annoys the hell out of me)

I could not care less about mods being broken after updates.

New content? I guess content that makes the mid-end-game harder, or content that adds a fulfilling end-game reward are out of question... In this light I don't think I care much about additional *and potentially* useless / forced production chain showed down on our throats as "new content" (e.g. components :P)


Pup

In my opinion this is an earlie access game, getting a large refinement patch out would benefit the game both those who already play it and those who are going to buy it because those who're going to buy it (typically) Aren't going to load their game up with mods so waiting on some big feature (which could add in other exploits and such which the refinement patch is trying to iron out) is putting them in a game that isn't as optimised or working as it should.

Yes I play with mods and yes I'd feel a bad about them having to update their mods but they're going to have to do that anyway, like I said this is earlier access and they should already be aware updates are going to break their stuff. even if they do get mad they can't, this isn't their game and yes it's good to take them into consideration but if the refinement patch comes out then their mods can become even better with everything that gets fixed.

Yes it's more work for the modders but I want to play Rimworld in the best form that it could possibly be in, mods or not.


Edit, also to all those who want to wait. why not just select the beta for A16 once a A17 fix patch is released that way your game isn't affected and those who want to play the fixed version can.