Is there a reason we don’t see frequent bug fixes?

[Pablo-Diablo]

The game is ridden with bugs, unfortunately... Some are still there from day one. I remember the times when small bug fixes used to roll out every week or so. What happened to that? Why do we have to wait for months for a major update to get something fixed (and something broken again LOL)?


Is this the case of consoles screwing us over again? As I understand it, there are some extra procedures involved with rolling out updates on Xbox Live or something. But why do we have to keep up with consoles since there is no cross platform gameplay anyway?


Now that the PS4 release is on the horizon (ba dum tsss!) that got me worried even more. The SRV scanner will probably remain broken for another year...


Or does the QA team need a pay raise?

 

[babelfisch]

Because many small releases are not efficient, neither in workload nor in fixing stuff.

 

[starman]

They like publishing giant update log reports.


Are we getting cargo insurance or not. Still gets displayed..

 

[Bryan K]

Because many small releases are not efficient, neither in workload nor in fixing stuff.

Star Trek Online releases bug fixes weekly with no problems.

 

[starman]

Star Trek Online releases bug fixes weekly with no problems.

That pay to win game?

 

[babelfisch]

Star Trek Online releases bug fixes weekly with no problems.

Frontier did it too but stopped it because they had problems.

 

[Bryan K]

That pay to win game?

Yeah, the one that's way more successful than this game and has a much larger player base.

Frontier did it too but stopped it because they had problems.

Sounds like they need to hire more staff.

 

[babelfisch]

Yeah, the one that's way more successful than this game and has a much larger player base.

Sounds like they need to hire more staff.

No, not really.

 

[Bryan K]

No, not really.

Then why do they fail where other companies succeed? What is their excuse?

 

[bitstorm]

The game is ridden with bugs, unfortunately... Some are still there from day one. I remember the times when small bug fixes used to roll out every week or so. What happened to that? Why do we have to wait for months for a major update to get something fixed (and something broken again LOL)?


Is this the case of consoles screwing us over again? As I understand it, there are some extra procedures involved with rolling out updates on Xbox Live or something. But why do we have to keep up with consoles since there is no cross platform gameplay anyway?

Hmm, utimately I think it's probably the reason yes...

I would guess it affects some bugs directly being fixed.

Some bugs (not all by any means) will require a client fix and a server fix to make the server compatible.

So you're faced with either having to have the console and pc clients in sync, or having the server work differently for console vs pc users which can be a whole bunch of (pointless) work.

So for those yes.


But not all bugs though, I mean you'd have thought bugs affecting the client only could be fixed on both pc and xbox branches and the pc version released early but I suspect managing the code might be the issue here, so indirectly these are affected too.

Like if you have two branches, xbox & pc, and just ONE fix has gone in that requires a server update, then the branch simply cannot be released. (for the reasons described above)

So in order to do this they'd likely need 4 branches, pc and xbox and changes that don't need a server update and changes that do, so they can release the "PC does not need server changes" branch weekly (or whatever).

And given the very tight schedules we have right now, and given even doing the above has risk due to potential for human error, and given how many devs they have working simultaneously I expect the overhead of this and the overhead of dealing with all the conflicts you'd get when merging the 2 branches for release would provide quite a bit of incentive for holding back fixes till both xbox and pc can be released simultaneously.


Dunno though, I am just theorycrafting here. I am not a git expert!

I can say I would like more regular PC client bugfix updates though - weekly if possible!

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

I'd like more bug fix updates, but that comes with more server downtime.

For some reason, Devs always pick my day off for maintenance, so I'd rather have a monthly fix, than weekly.

But fixing one big can often create several more, so I dunno.
Devs know best.

 

[dynamicbob]

No, not really.

planet coaster, ps4 elite, xbox elite, the new 2x titles safari planet / plus the hollywood title. And then whatever else is going on, it just means elite dangerous development as far as depth rather than just new consoles is getting whacked

 

[babelfisch]

Then why do they fail where other companies succeed? What is their excuse?

They don't fail and therefore they don't need excuses. They don't want to release updates every week because it isn't efficient for them. They could, but it would likely create more issues than it would solve.

PS
Your "hire more devs to fix issue x faster" just shows that you don't have any idea about software development.

 

[bitstorm]

Star Trek Online releases bug fixes weekly with no problems.

Not played STO.

It's cross platform I can see that. Do all platforms share the same galaxy or are xbox and pc indedependent?

 

[dynamicbob]

Not played STO.

It's cross platform I can see that. Do all platforms share the same galaxy or are xbox and pc indedependent?

Its a much different beast to Elite, its older and most of the new updates are content which is easier to push out than new consoles and new mechanics

 

[babelfisch]

planet coaster, ps4 elite, xbox elite, the new 2x titles safari planet / plus the hollywood title. And then whatever else is going on, it just means elite dangerous development as far as depth rather than just new consoles is getting whacked

We checked the credits for PC and ED, they are different teams. Also they are basically constantly hiring...

 

[Bryan K]

They don't fail and therefore they don't need excuses. They don't want to release updates every week because it isn't efficient for them. They could, but it would likely create more issues than it would solve.

Then it's a problem they could solve, but refuse to do so. Which is why we have to deal with broken ruins puzzles and countless other things that they could've fixed ages ago. Thus contributing to the game's reputation as a bug-fest, thus ultimately hurting sales.

 

[babelfisch]

Then it's a problem they could solve, but refuse to do so. Which is why we have to deal with broken ruins puzzles and countless other things that they could've fixed ages ago. Thus contributing to the game's reputation as a bug-fest, thus ultimately hurting sales.

How can you be so sure? It could also be that you are just wrong? Given that you are not working in the industry?

 

[dynamicbob]

We checked the credits for PC and ED, they are different teams. Also they are basically constantly hiring...

Hiring yes, but how many new staff have started work, plus time to bring them up to speed etc

- - - Updated - - -

Then it's a problem they could solve, but refuse to do so. Which is why we have to deal with broken ruins puzzles and countless other things that they could've fixed ages ago. Thus contributing to the game's reputation as a bug-fest, thus ultimately hurting sales.

actually i think the bugs dont affect sales, its the lack of depth and links between content, and the broken half implemented features that let it down

 

[Bryan K]

How can you be so sure? It could also be that you are just wrong? Given that you are not working in the industry?

Are you seriously suggesting that you do work in the industry? Let's see some credentials, otherwise you're just another guy with an opinion like the rest of us.