When can we expect another bug fixing patch?
- Thread starter Gallow
- Start date
there's a rule at FDev that for every bug fixed two new ones must be coded so it takes a while.
Hail Hydra!. For every head that falls , two shall rise.
I don't get it either, they usually wait with bug fixes when they release another content update.
Don't ask me why, bug fixing should be priority number one and with the majority of games it's quite normal that periodic bug fixes are released separately.
I get regular bugfixes for other games that I own, Fdev only takes their merry time and a lot of bugs never get fixed at all.
They said releases every 3-4 months, so July or August for the next "3.5" release, and then probably a couple of extra bugfix patches in the weeks after that.
One of the practical problems with more frequent bug-fix releases is that it takes several hours for even a small release to be pushed out, and then everyone has to download the new client. This would probably attract complaints of its own if it was a weekly/fortnightly event - even the weekly half hour downtime for the server reboot gets some - especially when it turned out to be for fixing bugs other than the ones affecting you. Before they moved to more frequent bug-fix patches, they'd need to speed up the release process quite a bit.
As far as the issue tracker goes, Frontier really don't help themselves with that
- there's a few bugs which were fixed (server side, so not needing a client patch) which haven't been marked as fixed yet
- there's quite a few "not actually a bug" there, which on the old forums would probably have attracted some discussion to make that clear (e.g. people trying to use a neutron boost but not having a fuel scoop fitted)
- there's a tonne of duplicates which would make it a lot clearer to everyone what the bugs were if they were cleaned up (they are, that said, honest about only marking one of the duplicates as fixed, rather than all ten)
From what I've observed, what appears to happen is that we get 2, maybe 3, minor patches after a major release. Bugs which haven't been fixed in those patches are then held over for evaluation in the next major release. The only way you get a patch after that is if there is a major game breaking bug which kills the game for the vast majority of people (I.E. CTD when approaching a planetary installation).
It's frustrating because I know that if a bug isn't fix by patch 2 of a release, then it probably won't be fixed until the next release. However, from my own software development experience, working on a bug fix work stream and a new feature work stream at the same time is daft and a nightmare when it comes to merge the streams (cue rubbish Dad joke about 'Don't Cross the streams!'). Its a balancing act, if all we got were bug fixes then we'd get no new development and then there would be whinging on the forums about no new content, or if all we got was new content, then there would whinging on the forums about the lack of bug fixes.
So it's a case of do as many bug fixes as you can, while also develop the new content on a single work stream. That way you get less whinging than the other two options. Heck, even if they managed to make a perfect release, that fixed all outstanding bugs and delivered perfect bug free new content, people would still whinge about something.
It's frustrating because I know that if a bug isn't fix by patch 2 of a release, then it probably won't be fixed until the next release. However, from my own software development experience, working on a bug fix work stream and a new feature work stream at the same time is daft and a nightmare when it comes to merge the streams (cue rubbish Dad joke about 'Don't Cross the streams!'). Its a balancing act, if all we got were bug fixes then we'd get no new development and then there would be whinging on the forums about no new content, or if all we got was new content, then there would whinging on the forums about the lack of bug fixes.
So it's a case of do as many bug fixes as you can, while also develop the new content on a single work stream. That way you get less whinging than the other two options. Heck, even if they managed to make a perfect release, that fixed all outstanding bugs and delivered perfect bug free new content, people would still whinge about something.
From observation - they've never worked the way you suggest, they've always worked the way Ian / Phoenix say. I doubt they will change their software dev processes for you
It's damned if they do and damned if they don't. They need to continue to release these small updates to keep the player base happy until the next major milestone gets released in 1 year and three odd months time. There will be a number of bug fixes, there will be bugs from the bug fixes and it will likely be a never ending issue. Most of the bugs at the moment are minor from what I can tell. I didn't notice any bugs (apart from the FSS bug which was fixed quickly) when travelling all the way from the bubble to beagle point.
If people really want a bug free game, then I can't see that happaning. Never come across a modern game that was bug free in my life and I can't see it happening here.
Also what is the point in concentrating on bugs. They could spend a year fixing all the bugs and have the game bug free (not that I think that is entirely possible), then release another expansion, update whatever it is and create another load of bugs. It would just be a waste of time.
And then there is also the case that a large amount of the Dev team won't be working on bugs, so what will they be doing if FDev are only concentrating on bugs. They would have to make them all redundant and then rehire after all the bugs are done with. Not the best way to design a game in my view.
If people really want a bug free game, then I can't see that happaning. Never come across a modern game that was bug free in my life and I can't see it happening here.
Also what is the point in concentrating on bugs. They could spend a year fixing all the bugs and have the game bug free (not that I think that is entirely possible), then release another expansion, update whatever it is and create another load of bugs. It would just be a waste of time.
And then there is also the case that a large amount of the Dev team won't be working on bugs, so what will they be doing if FDev are only concentrating on bugs. They would have to make them all redundant and then rehire after all the bugs are done with. Not the best way to design a game in my view.
