Alpha 18 Dev Diary!!

[Roland]

Roland-----> if you do not like make your own game (This is my favorite, I have a predilection for Roland)

 

I have never said this. You're favorite reply is non-existent. Where did I say go and make your own game?

 

I made a mod. I didn't know how to mod or how xpath works until about a month ago. I learned how to and created a mod. That is what I did instead of raging against a decision I didn't agree with that has already been communicated is final. We were all talking about xp and I proposed the idea of having no xp and Madmole said they definitely wouldn't do that AND that he thought it a poor design decision (He said it again today). It was not the design they envision for this game.

 

I could have thrown a fit and quoted to him exactly how many hours I have "invested" in the game and why he owes me more respect than to reject my idea or I could have realized that the debate on this issue was over and if I wanted it I would need to make it happen. I chose the second option and now I have it.

 

He also suggested to me privately that only gaining 1 skillpoint a day would become too slow and boring and I listened to him and changed my mod accordingly and it is better for it.

 

You know why?

 

 

He is a successful game designer of a multi-million dollar, top 100 most played game and I would be a fool to discount his advice. Those of you who think you know better don't have a shred of the evidence that he has.

 

[Survager]

No they all ran to steam and wrote negative reviews. They are trying to make us hostage to old legacy designs. Talk about ungrateful, they got 5000 hours of fun out of 24 dollars or less then have the gall to give us a bad review? I'd say best money I ever spent if I got that much fun out of it. I might not like the direction Bethesda is headed lately but I wouldn't go ♥♥♥♥ on Skyrim with a negative review after I got so much fun out of it.

 

Your words is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ GOLD! )

[The Gronk]

Are you referring to something I said? I don't recall saying I instead of we.

 

At the risk of pedantry...

 

"I will die on that hill"

 

MadMole - In reference to the mechanic that shall not be named.

[bayaholic]

In the Pimps I trust. Thank you guys for being responsive in the forums and continuing to make and improve on your game. Just a big thanks for coming to work on this Monday and chatting with the world. Thank you guys.

Now one threat I must make to you guys: I will not play 17.3 until you release it ;p

[madmole]

This is the worst stance a gaming company or a dev can take. Believing that negative reviews are just bitter people trying to take you hostage?

 

I dont even have words for a statement like this. This is probably a good a time as any to pack it in and just say thanks for the memories. Its been an amazing ride. One I will never forget.

We must be polar opposites, I can't even fathom how I piss you off but I did.

 

Deleted multiple rants here. Not sure anything would help you at this point. If you can't see my position, how can you call yourself a modder? Fine if you don't agree with me, but to leave? Again? LOL dude you'll always be here who are you kidding.

[madmole]

At the risk of pedantry...

 

"I will die on that hill"

 

MadMole - In reference to the mechanic that shall not be named.

 

Sometimes you have to take a stand. Although compromise is usually best.

[madmole]

In the Pimps I trust. Thank you guys for being responsive in the forums and continuing to make and improve on your game. Just a big thanks for coming to work on this Monday and chatting with the world. Thank you guys.

Now one threat I must make to you guys: I will not play 17.3 until you release it ;p

 

Even though I ruffle some feathers I mean well. Some people just need their feathers ruffled lol.

[SxR]

.. I just want the crafting timer in benches when you leave them to be fixed.. that's all I really want.. :c

[SnowDog1942]

Will 17.3 contain optimizations or are they on hold till A18?

[omegarte]

I didn't drink the "in Pimps we trust" kool-aid but why can't everyone just let the TFP finish this game how they intended (with whatever feedback they want to take into consideration) and then just add mods if there is some aspect of the game you do not like or wish had gone in a different direction?

 

Why does everything have to be "add/put back in this feature or I will whine and cry and never play again"?

[FA_Q2]

You can check yourself

♥♥♥♥ yes, its finally out. I'm gona play it right now.

 

in A17.3, it has the new road and town system. I can't say if terrain generation handles it better in A18 though.

 

 

 

Note to self - finish reading post before getting excited.

[Tin]

There are a million ways. You could...

Nerf XP gains when infected or on death debuff

Make antibiotics harder to find or expensive, ingredients hard to find.

Make infection spread to others, traders shoot on sight, your friends get infected, etc.

Maybe your gear is infected and needs burned/scrapped.

Leave infections when you die and respawn. Your not really dying, you are miraculously surviving. You STILL need antibiotics, but you awaken with a bit more stamina and food than when you died, etc.

 

Ohhhh! Please please do it!

[RestInPieces]

My point was I skimmed and skipped. Can you summarize in one short paragraph? Was it a reason to fight the hordes?

 

Actually, more about zombies becoming something players don't just farm (like they tend to do now), but "fear", which is also what you wanted yourself in the past. You just replied in an earlier post though (the one just above Tin has quoted), and it seems you do have some plants to add some real risk to fighting zombies and perhaps add some death penalty options.

 

Also now that there is an option to disable the BM completely do you still want to keep the BM horde voluntary, having cheap ways to avoid it e.g. vehicles? Imo, something being voluntary in-game => less impact, urgency, but that's just me. Thanks for taking all this time to reply btw.

[Anthonydevidal]

We're making the same game we started making in 2013. No amount of feedback can time travel to 2012 and change that elevator pitch. We make the game our hearts desires, and we're blessed so many people like it. But the heart wants what it wants and you cannot sway that with words, sales, threats, or otherwise. I ask for input and you guys respond. Its great. But I think your idea is that the community runs the road map or something. Sorry but do the fans get to talk to the writers of the walking dead and say "you need to kill neagan because he's a piece of ♥♥♥♥". No you don't. They do the story they want to and hope people like it, as do we. Like them they listen to feedback and ratings and make adjustments though and try to learn from mistakes.

 

I understand how a game can lose its potency. Little things can pile up. Trust me they are coming back. The tension, little babies screaming in the background, need with impending doom. A17 was just too big and too much change. We'll get it though. Please be patient and have some faith. A13 was a dud for the same reason, a ton of changes, but in 14 we smashed it.

 

 

I've never lost faith in the game or in the developers and less in you.

 

 

And I would never put a negative review on steam, my comments do not pretend to be destructive, I'm sorry if you thought so.

You have given me the best survival voxel in the market and already you answer me personally to my questions, for me you are the best team of developers, I only say that sometimes you are wrong and you have trouble recognizing it ...he called him the MCgregor syndrome XD.

 

 

although we complain sometimes you have our full support and appreciation.

[DaVegaNL]

If 17 is really that bad, how come it its selling 2-3x as many copies as 16 did? Just because some old customers don't like change doesn't mean they are game designers or need pleasing. Overall 17 is better, but we made some blunders. We're working hard on correcting a lot of these issues and I think 18 will sell as good as 16 and 17 combined. It's part of early access. Some ideas work well, others don't but mostly its just a matter of balance. Way too many features were rewritten or changed all at once, making it an untamable beast. We're taming it now though.

 

The fact is, new players with no bias are coming in and liking the game. More so than during A16, and this is even with the horrible console freakshow giving us a bad rep. The negative reviews are coming from the 300+ hour crowd who doesn't like change, and most of them are too lazy to try the patches. So again, how are these old players paying the bills when new ones are buying the game and giving us good reviews and old ones are not buying the game and giving bad reviews?

 

I'll let Jax do the talking. Such a message leaves a bad taste in my mouth to be honest.

 

As a game developer I'm sure you know it's not just about actual sales (even though that's the primary objective of course), but on the retention rate resulting from those sales. You state that a17 sold 2-3 times as much as compared with a16. Let's not forget that a17 took 1.5 years, so one would assume that the player numbers after the first-release peak would be a lot higher than pre-a17. They aren't. Not many more people are playing the game post-a17 as compared with pre-a17. That tells a lot.

 

Plus the reviews are still negative. Half a year after a17 was released there's still not more than 60% positive ratings.

Sure, ratings are subjective, but it tells a lot.

 

And a17.3 still has to come out, half a year after a17e got released. You stated that a18 will have a much shorter release cycle than that of a17. It might be good to come out with a public statement on the forum/official website now, in case there's gonna be delays. That will prevent a lot of flak.

 

Nothing personal, of course!

Peace out.

[madmole]

.. I just want the crafting timer in benches when you leave them to be fixed.. that's all I really want.. :c

 

Can you reverify this and bring it to our attention in the 17.3 thread?

[madmole]

I didn't drink the "in Pimps we trust" kool-aid but why can't everyone just let the TFP finish this game how they intended (with whatever feedback they want to take into consideration) and then just add mods if there is some aspect of the game you do not like or wish had gone in a different direction?

 

Why does everything have to be "add/put back in this feature or I will whine and cry and never play again"?

Amen.

[madmole]

Ohhhh! Please please do it!

 

Which one? All would be insanely rage quit OP lol.

[madmole]

Actually, more about zombies becoming something players don't just farm (like they tend to do now), but "fear", which is also what you wanted yourself in the past. You just replied in an earlier post though (the one just above Tin has quoted), and it seems you do have some plants to add some real risk to fighting zombies and perhaps add some death penalty options.

 

Also now that there is an option to disable the BM completely do you still want to keep the BM horde voluntary, having cheap ways to avoid it e.g. vehicles? Imo, something being voluntary in-game => less impact, urgency, but that's just me. Thanks for taking all this time to reply btw.

 

I think zombies could run out in front of your car deliberately, like they are attracted to headlights, even make a dive for it to get run over and damage the crap out of your vehicle and that might deter people from using that. Swarms of buzzards could clog up your heli blade and send you crashing down. We just need a few alphas to bring back the scare factor, reasons to explore, specific loot drops, etc and I think the game will be awesome.

[Tin]

Which one? All would be insanely rage quit OP lol.

 

Pick one or a few

[DaVegaNL]

No they all ran to steam and wrote negative reviews. They are trying to make us hostage to old legacy designs. Talk about ungrateful, they got 5000 hours of fun out of 24 dollars or less then have the gall to give us a bad review? I'd say best money I ever spent if I got that much fun out of it. I might not like the direction Bethesda is headed lately but I wouldn't go ♥♥♥♥ on Skyrim with a negative review after I got so much fun out of it.

 

Yeah because things can change man. Opinions change. Games change. Would you still not give skyrim a negative review if they released a patch tomorrow replacing all Khajit with pink unicorns?

 

Just because you liked it in the past doesn't mean you have to like it now.

 

Hmm.. great idea for a mod btw.

[Zarzthor]

I didn't drink the "in Pimps we trust" kool-aid but why can't everyone just let the TFP finish this game how they intended (with whatever feedback they want to take into consideration) and then just add mods if there is some aspect of the game you do not like or wish had gone in a different direction?

 

Why does everything have to be "add/put back in this feature or I will whine and cry and never play again"?

 

Exactly! I've only played from the tail end of A16.4 onward and personally I like the majority of the changes that were made. Yes there are some things I don't like, but they are getting addressed. Not everyone will agree with the changes TFP has made but in the end it's their game and their vision. Yes those of you playing since before A17 can be upset because some feature you liked is gone so comment on it, maybe even spark a discussion about it, but once answered let it go.

[madmole]

I'll let Jax do the talking. Such a message leaves a bad taste in my mouth to be honest.

 

As a game developer I'm sure you know it's not just about actual sales (even though that's the primary objective of course), but on the retention rate resulting from those sales. You state that a17 sold 2-3 times as much as compared with a16. Let's not forget that a17 took 1.5 years, so one would assume that the player numbers after the first-release peak would be a lot higher than pre-a17. They aren't. Not many more people are playing the game post-a17 as compared with pre-a17. That tells a lot.

 

Plus the reviews are still negative. Half a year after a17 was released there's still not more than 60% positive ratings.

Sure, ratings are subjective, but it tells a lot.

 

And a17.3 still has to come out, half a year after a17e got released. You stated that a18 will have a much shorter release cycle than that of a17. It might be good to come out with a public statement on the forum/official website now, in case there's gonna be delays. That will prevent a lot of flak.

 

Nothing personal, of course!

Peace out.

No you didn't read a thing I wrote, Recent reviews are a SEA of blue and about the ONLY negatives are from 300+ hour players talking about the past. Like 90% or more of new customers are giving it a great review. When you say "The Reviews" you are being completely subjected to what you are looking to see. If you click into it, you will see the reviews are fantastic in the context of A16. Some sharp stick people are still disgruntled. Don't buy an alpha game if you are going to get married to placeholder systems.

 

Sales are the best metric. Good games sell well, bad ones don't. I don't care what the squeaky wheels say and neither should anyone. If a game sells millions of copies, there is something good there, period. Look at all the negative Ark reviews. That game is brown we're still blue at least (the best possible color of steam games). Ark is a good game but everyone ♥♥♥♥s on them. I had a friend with 2k hours who wrote a crappy review because they changed the fliers. A simple mod fixed it but he left his stain on their hard work that changed his life and gave him 2k hours of fun. That is just wrong, but whatever, people are entitled fickle ♥♥♥♥s these days who judge on one recent flaw vs 5000 good times they had.

 

My point is Ark is a good game, but people get mad at them and write a negative review. I don't agree with that. Like I stay at a 5 star hotel and the view is great, the service is fantastic. They confused me for my brother and charged me for his room, but I didn't ♥♥♥♥ on them, they fixed it and its fine, great place to stay.

 

A friend of mine doesn't like Rust. He has 4000 hours in it lol. They ruined it with the helicopters. Some people don't adapt to change.

 

I'll admit I'm very opposed to negativity. It pisses me off and I delete any negative people in my life. I thrive to prove them wrong though, so I use it as fuel for motivation. So I might react strongly when it comes to criticism, but at the end of the day we always do what we think is best for the game.

 

Dev cycles start when the other alpha is finished. I don't think you can complain about A18 when your getting patches for 17. Thats just me though, I don't like to complain, I like to fix things, that actually gets results.

[madmole]

Yeah because things can change man. Opinions change. Games change. Would you still not give skyrim a negative review if they released a patch tomorrow replacing all Khajit with pink unicorns?

 

Just because you liked it in the past doesn't mean you have to like it now.

 

Hmm.. great idea for a mod btw.

 

No because I turn off their stupid updates and play an older version, and let the mod community give me the updates I WANT. I'm perfectly happy with that. They gave us a framework that allows a lot of great mods, so well done there. What they have done post DLC, I'm not happy about, but as I said, I turn off updates and ignore it. The legendary version before they did the paid for mod crap is good to go, I don't need any paid for mods they are trash rehashes of better free mods.

 

Again, I'm not hating on them for doing stupid crap now, but thankful for what they did in the past that modders can expand on. It works fine. I just hope they don't pull a fallout 76 to Elder Scrolls 6 but I guess we won't know for 2-3 more years will we? That is what makes me the most angry, is that they are waiting 10 years between sequels now. And they had it nailed down to a science of 3 year releases for a while. But they keep adding new franchises so the one I want the most is on the back burner. Fallout 76 was a bomb, Starfield might be fun, but again its blocking them from ES6, so its kind of BS. They didn't even work on Fallout 76 other studios did, so I have to wonder what have they been killing 4 years on now that still isn't done?

[Tete1805]

Mastering the art of Piٌa Coladas probably.