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xochiquetzl_xkvn's avatar
xochiquetzl_xkvn
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago

Re: Laundry lists discussion; bug fixes and prioritization

@DellaLuna48  I hear you, and sure, every user thinks the bug that affects them is the most important bug. That’s human nature! 

But the point I’m trying to make is: Bug fixes don’t make money. I’m not saying that to say it’s a good or bad thing, just that it’s a fact. I’m sure the Sims team loves their game and wants it to be the best it can be! On the other hand, if they don’t make money they can’t pay their developers. 

As for EA, well, it’s normal business practice to emphasize profit centers over cost centers. Again, not saying that to say it’s a good thing or a bad thing. What makes money? New DLC. What doesn’t make money? Bug fixes. We can say that EA should prioritize supporting bug fixes, but they’re going to want to prioritize profit. (Again, not saying that’s good or bad, moral or immoral, etc., just that... they’re a business.)

So while I feel your frustration—believe me, I have bugs I want them to fix!—when i see a whole bunch of people saying “How can they not have fixed this already?” That’s how. They have X number of developers assigned to bug fixes and have to prioritize, based on how many people have the problem (*waves*) and what it will take to fix it. 

The whole thing with patches to support new DLC causing more bugs is driven by the whole “How can they afford to pay their developers?” thing. Their code base must be crazy to work on with the patchwork of DLC. 


Anyway. That’s how.

7 Replies

  • stjmk's avatar
    stjmk
    5 years ago
    @xochiquetzl_xkvn "Bug fixes don’t make money."

    But not fixing bugs will cost 'em. Potential customers will hear about it and refrain from buying, and existing customers won't want to buy additional stuff from them.

    One thing I suspect is that developers are predisposed to enjoying creating new stuff, as opposed to troubleshooting, or analyzing and fixing what doesn't work.

    Maybe, it's part of EA's management, as well. But short-changing quality assurance is not a good strategy.
  • xochiquetzl_xkvn's avatar
    xochiquetzl_xkvn
    Seasoned Ace
    5 years ago

    @stjmk  I suspect they're two different teams, TBH.  I suspect QA gets our bug reports and tries to consistently reproduce them, and then passes them on to the bugfix dev team.

    Sure, there's a reputation hit;  no one wants to be the company that makes buggy unplayable games.  OTOH, well.  They have to pay their devs somehow.  It's a fine line. 

    (And I digress.  Yep, still a bug.  Y'all are going to fix whatever bugs you fix, but again, I downloaded a mod to prevent my Sims from having inappropriate romantic interest in their children, so just sayin'.  Also this parenthetical is probably useless because you're probably looking at reply counts instead.) 

  • stjmk's avatar
    stjmk
    5 years ago

    @xochiquetzl_xkvn"I suspect they're two different teams, TBH. I suspect QA gets our bug reports and tries to consistently reproduce them, and then passes them on to the bugfix dev team."

    You are much more sanguine than I am.

    "Sure, there's a reputation hit; no one wants to be the company that makes buggy unplayable games. OTOH, well. They have to pay their devs somehow. It's a fine line."

    Mini-Max for sure. I just don't think they're doing it right from what I've seen. I've seen a lot of "buggy unplayable game" comments.

    Maybe EA should consider test-driven development.

  • xochiquetzl_xkvn's avatar
    xochiquetzl_xkvn
    Seasoned Ace
    5 years ago

    "You are much more sanguine than I am."

     

    At my place of employment, devs don't touch it until QA confirms it's a thing.  Anything less is considered "wasting Development's time," and devs are paid more than QA.

  • TygerNight's avatar
    TygerNight
    4 years ago
    @xochiquetzl_xkvn Bug fixes may not make money in EA's mind, but honey, they DO. The more crap they don't fix, the more players get turned off, the fewer game packs they buy, the less money EA makes. With Paralives all over the internet, EA had better get their * in gear and make their game playable, or every Sims player who is sick of EA's crap is going to ditch the Sims like a burning coal and put their money into a game that actually works. 😉
  • AquaBeaver's avatar
    AquaBeaver
    4 years ago

    Since EA broke The Sims 4 on PS5, and don't bother fixing the 100% world menu freezing issue, I do am keeping a close eye on Paralives for sure. Game looks real intresting and stuff. Also the build meganics are insane! So much more detailed and options then on The Sims 4. I would for sure buy it if it releases.

    Besides, the Sims 4 is getting old.
    The fact that it doesn't run at all on the newest console version (PS5) shows something. There are only a handfull of PS4 games you cannot run on PS5, and The Sims 4 is one of them. Soon it will be dead and burried and Paralives will take over the market.

    The thing what makes me sad though, is that I played a lot with Sims pretending to have a live living off the land. Making money with fishing and collecting stuff, and singing/playing music. And now they release this pack that they advertise everywhere that actually can make my Sims live off the land but then I cannot play it because they broke the game a few months ago and don't bother fixing. Just a "we keep an eye on the issue". Don't get me wrong, i wouldn't buy the pack anymore with a game so instable.
    If I could swap over to PC I would do it, it is just then I will have to buy the game again, and I don't wanna buy a game for a 2nd time that I already have and that EA broke themselves on playstation.

  • MamaSimmerPlays's avatar
    MamaSimmerPlays
    New Vanguard
    3 years ago

    "Bug fixes don't make money" ummm...

    Before I decide whether I'm going to go without something else I need in order to buy another bundle, I do a bit of basic research. And if my research says that this new dlc is full of bugs, I'll spend that money on eating two meals a day instead of just one for the next few weeks, thanks. I started out with just base game when they gave it away for free a few years ago, and I can live without some new pack if it's only going to give me grief.

    Anyone else considering whether to buy in and get into the sims is probably going to do a bit of research too. If they search #TheSims4 on twitter, are they going to find gorgeous pics and happy players talking about our sims' latest adventures, or are they going to find a constant screaming into the void about bugs that were reported so long ago the threads have been archived, but the bugs are still there?

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