"Simburian;c-17116212" wrote:
"JoAnne65;c-17111414" wrote:
"Simburian;c-17104722" wrote:
"SimChi;c-17104430" wrote:
"jooxis;c-17103651" wrote:
I make games for a living. Bug-free games don't exist. Especially newer, more complex games on the scale of the Sims. Just cause you haven't encountered any major bug in some game you play doesn't make it bug-free.
I didn't say they were releasing them without knowing there are bugs - of course they know. I said it's not like they intentionally want to release them full of bugs.
Good to know where your defense mechanism is coming from, and the insistence regarding bugs. I suspected, because of the insistence ... and now we know. It is a demanding job, of course, a lot of jobs are. Sometimes, though, as hard as it is, people need to recognize their abilities and limits, and step back so that others- who have been producing better products - can do the level of tech that is needed. That is not a slam. It is just about recognizing one's limits... In this case, it would be the lack of ability of some members of the team being unable to meet normal game standards. That may also be a management failure; hyping a product before they can even ensure that they have a team who can accomplish the task- and have the time to do so (which makes it appear that it is dev & engineer incompetence, rather than a failure of management).
Can I ask what your own technical experience is in game development?
I don’t hope anyone will ask me what my medical experience is when I’ll need surgery one day and assume the doctors will do a proper job. Or what my mechanical experience is when I’ll need a plumber.
“Hi, I apologize for disturbing you, but after you paid us a visit my bathroom is flooded?”
“Ah, yes lady, that can happen, is that a problem? May I ask you what your own experience is with plumbing..? ... Ya, thought as much. Buy a mop. Bye bye.”
Considering that my doctors didn't diagnose my Coeliac Disease for over 14 years and apologised for that, I think I know more about it than they do now as, being an ex-librarian I do all my research. It's only one of hundreds of illnesses they have to deal with and my own doctor is interested in news from the Coeliac Society research articles. I am totally on top of it without them having to bother now. As for plumbers! I think I might go on a plumbing course as the first lot of plumbers I used for a ever running cistern were useless and the next vastly overcharged me for fixing without seeing it but then paid me the overcharge back. (honest plumbers)
From what I see in Activity the OP has trouble with Sims 4 working at the moment on their machine so am interested.
And here we see the issue... Paying for something which is not as it should be (and the hype that, in your case, doctors 'know everything'- hence their demands for extortionate pay - when they are all still learning ... or, a plumber- "useless", as you stated, and required another one, who overcharged). You, of course, deserve better (because better
does exist). This is something that I was trying to get across... Some people nitpicked the "bug-free" - when it was done in the same tone as EA saying "
some bugs happen"- both statements (starting with EA, which elicited a similar statement in the same vein) were exaggerated. 100% bug-free has yet to be guaranteed, however... There are games that are essentially bug-free (as in it is VERY rare to experience), which many people have (commonly) played/own. EA/Maxis are not even coming close to that level in their releases. Their games are littered with multiple bugs, and there have been many, many, many players that have been having to try and fix the mess. The fact that the games are so overpriced - considering the amount of bugs (and other issues) - is the problem.
Again, there is nothing wrong with wanting better. There is nothing wrong with pointing out (glaring) issues. Those issues are things which should be dealt with in QC/ Game dev long before release. And, speaking of release... no one has to release their private information, and that does not warrant childish behaviour towards someone who desires privacy (this discussion about childish behaviour was not directed at you, Simburian, just to be clear).
Likewise, the issue is not my machine, it is the game (for a multitude of other purchasers of this franchise).
Lastly, I should point out, that it is an
interesting exercise- coming to the boards (say, if one is a business owner, or an investor, or in some other position) and read the statements made. In a case like this one, I would see that there are some folks who would not be employable as a game developer (who could deliver a quality product), and I would see that they make excuses, rather than taking note and working on problems- and, I would also see that they display other personality traits which would be unsuitable for the type of company that wants a good team.
As Jill/Joe public, which, for all intents and purposes here, I am- I would also ask (as would investors, or other interested parties), since EA/Maxis has said they don't have enough money for their devs: 1) What are the exact figures in profit from The Sims franchise. 2) Does the profit (from The Sims franchise) go directly back to that specific franchise (for additional development, bug fixes, etc.)- or are those profits funneled into other franchises? 3) Are your devs/engineers/team members working (strictly/solely) on The Sims franchise, or are they shuffled to other franchise areas (working on multiple games, all with different and unique issues and requirements).
Just a few simple questions can point out where they are having problems. Just looking at where their profit comes from (for example), and asking if that profit goes back into that specific franchise (say, The Sims), then we can spot if there are poor practices being implemented (such as divesting profit from one franchise to use on another). It likewise works in pointing out which franchises (specifically) are bringing in players, and income. If a company is using the profits from a specific franchise (... The Sims), and they are funneling that money into developing/maintaining a different game- and leaving Simmers (who poured money into a franchise they believe in, and adore) with poor bug fixes, and lack of (real) support- then it stands that the people who invested into The Sims franchise/s would not be happy. Imagine if all of the profit from The Sims franchise/s was put back into The Sims franchise/s... Their team (across the board) would have what they need- and the players would get the product they paid for.
