Why have a Road Map with dates?

Discussion in 'PlanetSide 2 Gameplay Discussion' started by KraggTheGrim, Mar 1, 2013.

  1. KraggTheGrim

    Road maps is similar to a release date. 6 month plan was setup and given to the community, saying that by these times these processes will be in the game. It is understandable that not every project is met on time. Technically the January road map portions were not implemented until February and are still being fixed. We are now in March, and we only have 1 item from the Road map that had actually made it to the server.


    Promised:
    VR Training Area
    Improved Item Preview
    Account level Unlocks
    Community Grief reporting
    Load-out screen revamp
    Regional empire priority system
    Vehicle update: Flash
    Increase number of vehicle cosmetic slots
    Separate score from experience
    Spectator mode
    Orbital strike
    Daily medals and achievements

    Delivered:
    Pump action shotguns

    Some of these listed items are small, and some require lots of thought and take a while to implement, I understand that, but you have provided 7% of what you said was going to be implemented in this months section of the road map.

    Did you add a lot of content? Sure you did. You gave us the shotguns, and you added more SMG's which seem to have made people irate, but you did add them. You also made some minor graphical changes to bases, with server enhancements as well as overall performance enhancements, and increased render distance.

    So don't get me wrong, you guys are going a fine job, and seem to have tons of work on your plate, but you don't seem to be hitting your release dates. I think overall your probably better off just removing dates from your Road map, at this rate at the end of 6 months you will still going to be so far behind the ball, that its going to take probably another 3 months just to catch up to where you said you would be.

    This thread will sink fast, and it probably should, but i felt like voicing my opinion on the topic.

    TL : DR

    Remove months from suspected release dates on items
    Implement systems individually when they are ready instead of in giant month end patches. (more features will end up coming out faster)
    • Up x 1
  2. Garantine

    Because they want us to have something to look forward to (fictional or not) while we are blowing our SC and certs on redundant weaponry.
  3. Jaloro

    Because it is coming out next week. A month after the January stuff. Seems legit.
  4. bebbly

    From what I gather these dudes are putting in 80+ hour weeks to get these deadlines, sure the projected deadlines are ambitious but **** happens and can suddenly throw spanners into the works which delay things, pushing other things back like a cascade of dominos.
    Would I love these features asap and on time, of course, but I rather it be polished properly and for that will have to wait.
  5. TheBloodEagle

    They work on the February stuff IN February and release in MARCH. They work on the March stuff IN MARCH and release in APRIL. They also don't dump it all into one big *** update. They spread it out. Have you not noticed that already before you reacted dramatically?

    Server Downtown and GU03 02.21.2013
    Feb 14, 2013

    SOE Client Hotfix 02.13.2013
    Feb 13, 2013

    SOE Hotfix 02.13.2013
    Feb 13, 2013

    SOE Client Hotfix 02.07
    Feb 7, 2013

    SOE Hotfix 02.05.2013
    Feb 5, 2013


    SOE Hotfix 02.02.2013
    Feb 2, 2013


    SOE Game Update 2 02.02.2013
    Feb 2, 2013

    SOE Game Update 2 Delayed 01.29
    Jan 29, 2013





    I'm not saying they can't do a better job with this all though, But folks don't need to be too dramatic.
    They can also shift the dates around based on which feature is more popular with the community.
    • Up x 1
  6. biterwylie

    Feb is the month they are working on the items. March is the release date. See topic pinned.
    • Up x 1
  7. zib1911

  8. RF404

    Because if there weren't any dates someone else would be here complaining about how horrible it is that we don't know when the devs are working on the different planned stuff.
  9. KraggTheGrim

    Zib1911: I read their official posts quite often. Usually the first thing I check every day. Little known fact, they also edit their posts as well. They have been known to add / remove sections of their posts, or change dates. Just like some users who post in threads later change what they wrote.

    TheBloodEgale: Almost all of the January road map was released in 1 giant update called GU2, with the exception of SMG's which were added later. It took several hotfix's and other patches to make all those changes stable. The smaller changes that were also made were not part of the road map.

    I was not trying to be dramatic making this post. I gave them credit for the work they have done, and I give them credit for the work that they are doing and will do. I would say that the bulk of my posts are positive, and supportive of the developers and this game.
  10. Trinith

    Yea they commented on the dates a while ago. As someone above said, the roadmap states the things they will work on for that month, not the things they will deliver in that month.

    So I'm content to wait that month... and 'cause I'm a software developer and know how the business goes, I'm content to wait another month after that ;)
  11. Gavyne

    Yup the months are actually when they start working on them, not the month they expect to see them released. Also remember these things will change because some items even from later months are upvoted and wildly popular, so they may push some things up from later roadmap months, and push some stuff back.
  12. zib1911

    They also mentioned that they work in 2 week periods so the month is not always going to be true. They also said some of the months were changed due to community feedback. I think judging the road map by likes/ plus a combination of we already put work in on this so we are going to put it out regardless type things.

    I think trying to hold devs to 2 week, better not be late attitudes is kind of pointless( not saying you are) but its the general train of the forums.