Fractal Softworks Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Simulator Enhancements (03/13/24)

Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 5

Author Topic: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?  (Read 29532 times)

StahnAileron

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 195
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #15 on: May 16, 2018, 09:23:17 PM »

I'd rather have this "incomplete" game where each revision is fully playable than the hot mess that was the like of say, Kerbal Space Program's "v1.0" release (I use that version number VERY loosely) or the User Experience hell that is Battletech currently.

KSP - Buggy as crap on full release and has taken 3 massive updates to actually get to a stable codebase. This involved hiring a cadre of real programmers from the lot of modders that played the "game". (I use that term loosely as well since the core gameplay mechanic in KSP is just a sandbox. The "Career" mode game mechanics are a hot mess of an after-thought.) Included is a rewrite of like most of the game code and a significant update to the engine. Beyond the sandbox experience, KSP is heavily reliant on mods for any real, more typical gameplay elements.

Battletech (2018) - Gameplay is pretty solid, but I would hope so since it's based on an establish table-top game system. (Creators pof said table-top game created this computer version.) But the UI is "laggy" as hell (it can take a lot of time to switch menu screens for some reason), they put a little too much effort into "immersion" versus real-life convenience (I cannot skip transition animations that play through every time I do some common actions). I'm for artistic expression, but not when I have to waste a third of my game time looking at said expression for the umpteenth time.

I respect Alex and Starsector's development process, especially given how modern game development has evolved. (Too much "release now, fix later" IMHO.) It's a very pleasant surprise to fix a new release of Starsector. It and Factorio are my baseline for how in-dev game releases should be done. (Disclosure: Granted, I've only invested in 3 pre-release games: KSP, SS, and Factorio.)

I have no complaints: the releases are pretty much feature-complete for the stage of development they are at; Alex is engaged with the player-base, being VERY receptive to feedback and pretty transparent about his plans and decisions regarding the direction of development. (In fact, his posts about the development of SS have made it easier for me to see issues in other games more clearly, like KSP's half-hearted, disparate gameplay mechanics in its career mode.)
Logged

Midnight Kitsune

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 2846
  • Your Friendly Forum Friend
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #16 on: May 16, 2018, 09:55:20 PM »

With Battletech I've heard that deleting old saves can help speed up the game a bit but yeah, it's pretty slow
Logged
Help out MesoTroniK, a modder in need

2021 is 2020 won
2022 is 2020 too

StahnAileron

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 195
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #17 on: May 18, 2018, 11:48:24 PM »

Only for the times when you're accessing the save list. (I hate the fact is ALWAYS saves a new save as well, without asking for input. Somewhat convenient, but annoying at the same time since managing saves in-game is tedious and the save directory is nowhere near intuitive to find.)

Honestly, I'm not very impressed by most of the Unity-based games I've played. Many have the same feel and vibe. For some reason, they feel slow, sluggish, or not as responsive as I'd expect. (This is compared to likes of Unreal-based games or other with a different engine.)

I was actually questioning the use of Java for SS, but Alex seems to actually care about performance. Some aspects of SS feel kinda Unity-like, but the performance is much better overall. (Garbage-collection stutter is terrible with Unity...)
Logged

Tartiflette

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 3529
  • MagicLab discord: https://discord.gg/EVQZaD3naU
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #18 on: May 19, 2018, 05:03:41 AM »

A couple edits to the CSV to remove the audio delays and you can almost double your game speed just like that. (doesn't help with menus though, only clearing your inventory helps for that)
« Last Edit: May 19, 2018, 05:07:17 AM by Tartiflette »
Logged
 

Sandersson Jankins

  • Ensign
  • *
  • Posts: 3
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #19 on: May 20, 2018, 03:46:33 AM »

I remembered this game existed quite recently after buying access when it was still starfarer; basically a skeletal campaign map with the first mods like junk pirates just coming out. Suppose that was 6 years ago by now. I wouldn't particularly mind buying access again, but decided to throw a small email to the payment processor as described on the FAQ. Received a replacement access key in less than a day.

I'm pretty damn happy about it. Forgetting about a game under active (if slow) development for six years and then coming back is a real treat. I think access was 15 bucks. Always prefer to think about vidja game purchases in terms of other media (assuming one doesn't simply pirate everything). Whats the cost per hour of enjoyment? Haven't dove too deep but between the past week and years ago probably put 50-75 hours in. Boy, around 30 cents an hour for fun...you ain't gonna get that anywhere else, man. And now that there's actually vanilla content and neat mods alike, I'm gonna rack up some more hours.

Didn't wanna make a new thread or anything, just reckon it might do that Alex guy some good to hear such things, and wanted to explain my perspective.

keep it up m8
Logged

gotry

  • Ensign
  • *
  • Posts: 10
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #20 on: May 20, 2018, 05:02:15 AM »

Annual schedule is a bit long for a patch interval
Logged

Megas

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 12117
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #21 on: May 20, 2018, 06:18:31 AM »

It was $10 before 0.65, the version with food runs.

Patch intervals have become progressively longer.  It used to be several months, but less than a year.  The last one took about a year.  The one we are waiting for has exceeded that.
Logged

Sarissofoi

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 405
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #22 on: May 20, 2018, 07:21:09 AM »

Patch intervals have become progressively longer.  It used to be several months, but less than a year.  The last one took about a year.  The one we are waiting for has exceeded that.
Spoiler
[close]

Tartiflette

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 3529
  • MagicLab discord: https://discord.gg/EVQZaD3naU
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #23 on: May 21, 2018, 07:46:53 AM »

It was $10 before 0.65, the version with food runs.

Patch intervals have become progressively longer.  It used to be several months, but less than a year.  The last one took about a year.  The one we are waiting for has exceeded that.
Last patch was in June, so not a year yet. (But it certainly will be by the time of release)
Logged
 

Megas

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 12117
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #24 on: May 21, 2018, 10:28:51 AM »

The first 0.8 was in April, although it got a minor update in June.
Logged

c0nr4d1c4l

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 103
  • Local forum transient
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #25 on: May 21, 2018, 08:09:23 PM »

I'm sure this has been said multiple times, buuuuuut: patience is a virtue. I've been out of the loop for quite a while (thanks to my computer commiting suicide) but this game never fails to drain time while not completely boring me due to the grind. This game has plenty of mods that give a new breath of life, and this game is still an ALPHA with a pretty big modiverse. If you can't wait then find another game to fill the void for a while, SS will always be here.
Logged
"Slap slap slap, clap clap clap"

Head salesman and CEO of the Discount Shipyard

Linnis

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1009
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #26 on: May 21, 2018, 09:55:18 PM »

Personally I am up for waiting, but I am starting to get curious what's being worked on right now. Is Alex hiding something or just busy with other stuff.
Logged

morganja

  • Ensign
  • *
  • Posts: 4
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #27 on: May 21, 2018, 11:44:58 PM »

Everyone of us needs to wait, this must be really worth it of our time.
Logged

StahnAileron

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 195
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #28 on: May 22, 2018, 09:58:29 PM »

The thing about SS I like: I await and meet new releases excited for and by the content.

The thing about something like KSP I hated: awaiting and meeting new releases with, "Will/Did they fix/implement/change x [y, and/or z] thing [yet]?" I can say the same of many v1.0 releases these days. (Staring at Battletech like that these days: fun game to play, lousy game to experience. They didn't pay much attention to UX/UI outside of the main combat system, IMHO. For a game about customizing squads of giant robots, why can I NOT save mech design configs or name individual mechs/designs?)

Factorio is a mirror of my SS experiences. (Though I admit I actually dislike the changes they made to UG Belts: I can't compress belts as easily anymore. But that's another thing altogether.)

Every SS update has been worth the new content and changes. Honestly, there weren't too many changes I was unhappy with in SS. And the few I did dislike got rectified in later versions as the gameplay mechanics evolved. (This was mainly the treatment of fighters.) It helps that SS development is pretty transparent as well. (Only Factorio seems to be on the same level to me.)

Looking forward to future releases!
Logged

Sarissofoi

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 405
    • View Profile
Re: When are you going to finish this game or even release a new patch?
« Reply #29 on: May 23, 2018, 05:47:53 AM »

Do I want full release tomorrow(or even better yesterday)?
Sure.
But I gonna burned hard by Battle Brothers and how their devs finished it. Literally.
Sure I would be happy if we get new update in 15 minutes but I know that Alex do his job well and the update is worth waiting.

I have plenty of fun even now and to be honest I already had enough worth of fun. And this game getting more engaging and better with each update only making it better.

Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 5