Discontinuing Weekly Updates - Please reconsider

[Cobra847]

I personally think monthly updates are far more sensible than weekly ones.

 

I would not give any time table for news updates, I'd give updates when i thought it was appropriate, whether it be 3 days after the last or 3 months. Updates should be content related not time related IMO.

 

I completely disagree.

That was the case before weekly updates.

Long periods of silence from developers, especially in an area that we are all passionate about; is nothing but frustrating.

 

Just a single sentence is enough to help with that.

[Feuerfalke]

attracts new customers -> more revenues -> more development

 

I don't know if that formula is that easy.

 

But I agree that we have a lot of other forum-examples, where the discussion threads are officially started for each update and maintained over a few hours, with a good chance of getting additional answers to details.

 

That eliminates the trolling before the update and doesn't raise expectations sky-high before anything is posted at all.

[Feuerfalke]

I completely disagree.

That was the case before weekly updates.

Long periods of silence from developers, especially in an area that we are all passionate about; is nothing but frustrating.

 

Just a single sentence is enough to help with that.

 

Absolutely!

 

And we will still have to see, if the news posted will make up for a a full month of silence. That's why I still hope Wags will throw us in some bones, when they are ready.

[smnwrx]

Its a good step. Instead of waiting for the updates to show up, I'd rather be surprised about a new module over email and get excited to the point of calling the night watch at the bank and ask for a refill.

 

Further, these pictures we see dont mean we'll get each and everyone of them, so its unnecessary notification.

 

When Wags post an F-18 as an attachment, it is either:

1- a community leak that they chose the Hornet as the coming module

2- begun work on the F-18 SFM AI for tweaks

3- finished work on exterIor model

4- just a plain screenshot

5- .....

 

I dont like to speculate, I'd rather see one firm, reliable source of information than a wordless image.

 

From dev point of view, its a strategic maneuver not to play all cards as community can say you promised us this and now you back down??? Not good.

 

I figured the image was just demonstrating the Aussie addition.

[Feuerfalke]

I figured the image was just demonstrating the Aussie addition.

 

:D much less spectacular for most part of the community, but exactly my conclusion.

[PFunk1606688187]

Also the threads kept getting made earlier and earlier by the week as a test of who would get the glory of starting the thread. It was all getting a tad silly.

 

I don't wanna tell anybody how to do their jobs, but this seems like it should fall under normal run of the mill moderator duties. If the mods REALLY felt it was a problem they could just close every one of them that was begun prematurely, and people would get the message rather quickly, or just get their threads closed.

[Irregular programming]

Abolishing the weekly updates because some users where too butt hurt and started acting like children over "their" precious forums whenever a thread came up on the subject?

 

The weekly updates are one of the best things we have, don't let your community ruin them.

Edited August 31, 2013 by Irregular programming

[VTJS17_Fire]

I completely disagree.

That was the case before weekly updates.

Long periods of silence from developers, especially in an area that we are all passionate about; is nothing but frustrating.

 

Just a single sentence is enough to help with that.

I agree!

 

Still don't see what's wrong in going a little crazy on waiting for the news.

 

It's a bit like waiting for a mini-release, or christmas, maybe.

 

And after all, we're all like little boys, when it comes to DCS-releases and news.

 

 

If we weren't, we'd probably all do more serious stuff with our spare time.

That's what I'm saying in every post. I'm looking forward to every friday, much more because it's updates-day. :thumbup:

 

 

kind regards and hoping that the friday updates will continue,

Fire

[upupandaway]

I would have to agree with Feuerfalke and Cobra.

Has any reason been stated? ...because the discontinuation had already been considered at an earlier point and I think then it was because of rumours and flaming with regard to the updates.

 

Weekly updates were one of the best things ED recently did PR wise and it saddens me to read this. It doesn´t have to be much, but I always enjoyed the opportunity to check the site on a friday night to read some bits of news about development. (Don´t understand what get´s people so upset about these infos...)

 

And with regard to several other posts that were made before - I sincerely hope that this forum will never turn into a typical gaming forum.

[Rikus]

Maybe updates per week is too much, per month is very poor.

 

Every 15 days will be great

[zaelu]

Maybe this abandonment of weekly updates sounds great from the point of view of "reducing criticism" the indirect way. (The direct way being the fist in mouth way). Maybe.

 

But why be afraid of criticism? If all you see is criticism... then... you must be doing something wrong. But if it is not all criticism or most of it then why be afraid of criticism? Just because it does broke a bit of people's Zen and forum Feng-Shui layout?

 

And what are the down sides of this "no weekly updates backpedal move?" The other people don't know how to inundate more the newsfeed about their upcoming new games and each time they attract thousands more into "premium" gimmicks and they get richer every year and You guys with a consumer base very small want to do it the other way...

 

Some pretty girls are so sure they are pretty that prefer to "unveil" them selves only "to the chosen one" in the wedding night... It's so romantic... yeah... but this tactic also renders most of them in old grumpy misses or dissatisfied with with their one unlucky choice.

 

For a business to follow this model... is bad. Not much people will hear about "the product" by hiding info and "the product" risks to please very little people anyway having less feedback than necessary.

 

But, I agree is not my choice to make in this problem. So... you do what you wish.

[MemphisBelle]

I do not consider it trolling to post a discussion thread about the update every week, after all, this is a forum and the point is to discuss things, especially to discuss DCS. It is simply forum members expressing their excitement for DCS. However, it is more efficient to consolidate all of the posts into one thread about updates. I would say people should make an effort to restrict discussion about an update until after the update actually published, but as you can see from things like the RRG thread, that is never going to happen. It is just a waste of energy to neg rep or complain about such things.

 

Sorry to say this, but I´ve to agree with Kuky. The early creation of so called "discussion Threads" is sense- and worthless as everythings can be discussed in one single thread that is ment for the updates discussions. The mainstream of posts comes with the first days after the updates anyways, after 20 or 30 pages everythings important is sayed already and after this most of the posts are redundant, as there are complains, whinings and repeated praises.

 

I for myself would like to keep seeing the weekly updates....I know that we wont have important or very interesting things, that we´d like to see, every week. But at least there is somethings.

And one day we will get the information we are eagerly waiting for such as Nevada and F-18. Until then I am fine with the small steps, ED is making in the right direction.

Edited August 31, 2013 by MemphisBelle

[MemphisBelle]

That's a big assumption. (unless i've missed Wags saying as much)

 

Its far more likely in my opinion that Wags simply doesn't want to be obliged to have to post an update every week. I'd imagine a week is not long in software development and therefore often seems like a waste of time, the majority of the weekly updates were really just lip service imo and of little interest.

 

If it is really consuming too much time for ED to create such updates than having them each month in order to say somethings more worth, I´d agree to change to monthly updates...but this would be the only reason.

 

If Wags would post here and would say somethings like he´s fine with the weekly updates, so I´d be very happy....but if he´d say that it would be a hard thing to "suck things out of his fingers" (german phrase) to say somethings at all, then I´d be fine with monthly updates.

 

I hope you guys know what I mean :D

[Sharpe_95]

I personally think it's worth reconsidering abolishing the weekly updates from the official development team, or at least keeping the option open to re-establish such an update schedule in the future.

 

While I know better than most how difficult it can be to have something large, important or impressive to show off in a weeks' timeframe; it still brings a measure of interest, even if it is just one render or a paragraph of what the team has been working on during the week.

 

While there is constant critiscism aimed at ED in reaction to the updates, I think the majority would agree that they look forward to every friday and are more than happy with their current form and the content therein.

 

Thanks' for the updates so far, and hope to see more.

 

Sorry but I have to disagree. I think it should be canned.

1) I am not 100% convinced Wags has 100% knowledge/control of 'the pipline' so he is just feeding us the devs work from each week. The devs work rather slow which means the updates are laughably predictable.

 

2) In 3 months of 'Wagdates' we have heard close to nothing on EDGE, F/A18c, Nevada, Dynamic Campaign. This basically left us with 'patch, AFM/Steam, new renders of Anon playable units and occasionally Dora' - for three months.

 

3) To be honest, for me, (and with all respect to ED) I just want to hear, X is being word on, Y will be next and Z has slid to the right for a/b/c reasons'. We very rarely got this and for my part the Wagdates were more of a disappointment than anything else.

 

4) It is my full belief that (unless ED have some clever secret up their sleeve) the F/A18c will be shelved or (at best) released in 2015 or later. Given that CD's more advanced, more capable and more powerful F/A18E will be released well ahead of ED'S older legacy Hornet. While I could see people happily upgrading from C to E, I can't see to many going the other way - thus if ED cant get their Hornet out first they may not make a lot of money from it. Thus (in MY humble opinion) the only thing I wanted to hear about in a Wagdate was F/A18c news. I think the reason we have heard nothing in 3 months is because it's shelved or going to be shelved.

-and yes, I did see the external image of the Hornet and no, as Wags and many other people have said in no uncertain terms, an image does not mean a lot.

-

Glad the Wagdate and the pathetic anticipation for nothing is finished. Maybe a ED will have more to say of interest on a monthly basis. Good call to can it.

-Sharpe

[MemphisBelle]

Actually every guesswork here is for nothings as Wags made his point clear

 

This will be the last of the weekly updates. Future news will be through our monthly news letter that will be cross-posted here.

 

[badger66]

Yeah , I agree with keeping the weekly updates . Its a pointer that work is being done , and keeps a lot of people happy knowing that work is being done .

 

Wags always writes on what is being worked on , as well as what has been done , so that's a good pointer as to what will be released in the next patch .

 

I look forward to the weekly update , and it doesn't matter if you don't have some big news .... just news is enough . Its a weekly news update not a weekly news big update . I know as a group we are a bunch of hard nosed bitchs hard to keep happy ..... but its just because we all love this sim at the end of the day .

 

So , please reconsider .

 

Please reconsider your idea ..... I look forward .

[Nate--IRL--]

The unfortunate thing was that the update discussions always descended into a bitchfest when some people felt that their pet issue, or information on their pet topic was not addressed.

 

The weekly updates were an experiment, as the community wanted more regular information, not a bad thing at all. It didn't work out, it proved divisive on the forums. So back to less regular information, and less headaches on the forums.

 

Nate

[Feuerfalke]

Sorry but I have to disagree. I think it should be canned.

1) I am not 100% convinced Wags has 100% knowledge/control of 'the pipline' so he is just feeding us the devs work from each week. The devs work rather slow which means the updates are laughably predictable.

 

2) In 3 months of 'Wagdates' we have heard close to nothing on EDGE, F/A18c, Nevada, Dynamic Campaign. This basically left us with 'patch, AFM/Steam, new renders of Anon playable units and occasionally Dora' - for three months.

 

3) To be honest, for me, (and with all respect to ED) I just want to hear, X is being word on, Y will be next and Z has slid to the right for a/b/c reasons'. We very rarely got this and for my part the Wagdates were more of a disappointment than anything else.

 

4) It is my full belief that (unless ED have some clever secret up their sleeve) the F/A18c will be shelved or (at best) released in 2015 or later. Given that CD's more advanced, more capable and more powerful F/A18E will be released well ahead of ED'S older legacy Hornet. While I could see people happily upgrading from C to E, I can't see to many going the other way - thus if ED cant get their Hornet out first they may not make a lot of money from it. Thus (in MY humble opinion) the only thing I wanted to hear about in a Wagdate was F/A18c news. I think the reason we have heard nothing in 3 months is because it's shelved or going to be shelved.

-and yes, I did see the external image of the Hornet and no, as Wags and many other people have said in no uncertain terms, an image does not mean a lot.

-

Glad the Wagdate and the pathetic anticipation for nothing is finished. Maybe a ED will have more to say of interest on a monthly basis. Good call to can it.

-Sharpe

 

The really funny thing about your post:

 

If you don't mind the weekly updates, you can simply stop reading them. You would still have the regular newsletter as it is now. And everybody would be happy.

 

Making your dislike a rule for everybody is pretty egocentric.

[Feuerfalke]

The unfortunate thing was that the update discussions always descended into a bitchfest when some people felt that their pet issue, or information on their pet topic was not addressed.

 

The weekly updates were an experiment, as the community wanted more regular information, not a bad thing at all. It didn't work out, it proved divisive on the forums. So back to less regular information, and less headaches on the forums.

 

Nate

 

Really?

My feeling is, that with this "Oh, by the way, this was the last of the weekly newsposts" is already a huge step back into the radio-silence-era: When the weekly updates were introduced, there was a lot of insight into why decisions were made (even for the very statement: why to inform about even the thinnest news).

Now we get such an information in a form that a larger portion of the readers apparently didn't even see the statement.

[Bucic]

Same here - recently the weekly updates were the only reason I visited the forums. I also used to pass the most juicy details to my colegues.

[Nobody96]

 

...

[Phantom88]

To be honest,Maybe Matt and DCS just don't have enough relevant news to share on a weekly basis? Monthly or Bi-monthly updates might be a better option for them.

[Snoopy]

Trying to read through this thread and all I see is a bunch of....

 

:cry_2::cry_2::cry_2::cry_2:

 

If people spent half as much time flying instead of :cry_2: the master server would be slammed full!

[PFunk1606688187]

The unfortunate thing was that the update discussions always descended into a bitchfest when some people felt that their pet issue, or information on their pet topic was not addressed.

 

The weekly updates were an experiment, as the community wanted more regular information, not a bad thing at all. It didn't work out, it proved divisive on the forums. So back to less regular information, and less headaches on the forums.

 

Nate

 

What is this, some new age modern parenting "Don't inhibit them" experiment? I think moderation of the crankier people on these forums has been lacking. I'm not usually one for wanting a heavy handed moderation team, but frankly if the whining and the bitching is what makes the news stop then it should have been targeted for moderation. If its not worth moderating but is aggravating enough to cancel public information on this level then I don't know how you can explain those priorities.

 

Yet again I feel utterly nonplussed by the absurd decision to punish the bulk of the community for the behavior of a handful of trolls.

 

Here's how my relationship with DCS works. I play it, get tired of it, take a break of many months, come back to try out new patches, and overall enjoy stuff I'm not sick of anymore. In those periods when I don't play DCS I tend not to look at the forums. With wagsday I had a reason to stay connected, to keep excited about things, and observe the evolution of DCS World. As it stands patch notes are ridiculously poor and explain nothing most of the time unless you were reading a particular user thread about the issue weeks or months earlier.

 

I suspect once I take my next DCS break I'm going to not be here for a while because there's no reason to read these boards if info is gonna be so tight.

 

"How's the future looking?"

"No idea, they're punishing us for acting like the internet"

"oh, so what you gonna do now?"

"Ignore the forums and the game because when I come back 2 or 3 patches later it'll be at least exciting for 5 minutes while I read the patch notes"

"neat"

 

:doh:

[ENO]

To be honest,Maybe Matt and DCS just don't have enough relevant news to share on a weekly basis? Monthly or Bi-monthly updates might be a better option for them.

 

 

 

 

This is the thing though- in the past if there was nothing to share Wags said so... short work week, other events taking priority... couple little screenies to keep (most of) us happy- life carried on.

 

If it's an administrative burden- I mean if Matt is actually doing these updates on his own... okay... I get it. Some of those involve a LOT of writing. Maybe the good will dried up and he needs to take a break from it.

 

But with that being said one unshakeable reality is that monthly updates aren't going to give us all the info we so (apparently) desperately need. Little things will be forgotten or overlooked over time and we'll end up with something a lot less comprehensive.

 

But that can't be- surely these items are all written down as they occur to track progress etc... so basically this information would be available almost week by week anyway.

 

My biggest issue (yes, I know I'm being selfish) is that a lot of people work really, really hard trying to keep their servers up and running smooth- editing and re-editing missions to keep things stable almost every single day... one of the best things to help see that it's not all for nothing are those weekly updates acknowledging the problems they have identified that they are working on. And this doesn't just apply to those guys running servers- this is for everyone who is on the servers getting booted what can seem like every 20 minutes.

 

They wanted to dump a bunch of steamers on us and expect us to sort through it all, along with all the associated hiccups that go along with it- the community can absorb that... I just want a little snippet every now and then and a month at a time just seems like a little too much "then"