My point is that introducing features one at a time to your team of testers - which is what we've all agreed to be, right? - is a wiser choice than introducing several at once.
Well, he has more developers working on it now. That means, usually, that you have multiple fronts being worked on. It's not very uncommon and while it does add more variables to debugging, I don't think it's something that merits enough risk to prohibit just being bold and adding lots of new things. Like I said, adding the core features is the big part of Alpha. They'll have the beta phase to polish things out.
To date, I have had no issues with this being an alpha release, other than a few weird lighting locations. No crashes, lock-ups, lost games. etc.
Very stable from my end, on a Dell PC running Windows Vista.
I believe Notch has the game engine in good shape; now it is just content tweaking.
True. Some glitches and odd/inconsistent behaviour but not a buggy halfcomplete mess... like alpha software can be expected to be.
The very quandary is that Notch finds himself with a large fanbase, many of whom really don't understand what alpha software is (@namelessNN: lol!), who've got into this game in an unusually stable and functional state, and will be expecting that to stay the same.
Now he has to somehow manage adding features with a baying mob to hold off...
@MrTorus: Sure, he can do it. He is doing it. I'm just saying a lot of people aren't going to be ready for the buggery, if you'll pardon my coinage....
Yeah, it's all more of an issue with the immature and impatient fanbase than anything else, really. :/
Which is why it gave me especially hearty lulz to be accused so vehemently of being a symptomatic part of it. :biggrin.gif:
It was really interesting to see how people assumed I was bitching, whining and attacking, since that's the default mode of so many on these forums, rather than just characterising Notch's approach here. Anyone think it's not a risky strategy doing a big-ass update like this?
In fact, I'm in favor of monthly updates right now instead of weekly. It seems more professional. I know what a pain in the ass it is to miss a deadline for a feature and having to roll back the source code just so you can push a release. It sucks. Push updates when things are done, scatter patches with bug fixes between the big updates. That's what everyone does. And remember that this is an independent game, there's no corporate rope on Notch's neck waiting for him to miss a deadline.
Adding features bit by bit works OK if you're a single developer, but when you have multiple guys working on a project, it's much more sensible to wait until all fronts have finished. Keeps things in sync and makes the priority list flow better.
There have been much, MUCH, MUUUUUUCH bigger challenges facing developers. Remember, this is still in Alpha (albeit one you can buy)--he could literally break the game for a month and Minecraft's financial performance at release would still be great.
Also, the features don't seem so controversial to me...
In fact, I'm in favor of monthly updates right now instead of weekly. It seems more professional. I know what a pain in the ass it is to miss a deadline for a feature and having to roll back the source code just so you can push a release. It sucks. Push updates when things are done, scatter patches with bug fixes between the big updates. That's what everyone does. And remember that this is an independent game, there's no corporate rope on Notch's neck waiting for him to miss a deadline.
Adding features bit by bit works OK if you're a single developer, but when you have multiple guys working on a project, it's much more sensible to wait until all fronts have finished. Keeps things in sync and makes the priority list flow better.
Okay, maybe that makes sense internally (though his team is pretty small), but what about the buildup of expectations, and the speculation that fills up the information vacuum with ******** that solidifies into precious, diamond-hard entitlement? :smile.gif:
It's the indie-game-ness that prompts my surprise that Notch would self-impose a Big Evil Deadline where there's a shitload to do and get working, which a whole load of people know about (including the growing community and a burgeoning press), so which will cause a very public I Have ****ed Up, Please Darken My Name incident if it goes wrong...
Seriously though Notch probably has half of the update already done, otherwise why announce the patch with a deadline then have a mad rush to actually make it.
That's the feeling I get, too. Like others have stated, the majority of the patch seems rather trivial to implement, and the rest have been experimented with for a while (biomes and new mobs, for instance)
And then, there'll be plenty of time for the more problematic ones (mostly SMP).
So I'm not too worried, but I hope he knows what he's doing.
Also, the features don't seem so controversial to me...
Maybe not, but count the torch threads. :/
PythonJones: lolz. We know has been working on biomes for awhile, so let's hope His Wisdom is indeed so full of foresight.
Hey wait, this thread is boring when people agree and discuss stuff sensibly. Let's get back to misreading each other's posts and attacking each other's literacy skills! You bunch of ****ing tree punchers!
Haven't you considered that this game is STILL IN ALPHA?
Ohh what game is he playing? Russian Roulette? Hangman? Please tell! Seriously though he may not be able to make all the updates in time but it's better to know a date then keep hoping for a secret update IMO.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"I love how supporters of finite torches say they want a more challanging game and then in later threads talk about using peaceful mode when building."
i don't give a flying **** about him setting up a company. i don't give a flying **** about his upcoming marriage or how he's spending the money he's made on this game to move into a new apartement with two saunas. i, like most other intelligent people, want to know what he's doing about the issues with software he's selling us. the only thing you die-hard defenders can do is keep prattling on about how it's alpha software. great, we all think you're totally awesome because you can use buzzwords. we know what alpha software means. we know there are going to be bugs. we also know that part of the reason we paid for alpha software was because of promises of updates, of which we get none.
make all the excuses you want. at the end of the day you just look stupid.
where did he promise any updates?
actually, i'm pretty sure on the prepurchase page it says this
Please note that when you buy the game, you're paying for the game as it is right now!
Yeah, it's all more of an issue with the immature and impatient fanbase than anything else, really. :/
Which is why it gave me especially hearty lulz to be accused so vehemently of being a symptomatic part of it. :biggrin.gif:
It was really interesting to see how people assumed I was bitching, whining and attacking, since that's the default mode of so many on these forums, rather than just characterising Notch's approach here. Anyone think it's not a risky strategy doing a big-ass update like this?
Isn't that what alpha versions are for? Doing big updates and seeing what breaks? Why would it be risky to do a big update that adds a lot of features in the alpha version of a game?
Yeah, it's all more of an issue with the immature and impatient fanbase than anything else, really. :/
Which is why it gave me especially hearty lulz to be accused so vehemently of being a symptomatic part of it. :biggrin.gif:
It was really interesting to see how people assumed I was bitching, whining and attacking, since that's the default mode of so many on these forums, rather than just characterising Notch's approach here. Anyone think it's not a risky strategy doing a big-ass update like this?
Isn't that what alpha versions are for? Doing big updates and seeing what breaks? Why would it be risky to do a big update that adds a lot of features in the alpha version of a game?
Um, because if you change many variables at the same time and something breaks, it's harder to figure out the source of your bug?
And if you've kept people waiting with bated breath for something, then when it comes out and something is broken, they kick off even more loudly and self-righteously than usual, and so it becomes doubly urgent to fix the bug(s), in which case, see above?
Very stable from my end, on a Dell PC running Windows Vista.
I believe Notch has the game engine in good shape; now it is just content tweaking.
Well, he has more developers working on it now. That means, usually, that you have multiple fronts being worked on. It's not very uncommon and while it does add more variables to debugging, I don't think it's something that merits enough risk to prohibit just being bold and adding lots of new things. Like I said, adding the core features is the big part of Alpha. They'll have the beta phase to polish things out.
MINECRAFT FACTS: BIG LIST OF WHAT NOTCH HAS ACTUALLY SAID ABOUT THE PLANNED FEATURES OF MINECRAFT
True. Some glitches and odd/inconsistent behaviour but not a buggy halfcomplete mess... like alpha software can be expected to be.
The very quandary is that Notch finds himself with a large fanbase, many of whom really don't understand what alpha software is (@namelessNN: lol!), who've got into this game in an unusually stable and functional state, and will be expecting that to stay the same.
Now he has to somehow manage adding features with a baying mob to hold off...
@MrTorus: Sure, he can do it. He is doing it. I'm just saying a lot of people aren't going to be ready for the buggery, if you'll pardon my coinage....
A Pattern Language for Minecraft
Minecraft Facts: A Sources Thread
MINECRAFT FACTS: BIG LIST OF WHAT NOTCH HAS ACTUALLY SAID ABOUT THE PLANNED FEATURES OF MINECRAFT
Which is why it gave me especially hearty lulz to be accused so vehemently of being a symptomatic part of it. :biggrin.gif:
It was really interesting to see how people assumed I was bitching, whining and attacking, since that's the default mode of so many on these forums, rather than just characterising Notch's approach here. Anyone think it's not a risky strategy doing a big-ass update like this?
A Pattern Language for Minecraft
Minecraft Facts: A Sources Thread
In fact, I'm in favor of monthly updates right now instead of weekly. It seems more professional. I know what a pain in the ass it is to miss a deadline for a feature and having to roll back the source code just so you can push a release. It sucks. Push updates when things are done, scatter patches with bug fixes between the big updates. That's what everyone does. And remember that this is an independent game, there's no corporate rope on Notch's neck waiting for him to miss a deadline.
Adding features bit by bit works OK if you're a single developer, but when you have multiple guys working on a project, it's much more sensible to wait until all fronts have finished. Keeps things in sync and makes the priority list flow better.
MINECRAFT FACTS: BIG LIST OF WHAT NOTCH HAS ACTUALLY SAID ABOUT THE PLANNED FEATURES OF MINECRAFT
Also, the features don't seem so controversial to me...
Okay, maybe that makes sense internally (though his team is pretty small), but what about the buildup of expectations, and the speculation that fills up the information vacuum with ******** that solidifies into precious, diamond-hard entitlement? :smile.gif:
It's the indie-game-ness that prompts my surprise that Notch would self-impose a Big Evil Deadline where there's a shitload to do and get working, which a whole load of people know about (including the growing community and a burgeoning press), so which will cause a very public I Have ****ed Up, Please Darken My Name incident if it goes wrong...
A Pattern Language for Minecraft
Minecraft Facts: A Sources Thread
All I can say is: let's hope Notch knows what he's doing.
MINECRAFT FACTS: BIG LIST OF WHAT NOTCH HAS ACTUALLY SAID ABOUT THE PLANNED FEATURES OF MINECRAFT
That's the feeling I get, too. Like others have stated, the majority of the patch seems rather trivial to implement, and the rest have been experimented with for a while (biomes and new mobs, for instance)
And then, there'll be plenty of time for the more problematic ones (mostly SMP).
So I'm not too worried, but I hope he knows what he's doing.
MINECRAFT FACTS: BIG LIST OF WHAT NOTCH HAS ACTUALLY SAID ABOUT THE PLANNED FEATURES OF MINECRAFT
Maybe not, but count the torch threads. :/
PythonJones: lolz. We know has been working on biomes for awhile, so let's hope His Wisdom is indeed so full of foresight.
Hey wait, this thread is boring when people agree and discuss stuff sensibly. Let's get back to misreading each other's posts and attacking each other's literacy skills! You bunch of ****ing tree punchers!
Haven't you considered that this game is STILL IN ALPHA?
A Pattern Language for Minecraft
Minecraft Facts: A Sources Thread
:facepalm:
Surely this warrants a :headdesk: :smile.gif:
Pawn, you still have time to style it out by pretending you did this ironically as a deliberate joke, having read the thread fully.
A Pattern Language for Minecraft
Minecraft Facts: A Sources Thread
where did he promise any updates?
actually, i'm pretty sure on the prepurchase page it says this
yay for imagined promises
lol
k, thanks.
Isn't that what alpha versions are for? Doing big updates and seeing what breaks? Why would it be risky to do a big update that adds a lot of features in the alpha version of a game?
Um, because if you change many variables at the same time and something breaks, it's harder to figure out the source of your bug?
And if you've kept people waiting with bated breath for something, then when it comes out and something is broken, they kick off even more loudly and self-righteously than usual, and so it becomes doubly urgent to fix the bug(s), in which case, see above?
A Pattern Language for Minecraft
Minecraft Facts: A Sources Thread