Development letter for August.

[Halfdead]

With the new issue in TSW released, does that mean the team will now work on Aoc and getting the T6 raid done and everything else on the table?

[Jaedelyia]

It really bugs me how everyone equates 'no new game director' to mean 'Funcom's games are doomed to never get proper content', usually with the emphasis that AoC is even worse off from TSW after the GD left. Remember the entire Dev Team + GD have been responsible for working on all 3 MMO's.

In reality, no specific Game Director position is not going to change things appreciably. The tasks of a GD are being handled by the dev team and production is continuing on just like it was when Bylos was GD.

While you're right, you have to admit that communication was sloppy AT BEST since then, and player interpret that as a bad signal. Communication was already disorganized before, but now it's next to non-existent. No offense to the community folks that work here, but it's a bit lame. We were put in the fog when Joel left the Game Director post and had no explanation about what it meant for AoC; Dev letter are posted more or less randomly (when it doesn't pop up we just have to guess it's because vacation); when it shows up, it's sometime a player who have to open a discussion thread because there's no official one, and so on.

I mean, when we get MUCH more information by reading an interview of a dev conducted a player/fan (Slith, in this case) than by reading the official Dev letter, there's obviously something wrong somewhere. I mean, Dungeon Finder, news on craft system and all that stuff ARE dev letter material. Dedicated players shouldn't have to do the job of FC's employee. Then again, we all know being a community manager for AoC isn't kind, and it is more easy when cash flows and when there's exciting news every day, but still.

[Mellaus]

Well, if AoC had any kind of regular updates with bug fixes and small additions and a patch note to go with it, there would be no need for any monthly letter or whatnot.

What it means for AoC is what it has always meant : nothing but the bare minimum is done for that game and that's it.

So in the end, the very purpose of those monthly letters has always been to try to hide the fact that AOC has been on super low maintenance for years and nothing is done for it.
And the fact that those letters are mostly empty and filled with promises is just a natural consequence of the very reason they exist. They exist because nothing is done, and there's nothing to say because nothing is done.

Still, if we're lucky, the devs will be able to finish T6 with the resources they have, which is 0 obviously, 0 for animations, 0 for armor/weapons designs.
That's why the slithering chaos is nowhere to be seen, apparently it's impossible to get one guy to finish the 2 animations needed for that dungeon.
That's why there can't be decent armor sets from T5/6 for every class/role, only what already exists in the game can be used, and nothing new can be done, because again, god forbid that the sub money would be used to deliver anything at all to the players who pay it.
As for the crafting revamp, it's just like the siege revamp, a joke at the playerbase expense.

[tapwater]

While you're right, you have to admit that communication was sloppy AT BEST since then, and player interpret that as a bad signal. Communication was already disorganized before, but now it's next to non-existent. No offense to the community folks that work here, but it's a bit lame. We were put in the fog when Joel left the Game Director post and had no explanation about what it meant for AoC; Dev letter are posted more or less randomly (when it doesn't pop up we just have to guess it's because vacation); when it shows up, it's sometime a player who have to open a discussion thread because there's no official one, and so on.

I mean, when we get MUCH more information by reading an interview of a dev conducted a player/fan (Slith, in this case) than by reading the official Dev letter, there's obviously something wrong somewhere. I mean, Dungeon Finder, news on craft system and all that stuff ARE dev letter material. Dedicated players shouldn't have to do the job of FC's employee. Then again, we all now being a community manager for AoC isn't kind, and it is more easy when cash flows and when there's exciting news every day, but still.

Communication has been sloppy at best for years. Hasn't really gone down hill noticeably in my opinion. I'm pretty sure there was an explanation about what would happen for all 3 games after Joel left. Though to get the full picture you had dto watch TSW forums as AoC and the two websites. I kept trying to fill in everyone here with what was being said on the TSW forums, but most people ignored it.

Dev letters have not been posted on a good schedule for a long time before Joel left.

When it comes to how much good information we get, Funcom has been horrible at that for a very long time. They don't listen to us about what we want to hear about. That hasn't changed.

[Vilkata]

Communication has been sloppy at best for years. Hasn't really gone down hill noticeably in my opinion. I'm pretty sure there was an explanation about what would happen for all 3 games after Joel left. Though to get the full picture you had dto watch TSW forums as AoC and the two websites. I kept trying to fill in everyone here with what was being said on the TSW forums, but most people ignored it.

Dev letters have not been posted on a good schedule for a long time before Joel left.

When it comes to how much good information we get, Funcom has been horrible at that for a very long time. They don't listen to us about what we want to hear about. That hasn't changed.

One thing can be said about the current update letters we are getting, 'honesty'! At least we aren't getting empty promises.. I prefer this over great 'fake' or 'wishful thinking' news any day!

[Mustaine]

... Dedicated players shouldn't have to do the job of FC's employee. Then again, we all now being a community manager for AoC isn't kind, and it is more easy when cash flows and when there's exciting news every day, but still.

When the forums got changed over/reset a couple years back; I offered up the suggestion thread. Then when it started to become a huge dumping ground for ideas; I offered the team my services to poll the data and give them what was really our highest mentioned ideas ~ I was very sternly told to cease my efforts. It baffles me what goes on there sometimes. Offer a fan-based service and be told (rather rudely) to stop. Needless to say; I was disenchanted by the whole interaction.

.

[tapwater]

One thing can be said about the current update letters we are getting, 'honesty'! At least we aren't getting empty promises.. I prefer this over great 'fake' or 'wishful thinking' news any day!

That's definitely true. I appreciate that we at least get the information that we do. It always good to be informed. I just wish they could include more information on everything they are working on or things the community is interested in.

They could even just include a small chart at the end of each letter showing status of current projects. At least then they could be totally open and transparent on what is getting worked on.

I.e.
Crafting Revamp - on hold
T6 - Finishing encounter design
T3/T3.5/T4 revamps - done
Super secret something - in production
Single Server Tech - on hold
New Dragon's Spine dungeon - Still waiting on animations. All else done.
Rez window bug fixes - Waiting on coder time
Invisible mount bug fix - Not planned.
Etc.

[-tomhet-]

They could even just include a small chart at the end of each letter showing status of current projects. At least then they could be totally open and transparent on what is getting worked on.

I.e.
Crafting Revamp - on hold
T6 - Finishing encounter design
T3/T3.5/T4 revamps - done
Super secret something - in production
Single Server Tech - on hold
New Dragon's Spine dungeon - Still waiting on animations. All else done.
Rez window bug fixes - Waiting on coder time
Invisible mount bug fix - Not planned.
Etc.

i too would rather see a boring excell sheet along those lines instead of usual blah blah blah

[Khaletohep]

That would indeed be pretty great.

[xBattleaxex]

They could even just include a small chart at the end of each letter showing status of current projects. At least then they could be totally open and transparent on what is getting worked on.

I.e.
Crafting Revamp - on hold
T6 - Finishing encounter design
T3/T3.5/T4 revamps - done
Super secret something - in production
Single Server Tech - on hold
New Dragon's Spine dungeon - Still waiting on animations. All else done.
Rez window bug fixes - Waiting on coder time
Invisible mount bug fix - Not planned.
Etc.

you have forgotten :
- new pvp and pve arena ...
- new pvp map (mini ) ...
- new pvp levels ... R10 to R15 ?
- new extension of AA ...
- new blood in pvp world of AOC ...