Development Cycle Archive
Thread: Team Comments – Gordon Walton, Studio Manager
Why do the rednames alwasy choose the dumbest posts and questions to respond to? Answer: easier than saying something with substance that you just have to deny and "rework" later im guessing.
I also find it very amusing that with all the problems this game has you are splitting your attention between SWG and some unnamed new game. To me this speaks volumes about the real problem, a serious lack of manpower or organization on the Dev team. Throw in them using development time for an add on that we will all have to pay for, and its obvious to me that the Dev team is stretched to thin.
Dont you think its a bit of problem that you got bored of playing so fast? How can you possiably know any of the real problems if your not playing? yah yah i know your playing again, doesnt change the fact that the game still has alot of the same problems a year later.
Patented answers and witty remarks got really old six months ago. How bout you actually tell us something that your are doing right now to change the dev process and get some of our pressing problems fixed.
Im absolutey sure you wont respond, but thats my two cents anyway.
Substance, not BS is what we need.
Stop spending Dev time to sell us an add on, fix the Core systems now!
WiskeDarkmoon wrote:
I find it very amusing that you would actually admit you got bored and stopped playing. Props for honesty anyway
Why do the rednames alwasy choose the dumbest posts and questions to respond to? Answer: easier than saying something with substance that you just have to deny and "rework" later im guessing.
I also find it very amusing that with all the problems this game has you are splitting your attention between SWG and some unnamed new game. To me this speaks volumes about the real problem, a serious lack of manpower or organization on the Dev team. Throw in them using development time for an add on that we will all have to pay for, and its obvious to me that the Dev team is stretched to thin.
Dont you think its a bit of problem that you got bored of playing so fast? How can you possiably know any of the real problems if your not playing? yah yah i know your playing again, doesnt change the fact that the game still has alot of the same problems a year later.
Patented answers and witty remarks got really old six months ago. How bout you actually tell us something that your are doing right now to change the dev process and get some of our pressing problems fixed.
Im absolutey sure you wont respond, but thats my two cents anyway.
Substance, not BS is what we need.
Stop spending Dev time to sell us an add on, fix the Core systems now!
You don't sound amused actually.
My job is to run the studio, not just SWG. But SWG is where I am concentrating the vast majority of my time.
I agree that there is a lot of work to do on SWG to make it more accessible, more FUN and filled with significantly more Star Wars content.
There are changes being made to our development and QA processes for SWG. This doesn't mean that things will get better overnight, it just means we are working for the players as best we know how to.
I'd rather let what the team does do most of the talking.
You may not agree with everything we do or the order we do it in, but the entire team really wants the game to be better experience for the players. It is why we work on games in the first place.
LOL, HOW IRONIC!
SOETyrant wrote:
WiskeDarkmoon wrote:
I find it very amusing that you would actually admit you got bored and stopped playing. Props for honesty anyway
Why do the rednames alwasy choose the dumbest posts and questions to respond to? Answer: easier than saying something with substance that you just have to deny and "rework" later im guessing.
I also find it very amusing that with all the problems this game has you are splitting your attention between SWG and some unnamed new game. To me this speaks volumes about the real problem, a serious lack of manpower or organization on the Dev team. Throw in them using development time for an add on that we will all have to pay for, and its obvious to me that the Dev team is stretched to thin.
Dont you think its a bit of problem that you got bored of playing so fast? How can you possiably know any of the real problems if your not playing? yah yah i know your playing again, doesnt change the fact that the game still has alot of the same problems a year later.
Patented answers and witty remarks got really old six months ago. How bout you actually tell us something that your are doing right now to change the dev process and get some of our pressing problems fixed.
Im absolutey sure you wont respond, but thats my two cents anyway.
Substance, not BS is what we need.
Stop spending Dev time to sell us an add on, fix the Core systems now!
You don't sound amused actually.
My job is to run the studio, not just SWG. But SWG is where I am concentrating the vast majority of my time.
I agree that there is a lot of work to do on SWG to make it more accessible, more FUN and filled with significantly more Star Wars content.
There are changes being made to our development and QA processes for SWG. This doesn't mean that things will get better overnight, it just means we are working for the players as best we know how to.
I'd rather let what the team does do most of the talking.
You may not agree with everything we do or the order we do it in, but the entire team really wants the game to be better experience for the players. It is why we work on games in the first place.
TygerBlueEyes wrote:
I hope you're dumping the QA india team...too many bugs are getting past them.
bioshock wrote:
Cheers Tyrant.
Hate to see you rise to the bait so late at night. Don't listen to the naysayers or let them make you grumpy. Stick to the business plan and let's see if we can stretch this thing out some years.
Some of us know what it's like to actually have to deal with projects, and what has been done so far is pretty impressive. Just pass around the props and the pizza and keep everyone on their toes and throw us a bone now and then.
We all know there is a lot of work left to be done, and a lot of it is pretty experimental. Just keep at it and it will smooth out.
Good work so far.
Thanks!
People have a right to their opinions, and I don't have to agree with them to understand their position. So long as the feedback is constructive I like getting it, no matter how piercing it might be at first read. And I rarely get grumpy, though I am a little terse from time to time. 
SOETyrant wrote:
TygerBlueEyes wrote:I hope you're dumping the QA india team...too many bugs are getting past them.You can't have enough QA in our business IMO. And we don't have any Indian QA, but I'd take it if offered since it could only help us improve our quality.
Tyrant, what about the job offer posted the other week?
Location: Austin, TX
Job Title: Quality Assurance Manager
Requirements
Experience:
- 3+ years MMOG Live experience (or 5 years client/server real time application QA experience)
- 5 years management experience
- Formal training in QA (CMM, TQM or ISO 9000)
- Successful working arrangements with remote teams / clients
- Strongly prefer College Degree and/or technical background
- Prefer experience with automated testing tools and technologies
- Prefer experience with outsourcing overseas
Demonstrates:
- Action oriented, energetic, can-do personality
- Great written and verbal communication skills, Personable, Passionate
Owns:
- QA process and execution for the studio
- Manages local QA team and any satellite SOE team (SD/India)
- Coordinates all third party/Licensor test groups
Compensation/Benefits: Sony Online Entertainment offers a competitive salary and a generous benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, 401K, Vision and additional perks.
SOE is an equal opportunity employer
---
India! hehe
Cheers Tyrant.
Hate to see you rise to the bait so late at night. Don't listen to the naysayers or let them make you grumpy. Stick to the business plan and let's see if we can stretch this thing out some years.
Some of us know what it's like to actually have to deal with projects, and what has been done so far is pretty impressive. Just pass around the props and the pizza and keep everyone on their toes and throw us a bone now and then.
We all know there is a lot of work left to be done, and a lot of it is pretty experimental. Just keep at it and it will smooth out.
Good work so far.
If it wasn't for the naysayers and people expressing their concern and or joys for this game alot more things would still be broken and or not be looked at.
Thats why these forums are here....feedback!
Most people who play this game want it to be the best it can be, go read the EQ2 forums and see the communication that player base is getting...I especially like the part where they say they will delay the game if need be because they want it done right...AT LAUNCH. Also the head of Sony Online apologizing to the players of Everquest for not listening to the players about problems in the game that needed to be addresed and then coming through for that community by delaying their latest upcoming expansion...geez SWG's devs could certainly learn a few things from their example. (therin lies a problem with this game...SWG has 2 captains, Lucasarts and Sony)
Here we are what 13months out from launch and soo much of the core game is still broken and all we seem to recieve is hollow promises and quick talking. (and the original dev team who created this game were from other mmorpg's so why isnt that experience showing in what we play) So much of this game seems to be "let's do a bandaid fix for problem x and will fix it later" unfortunately 'later' never seems to come.
Finally to the fanboi's i say this....I am a fan but alot of you people remind me of my pet hate in the X-Files (was one of my fav shows btw) in which a character like Scully late in the shows life could possibly with a straight face say something was inconcievable...after all she had seen throughout the show she could still be the sceptical. We have consistantly been promised fixes for things since before the game went live (I was in beta3) and if we are lucky to get something looked at 8 times out of 10 we get a bandaid (which usually breaks something else) and told they are working on it or it is coming up in a 'balance' or 'revamp'. The facts of this are undeniable...
Master Bounty Hunter 
Lieutenant Imperial Army
Manages local QA team and any satellite SOE team (SD/India)
PlayeroftheDay wrote:
Just for the record,it's borednot board.
Raph did a good job in some people's eyes, and not so much in others. A key thing to remember here is that Raph did get promoted, which means he must have been doing something right.
Touche'
Concerning Raph, we must agree to disagree. Besides, you can't get fired if your contract is good enough. They either have to buy it out or transfer you somewhere you can do no damage. Considering SWG launched in worse shape then the last week of Beta, I'd say his job was unfinished.