Let's talk about the lack of developers involvement

[eQ]

This game has been out for more than a year, if I remember correctly. Yet, there are gazillion of bugs - many of them since the very early days - and the speed of which they get fixed (The ones that actually do) is ultra slow.

The game has been out for more than a year, but we have yet to see any new features which are actually new in this game. Adding new animals to hunt is new, but it is common sense in a game where you play to hunt. What about dogs to help us hunt? What about features that an average Joe wouldn't even think about would make this game better?

I'm not a hunter IRL, so my knowledge in this area is limited, I'm a gamer. I still like COTW, don't get me wrong, but the lack of involvement from the developers/community managers really is a bummer.

It sucks that the only discussions we will ever have on this forum is between the players and almost nothing comes from the developers. Rarely we see people from the actual team acknowledge or respond to something. It's so bad.

We have no idea if certain bugs/glitches get fixed, because nobody ever responds to them being acknowledged by the team and IF THEY DO, there is rarely an update on the situation (ETA on the bug fix, status of finding the problem & solution etc).

We have pretty much no idea what the future brings, if anything at all, because there is no roadmap, no discussions of future features, no discussions of plans the developers have. They're acting like EA with tens of different departments and no time for the "dev talk".

I don't want to sound like a bi**h, but I just want this game to improve. I want this game to be fun for an average Joe who doesn't get super excited every time I see an animal, because I'm not a hunter per se. What I'm saying is, the speed of development seems slow. Maybe too much focus on the Classic? I don't know.

Maybe it isn't even the lack of features, but the lack of information about the future and the bugs that break the game. We have no idea what to hope and wait for, because no developer/community manager talks to us.

[Kaned Dragon]

I do wish we got more info on a regular basis. The Dev's only come on occasionally.
I would like to see a more active communication group which communicates info with the community.
Not saying Pic's and the other moderator's aren't doing a good job and getting a handle of situations when they get out of control. You mod's are doing a great job.

Maybe a visible descriptive work path would help.
I'm itching, and constantly looking and hoping something will be posted. Would help numb the aching waiting.

Also doesn't help that we've got Classic to compare COTW to. We see where Classic's got to, and it's hard thinking about what COTW could become, and not getting tetchy.

[Kaned Dragon]

I just thought / realised something.
In Classic the dev’s would bring out a single weapon, or clothing, or species, they would only do a big pack if it was a new reserve. Because it would bring a new land and likely some new animals, mixed with a couple of previous ones.
They could do this because we payed real money that’s been converted into game currency, that’s how they could bring one thing out ever monthish.

COTW can’t really do that. They have to make pack DLC. It’s not just one weapons or something. It’s the cross bow and the recurve. It’s the geese and the 20g and the decoys’

Maybe that’s another reason they hardly say anything. They busy getting the next pack ready. Already got 2 new weapons finished, just need to finished the 3rd and it’s ready for the players.

Maybe it’s why it’s feels so long.

[PicSoul]

I'd love to see all the features of Classic as well but you have to remember that game has been in development for many years and I'm sure it will take a while for this game to even come close to having the content Classic has.

Posting a roadmap is great in theory but usually just leads to an angry player base when announced features are not seen in the game right away. While it would be great to know whats coming, I also understand their hesitation to promise a feature that may turn out impossible to implement. Best to wait till the new content is almost finished and just around the corner.

[Kaned Dragon]

Originally posted by PicSoul:

I'd love to see all the features of Classic as well but you have to remember that game has been in development for many years and I'm sure it will take a while for this game to even come close to having the content Classic has.

Posting a roadmap is great in theory but usually just leads to an angry player base when announced features are not seen in the game right away. While it would be great to know whats coming, I also understand their hesitation to promise a feature that may turn out impossible to implement. Best to wait till the new content is almost finished and just around the corner.

Those are good points and it makes sence dude. And yeah, it's going to take years for COTW to get close to classic.

How about a weekly or fornightly locked post in the News section. Which just conatins a reminder the dev's are working on stuff. But can't be commented on?

Like a basic, Hi hunters thanks for the support yarda yarda yarda. We are continuously working on game improvements and updates, and we will keep everyone updated as soon as we have news for everyone?.

Just as a little something in the news section, it's still only got 4 post in it.

It's the not hearing anything, maybe just a post to let us know, yes we are working on stuff. Please be patient. that sort of thing?

[eQ]

The fact that Classic has been in development for many years and thus, COTW won't get these features in X amount of time doesn't really make sense. I do get the point, though.

If there are features done in the Classic, they already have the know-how and experience these features require meaning, that they are most likely not as "difficult" to develop for COTW as for Classic when they first started. Obviously these two games are not the same and so isn't the development, but it's definitely not so much more different. It's more of a question about their priorities and what they want this game to have first.

Understandable, that promising/talking about features too early may lead to a lot of rage, but if everything is "too early to talk about" unless we wait months and month between each development cycle & they have to fill the gap with DLCs to get "paid", then there's an issue.

Even if they came out with a 6 month roadmap (or whatever the timeframe may be), they could simply just bring out features that they know they'll work on and give an ETA in the form of months (e.g 3-6 months, 2 months etc) or no ETA at all. That way we could at least see what they are working on.

I do feel like we are talking to the wall, though, because none of the people from the actual company are actively participating in discussions. It's just you PicSoul.

[❄️The Last Frontier 😊]

Just asking

Is there a reason we have to have 20 of these posts lately? I mean you just created one not to long ago about a roadmap for the game. Same topic just new thread.

Do we really need 20 threads on the same topic when the old thread is still on the first page of posts at least if you max list posts per page?

It just makes it harder to fin posts you have posted to with 20 threads going on the same topic.

[Silky]

Originally posted by eQ:

I'm not a hunter IRL, so my knowledge in this area is limited.

Neither are the developers.

One of my favorite games has a "Dev Diary" where they post on the forums every Friday of what they've been up to. It's not a "feature request" thread, it's just what they've been working on. That's all I want to know.

[eQ]

I don't think two of my posts (one about a roadmap and this) are the same. Yes, this thread also mentions a roadmap, but it's more about their general lack of involvement with the community as an issue and not so much about "give us, what's coming". The end goal is the same, sure, but the approach is different.

If there are many of these similar threads (including others who create those) in a short period of time, then it just shows how big of an issue it is that the developers literally suck at being decent with their community.

[eQ]

Originally posted by Silky:

Originally posted by eQ:

I'm not a hunter IRL, so my knowledge in this area is limited.

Neither are the developers.

One of my favorite games has a "Dev Diary" where they post on the forums every Friday of what they've been up to. It's not a "feature request" thread, it's just what they've been working on. That's all I want to know.

Pretty sure at least some of them hunt in their free time. You don't need to be a fulltime hunter to have the knowledge and actually go hunting. I just personally don't hunt at all, my family members do, though.

[El Poto]

I agree with COTW being behind Classic because of so many years that Classic has. However, still remains the fact of the at least perceived lack of involvement from the devs. And before anyone brings it up, there are the weekly streams, but that has been addressed before and they don't seem to understand. Especially here in America we cannot connect to those streams for being early in work hours and in any case the majority of players won't attend. Summary updates from those streams should be posted here.
This game has so much potential. I really deserves more attention from the Devs. They seem to pay attention only to their forums on their site. As far as I know there is no dedicated forum for COTW, only this one.

[eQ]

Originally posted by El Poto:

I agree with COTW being behind Classic because of so many years that Classic has. However, still remains the fact of the at least perceived lack of involvement from the devs. And before anyone brings it up, there are the weekly streams, but that has been addressed before and they don't seem to understand. Especially here in America we cannot connect to those streams for being early in work hours and in any case the majority of players won't attend. Summary updates from those streams should be posted here.
This game has so much potential. I really deserves more attention from the Devs. They seem to pay attention only to their forums on their site. As far as I know there is no dedicated forum for COTW, only this one.

Exactly. A stream is something that's great they are doing and communicating that way, but if there are no summaries or anything that would conclude what they announced or what concerns have they addressed, they're useless to the majority of the community. Essentially streams are just their way of having fun at work, I suppose. But yes, there really should be a weekly (or how ever many times they do streams per month) pinned topic with a TL;DR what was talked about/announced etc.

[PicSoul]

You can always go back and watch the recorded video of the streams anytime you'd like.

[Kaned Dragon]

Originally posted by eQ:

Originally posted by El Poto:

I agree with COTW being behind Classic because of so many years that Classic has. However, still remains the fact of the at least perceived lack of involvement from the devs. And before anyone brings it up, there are the weekly streams, but that has been addressed before and they don't seem to understand. Especially here in America we cannot connect to those streams for being early in work hours and in any case the majority of players won't attend. Summary updates from those streams should be posted here.
This game has so much potential. I really deserves more attention from the Devs. They seem to pay attention only to their forums on their site. As far as I know there is no dedicated forum for COTW, only this one.

Exactly. A stream is something that's great they are doing and communicating that way, but if there are no summaries or anything that would conclude what they announced or what concerns have they addressed, they're useless to the majority of the community. Essentially streams are just their way of having fun at work, I suppose. But yes, there really should be a weekly (or how ever many times they do streams per month) pinned topic with a TL;DR what was talked about/announced etc.

Funnily enough, I tried watching a stream earlier and I couldn't connect. The Hirschfelden Hike or something. I saw a nofication pop up, this time I clicked on it, but there was nothing there. I might have missed it.
I personaly don't like the streams being used as a way of communicating with us. I don't know where to find them if they been recorded. And it quicker and easier read a post than watching a stream.
I like Silky ideas, it's a bit like what I said. A weekly or fortnightly posted update. Just a little communcation would help.

[Kaned Dragon]

Originally posted by PicSoul:

You can always go back and watch the recorded video of the streams anytime you'd like.

Can you provide a link please?

[PicSoul]

Sure, here you go.

https://www.twitch.tv/expansiveworlds/videos/all