Bioware Developer Blog: Busting Bugs and Fixing Exploits

[Mooji]

http://www.swtor.com/blog/developer-...ixing-exploits

I can understand Bioware being overwhelmed since they probably weren't prepared for what comes along with running an MMO but wow, I can't believe they released this...if only I could write a blog making excuses for all my shortcomings at work and get away with it.

[Dundebuns]

Doesn't seem like an excuse blog to me, more of a 'What we do to fix bugs'. Working for a major IT company, it looks like they handle bugs the exact same way we do.

[Dakia]

Doesn't seem like an excuse blog to me, more of a 'What we do to fix bugs'. Working for a major IT company, it looks like they handle bugs the exact same way we do.

That was my thought exactly. To me, it doesn't read as an excuse blog. It reads like a dev coming out and actually saying what their process is. I'm sure that other, established, MMO companies operate the same way. The new kid on the block always gets ripped.

[Imnick]

They're speaking about their triage system as if it's not the industry standard method
As far as I was taught, this is what all game companies do, even before release >_>

[Shrouded]

Doesn't seem like an excuse blog to me, more of a 'What we do to fix bugs'. Working for a major IT company, it looks like they handle bugs the exact same way we do.

Indeed. That having been said, I don't think the average consumer cares about these processes. They just want their game to work, especially in subscription-based games where you're constantly paying for your time. To be honest (and I feel weird saying this, given the volatile state of more or less any MMO-related forum) I think that the tolerance for bugs and issues in MMOs tend to be much too high. People are fine with even severe issues as long as a representative of the developer promises fixes down the line, either in the next content patch or the next expansion! I've been guilty of that too, but not anymore.

[Vexies]

They're speaking about their triage system as if it's not the industry standard method
As far as I was taught, this is what all game companies do, even before release >_>

Perhaps there trying to explain how it actually works the the zillion QQ'rs that flood the forums and cry about bugs and how they get fixed. Sure it may be common knowledge to you but its evident due to the millions of pointless posts that the majority do not. Its called public relations and however pointless, due to the fact that people will simply ignore it just like how this thread got started, and continue to QQ they are at least trying to keep a open dialog open with the player base.

If they said nothing then they supposedly guilty of "underhanded tactics and not caring or communicating to the community" If they do communicate then they are making excuses lol People really are just that ridiculous.

[Verth Aeyta]

Indeed. That having been said, I don't think the average consumer cares about these processes. They just want their game to work, especially in subscription-based games where you're constantly paying for your time. To be honest (and I feel weird saying this, given the volatile state of more or less any MMO-related forum) I think that the tolerance for bugs and issues in MMOs tend to be much too high. People are fine with even severe issues as long as a representative of the developer promises fixes down the line, either in the next content patch or the next expansion! I've been guilty of that too, but not anymore.

I guess I don't understand this, what do you consider "sever issues"? I've been playing SWTOR since early access and I have yet to really encounter a sever issue, more or less just little annoyances.

The other side is this, I love Star Wars and I love most things Bioware puts out and so yes I'm going to be patient while they fix the bugs they have because in my mind they have done a great job of getting the bugs fixed.

[Dakia]

I guess I don't understand this, what do you consider "sever issues"? I've been playing SWTOR since early access and I have yet to really encounter a sever issue, more or less just little annoyances.

What they consider to be severe issues is pretty easy to track. You just have to go back and look at the times that they patched on off days. Things like the /getdown exploit/bug would be an example.

[Mooji]

Indeed. That having been said, I don't think the average consumer cares about these processes. They just want their game to work, especially in subscription-based games where you're constantly paying for your time. To be honest (and I feel weird saying this, given the volatile state of more or less any MMO-related forum) I think that the tolerance for bugs and issues in MMOs tend to be much too high. People are fine with even severe issues as long as a representative of the developer promises fixes down the line, either in the next content patch or the next expansion! I've been guilty of that too, but not anymore.

Nice post.

Anyway, if I finished a project for work and had as many glitches/bugs/flaws the customer wouldn't even pay for my product, and most likely I'd get fired also.

We know the process of fixing bugs in a program. This isn't rocket science. Bioware released that statement because they think it'll get some of the QQ/pressure off their backs. As I mentioned in the original post, it's making excuses. That's like me telling my boss "oh well it isn't easy getting the foundation of the house level so uhh yeah just deal with it."

[Vexies]

Honestly, all in all I have not experienced any of the major bugs I see people yammering on about. I don't dismiss that some experience them. Its obvious they do but the only ones Ive encountered have been pretty small and insignificant and hardly major downers to playing the game. It seems the majority of the complaints are focused around Illum and pvp but again I dont hear much if anything at all about these from my guildies.

The only bug of note was the random death bug in Eternity Vault but after last nights patch that seems to have been fixed. I think people simply focus to much on these issues and I wonder just how much of the player base actually experiences anything really all that major. Do I want to see them fixed? yep but you read some of these posts and you would think the game was simply riddled with them and unplayable and that simply has not been my or my guilds experience thus far.

[Ebbikenezer]

LOL@ "excuse blog"

They post a blog to inform people how they handle bugs, probably (most likely even) b/c there are just an insane amount of whine posts from about the same 15 people on their forums. So a dev offers up a blog to give insight into how they handle issues...

And it takes no time at all for someone to try and tear that down. Which really just destroys any credibility someone has when stating their case.

If you don't care for the blog, that's one thing, but stating it's an excuse blog? Come on, they have hundreds of people working there on this game, someone gives you a peek at how they run things and you complain? But yet people complain when they don't communicate.... amazing.

[Mooji]

LOL@ "excuse blog"

They post a blog to inform people how they handle bugs, probably (most likely even) b/c there are just an insane amount of whine posts from about the same 15 people on their forums. So a dev offers up a blog to give insight into how they handle issues...

And it takes no time at all for someone to try and tear that down. Which really just destroys any credibility someone has when stating their case.

If you don't care for the blog, that's one thing, but stating it's an excuse blog? Come on, they have hundreds of people working there on this game, someone gives you a peek at how they run things and you complain? But yet people complain when they don't communicate.... amazing.

You just made my case.

What exactly did they communicate with that blog? How did they give us insight to how they're working to fix the issues with the game?

Imagine if the president of the US came out in a press conference and instead of talking about the issues he said "Well citizens, the reason nothing is being fixed is because it's a long, hard process to fix the country. Don't worry though, despite how it looks we're still busting ass." Any president would get RIPPED APART if he came out making excuses.

The world doesn't want excuses. I sure as hell can't use excuses where I work to fix problems. Bioware shouldn't be either. It's unprofessional.

[Necrolepsy]

If they don't post this:

WAHH BIOWARE DOESN'T TELL US ANYTHING WAHH

If they do post this:

WAHH BIOWARE MAKES EXCUSES

It's frustrating reading the whining on both swtor and blizzard forums, there is no pleasing the mmo community as a whole, the whining is so excessive.

[Tastyfish]

If they don't post this:

WAHH BIOWARE DOESN'T TELL US ANYTHING WAHH

If they do post this:

WAHH BIOWARE MAKES EXCUSES

It's frustrating reading the whining on both swtor and blizzard forums, there is no pleasing the mmo community as a whole, the whining is so excessive.

That is expected and it generates talking about the game in the community. That is part of the plan. Weather it is an excuse or explimation (very blurred line there) you are just arguing over different sides of the same coin.
Don't defend the shit like you are an abused housewife, or attack it like it's a mortal enemy, just take it for what it is, communication. It's a hell of a lot better then locking the forums, rite?


Edit: not to be an ass but every fucking person who has every taking a shot at blizzard for the same thing who is now making excuses supporting the same kinda communiction, i hope you are aware you are doing that, and in the future, you might think twice before jumping on the, " we are working on means failure" bandwagon.

[Vexies]

You just made my case.

What exactly did they communicate with that blog? How did they give us insight to how they're working to fix the issues with the game?

Imagine if the president of the US came out in a press conference and instead of talking about the issues he said "Well citizens, the reason nothing is being fixed is because it's a long, hard process to fix the country. Don't worry though, despite how it looks we're still busting ass." Any president would get RIPPED APART if he came out making excuses.

The world doesn't want excuses. I sure as hell can't use excuses where I work to fix problems. Bioware shouldn't be either. It's unprofessional.

And now your just showing the depths you will go to argue your baseless points.. This is a MMO there has never been nor will there ever be one that is or currently is releasing content without bugs. It is the nature of such a complicated program. From operating systems to simple console games bugs happen. Good companies communicate with there community and fix things. Bad ones dont do much of either. Now your going to try to say they should go into intimate detail that 99% of the player base wont understand about just how they go about fixing this or that.. really? Your really reaching now.

[Pulledtea]

Wait, so promising to fix the bugs, fixing the bugs and telling you how they fixed alot of the existing bugs and promising to fix all bugs is an excuse?

Mind=blown.

The house analogy. The foundation is not level, but I'm telling my boss that I'm going to fix it as soon as I can and tell my boss how I'm going to fix it. That is the proper analogy.

[Mooji]

Good companies communicate with there community and fix things. Bad ones dont do much of either.

Are you implying Bioware is a good company that communicates with its subscribers/fans? Blizzard communicates with their fans, as all the blue posts show. Bioware doesn't respond to anything until it decides to release new patch notes, then a blog making excuses for their shortcomings that doesn't address anything specifically.

[Vexies]

Wait, so promising to fix the bugs, fixing the bugs and telling you how they fixed alot of the existing bugs and promising to fix all bugs is an excuse?

Mind=blown.

yes but you have to understand there are a small group of people with there nose bent all out of shape with nothing better to do then come on forums and constantly make outlandish claims and complaints while ignoring the simple facts like this doesn't happen in all other games or hell most computer products in existence today. They are more humorous then anything but it can get tiring.

Are you implying Bioware is a good company that communicates with its subscribers/fans? Blizzard communicates with their fans, as all the blue posts show. Bioware doesn't respond to anything until it decides to release new patch notes, then a blog making excuses for their shortcomings that doesn't address anything specifically.

Eh what? I am not implying anything but I see you fishing and reaching again. Its a simple fact. Bioware does communicate all the time.. this post they made is just one of MANY examples of them explaining there plans, going on's and upcoming plans for the game. Oh and now that you have revealed your true issues (trying to turn this into a wow vs Bioware thread) I will respond with yes I believe that Blizzard does a good job of communicating too. However just like Bioware they have to deal with a lot of QQ'rs that make pointless complaint threads similar to this one.

[sleekit]

ye sure absolutely Blizzard "communicates" with their fans.

they also expect the same "fans" to sit without a content update for periods ranging from 10-18 months while they do nothing but "communicate".

in other less "fan" orientated circles that applauded "communication" might be called something else...like say "PR"...

[Ebbikenezer]

Are you implying Bioware is a good company that communicates with its subscribers/fans? Blizzard communicates with their fans, as all the blue posts show. Bioware doesn't respond to anything until it decides to release new patch notes, then a blog making excuses for their shortcomings that doesn't address anything specifically.

Obviously you take HUGE ISSUE with the fact that they made a statement, and I'm 100% certain you were taking HUGE ISSUE with the fact that they weren't communicating enough before.

Seems to me it's:

-Not a good game for you.
-Not a good game developer for you.
-Not much fun for you to engage in the game over posting on forums.
-Attention seeking behavior to "rally the troops" to your cause.


So, you take issue with how BW is handling things, and your response is: Posting on MMO-Champ?

Try emailing them. Try calling. Unsub (money talks). Start your own blog, denouncing them.

I just don't see where you're going with this, and you have never even stated: were you happier before they posted the blog?