General Development

[simplex]

The official, public second update.

 

This is a point actually. Most end-users, especially non-Steam Worskshop players won't be able to update their game several times a day, so I guess this could be a cool oppurtunity to do themed updates and open ourselves up for suggestions, especially on Steam.

I think we should just start working on the post alpha content and release the next update when we have not-so-small additions.

I don't think we should focus on themed updates while we're still in alpha.

[Strangerdanger101]

This is a point actually. Most end-users, especially non-Steam Worskshop players won't be able to update their game several times a day, so I guess this could be a cool oppurtunity to do themed updates and open ourselves up for suggestions, especially on Steam.

So, is this mod going to be put on the steam workshop or something by the sounds of this? (If that's possible)

[simplex]

So, is this mod going to be put on the steam workshop or something by the sounds of this? (If that's possible)

It seems like this will be possible. JoeW told us yesterday that Cheerio of SethR are working on extending the workshop uploader to support mods of up to 100MB in size, and that this should be done today.

[ArcticFox789]

 

I think we should just start working on the post alpha content and release the next update when we have not-so-small additions.

I don't think we should focus on themed updates while we're still in alpha.

 

The Alpha release is going straight out to the public, and this will make things more interesting, because random unexpected tidbits of content will not effectively keep people involved. The part of DS' Beta that helped build a following was the cool themed updates and the dev interaction. We need to make it interesting to keep the mod popular, and this is one way of doing that. Even if we don't go down that route, we should explore it.

Edited May 15, 2014 by ArcticFox789

[simplex]

The Alpha release is going straight out to the public, and this will make things more interesting, because random unexpected tidbits of content will not effectively keep people involved. The part of DS' Beta that helped build a following was the cool themed updates and the dev interaction. We need to make it interesting to keep the mod popular, and this is one way of doing that. Even if we don't go down that route, we should explore it.

In beta, yes. An alpha is an alpha. Our focus should be finding bugs and balancing the cloudrealm, releasing the next iteration often.

[ArcticFox789]

In beta, yes. An alpha is an alpha. Our focus should be finding bugs and balancing the cloudrealm, releasing the next iteration often.

 

Our Alpha is public though. In modding terms, it's Alpha, in realistic terms, it's Beta/Early Access. If we want a decent playerbase for feedback, we need to give your average Joe something to entice them. Bugfixes should be implemented ASAP, but in terms of balancing, additions and removals, tying a load of (quite) related content and releasing it as a themed update with a changelog and such is much more enticing.

 

I'd just say that your average person doesn't want to test a possibly buggy/volatile mod. They want a cohesive experience, and IMHO, updates like this can only enhance that.

Edited May 15, 2014 by ArcticFox789

[simplex]

Our Alpha is public though. In modding terms, it's Alpha, in realistic terms, it's Beta/Early Access. If we want a decent playerbase for feedback, we need to give your average Joe something to entice them. Bugfixes should be implemented ASAP, but in terms of balancing, additions and removals, tying a load of (quite) related content and releasing it as a themed update with a changelog and such is much more enticing.

 

I'd just say that your average person doesn't want to test a possibly buggy/volatile mod. They want a cohesive experience, and IMHO, updates like this can only enhance that.

It's definitely not a beta, it's alpha. We should try to reach beta as fast as we can, but alpha is precisely meant for the small playerbase who wishes to get their hand dirty in a buggy and volatile mod.

[ArcticFox789]

It's definitely not a beta, it's alpha. We should try to reach beta as fast as we can, but alpha is precisely meant for the small playerbase who wishes to get their hand dirty in a buggy and volatile mod.

 

But the way we are treating the release is not how an alpha should be then. By announcinig on the General Discussions board, we give the wrong impression, if that's genuinely what you want to achieve. Anyway, no matter. I guess we probably should wait until Beta.

[simplex]

But the way we are treating the release is not how an alpha should be then. By announcinig on the General Discussions board, we give the wrong impression, if that's genuinely what you want to achieve. Anyway, no matter. I guess we probably should wait until Beta.

I don't think it's harmful to announce and release it because we have a lot of content in place already. And what I have in mind is a short alpha, focusing on balancing what we have after player feedback, with beta being the next big update with meaningful content.

[debugman18]

I don't think it's harmful to announce and release it because we have a lot of content in place already. And what I have in mind is a short alpha, focusing on balancing what we have after player feedback, with beta being the next big update with meaningful content.

I agree with this. I think beta should come as a fairly sized update. The point of the open alpha is so that we can get feedback to balance what we have, instead of jumping straight to new content that will in turn need to be tested and balanced.

 

Making sure that our foundation is set properly will make it much easier to add additional content.

[simplex]

I agree with this. I think beta should come as a fairly sized update. The point of the open alpha is so that we can get feedback to balance what we have, instead of jumping straight to new content that will in turn need to be tested and balanced.

 

Making sure that our foundation is set properly will make it much easier to add additional content.

Precisely. We need to balance some things out before we can call U&A ready to be plugged into any game. The cold may be too harsh, golden eggs may be spamming gold nuggets around, some mobs may be too weak, some mobs may be too hard... Once we take care of things like that (and fix major bugs found along the process), then we should move on to beta, which would then include the content we've been working on in the mean time.

[ArcticFox789]

Precisely. We need to balance some things out before we can call U&A ready to be plugged into any game. The cold may be too harsh, golden eggs may be spamming gold nuggets around, some mobs may be too weak, some mobs may be too hard... Once we take care of things like that (and fix major bugs found along the process), then we should move on to beta, which would then include the content we've been working on in the mean time.

 

Ah, I see. We don't plan to release more content during Alpha? But in amongst the tuning, we'll still be producing content? Unless I've misunderstood your post, but this seems like a good plan to me.

[simplex]

Ah, I see. We don't plan to release more content during Alpha? But in amongst the tuning, we'll still be producing content? Unless I've misunderstood your post, but this seems like a good plan to me.

We could release content during alpha, just focusing on stability and playability. But I think it'd be best to accumulate content into beta, which we should release soon.

[ArcticFox789]

We could release content during alpha, just focusing on stability and playability. But I think it'd be best to accumulate content into beta, which we should release soon.

 

Right. Got you. If I'd known this was the plan, I wouldn't have argued about this, this makes much more sense.

[MilleniumCount]

So we should think about how long our iteration loop shall be.

[Battal]

So, we're pretty much at alpha now?

[ArcticFox789]

So, we're pretty much at alpha now?

 

I think so, there can't be much left now.

[Battal]

HUZZAH!

 

This calls for a champagne. 

[simplex]

So, we're pretty much at alpha now?

Yep (Luggs' strings haven't been included in the code yet, but that's just a technicality). @JoeW, any news on the Workshop Uploader update? (I don't mean to rush you, I just figured maybe it's already been updated and we just haven't been notified, as was the case when work on it started)

Edited May 16, 2014 by simplex

[Luggs]

So time to break out the champagne?

[Battal]

So time to break out the champagne?

 

Already done.  Although you should probably party on your private subforum, so we don't derail or something.

[debugman18]

Yep (Luggs' strings haven't been included in the code yet, but that's just a technicality). @JoeW, any news on the Workshop Uploader update? (I don't mean to rush you, I just figured maybe it's already been updated and we just haven't been notified, as was the case when work on it started)

 

I'll push as soon as soon I'm done with adding those strings. So many lines...

[Luggs]

I'll push as soon as soon I'm done with adding those strings. So many lines...

And I question my sanity after writing them all.

[ShopkeeperMercurius]

Ah good. And I was worried you lot wouldn't finish. Still, better late than never. 

 

Sorry. Luggs. Got bored decided to have some fun.

[simplex]

Ah good. And I was worried you lot wouldn't finish. Still, better late than never. 

 

Sorry. Luggs. Got bored decided to have some fun.

You, sir, need a fancy avatar.