Why does is take so long for announcements and content on consoles?

bmcd73

The console is so far behind the PC release but even worse is that we get almost no communication about what is coming. I'm super stoked about ViL expansion but now that I have switched to console I still have zero clue what the packs are going to look like, when they will be release, how much, whether they are Microsoft store or C-store only. Then you have simple things like this new elite starter pack. Lots of good things in there for the account but PC only??? Is it coming to console? If so when? If not, why?

Why is communication for the console so difficult and why does it take so long? I realize the player base is smaller but maybe it is because there is almost zero effort put into getting people on it and communicating about it. Can't tell you how many people I talk to and they say "I had no idea that was on console".

spiritborn

It's a combination of consoles needing extra certifications and the "we don't talk about up-coming content" policy that Cryptic has and no it's not likely to change any time soon.

davefenestrator

Microsoft and Sony must approve every patch.

davefenestrator

... on PC they can release then let us find bugs that QA missed then patch the next week. That isn't possible on consoles.

So they give new content to PC first, fix some of the bugs, then finish the console updates, then send to Sony and Microsoft, then wait, then if necessary change anything that MS or Sony objects to, then send new versions to MS and Sony, then wait, then if the new versions are accepted you finally get your update.

bmcd73

I understand the delay...although it does seem to take an exorbiant amount of time. My problem is more around the communication. It's been weeks since ViL announcement and still no information on the console. By contrast, ESO has the same communication for the PC and console. The consoles are a week or so behind but the communication is the same. So it can be done. Most likely what happens is that they focus on the PC because that's where the biggest playerbase is and when someone has some free cycles they get around to the console. I can't help but feel like the red-headed step child here. I think a little communication would go a long way.

Some examples
On March 5th Into the Breech even was announced. On console, we are still doing it. That is 2 months behind
On March 21st the ViL expansion was accounced for the PC. Still no word on the console. That's about 6 weeks so far
On March 28th The Renegade’s Regret episode was released. We still have no word on it.
On April 3rd season 14.5 was announced on the PC. We still have no word on it.
We have no word on Delta recruits
We have no elite starter C-store pack

It just feels like "we'll get to it when we get to it" sort of approach.

postagepaid

The console difference is more or less the static timewise at around a couple of months.

They also hate updating even the basic news blurbs on the pointless double login screens, as an example the flash sale was still holding the top spot a week after it was over.

Best console folk can do is see whats on PC and preempt it, for example my dil exchange is waiting for the first phoenix event we're due on console and I also know there's more than likely a couple of ship sales going to happen.

I saw the delta recruit arrive back on PC and instantly shelved a klink on PS4 I'd started and paused when I saw the anniversary freebie wasn't ship per faction but the lukari one they shafted players on by dumping it into phoenix. The starter pack has made me think I might keep them but am still more likely to delete since I'd only level them for the rep dil anyway and deletion would let me do that with the extras from delta on top.

duncanidaho11

bmcd73 wrote: »

We have no word on Delta recruits
We have no elite starter C-store pack.

Neither had an announcement blog prior to release on PC. Why would you expect consoles to be any different?

By contrast, ESO has the same communication for the PC and console.

Yup, because it was designed as multiplatform game by a studio, of a comparable scale to Cryptic, solely dedicated to that one game. In STO, it's more haphazard. It's always been more haphazard. That's a function of different circumstances between ports and available resources. A few weeks is the minimum delay certification allows but when there's any amount of complication (ex. effective scheduling, major development on other projects [see. what's happening right now with ViL]) longer delays should be expected.

davefenestrator

On PC they can set a date and no one can stop them from releasing on that date. NO ONE!!!

On consoles if they say "May 18th" but then Sony or MS wants some minor change, then they miss the date and people whine and rage about "broken promises!"

So to safely list a date they have to already have the patch approved or have the work done so far in advance that they have time to jump through the Sony and MS hoops more than once.

seaofsorrows

Well, they could always delay PC content releases until they have certification for the consoles as well. That's how some companies to it in order to keep everything on the same schedule.

The benefit to console players with the current system is that your PC counterparts find all the bugs for you so that they can be fixed before you get the content. We get it sooner, but we get a lot of broken and buggy content so it kinda cuts both ways.

davefenestrator

Yep, it's more or less expected that every PC season release is followed by one or more emergency patches within the first week

bmcd73

Well if the certification process is so rigid then the consoles wouldn't be getting any benefit from bug fixes on the PC. They more than likely have submitted the frozen code well before the bugs have been found and another update would further push back the certification process.

Here is how I would handle this at work. "We plan to roll out XYZ app on May 15th but it is entirely dependent on an external certification process. While the 15th is our target, something may come up during the process which could push that date back xxxx days/weeks."

Additionally, why would store items that are account unlocks require certification? The new elite starter pack for instance. They must have baked the store into code so that any update to the store requires a new code update. That's a bad design regardless. I supposed a database update may be considered a code update from a certification point of view but generally data changes aren't considered code changes. You should be able to change data without affecting code.

There just seems to be a number of things that aren't working well here for consoles. The process, the communication, the software architecture, etc.

Drives me crazy to see all the pc updates and I just have to sit and wonder when we will get those same updates. It's a turnoff and I can see this soft of thing possibly driving people away...it certainly doesn't help bring new people on board.

leemwatson

bmcd73 wrote: »

Well if the certification process is so rigid then the consoles wouldn't be getting any benefit from bug fixes on the PC. They more than likely have submitted the frozen code well before the bugs have been found and another update would further push back the certification process.

Here is how I would handle this at work. "We plan to roll out XYZ app on May 15th but it is entirely dependent on an external certification process. While the 15th is our target, something may come up during the process which could push that date back xxxx days/weeks."

Additionally, why would store items that are account unlocks require certification? The new elite starter pack for instance. They must have baked the store into code so that any update to the store requires a new code update. That's a bad design regardless. I supposed a database update may be considered a code update from a certification point of view but generally data changes aren't considered code changes. You should be able to change data without affecting code.

There just seems to be a number of things that aren't working well here for consoles. The process, the communication, the software architecture, etc.

Drives me crazy to see all the pc updates and I just have to sit and wonder when we will get those same updates. It's a turnoff and I can see this soft of thing possibly driving people away...it certainly doesn't help bring new people on board.

Or you could be like me, play on both platforms and update your console fleet on PC incoming content. Fact is Consoles do get news updates on releases. It's on the websites, it's on Facebook etc. People have a habit of expecting Cryptic to drop everything to 'improve this or that' when it's clear that Cryptic is not a Blizzard sized company! They've also kept this game going 8 years. Now that says something where the average shelf life of a AAA game is 9-12 months!

The new Elite Pack has literally just come out on PC and they've only just patched the coding in for the account and character unlocks into the game. This will probably come with the next big patch for consoles, and yes, it probably does require specific coding.

And yes, PC players are the bug-hunters for console in a way. That 2 month gap allows plenty of time for that code to get programmed for the 2 specific console platforms, debugged and then submitted for approval, so please don't assume that code is sent as a vanilla copy of PC launch day code, because that is just not so.

warpangel

bmcd73 wrote: »

Additionally, why would store items that are account unlocks require certification?

Everything requires certification on console platforms.

EDIT: Fixed tags, monster no eat post.