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Question on released content

Discussion in 'Starbound Discussion' started by FoxDE, Jul 25, 2014.

  1. FoxDE

    FoxDE Void-Bound Voyager

    Is there any possible way the devs could make some smaller updates to release before their next big update so that we can have some enjoyable things, EG treasure biome, ocean biome, etc to look at before we get all this snazzy new stuff? It's been months and I have become impatient, surely there's a few bones they can throw us to hold us over before they release the big update?

    This is coming from someone who respects their work and content enough to not want to play nightly builds, but at the same time wants something new.
     
  2. Dargona1018

    Dargona1018 Existential Complex

    There are nightly builds, but it doesn't seem like the Devs are planning on any smaller releases before the big 1.0 release (into second phase of Beta, I believe).
    After all, they are now working on some Questy things (I think, with the Gates), overhauling electricity, and adding in some Novakid things, so I don't think they would
    want to take some content out to give a decently polished update before a huge one.
     
  3. Akado

    Akado Oxygen Tank

    There is a possible way, but I do not think it is probable.

    If you look at the nightly builds, they are quite unstable. Even when one feature is completed, if it depends on any other features then it would not be very good by itself. For example: gates require outposts, outposts require diagonal doors and merchants, merchants require the ability to buy/sell items, buy/sell items requires seeds to be sold and not fruits and pixel-balanced economy. A lot of these are soft requirements, as they could be released "as is" and the game wouldn't break, but they can't be fully enjoyed unless combined.

    Just like the ingredients of a cake could be released one by one, it's much more enjoyable if you wait until they are all combined.
     
  4. The | Suit

    The | Suit Agent S. Forum Moderator

    You got to keep in mind it isn't so simple as throwing something in.
    Newer content would use new code - which isn't supported in the older framework.

    Hence would not be fully supported.
    If the game was already released - it would be easy to throw a bone.

    Now its like throwing a bone which is inside of a living human.
     
    FoxDE likes this.
  5. FoxDE

    FoxDE Void-Bound Voyager

    Outside of the bone comment, I like that explanation. I do understand now that it'd all be different code and it wouldn't be so easy. Which is a shame really, they should have fully implemented a few things before diving into this huge update.
     
  6. Akado

    Akado Oxygen Tank

    How could they fully implement things, if those things depended on old stuff that was meant to be redone?

    New code would be written, which would have to be designed to work with the old code (for other things that weren't released first), but then this brand new code would need to be re-written to work with the new code (for the things that were next released).

    Especially when you're talking about a major thing like a progression re-design, you're either all in, or you're setting yourself up for a big fall.
     
  7. FoxDE

    FoxDE Void-Bound Voyager

    No no, I meant implemented the smaller changes like treasure hoard biome :) I understand they couldn't have implemented things they are currently implementing, that is a contradiction.
     
  8. Akado

    Akado Oxygen Tank

    Ohh, gotcha! Sorry, my misunderstanding. I'm guessing that there are some new things that are fairly independent, but releasing them would probably be, uh, underwhelming compared to the amount of time since the last Stable update.

    "OMG you were on break since April, and all you did was implement Terramart and cute floran merchants!?"
    It's kinda a tough PR situation, the weight of the expectations means that they can't really throw us a bone and let us play with some of the new stuff, because some people wouldn't appreciate it.
     
  9. janusforbeare

    janusforbeare Phantasmal Quasar

    At the risk of being blunt... it's not going to happen.

    The reason is basically because of the history of Starbound's development. After rushing out new versions almost daily for the first month of beta, CF seemed to settle on monthly updates that were moderately content-heavy. However, people started complaining about how updates were no longer coming "hard and fast", as the devs had initially announced. CF bent with the wind and started releasing smaller updates more frequently; unfortunately, these were generally so superficial that many players were underwhelmed. Demand started to grow for a return to more substantial updates, and the cycle continued.

    The sad fact is that there will always be a significant number of players dissatisfied with either the size or the frequency of Starbound's updates. By now, CF clearly understands that they can't please everyone, and god bless them, they've stopped trying. They've focused on delivering a single, massive update that will take us out of Beta phase 1, and if they change their plans now, they know that there will be another huge uproar among the community. Since things are relatively quiet these days, why risk it?

    Personally, I think they've made the right call. There are plenty of other entertaining games to play while we wait for the update, and a little time away from the game will let me appreciate it all the more when I come back.
     

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