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So sad – management makes the team look bad…

Great idea to re-launch the original Baldur’s Gate. However, this is a very weak release. The game has been postponed few times before; yet again the company was unable to keep another promise to their fans… Decades ago it was not so easy to keep a release – the whole software distribution was way more difficult when physical storage was needed. Nowadays it is much more convenient and easier to manipulate...

OSX Release: does not seem like it is happening – same for the iPad

The build has been submitted to App Store the day before the release and unfortunately there was a problem? This statement makes a whole development team look like amateurs. There seems to be no proper version control, testing, change management nor release management. And you submitted it the day before release to the app store? Seriously?!

Worldwide release is not even happening for PC
Release on the 28th? Japan or Singapore won’t get it on the 28th of November. Europe gets it 9PM – when servers are most likely down anyway.


And the worst:

The communication from company head Trent Oster. Must be nice having the spare time at hand to hourly Twitter to your fans – however no word on what the exact status is. If you cannot deliver – at least keep people updated regularly.

Like I mentioned it before: This is one of the things that damages the reputation of a whole company badly. You know what is even worse? You could not even keep a promise to your awesome fans (just look at the boards).
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Comments

  • Space_hamsterSpace_hamster Member Posts: 950
    You make some good points. However, in the age of social media, if they pushed out a flawed release, they would never hear the end of it and sales would plummet. Best to delay for a few more days and iron out the bugs. Anyway, release dates are just targets, targets shift all the time.
    MoomintrollSwordsNotWords
  • darrenkuodarrenkuo Member Posts: 366
    It's better you wait to Nov.28th.2012 1:00PM , then you can make your decison,

    Or it isn't fair for developers,
  • Kang54Kang54 Member Posts: 58
    This game has been out since 1998... I, for one, can wait another week without having my blood starting to boil. Bugs happen, and with the Apple store it will take time to push a patch through. That's just how it is with iPads and iPhones. If you can't accept that, I suggest you play the PC version.
    Endlesswave
  • TanthalasTanthalas Member Posts: 6,738
    You make some valid points, but then ruin it by throwing a lot of stupid stuff in to the mix.
  • ichaos1985ichaos1985 Member Posts: 34
    I prefer if developers delay a product to remove annoying bugs that distract from the overall experience..
  • O_BruceO_Bruce Member Posts: 2,790
    The serwers are down anyway? I lol'd. It's not like pre-loading was for nothing, but whatever.
  • JudeauxJudeaux Member Posts: 9
    My post might have come over a bit too emotional - was not meant that way. I am working as a project manager in a mid-sized IT company and if one of my projects would have been delayed so many times and I communicated to the stakeholders that we "probably" will not make it the day before... I do not think, my contract would get renewed.
    And if I came up with the arguments "you have been waiting for this half a year - a few days will not make a difference" or "yes we have a delay, but would you guys have rather a buggy version now than a proper version in a few days - maybe a week?", I would get probably fired right away.
  • mch202mch202 Member Posts: 1,455
    Judeaux said:

    My post might have come over a bit too emotional - was not meant that way. I am working as a project manager in a mid-sized IT company and if one of my projects would have been delayed so many times and I communicated to the stakeholders that we "probably" will not make it the day before... I do not think, my contract would get renewed.
    And if I came up with the arguments "you have been waiting for this half a year - a few days will not make a difference" or "yes we have a delay, but would you guys have rather a buggy version now than a proper version in a few days - maybe a week?", I would get probably fired right away.

    Just to put things straight, The game was delayed only once, and it was the PC version - back at 18th september. Back than there wasn't any release date for any of the other versions including the iPad version.
    so its not fair and incorrect to say "the game has been postponed few times before"




    TJ_HookerEndlesswave
  • JudeauxJudeaux Member Posts: 9
    edited November 2012
    mch202 said:

    Judeaux said:

    My post might have come over a bit too emotional - was not meant that way. I am working as a project manager in a mid-sized IT company and if one of my projects would have been delayed so many times and I communicated to the stakeholders that we "probably" will not make it the day before... I do not think, my contract would get renewed.
    And if I came up with the arguments "you have been waiting for this half a year - a few days will not make a difference" or "yes we have a delay, but would you guys have rather a buggy version now than a proper version in a few days - maybe a week?", I would get probably fired right away.

    Just to put things straight, The game was delayed only once, and it was the PC version - back at 18th september. Back than there wasn't any release date for any of the other versions including the iPad version.
    so its not fair and incorrect to say "the game has been postponed few times before"

    You are right.

    Was announced for Summer 2012:
    http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition-arrives-this-summer/

    Then September 18th 2012:
    http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/26/baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition-arrives-sep-18-discounted-pre/

    And now the current release is postponed for a week...
    szdobos
  • crawlkillcrawlkill Member Posts: 71
    That's the price of the Apple store, sister. Well, that and 30%.
  • JudeauxJudeaux Member Posts: 9
    edited November 2012
    crawlkill said:

    That's the price of the Apple store, sister. Well, that and 30%.

    True, from my own experience I know, that it takes 5-10 working days. So it would surprise me, if Baldur's Gate hits the App Store in November...

    However, there are always things that can hold you back and if you give out a release date, you put that into consideration as well, otherwise it is not a release date.
  • jolly_bbjolly_bb Member Posts: 122
    In general @Judeaux post seems a bit too rough, but there are few valid points there. I'd like to point out a very unpopular thing:
    PC version of BGEE will supposedly make way less money then iOS version.

    I know we're all PC-nerds here craving for re-release of a game we played as kids 14 years ago (so most of us aim at PC here), but the truth is that this forum is not the whole world. iOS version is waaaay more important then PC. Thus, IMHO, it would make more sense if this was given priority.
  • CheesebellyCheesebelly Member Posts: 1,727
    I'm sorry @Judeaux, I think I'm missing a point there ... tell me exactly how September the 18th is NOT summer?
    Secondly, please take one second to check the first line of the delay thread. It was postponed to the 30th of November... wait, we're getting it two days before the scheduled release? Well, big deal to be angry!
    TJ_HookerEndlesswave
  • Space_hamsterSpace_hamster Member Posts: 950
    No one will remember it was late as long as the game is good and bug free. ;)
    Moomintroll
  • JudeauxJudeaux Member Posts: 9

    No one will remember it was late as long as the game is good and bug free. ;)

    ¨

    I really hope I am wrong on this one, but in my experience most projects that have been delayed, are also the ones that tend to have the most bugs...
  • WolfheartWolfheart Member Posts: 170
    @Cheesebelly September is usually Autumn here in Sweden, same for Ireland. In the states autumn begins the Tuesday after labor day (In other words, the tuesday after the first monday in september). In East asia it starts at 8'th of august.
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    Well, there are still bugs, but the team's committed to fixing them, and they're fixing them quickly (and most of the bugs that are still in the game aren't bugs that will be noticed or experienced by the majority of players unless you're looking for them).
  • MoomintrollMoomintroll Member Posts: 1,498
    Less pre-judging, please! BGEE should hopefully be awesome as that was the intention.
  • ST4TICStrikerST4TICStriker Member Posts: 162
    You're right......you ARE sad.

    Passive agressive commenter away!!!
  • theoricustheoricus Member Posts: 115
    Come on, ppl. They're game developers, not managers. Better leave it that way :)
  • scalebscaleb Member Posts: 2
    Just be glad you arent waiting for the android version, at least ipad is "finished" and should be out in the next couple of weeks.
  • JudeauxJudeaux Member Posts: 9
    theoricus said:

    Come on, ppl. They're game developers, not managers. Better leave it that way :)

    Right... As if there were only developers involved in this project ;)

  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    TJ_Hooker said:

    Lastly, with regards to when it will come out for Mac/iPad, I don't remember ever seeing a firm release date given. They deliberatly kept it vague because they weren't sure if they would be able to meet a certain deadline, which turned out to be the case. I can understand people being dissapointed that they have to wait longer, but getting upset and whining about it just seems childish to me.

    I can confirm that they never said anything more than "We hope to release it at the same time but can't make any promises."
    TJ_HookerAntonmuswellbrookMoomintroll
  • davendaven Member Posts: 112
    Get over it. Not long now geez.
  • VandraelVandrael Member Posts: 1
    The fact that I am disappointed in regards to the delay (especially as it is currently estimated to only a week) can be taken as a compliment. I am eager to relive my experience. I was so impressed to hear that a game such as Baldurs Gate to be available on the iPad I feel the need to purchase it as an app to encourage this to hopefully inspire other opportunities. Thank you
  • menumenu Member Posts: 6
    not going to play online this game so just release pc version allready ;)
  • JudeauxJudeaux Member Posts: 9
    edited November 2012
    I am impressed by how much patience you guys show and yes it is a really cool project, BUT this release is managed very badly.

    OSX: They still do not have a good build (status 2 hours ago on Twitter) – was not even re-submitted to App Store yet.
    iPad: Submission process has to be restarted yet again – but first they need to fix, then re-submit (status 2 hours ago on Twitter)
    PC: Seems to be working just fine, right?
  • Space_hamsterSpace_hamster Member Posts: 950
    edited November 2012
    Looks like there are more bugs than they thought. Perhaps we'll get it before Christmas? :/
This discussion has been closed.