Most Wanted Improvements

[ffcmike]

I'm surprised development tools currently have the most votes. I would have thought any efforts to modernise them would be futile as long as PC Graal keeps the current business model. Whereas with an improved business model PC Graal could get away with being insufficient in these other areas.

That said it's been stated this is directed at a small division of the community which use the forums, which I suppose would consist of a higher proportion of developers.

[fowlplay4]

Subscriptions need to be re-worked. Observer mode needs to be eradicated from the game.

Better documentation will help development much more than updated development tools will. The lack of documentation leaves skilled developers to find out features by mistake or on their own. It'd also be nice if our requested features were added every once in awhile (and not just because they're essential to iWorld).

Despite the age of the tools and the painful work flow it's still possible to create high quality content with them.

As for improving development tools it would be cool to be able to "deploy" a level with client-side GS2 and allow players to be able to test it without having to shell out for a server.

Level Editor -> Deploy Button -> Level sent to server -> Server Compiles Level/GS2 -> Returns Compilied Level/GS2 -> Loads Level in V6 Client (Offline Mode).

[Draenin]

Let me just say, I am loving these numbers right now. Thanks so much for voting, guys.

Just makes me put a hand to my chin and go, "Hmmmm."

[Fulg0reSama]

Originally Posted by Draenin

Let me just say, I am loving these numbers right now. Thanks so much for voting, guys.

Just makes me put a hand to my chin and go, "Hmmmm."

I'm a bit impressed as well.

Though I'm a bit surprised by (comparatively speaking) the lack of votes in "Staff Professionalism".
I'm aware of course about the issues that underlay the foundation for why there's a decline in professionalism amongst staff.

[MajinDragon]

Staff professionalism and Content.

Though content IMO is the most pressing issue on Graal, - It is what ultimately retains users/customers - it is surely wishful thinking to ask for content without dealing with the underline reason for the lack of it; Staff professionalism. It's very difficult to imagine a talented developer consistently devoting most of his time into various projects with no real incentives. This ofcourse leads to very inconsistent levels of development periodically; where most of the development, if any, centres around holiday periods but is rarely/never followed up by anything more, this often leads to a focus on the short-term playercount or success of the seasonal event. It also leads to an obvious lack of developers or talented enough developers who move on to more inspiring projects.

While I've highlighted and elaborated on what I feel are the key issues, we need a solution. Incentives are the key, and the two that would work best in this situation is ownership (credit) and finance. Finance would be a more immediate incentive and solution to staff professionalism as staff would be required to meet performance standards to earn their pay. How this would be co-ordinated is another discussion. Ownership would be a better incentive IMO, but more difficult to pull off as it works out as a financial incentive in the long run.

I should mention that a Business Approach is also very important but not before the foundations are laid. There's no point spending money promoting a terrible product.

[Fulg0reSama]

Originally Posted by MajinDragon

Staff professionalism and Content.

Though content IMO is the most pressing issue on Graal, - It is what ultimately retains users/customers - it is surely wishful thinking to ask for content without dealing with the underline reason for the lack of it; Staff professionalism. It's very difficult to imagine a talented developer consistently devoting most of his time into various projects with no real incentives. This ofcourse leads to very inconsistent levels of development periodically; where most of the development, if any, centres around holiday periods but is rarely/never followed up by anything more, this often leads to a focus on the short-term playercount or success of the seasonal event. It also leads to an obvious lack of developers or talented enough developers who move on to more inspiring projects.

While I've highlighted and elaborated on what I feel are the key issues, we need a solution. Incentives are the key, and the two that would work best in this situation is ownership (credit) and finance. Finance would be a more immediate incentive and solution to staff professionalism as staff would be required to meet performance standards to earn their pay. How this would be co-ordinated is another discussion. Ownership would be a better incentive IMO, but more difficult to pull off as it works out as a financial incentive in the long run.

I should mention that a Business Approach is also very important but not before the foundations are laid. There's no point spending money promoting a terrible product.

+rep

Thank you Sherlock