Very Poor Communication From Dtg

Since the number of people that frequent these forums is an extremely small segment of those the use TSW, I can not see where one can extrapolate that the majority of customers are dissatisfied. Heck, even in this small population, not everyone is dissatisfied. Of course there are those of like me that utilize other venues for information such as discord or have different expectations on what needs to be communicated and when.

I do agree that the expectation of what is good communication is down to the individual and really the only person anyone can really comment on with any certainty is one’s self.

 

I do own all DLC so yes I have alot invested. But to want specific details or daily reports on what they are working on is a ridiculous thing to ask. That is a management thing to ask for and we are not employed by DTG.

They have said weekly they are working to fix bugs and more info will be available when they know more specifics. So where is the lack of communication?

And insted of posting in a thread to get the specific info you seek try DMing the community managers. I do it all the time and I get a reply with an answer within 24 hours from all of them for my questions.

Maybe you're not communicating properly with them?

And I can tell you I know more about what they are working on and their priorities for doing it because of their communication than what has been posted here.

Maybe they answer me because I'm polite and patient and don't go on a rant when I don't like the answers given. Unlike if they posted stuff on the forums.

You have to admit this community goes overboard when they don't like an answer given, not you specifically but the majority.

 

Last time I was here, before a 3 year hiatus it was a forum rules not to directly contact staff members by tagging or direct messaging unless asked to do so.

 

So they are so very busy they can't be expected to answer questions to the community but at the same time they always respond to you? Yeah ok mate.

Communication is poor, saying a patch will hopefully be out by the end of next week and then nothing at all to "say sorry it's delayed" is poor communication. That's just how it is.

 

Definition of hopeful (courtesy of Google):
"feeling or inspiring optimisim about a future event".

That doesn't sound like confirmation.

 

I would like to see the statistical evidence to show that the majority are dissatisfied with the level of communication.

 

I’m very dissatisfied with the communication

 

I can't speak on behalf of DTG, but typically – from my sibling's many years of hands-on experience as a developer – bugs are usually dealt with by the content creators, unless some other code is found to be at fault. And he has worked for many development teams, for many publishers, across all major platforms (including developing DLC for Civilisation 6, which he was debugging post-release too).

Development isn't a factory assembly line.

 

And you are one out of how any active members of these forums?

 

Well we will have to see won’t we

 

Right Jack, are you satisfied?

 

I'm sure I'm not the only one they respond to but I know what the core patch priorities are.

I know the in cab texture issue for Xbox is still a ways off and is not on this patch as they still can't figure out exactly whats causing it.

But if you remove all the layers it doesn't happen, even though its not a acceptable fix even to them.

I know that distant scenery for Xbox won't be fixed or really investigated until after they make the core stable.

Secondly what was delayed, they never gave a release date so it can't be delayed.

Maybe you should look up the meaning of "hopefully", because its far off from "possibly" which is still only half way to "definitely".

Would you rather they give a full list of what is actually coming or a full list of what they hope will come, and then get told sorry we can only get half to work.

You do understand they could give us say 7 bugs they are working on. They fix bugs 1-4 and testing has passed now they put in the fix for item 5 and test but now that has some how mucked up the fix for item 2. Now you have to figure out why item 2 is broken and adjust item 5 from affecting it. Run tests again and "if" it works continue.

It not always as simple as oh here is the fix. The fix can require further fixes from new bugs that come up.

Try being more patient. I've taken a break from playing TSW and not planning on playing until the Xbox in cab textures are fixed. And from what I have read on the forums and DM's from actual employees I don't expect it to be fixed until December at rhe earliest.

And I'm not having a hissy fit about it. I go on the forums maybe 1-2 times a week and read if there is an update and that give me all the infonI need. Maybe every 3-4 week DM if there is an update. If they say no I don't reply back all angry, I say thank you and accept it.

 

It's only important what data lands on your system, not what's being talked about. Back when I started gaming, there was zero communication with devs, and we didn't need roadmaps. Something's in the stores, you'd read magazine reviews and decide if you're buying it, not expecting it to change.

Everybody knows when DTG are releasing a DLC, it will be in an unfinished state. All it needs is to wait before purchasing and control your FOMO.

 

As I’ve mentioned previously, Frontier First Encounters. Bugged to hell after the joy that was Frontier Elite II (lost count of the hours spent on both the Amiga and later PC version). But its sequel even crashed with hexdump errors on the screen. One patch eventually emerged, obtained via magazine cover disc but that failed to address most of the issues. All of this long before the Internet, forums or other social media even in its infancy so there was nowhere to go and complain, other than write a strongly worded letter to the PC gaming magazines who gave a 90% score, said letter of course never getting published!

 

"We're sorry, but the patch we were hopeful to send out has been delayed due to circumstances beyond our control. Our apologies to those waiting."

That took me a handful of seconds to type. It's communication to let us it's not coming and people don't get fed up.

 

I'm not satisfied, so that's at least two of us.

 

Tbh, they would've been better off saying nothing beyond "we're working on a patch and it'll be with you soon" in the first place then this whole situation would've been avoided.

Rings true of the Dresden announcement, after which they went back into their hole and stopped talking until a few weeks before release.

 

As I understand it, the lack of communication is due to the use of Discord. Some posts from users show that DTG has directed all communication to Discord and no longer to the forum. They should drop this Discord stuff. I don't use Discord and won't use it. And I think many other users who expect communication from DTG here on the forum don't either.

How can you put all your communication in the hands of a third party service provider? It really sucks that they only use Discord for news.
Get rid of that Discord sh**!!
This is the official Forum.

 

Trouble is, for some, if they said soon, that would be interpreted as a week or so. Then we would be getting angry posts saying they weren't communicating or they had abandoned said DLC, when said patch doesn't arrive in time!

 

Thank you JD, Can’t wait for the patch and It is fair enough not to have a release date as we rather it be bug free and taken time than it rushed. But I assume every bit of feedback has been taken and then the priority is given to the most serious ones or however it works. Hopefully I do see a Long list for WCML

 

Thanks JD.

 

Suspension on the 350 better be one of the improvements!

 

I am actually. I like what I get. I know it won't always be high quality, but I've learnt to not have unrealistic expectations (expecting everything to work as intended is unrealistic, especially after 4 years of the same - a leopard never changes its spots) of what I'm buying.

 

Go anywhere else there's discussion about TSW and you'll see the exact same complaints - often expressed in a much more vitriolic manner.

Well, I wouldn't say any DLC from DTG got finished post-release!

 

Thanks very much for the update JD.
All we need .

 

Routes like LFR and MTB are in considerably better shape now than at the point of their release, for example.

 

So you’re happy for it to be low quality and not to meet expectations?

 

So next week then, if it's delayed again can you tell us.

 

Just think it’s important to remember, we have collectively handed over a considerable sum of money to DTG for this less than sterling iteration of TSW. Bad enough paying £54 for the mess, got to feel for those who went for the super duper version and handed across over 100 notes. So with all the caveats, it would be nice to see a tracker of acknowledged bugs and issues, updated now and again as to where things are. The Roadmap is not really a substitute for this.

 

I can only assume you're being facetious at this point.

Do you want more communication or less, cos if you keep this up, you'll be getting less.

 

Where did he suggest it would be next week?

 

"I'm hopeful [...] next week"

Which of course means it's set in stone and cast in concrete.

 

You could still see a bit of effort between the earlier access and the sharp start ... now that people have already bought it, and there is no prospect of more banknotes, there is no effort in the first place .... it is, unfortunately, typical for today across market segments

 

I'm asking if he can tell us if it's delayed, so that's more.

 

I read that as this week.

But I agree, whatever is said will be used as a guarantee. Then people can get angry when "promises" don't happen.

 

There very much is the prospect of more banknotes. I have a few pence under £45 in my Xbox account which I'd earmarked for WCML + 390, but am holding back until patch(es) released and the community are somewhat happier, shall we say But in its current state, not on your nelly!

Otherwise it could always go elsewhere...

 

You're right. JD said this week. Not sure why I typed next

 

It strikes me from reading this thread the last few days that some people need a lot of hand holding.

It's been obvious for some time that DTG have been working on a TSW5 patch, so why do so many adults need this constant reassurance - a bit childish I think.

Better to wait until the patch is released before throwing toys out of the pram.

( Shields up, Mr. Sulu )

 

Thank you JD for your response

 

The opposite, actually. There are many things about TSW that annoy me but I don't have a lot of options, so I'm taking what I can get.

I want things to be better than they are, but I know that just isn't going to happen any time soon.

 

Hahahha edited after it's sat untouched for days, for saying "a***s kicked" as apparently it's insulting. Wobble your head mate. Hahahaha.

Reminds me of a Network Rail log entry recently for a incident involving a train driver flipping a signaller the middle finger for shocking regulation. The MoM had to attend to check the signallers was ok. Absolutely insane.

 

Thanks for the update JD. Could you and the Devs possibly look at a fortnightly update of bugs tracker, like mentioned above, just a space for users to see what's going on with bugs, what new ones are being adding/looked into etc. While the community does understand it's a tricky line to tread, we also want to know what has and hasn't been fixed, what's being worked on etc.

Something along the lines of what Asobo do with Microsoft Flight Simulator. You have a list of known bugs being worked on, with an estimate of resolution contained within this update.

It would mean a more structured approach to bug fix releases. So you could aim to release a patch a month and a big that's squashed gets changed from Bug Identifed > Fixed pending testing> Confirmed fixed - Released in November patch cycle. Or something like that.

 

Jan is always far too twitchy with his moderation, wonder if he's moderated Jasper after his comment the other day.

 

Erm, it is.

It's basically saying they're LOVE at their job.

 

Or maybe just....join the Discord?

 

'Posterior Punting' it is then!!!

 

I think many in here would have been furious way back 10 years ago when all we had was TSC and routes weren't teased or previewed in streams, you'd get an announcement on their website out of the blue about a new route coming out soon and it would arrive usually with no more than a week's notice.
Then we would all wait for someone to patch it and for AP to update track and lighting packs so that the routes looked alright.

That was it. Their communication and interaction with the community is far better these days. I'm not saying it's good nowadays, WCML has many game breaking issues before we even get to the things that are clearly wrong and affect immersion which they should have at least acknowledged. But it used to be a whole lot worse.

Edit- Having said that, what I'd give for an announcement from DTG about a new TSC route out of the blue that's modern, has new traction and isn't already in TSC or TSW.

 

Well they could take over JT’s attempt at the Highland Main Line in TSC, though for obvious reasons I want that set in 1978 - 1981!

 

No it isn't. I swear you're on these forums just to try and get a rise out of people.

If you think that phrase is insulting, you are the problem in modern society. There's nothing insulting about that saying, it just means they have to do better. At no point did I say say they were c**p at their jobs.