Open question~ PATCH PHILOSOPHY

[jeeve]

Quote: Originally Posted by Adam_Thompson_EA

If anything is broken on the final retail version of the game it is because it was missed by our testers, EA testers, Sony testers, and MS testers.

Your testers, EA testers, Sony testers, and MS testers?

You may want to consider replacing them with just 5 or so hardcore gamers from OS or NCAAstrategies. And hey, those guys would do it in a heartbeat, for free.

[mgoblue678]

But how did you guys not realize those two things were busted is what we are getting at. Especially the sliders since they were busted last year out of the box as well.

[Adam_Thompson_EA]

Quote: Originally Posted by jsquigg

I really don't want to be disrespectful, so if I'm out of line please call me on it. My question is how does the testing process go and how does the NCAA team miss the same problem (sliders) that was prevalent last year? I used to be a lot more excited about this series, but even last gen there were recurring problems that were immediately noticeable upon playing the game. I know it is challenging to get a game developed within the stress of deadlines, etc., but I was hoping you could shed some light on the testing process.

I'm not sure what the processes are in place. I have been out of the QA department for 5 years now.

We were very upset when we found out about the sliders because the same thing happened last year. When we have to patch something, or if something is returned by Sony or Microsoft, it is always added to the test plan for the next year.

I can't really discuss publically what went wrong with the sliders and rosters. It doesn't matter to you guys... just know that we are fixing them.

[Adam_Thompson_EA]

Quote: Originally Posted by jeeve

Your testers, EA testers, Sony testers, and MS testers? You may want to consider replacing them with just 5 or so hardcore gamers from OS or NCAAstrategies. And hey, those guys would do it in a heartbeat, for free.

Ha! No.. no you wouldn't.

[BAMAJD]

Quote: Originally Posted by jeeve

Your testers, EA testers, Sony testers, and MS testers? You may want to consider replacing them with just 5 or so hardcore gamers from OS or NCAAstrategies. And hey, those guys would do it in a heartbeat, for free.

When testing a game all day u might have to just do one animation all day. And stuff like that, its not all what you think

[jsquigg]

Quote: Originally Posted by Adam_Thompson_EA

I'm not sure what the processes are in place. I have been out of the QA department for 5 years now. We were very upset when we found out about the sliders because the same thing happened last year. When we have to patch something, or if something is returned by Sony or Microsoft, it is always added to the test plan for the next year. I can't really discuss publically what went wrong with the sliders and rosters. It doesn't matter to you guys... just know that we are fixing them.

I appreciate you responding to a tough question. I can only hope that down the road the team has a bigger emphasis on testing throughout, as well as fleshing out the game play in regards to O-line strategy. Thanks again.

[da ThRONe]

Quote: Originally Posted by Adam_Thompson_EA

That's what I'm trying to clarify. We didn't know that the rosters were bad and the sliders weren't working correctly until after the game was finalized. It seems like you are lumping bugs and features you are not fond of into the same bucket.

I guess I dont understand how the sliders werent a top priority coming in to this year? If I make a mistake on my job doing something the next time I do that samething I would make sure that my last mistake is not a problem. I would make it a priority to make sure it was done correctly before I decide to add anything else.

So what did you guys do differently this year that would make you think that the sliders would be fix? And wouldnt it make sense to be on top of it to make sure it work? These all seem like common sense things to me. Which is why its so hard to conceive how this could happen two years in a row!

[UnderRatedCoast]

Quote: Originally Posted by Adam_Thompson_EA

Ha! No.. no you wouldn't.

I would never do any testing, but I would be EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY more than happy to review the rosters every year for free. Especially if we can ever get an actual 85 man roster and one guy for each conference would make it very easy to do.

[yanks26ngoin]

I'd gladly be one of the guys that recieve a "beta" copy of the game and relay all my feedback on it to the developers, lol. My question is, since Steve's copy is a "beta" one, and some of it may be fixed in the final one, do you guys send out a fixed beta copy, or do the people who get the beta copy have to go an get the finalized game to see all the fixed things.

Also, since Russ made it sound like that 2 patches are already planned to fix the online rosters, and the accelorateors in OD along with the effectiveness of sliders, how many more patches can you guys concievably do? I know that CH2k8 had to have like 2-3 patches, which helped make the game one of the best games of all time.

[Potatoes002]

How long after release is the patch due out?