DLC Release Date

[DJ Clae]

Let me get this straight, FarSight's a fail because they haven't gotten any DLC on the Xbox 360 in just a little over three months after release, yet when Zen released Pinball FX, I didn't get my fourth CORE table until six months after release and ONE single DLC table eight months after release...How soon we all forget. Just remember, Zen was dealing with the same company at the time of their super slow, almost non-existent, table releases when they first got into the digital gaming market as FarSight currently is. The only reason why you never knew how much trouble Zen had with Microsoft in the beginning is because they never shared any of that information with the public like FarSight does.

The only mistake I can see that FarSight made was promising two tables a month on consoles without proper research on Sony and Microsoft's approval processes. Everyone now knows that two tables a month are just not possible on consoles, yet people are still complaining about DLC.

Who cares about Pinball FX 2? We were really excited about 2 new tables a month. This was gonna be an awesome product.

 

[Emmanuel Papillon]

Everyone now knows that two tables a month are just not possible on consoles, yet people are still complaining about DLC.

I'm not complaining about DLC.

I'm complaining about the released game in its current form being absolutely terrible IMO, while it looks much better on every single other platform, and not matching what we were promised visually.

This game wasn't properly finished before release, and six months later, we still don't have a patch that'd put it at the level of the other versions. It's unacceptable.

Farsight apparently believed they could manage TPA as being an alpha, a work in progress that'd be updated and fixed regularly. But that's not what Microsoft expects for XBLA, they expect games that work at release. It's always been known patching was long and difficult on XBLA and should be an exception, just in case a few bugs have been missed. And not "it's not finished yet but it'll get better as it goes along".

DLC isn't the problem, patching the software to get it to the level it should have been at release is the problem. We all know the DLC itself has been approved.

Who cares about Pinball FX 2? We were really excited about 2 new tables a month. This was gonna be an awesome product.

Actually, Pinball FX2 runs perfectly smoothly, and always had. It's the old Pinball FX that apparently had some issues.
Except that even that old version, you know, worked right out of the box as advertised. They didn't make people wait six months for a patch that'd make it look like what they claimed it would be.

 

[PiN WiZ]

Who cares about Pinball FX 2? We were really excited about 2 new tables a month. This was gonna be an awesome product.

I was just trying to make a point that FarSight is not the only virtual pinball developer to have a slow start with their first venture into the digital market while dealing with Microsoft at the same time.

 

[Nik Barbour]

I understand that FarSight's promise of two DLC tables a month (which has yet to happen) aided in your decision to get an Xbox 360 which is why in one of my previous posts I stated, "The only mistake I can see that FarSight made was promising two tables a month on consoles without proper research on Sony and Microsoft's approval processes."

I think it would be in FarSight's best interest to just come clean and announce that, due to lengthy approval process times, two tables a month are just not possible on consoles and that they'll do their best to get DLC released as soon as possible on those platforms.

Agreed.
I'm sure we will get it sometime.

 

[Emmanuel Papillon]

I was just trying to make a point that FarSight is not the only virtual pinball developer to have a slow start with their first venture into the digital market while dealing with Microsoft at the same time.

Please tell me what other game didn't look like what was advertised at all, and was still in wait for a patch to correct that six months later (and maybe more eventually).
Again, I'm not mad at them. I sympathize with them, it must be horrible and their situation here is worse than mine. But they didn't manage this professionally.

 

[PiN WiZ]

Two tables a month...Eight tables every four months...What's the difference? In the end, you'll still get the same amount of tables that was promised, just not in monthly increments. I could see a problem if us Xbox 360 users waited four months and only got one DLC pack, but that's not the case at all.

DLC isn't the problem, patching the software to get it to the level it should have been at release is the problem. We all know the DLC itself has been approved.

Actually, DLC is the problem and is what this entire thread is about..."DLC Release Date." I do agree with you on Xbox 360 users having to wait 4-5 months for an update to fix visual and table issues that are currently present being a problem though.

 

[Franky]

the problem is that farsight still talking about two tables every month altough it's obviously not possible for them to deliver two bugfree tables every month. Instead all they do is accumulate bugs. and WHEN will there be a time for fixing when it all gets more and more and more? that's a vicious circle.

And instead of commiting: "ok, we ****ed it up. it was our first time. thanks for your patience. let's start all over again we promis to be more carefull in the future" they still blame others and keep on rushing.

So where is the point in all that?

 

[xNiCeGuYx]

Yes, FS has to changed the "two tables per month" immediately!
By the way who had this stupid idea at FS?

 

[PiN WiZ]

the problem is that farsight still talking about two tables every month altough it's obviously not possible for them to deliver two bugfree tables every month. Instead all they do is accumulate bugs. and WHEN will there be a time for fixing when it all gets more and more and more? that's a vicious circle.

I agree with this 100% and hope that FarSight re-evaluates their future DLC release schedule soon.

 

[Franky]

there is a big potential in farsight and their pinball developing skills no doubt about it - but they should not underestimate disappointed and angry customers. we all hope for the best and we all support farsight nevertheless but there are sooooo much more people out there and these are the one that count.

 

[Brandon Debes]

What would possibly indicate to FarSight the need to test such a case?

Microsoft's published list of Technical Certification Requirements.

And what does Pinball FX2 do if you save a table to a memory card and then remove the card while it is loading?

Their software handles this case and dumps you back to a menu with an error message that the table could not be loaded and lets you pick another table rather than just hanging. They knew to account for this case because they read Microsoft's published list of Technical Certification Requirements.



Also, I normally agree with most everything PiN WiZ says, but I don't understand why he thinks that a two tables per month release schedule isn't possible on Xbox 360. Harmonix have released between three and ten Rock Band songs per week, every week for five years. And as has been stated here recently, we know that the DLC itself is approved. We're waiting on the core game platform to be patched. If it were, the release schedule would be totally possible and probably happening.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

It seems you guys don't understand - you need to get something right - such things have nothing to do with microsoft, this are game bugs - microsoft is not "testing" the game for game bugs - otherwise farsight and other companies could never ever release on xbox360 - for their sloppy developing.

You missed the point. I wasn't asking that Microsoft test the actual gameplay, I was emphasizing the tiny probability of this memory card issue actually occurring in practice by comparing it to a table-breaking bug that actually affected the vast majority of players. (By the way, the Frankenstein Multiball issue was acknowledged in 1 business day, the cause identified and resolved in 2, and the patch delivered in 3.)

Imagine you sitting at home playing tpa - and your girlfriend, your kids, your dog ... unintentionally touches the memory card and you don't notice it - all of a sudden nothing is working except exit and whatever. You would have NO idea what is going on and after trying a few things you will recognize the loose memory card.

At which point the intelligent user would move the fairly expensive console to prevent recurrences of large objects crashing into it and potentially causing further damage.

and one more thing: why always picking on microsoft? they did their job already and a pretty good one - they don't need to prove anything - they brought us the xbox and countless of great games and hours of fun - farsight instead brought you nothing else than 4 buggy tables so far and lots of frustration and let downs - so THEY are in fact the ones who needs to show some results finally.

Ten tables, not four. The DLC itself is approved; there's just no way of getting at it without Microsoft removing head from arse and approving the title update.

second, because some people on the board really think that microsoft demands that the game should still be playable without the card in it - which is WRONG - they aren't stupid, they know that the game won't work without the content present. So it must be something else, right?

No, some people on this forum believe that it is self-evident that software will not function correctly when the device currently being accessed is abruptly removed, and that since the software does not actually crash in such a case and the issue would rarely come up in practice, that it should be waived for fix in the next update.

It's a very simple thing - it's rejected because of a bug and since farsight is responsible for the bug they are the one to blame and NOT MICROSOFT.

Not entirely. Microsoft's quality control that you tout so highly failed to catch this bug the first two times through.

 

[Richard B]

Hopefully they will be able to convince Microsoft to allow the release to go through and have it fixed in a future update. I am looking forward to purchasing and playing the game on the Xbox 360 mainly for the better controller and for the separated high-scores list.

Like that's gonna happen. . .

 

[Gordon]

Hello, Mike Reitmeyer.

Sorry, my english is not so good.

1. Is that correct? MS found a bug in this update and Fairsight repair this and give fast to MS?

2. Test MS the new update faster?

3. If this updates has come out, then all 3 DLC´s complete fast (following Tuesday updates after him) coming out?

best regards

gordon

 

[Rafie]

Let me get this straight, FarSight's a fail because they haven't gotten any DLC on the Xbox 360 in just a little over three months after release, yet when Zen released Pinball FX, I didn't get my fourth CORE table until six months after release and ONE single DLC table eight months after release...How soon we all forget. Just remember, Zen was dealing with the same company at the time of their super slow, almost non-existent, table releases when they first got into the digital gaming market as FarSight currently is. The only reason why you never knew how much trouble Zen had with Microsoft in the beginning is because they never shared any of that information with the public like FarSight does.

The only mistake I can see that FarSight made was promising two tables a month on consoles without proper research on Sony and Microsoft's approval processes. Everyone now knows that two tables a month are just not possible on consoles, yet people are still complaining about DLC.

Pin Wiz,

You seem like a nice guy. When I was once a lurker, I've seen that people respect you here and you are the "go-to" guy for new information about TPA. Actually, when I was a lurker...even I would look to you for information without you even knowing it. LOL I know that's creepy. Anyway, I want to ask you with out an argument what is your beef with Zen? Why don't you like them? I'll admit that I'm a huge fan of Zen and I'm also over there in their forums, but I realize that I love TPA too because we're all suppose to love pinball, no matter the approach (unless it really sucks). Although FS is built on real simulation, I like Zen for their fantasy tables. That's just me though. I would really like to hear your thoughts, sir.

 

[Richard B]

I'm not complaining about DLC.

I'm complaining about the released game in its current form being absolutely terrible IMO, while it looks much better on every single other platform, and not matching what we were promised visually.

This game wasn't properly finished before release, and six months later, we still don't have a patch that'd put it at the level of the other versions. It's unacceptable.

Farsight apparently believed they could manage TPA as being an alpha, a work in progress that'd be updated and fixed regularly. But that's not what Microsoft expects for XBLA, they expect games that work at release. It's always been known patching was long and difficult on XBLA and should be an exception, just in case a few bugs have been missed. And not "it's not finished yet but it'll get better as it goes along".

DLC isn't the problem, patching the software to get it to the level it should have been at release is the problem. We all know the DLC itself has been approved.


Actually, Pinball FX2 runs perfectly smoothly, and always had. It's the old Pinball FX that apparently had some issues.
Except that even that old version, you know, worked right out of the box as advertised. They didn't make people wait six months for a patch that'd make it look like what they claimed it would be.

The original Pinball FX looked terrible and had terrible physics. It wasn't until FX 2, which came out almost a year later, that the series became worth playing.

By the way, I remember Mike specifically mentioning this bug as an example of how ridiculous the requirements are. If FS never addressed this issue, then it is their fault. If anyone can find the thread that post is in, let us know.

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

Microsoft's published list of Technical Certification Requirements.

Are you telling me there is a specific item in there that covers the required behavior of the game when the user removes a device while the game is accessing it?

 

[Rafie]

The original Pinball FX looked terrible and had terrible physics. It wasn't until FX 2, which came out almost a year later, that the series became worth playing.

No it didn't look terrible. The physics wasn't all that great at first, but it wasn't unplayable. Extreme was the only table that was unplayable to me. Everything else was cool. FX2 is without a doubt beast!

 

[Franky]

It's a very simple thing - it's rejected because of a bug and since farsight is responsible for the bug they are the one to blame and NOT MICROSOFT.

@ Serenseven

dry your tears and get over it, it's hard but that's the way it is and YES, they brought as four tables so far.

 

[Brandon Debes]

Are you telling me there is a specific item in there that covers the required behavior of the game when the user removes a device while the game is accessing it?

That's what I'm telling you. I don't expect everyone who likes playing video games to read Gamasutra or care about how the industry works on the inside. But those who are going to debate the technical aspects of modern game development on forums should probably do some reading first.