Torque 3D Status - 9/11/2010

#81 Scott; I checked on it: it was on 10-21.

#82 Yeah, Steve - actually some of that bloodline in my family so it'd be appropriate....

<shrug> I'm seeing a lot of progress, so I'm happy for now.

#83 oh man Scott,

Quote:I think you'll all find it was worth it

please dont do that,
too many times we hear that,
never happens,
half baked apples from the last stew,

just release...a product...soon.

#84 in terms of update can we expect also some information on the survey soon?

I think we were just anxious on the lack of update on the forums. The format you used for the initial thread describing your scrum run is really a good way to share the information and give a status. I hope you will continue in this way

thanks

#85 I don't think we'll be seeing 1.1 until June.

I'll put $10 on June. ..Anyone else in ?

#86 I got March from Michs comment on that ETA thread and had read it as worst case scenario was mid march if it needed 3 QA passes.

I don't mind the date slipping that's how software development goes I just wish it was communicated better, it seems random threads get updated or odd comments on IRC and there is no 1 place I can look for the latest news.

That's what then creates the chinese whispers with everyone having different expectations and causes the confusion and disappointment. If I can suggest just having 1 place to update and giving regular feedback as dates move and alter.

#87 I'm thinking that not every announcement needs to be a commentable blog. If anyone has comments they can put them in the appropriate forum. Many of the comments on announcements are extraneous and questions pop up that are best set aside for the forums anyway.

#88 From what I have read the new product manager was very recently handed over the T3D project(supposedly). The bad joke continues..

#89

Quote:From what I have read the new product manager was very recently handed over the T3D project(supposedly). The bad joke continues..

And who did you hear that from?

#90 [ I looked in my log. ]

[20:32] <[GG]Mich> I hand off T3D project management to the new guy on Monday
..
[20:33] <S....> any news on eta for t3d final?
[20:33] <[GG]Mich> That's up to the new project manager to decide
[20:33] <B....> yup - "eventually"

#91 Was it that T3D would be heading to QA after iT2D?

#92 I'm simply concerned with how long this wait will be.
- I have projects on hold and I am leaning more towards the UDK every day that you guys play the "change our words" game.

- I have made tools and apps to make T3D art creation and scripted interaction systems a streamlined breeze and I really dislike leaving that work behind as it will allow me to pump games out in weeks ..but sooner or later I will have no choice but to give up on that focus.

- Personally, I know that you guys understand my POV..
- Professionally; I am sorry I have to kick your shoes so often...I understand you don't like it.

The engine has some major flaws that are supposedly fixed in 1.1.

(I feel like I bought Enron stock the night before the crash.)

Here's my unsolicited My opinion:
release 1.1 and let the new guy work on 1.2.

#93 The new project manager will not have a negative effect on when the release happens. He was brought in specifically to take over the project management duties so that the development team can focus on development and not concern themselves with managing the project at the same time.

#94 Initial rant:

To be frank, I'd really enjoy if we could all just get on with coding our games (or... engines). If you don't like the engine or the company, fine. It's definitely good for us, the community, to have a voice and speak up when we see things going badly. I'm certainly not advocating we just be sheep and eat whatever GG throws at us. But please, a little understanding and respect for the guys who are working their arses off (coming off the back of being dropped by IA, then snatched from the precipice) so we can make awesome stuff. Give them a little credit... I'm sure they don't need us telling them how they should be doing their jobs.

After second thoughts:

That said, I don't want to belittle the plight of anyone who's actually relying on the games they make with GG engines to support themselves and/or families. I'm not in that situation, so I can afford to be more relaxed about GG's release schedule, and not bank my paycheck for the next few months on the update that may or may not be coming out.

#95 ..it's a tough situation for all of us right now & they hold the key to it's direct resolution.

I'll lean-off a bit as our points are clear.
(btw, if I paid $99, I wouldn't be complaining.
- Want me to stop complaining ? ..you can start a refund fund for me. Send me $901 USD and I'll never complain on this site again.)

#96

Quote:btw, if I paid $99, I wouldn't be complaining.

That's another point I should have thought of :P.

#97

Quote:[20:32] <[GG]Mich> I hand off T3D project management to the new guy on Monday
..
[20:33] <S....> any news on eta for t3d final?
[20:33] <[GG]Mich> That's up to the new project manager to decide
[20:33] <B....> yup - "eventually"

As soon as I replied, I had a sinking feeling it's something I said in IRC. I don't often go into much detail in IRC, so allow me to do so. When I say "handing off", that means I'm transitioning what I've been doing for the past few months back into the role I'm better suited for.

I am not an experienced project manager. The new guy is. I didn't just hand him the keys and run out of the building laughing maniacally. I've been walking him through the processes that work, processes that are breaking down, introducing the team and their habits, providing tech reports, walking through our bug lists and generally doing a brain dump.

With him taking over the project management, I can focus more on the tech and docs. Rather than spending hours looking at burn down charts, release projections, people trackers, etc etc etc etc (all that fun project manager stuff), I get to help fix the demos and get more docs in. I also get time to interview potential hires, vet bug reports and other stuff I am better suited for.

The new project manager is not going to slow things down. His job is to make us more efficient and get the product out the door. How many times have people posted something along the lines of: "It's not fair that ___ person at Torque is focusing on ____ and not our ___?"

Let's fill in the blanks: "It's not fair that Mich is focusing on T3D and not iTorque 2D". Guess what, bringing in this guy allows me to focus on T3D docs and iT2D development. Bringing in another guy to work on docs allows me to focus on iT2D development and T3D development. See how that works?

If we have him waiting until 1.2, he's basically doing nothing. We brought him on to get things done now.

Verbosity for the win.

#98 @Michael:
Seems silly to spend time justifying your internal project management/assignment on the forums rather than just letting people know where things stand with the engine... which is where the real frustration is with this thread.

I've quit bothering voicing my own frustration for the most part - there are plenty of others that do that just fine here (keep 'kicking shoes', eb). Just keep cracking on t3d and tighten down those bolts and I'll be happy.

Again, I'll suggest you guys post updates like this to keep the, erm, 'trolls' like me fed and sedated:
www.udk.com/news-beta-mar2011

As I ported to beta3, I ran into MANY new features that were never advertised or marketed that are right in line with what epic is doing. How would we know? Does marketing talk to the techs? To expect the community to dig up obscure screenshots from sickhead's flickr stream and speculate on what it means is just asking for this kind of conversation.

#99

Quote:
To expect the community to dig up obscure screenshots from sickhead's flickr stream ...

What? No one else check them daily?
;)

#100

Quote:What? No one else check them daily?

Ha! Believe me, I'm right there with you... :)