Why do tested patches behave so unpredictably?

Apparently FC tests console patches. They even have a 3rd party test the patches independently. Thanks for the information @Cattibria.

So my new question is, how does a bug that prevents log in make it to live servers? 2 tiers of testing do not reveal accurate results compared to live server environments. Can someone from FC staff please look into the testing process and figure out where the problem lies?

Paying 2 groups of testers, and paying for resubmitted certification attempts seems costly. Especially if the testing does not seem to be effective.

When a patch goes live and; requires 100’s of players to submit bug reports, requires developer man hours to create hotfixes, causes outbursts in posts, delayes players from refreshing decay timers, etc, etc, etc. it seems like there is a problem. It seems like a waste of time, resources, and funds as a tested product.

I sincerely wish FC would identify and improve the issue(s) that causes these tested patches to behave so detrimentally.

This isnt bait for trolls, not a debate, not an arguement. Its something i feel would improve CE and save FC funds. If patches went live and behaved in a more controlled nature, it would result in a better experience for the players, and a more reliable product for FC, that in theory, would be less costly.

Please forward my concerns to the appropriate FC personnel. I dont know whom to @. I will try @Dana to see if there is a way they can help a member of the community that has a valid concern.

If any other members of the community would like to see FC address the testing process and the result of its yields, please like this post. But please, be cool bro in your comments, help FC add quality to patches. Dont be uncool bro!

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As I stated in my previous post, this is my understanding of the process and it may have changed.

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Cool! Read your other posts glad to see a a6.

Thanks for the support!

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The greatest problem in all the humanity is that everybody can do something better… After it is done. I try to keep it really cool BRO!!!

Im speaking about fixing the process used DURING testing, not after. And addressing and fixing the process so FC releases a better product. It not an eternal quest for all mankind, nothing to do with humanity, just a request for FC to do better.

Infact, where is FC representation here? I @Dana , @Cattibria stopped by to clarify what she posted on my last thread before deciding to close it. I replied to @ignasi in another thread and linked this thread to him asking him to forward it as a concern.

Where are you folks? I see you have all been active, why the avoidance? I have a legitimate concern that could lead to improvements, will someone address it?

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Here is a example of some testing being done. @WeWantImprovements

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@sestus2009 , In an elder stream a developer said that they find out an issue that was caused from the library of the Consoles, like I said, it’s easy to speak my friend, the easiest thing. I have crafters under my supervision that makes with words the best things, but when the time comes, hmm something went wrong, the material was not good, the tools was not good… You know!

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Thanks fella! Looks like my theory holds water, at least for Japanese consoles. Differences between testing and live environments is evident for all consoles.

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Please do not openly question forum moderation. You can direct a DM to that moderator, the Moderators, or to the Community team.

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Im more concerned with seeing improvements made than anything else. Disregard my questions then, except the one about avoiding my concern, that would technically be considered,’ inaction’. Am i allowed to ask that my concern receives attention?

FC testing and live console play are two seperate environments. The addition of patches to the two different environments has two different results. Patches will continue to produce unexpected results untill the two environments are more compatible.

This results in a negative experience, frequently. Some players experience decays while unable to log, most often resulting in loss of all structures and stowed items. FC holds no responsibility.

FC controls its own testing parameters. FC can address the testing environment impact. Console players could have a better experience. FC could enjoy a more content consumer demographic in console players. Improvements could be made. Negative impact could be lessened, possibly avoided altogether.

I do not understand why this is not addressed. I do not understand why it is allowed to continue. I do not understand the avoidance of a valid suggestion that could improve console experience for thousands upon thousands of players.

Give us a real QoL update. Address the testing parameters.

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You have been extremely rude from the beginning and yet @Cattibria was nice enough to show your post immediate attention. Demanding that Funcom or the moderators of this forum succumb to your will is not going to result in changes to the testing system or any other system.

Sometimes sugar works better then vinegar, or so I’ve heard. If you truly want changes implemented, than start by changing your attitude. Creating a topic that is discussed and liked by other members on the forum is the best way to show Funcom your opinion on a specific issue. But make no mistake, it is Funcom’s game, not yours, and you are lucky that they have allowed you to share your opinion with them via this platform.

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@Cattibria did nothing but clarify what she had posted when i referenced it. Nothing more.

My will be damned. I have a valid suggestion for a process that impacts an awful amount of people negatively. It is being completely ignored by those responsible for forwarding suggestions and assisting the community.

I have been very cordial all along, im not trying to give any reasons to flag me or remove my posts or thread. I carefully plan what i wish to say and avoid offending if at all possible.

My attirude is acceptable, as nothing i have posted is flaggable. I am merely asking for the moderators to perform their job tasks, by creating a topic. This FCs game, 100% correct. FC makes all decisions and ultimately decides the experience we participate in. And this forum exists as a tool. Almost every company has one. Even vacuum clearner companies have forums.

Your post is aggressive in nature and serves only as an attack. Thank you for your contribution. Good day Sir!

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Well they have testlive, which nobody plays, except the ones who want to know what is new and what can be abused in PvP.

But I agree with you. I don’t understand what is so hard in the task to create an official server, take a copy of ANY database (preferably high population one) and get some internal testers to play privately on it for a month. Then open it for the public and do a “public test” with players.

Also have community members observe and analyze the PvP scene in Conan to understand how the game is played and what is currently OP/unbalanced and needed (counter mechanics for example).

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Where?

So he is lucky to have freedom of speech?

Perhaps “extremely rude” should be replaced with “demanding to see the manager” and “lucky that they allowed you to share your opinion” might be replaced with “apparently unaware that these forums come with no obligation to pay attention to you” :slight_smile:

I’ve seen this kind of behavior before, and I thought I might shut up and stay away for once, but I guess I don’t have enough willpower for that. So here we go.

Yeah, Funcom’s QA practices can most generously be described as “far from ideal but trying to improve”. Major releases almost always feature at least one major bug, and regressions are not uncommon. Folk wisdom among veteran players is “wait for the dust to settle after a major release”, which tells you all you need to know.

It’s been 3 years now and process improvements that players can see have been few and far between, but there have been some. For example, the communication around bug reports has improved significantly, especially since the forum revamp. Another significant improvement was around the format and detail level of the patch notes. Yet another has been Funcom’s adjustment of policy on how long a major patch should stay on TestLive, and their tracking of TestLive bugs, and documentation of known issues resulting from unfixed TestLive bugs.

Is there room for more improvement? As I already said, the current state of the matters is far from ideal, at best. So yeah, it needs to improve.

How do we accomplish that? We, uh, don’t. Not exactly.

We can post our suggestions and hope they’ll see them and relay them to the team. We can even hope that they’ll tell us when they’ve relayed it. But that’s as far as that goes.

@WeWantImprovements, if you think they’ll see your thread and come here to have a conversation with you, you might as well give up now. Seriously, no matter how much you don’t like it, that ain’t gonna happen, period. I’m not really in the mood to explain why that’s perfectly reasonable, especially since your previous thread doesn’t give me much hope that you’ll listen.

For what it’s worth, I agree with you that they need to improve, and I like that your original post in this thread was polite, level-headed, and reasonable. But you really won’t accomplish anything by demanding their attention. I’m not saying this as an attack. Take it as advice, or as a description of their track record if you don’t like advice.

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I apologize if my post came across as an attack, that was not my intent. My intention was to explain why your current method was not going to accomplish your goal and to suggest an alternate route.

Yes, you are allowed to ask, does that mean it will receive attention? NO.

You say your “will be damned” yet nothing short of Funcom doing it your way is acceptable to you. For example:

You have received TWO posts from a moderator, your topic is hardly ‘being ignored.’ It has likely been forwarded already but you seem to think they owe you some sort of explanation about what they are doing or how they do it. Inserting yourself into someone else’s business is extremely rude.

This has absolutely nothing to do with freedom of speech, I am sorry if you can’t see that. FYI many countries do not get to enjoy true freedom of speech and last I checked, the internet does not reside in one specific county. The rules of this forum stated in the ‘Community Guidelines’ need to be followed (although the guidelines have become very elusive and I can’t find them at the moment).

  • EDIT: Perhaps @Cattibria will be kind enough to message me a working link to the guidelines, my old link no longer works.
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