I was writing a news article the other day about Gears of War 2 getting a patch to fix some multiplayer issues and I started thinking - why were there so many glitches to begin with? Now, before you go spamming the comments section I'd like to point out I'm just using Epic Games as an example. The truth is a lot of developers/publishers are releasing games with dozens of bugs in them, just to get them out in time for Christmas.The thing that gets me is ten years ago these sorts of issues used to delay games by months. I can remember flicking through gaming magazines and reading articles about the delays, saying that the developer needed more time to iron out a few things. Now days the game is released, within hours people start complaining about something, and the developer promises a patch is on the way. Granted, games have certainly become bigger and more complicated, but I feel the implementation of online connectivity has made developers sloppy. Think about it: in the old days it would generate a lot of buzz, everyone would go out of their way to experience the minus world in Mario Bros., or the Missing No. duplication cheat in Pokémon Red/Blue. Now it just causes annoyance and, in some cases, lets people cheat in online matches.
Looking at the Big 3 (Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony), it’s interesting to see how each company deals with patches. Nintendo, obviously lacking a reasonable sized HD for the Wii, have to replace the game discs when a glitch is found. This requires a lot more time and energy than a simple download. First they have to send out postage packets to get the glitched discs sent back, then they have to send out the fixed discs. On top of this, they’re doing it all via express postage, so there’s quite a bit of money involved from that perspective as well. With this in mind, it’s encouraging to see this action has only needed to be taken in a few circumstances. In Japan, Forever Blue (Endless Ocean elsewhere) had a glitch where placing a specific species of fish in a tank would result in the game freezing up. Super Paper Mario in PAL regions had a similar problem when you talked to a character in the middle of a puzzle. There are a few more cases, but the bottom line is that for the most part, these glitches were not too serious and could easily be avoided. Also, an interesting point is that there have only been two issues on a worldwide scale: Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Twilight Princess. Arguably, Twilight Princess has been the most damaging since it let people create hacks for the Wii console, though due to my stance on piracy I’m not going to mention it further.
On the Microsoft and Sony front, we see the big boys going nuts over downloadable content. Videos, games, DLC for popular titles – they truly attempt to fit as much as they can in those hard drives. Now, as I mentioned in my last entry I’ve only had a 360 for a little under a month, but already I’ve noticed most of the titles I own have had updates in some form or another. I don’t know about you guys, but I really feel for those who don’t have a broadband connection. They have to play these games and put up with the glitches. My earlier example of GOW2 touched on online components, so lets take a look at Fable 2. Now, for a game that has been getting favourable reviews all around, the thing is absolutely full of bugs. Disappearing green bread trail, clunky menu layouts and camera systems… the list goes on and on. I’m not saying the game isn’t good, but you do have to wonder why MS released it in such a state. The publisher clearly wanted to push the 360’s sales last Christmas and make more profit. They knew Fable 2 was always going to be a hyped release, so when the developers had a playable version ready they just went ahead and stuck it in a box. I’m certain the testers would have come across these issues, but Microsoft just went “We’ll release patches over Live to fix it.” It’s absolutely pathetic. When I go to the shop and purchase a game, I want to come back home with something I can escape reality with, not be hounded by all these problems.
I will say one thing, I do believe having online integration is a good idea. The fact games are bigger and more complicated means there’s simply no way all the bugs are going to be addressed, so patches do make things simpler than replacing discs. However, there needs to be a balance between what’s acceptable and what isn’t. But let’s face it; this will inevitably come down to us, the consumers. If we continue to purchase these games and wait for a patch to come out, the message isn’t going to get through.
Some of your suggested bugs with Fable II don't sound like bugs to me but rather poor game design. The menus for example aren't the best designed menus in the world, but they still function well enough to do the job they need to. It's just done at a slower pace and unnecessarily complicated.
ReplyDeletePedantry aside though, I agree that developers and publishers are using DLC as an excuse to ship a game faster. On the one hand I appreciate that if there is something wrong, the online enabled consoles means that it can get fixed relatively quickly but on the other hand, using it as an excuse is just taking advantage of consumers and that isn't right. We should be paying for quality, not paying for the right to have patches fix our games later down the track and it's disappointing. Another issue with patches though is that applying them to a game can unfortunately open up more bugs, meaning more work for the developers (who no doubt want to move onto the next game) and more issues that shouldn't exist for us gamers who want to enjoy the game. I guess it is just 'one of those things' but it is still annoying and something that should be considered when discussing this stuff.
Last but not least, I am kind of annoyed that both Fable II and Mirror's Edge had DLC announced not even a month after their releases. Same could be said for Gears 2 adding new maps (with more content on the way) and Fallout 3 also with DLC on the way not too long after its release. I love the fact that these games are having their lives extended because it is more content for me to play with, but so damn soon after their release and all pretty much at once too? Come on guys, I am already playing your games, give me a chance...
Yeah, the menus are more of an annoyance (to some people at least) than a bug. Still, it just surprises me that Fable 2 can be riddled with bugs and sell like hot cakes. Microsoft clearly took advantage of the hype surrounding it, and I feel critics should have been harsher when reviewing it. I know a few people who have to restart there save file completely due to a glitch making further progress impossible. It's just not on, and I hope in future gamers hound publishers instead of letting them get away with it.
ReplyDeleteOn the topic of DLC, it does certainly have its advantages, but I completely agree with you about publishers announcing new maps, levels, characters or whatever within weeks of the title's release. Sometimes it feels like they're trying to dip their hands in our wallets for a second helping of cash. That said, I fully respect any publisher who offers something for free or, depending on the content, a very small fee.