AGDInteractive - Sierra Adventure Game Remakes Forum

I know there has been a lot of grief and discussion over updates in the designer journals; so, sorry to bring it up again but I've noticed something that would be kind of cool if implemented here. There is this fan project that is moding Knights of the Old Republic II and adding back in all the cut content (and there was a ton). Well they got tired of everyone asking for updates so they created this little bug tracker/progress chart.

http://www.team-gizka.org/wip.html

Anyway, they update it once or twice a week and I'm sure it only takes a minute or two. Well, I just though something similar would help people realize that progress is being made and cut back on the “when will it be done?” threads.

Just a thought...

Thanks for all you guys do!

But what exactly would be the point of giving out numbers how many bugs of what type were squashed every few days? It still doesn't really give an accurate view on the total progress.

I realize it only takes a few minutes to write something up. That's not really why it's not being done. The point is that progress updates are simply another thing on the developer's mind...another thing he has to remember and keep track of, which is much more significant than the actual time it takes to write something up.

The point of it all is not a countdown to completion (nor should anyone think it is a record of accountability). It doesn't show an “accurate view of total progress”, that's not the point. Remember these are “Designer Journals” not game progress updates. Developers Journals are for sharing how you do things, how you overcame challenges, explain obstacles, successes, failures, you share technical aspects, design concepts. The idea behind “Designer Journals” is to document for other so they can understand what and how you did what you did and maybe follow in your footsteps.

One of the things I love about the Knights of the Old Republic II bug tracker is watching the numbers go down and up. You see how solving some problems give rise to others.

Anyway, I don't want anyone to think I'm saying that AGI needs or should do this. I just wanted to throw an idea out. It's very possible that what works for one project won't work for another. If my views on “Designer Journals” are not what was intended by AGI, or I have offended anyone I apologize. It was not my intent to start a fight or any hard feelings, just raise an idea.

I have the deepest respect for anyone that undertakes an original or remake project like the ones that have been done here.

A few years back I was working in QA. I was sitting with a programmer going over the product. One of those bars comes up to show loading progress. It moves up in percentage and when it reaches 100%, the thing is loaded. I noticed that it almost always stalled when it reached around 98 or 99% and I asked the programmer why that happened.

He said it's impossible to know exactly how long the thing will take to load up. You can at best get a sort of guess. In reality, it will take as long as it takes. The progress bar isn't there to show the real progress. It's merely there to give the user something to look at.

Heh, that's an interesting tidbit there, Rich. I always knew that 100% took the longest but I didn't realize the progress bar had no point at all lol. It really does a good job fooling people, though!

And it's AGDI not AGI, there phillbvi dude. AGI is the acronym for Adventure Game Interpreter (the engine the first 3 KQ games used). AGDI is the acronym for Anonymous Game Developers Interactive. I'm only saying because you used it twice so I figured it wasn't just a mistake.

AGI was also used for the first version of KQ4.

Actually the game was developed for SCI mainly but the AGI version was made at the same time for people who didn't update their computers yet. So really, they were both first.

I think that a bug tracker sounds like a nice idea, but since the game is in its final stage now maybe is an idea that came a little too late. If they did it when they started hunting for bugs it would be nice, very interesting. Right now, I think there's no point, I'd prefer AGDs to concentrate on finishing the bugs than developing some kind of tool or implementing it. Just my opinion.

P.D. Maybe in a future project?