Hire a company, Clean up the PC version

[Bubblez]

There are numerous people on the Steam forum that have gotten furious, especially since the latest update version 3. There are bugs that never seem to get fixed, glitches here and there. I have never, not once, played a game with absolutely no bugs. I love the fact that the developers come out with new content on a monthly basis, it keeps the game interesting and fun, but then it becomes annoying and players, including myself, rage quit out of the game because of the bugs that make the game either annoying, or unplayable.

The problems only get worse when the developers essentially confirm what many players have known for a long time - that they enjoy getting an idea, a game out into the world fast, and don't care to focus on the details or the fine points of the game. Those details or fine points are what could essentially make or break a game. The latest update to version 3 has added its fair share of bugs to the game, as has ever update before it. So this rant serves as a request from myself, and other people who are making similar rants on the steam forums, please hire a company to clean up the script and game for the PC version. I think it is great that you are expanding prison architect to the consoles, but hiring a company to clean up your console version and not your PC version is a slap in the face to the people who have supported your company from day one.

I absolutely love Prison Architect, but I would NOT recommend it to anybody until it gets cleaned up.

[zbyrne]

Which bugs would these be? I've been playing it a bit for the first time in a while, and I haven't seen any major ones - bar a strange one, where you click an object and it selects the one to the left of it instead for placement, but easily fixed really.

And speaking as someone who certainly hasn't been with the company since day 1, the game is in pretty solid nick, certainly much improved from when I got on board, around about alpha 17 i think. They have done bug bashes too.

Maybe identify the problems / bugs, rather than generally complaining. Also, on the console port, I wouldn't say that they've cleaned up the console version, with outside help, but seem to have upgraded the UI and controls, to work better on console.

Finally, "when the developers essentially confirm what many players have known for a long time - that they enjoy getting an idea, a game out into the world fast, and don't care to focus on the details or the fine points of the game", this I consider to be a nonsense quote. Go back and look at the very first alpha, and then tell me that the subsequent three years of work was "rushing the game out". Its come on significant leaps and bounds. Finally, it's not like they've stopped their update cycle, that is continuing, and not as DLC, now that the game is "finished".

[Bubblez]

I respect your comments, and for the most part I was mostly ranting. As for reporting any bugs I come across - I always report the bugs I encounter on the bug tracker. The frustration comes into play when there are bugs (and I'm not saying I experience all of them, but a quick read on the steam forums shows users who do experience them) that don't get fixed. Or very simple things that, in an alpha are ok, but for a "full release" game shouldn't be the case. Simple things like the "too dangerous" or "No Route" bugs where there is clearly no danger, and there is clearly a route, and the only way to fix the problem is to save and exit the game, and then restart the game.This is the most common thing that many players encounter all the time, and most don't bother complaining about it anymore because the problem never gets solved and appears to get ignored by the development team. Another very common complaint are the out of alignment tables, metal detectors, etc that go into the wall... there shouldn't have to be a Mod to fix a cosmetic issue like this, it should have been implemented into the game long ago. But instead of implementing it, and despite many complaints online, it never gets fixed. It honestly is small things like this that make or break a game. For the most part, the major, game breaking bugs usually get fixed by the next update.

I understand that there will be some things that simply can not be fixed. Its inevitable. But if that is the case, then don't just ignore it, tell your customers that, you know, "Hey, we hear you about this issue, but at the moment we don't know how to fix it."


So now, I would like to make the suggestion that updates don't automatically apply to the game on steam. Many games on steam when launching an update send their update into a beta test mode, and users have the option in steam settings to opt into the beta. I think this is what the game developers should consider doing. The people who want to update can - and they can discover the bugs - and they have no right to complain about their game being broken, and then all the bugs that are found in the beta update can be fixed for everybody the following month and released to everybody. That way, if there are any game breaking bugs, it doesn't effect your core audience.



And finally, you may think my quote was nonsense, but it was essentially what they said in the latest update video on Youtube. I of course paraphrased because I didn't want to watch the video again and type out exactly what they said, but if you don't believe what I said, then feel free to go watch the update version 3 video on youtube.

[CitadelCore]

<startRant>

Seconding. Also, the lag is unbearable past 250+ prisoners or a large prison layout and this needs to be optimized like it was for the Xbox One. (I have a good computer). I just had a look at the Support forum to see so many questions go unanswered, I understand you have a lot on your plate, devs, but please don't just ignore us loyal players.

Also, the modding code at the moment is extremely buggy and a lot of things are broken. If you want us to mod, at least give us proper tools to mod WITH.

</endRant>

[CJH]

I agree, i think it would be money well invested and would result in a very clean and neat product!

What i saw from the new layout from the console version was also absolutely fantastic! That really gives an extra feel for the gameplay and also was PERFECT in style! Really impressed by that. If that content could be implemented into PC/MAC/Linux version it would really be fantastic!

Performance could also be improved?

I love the new content, been waiting like everyone else for guard towers and the max sec visitation booths (i was a guy asking for that 3-4 years ago haha). Thanks for implementing that! I bet theres more stuff you could add.

[dogsbody]

I can't remember which Alpha it was, but there was one month where no be featured were introduced, instead there was a "Bugbash" and performance upgrade month - perhaps something like that is needed?

[VoiD88]

I can't remember which Alpha it was, but there was one month where no be featured were introduced, instead there was a "Bugbash" and performance upgrade month - perhaps something like that is needed?

They did not one, but FOUR bugbash months. It was Alphas 8 (to some extent), 22, 26 and 32. But they were just for fixing bugs, not improving performance.

I think they need to do a "performance enhancing month" now in addition to the bug fixing

[henke37]

What bugs me is the task scheduler. A lot of efficiency problems are due to this underlying key system. Entities are given tasks with little care to what they are doing, where they are or who are close to the task. This is what causes a lot of walking around in large prisons: dumb task assignments.

For one thing, if the scheduler has the options to pick an entity from across the map and to wait for one two tiles away to finish up its quick task, it will always pick the entity across the map.

This also applies in inverse: when an entity needs to find an object to use, it will always pick a currently free object. Waiting is not considered unless there is no other such object on the entire map.

There is also the issue of object stack placement. While the issue is mostly masked for most entities by the requirement to be in a certain room, it is very obvious when building walls, foundations, cables and pipes. No care is taken to select a good spot where to place the stack.

[ulix]

<startRant>

Seconding. Also, the lag is unbearable past 250+ prisoners or a large prison layout and this needs to be optimized

YES!

[Pompier15]

I can't remember which Alpha it was, but there was one month where no be featured were introduced, instead there was a "Bugbash" and performance upgrade month - perhaps something like that is needed?

They did not one, but FOUR bugbash months. It was Alphas 8 (to some extent), 22, 26 and 32. But they were just for fixing bugs, not improving performance.

I think they need to do a "performance enhancing month" now in addition to the bug fixing

I totally agree with you

[Trixi]

I can't remember which Alpha it was, but there was one month where no be featured were introduced, instead there was a "Bugbash" and performance upgrade month - perhaps something like that is needed?

They did not one, but FOUR bugbash months. It was Alphas 8 (to some extent), 22, 26 and 32. But they were just for fixing bugs, not improving performance.

I think they need to do a "performance enhancing month" now in addition to the bug fixing

I totally agree with you

i would also agree

[ulix]

So apparently the console version has a lot better performance than the PC version with a lot of prisoners?

[dareddevil7]

So apparently the console version has a lot better performance than the PC version with a lot of prisoners?

A console is basically a PC that is a bit locked up, you can do some things, and not others

[5hifty]

So apparently the console version has a lot better performance than the PC version with a lot of prisoners?

A console is basically a PC that is a bit locked up, you can do some things, and not others

In Australian people call 'Jelly' Jam and 'Jello' Jelly meaning a PB&J would be really gross here.

Sorry thought we were just posting information unrelated to the quoted post.