Update Frequency

Given that some problems are related with scalability and some others are related with configuration that aren't available at Stardock (DSL in Europe for example), how could they correctly test those cases without making the updates public?

So you're saying that as a developer checks in a solution for a particular group (like, for instance, last night's update that takes care of a multi-homing DSL ISP causing those users not to be able to connect to more than 1 person) that we should just sit on it?

It's important to realize that there isn't just "1 group" working on Demigod.  

GPG has many people working on Demigod. Stardock has assigned people to work on Demigod to enhance the game.  As we get updates we can either sit on them for some long period of time and collect them or, we can do what we've been doing, as soon as they're cleared by QA incorporate them into the build.

Even now, the versions of Demigod was have internally are significantly different than what is public but they are still going through QA.

The reason we are able to do micro updates is because we have Impulse.  A normal user who hasn't played since last week would simply see 1 600k update.  People who play every day I think (I hope) appreciate seeing these rapid updates.

To the guys who have no problem with anything, I'm sure they don't understand what the point is.  But to the guy who is now able to connect to 9 people or is now able to play pantheon well or what have you, it's a big difference.

So your complaining about them fixing their product too often?

I rather complain that they HAVE to fix it so often.

But they made their mistakes and - unlike publishers like JoWood - will not repeat them. The technical ones, at least.

What I'm saying is that creating test scenarios like packet loss while matching could produce the errors we encountered in advance.

And right now those rapid minipatches are probably the best way to test their new network code. But any adminstrator will agree that you don't usually use a production environment for testing.

Unless you can't reproduce the production environment for testing purpose ...

I think the problem is that most of us have no idea what the patches are supposed to be fixing, specifically. 

People see the updates, and then some of us see either no change or a new problem.  I think it would be to your benefit, Frogboy, to put patch notes somewhere easy for people to find them.  If adding it to the update tab is a problem, posting it here with "Patch 12: Date, Time" as the thread title would work fine. 

As it is there have been a ton of patches, and digging through the forums has turned up only two that I know the purpose for.  It's baffling for me, personally, to update and find the only change I can detect is that my skirmish and Pantheon connections, which worked fine until the first custom game connection patch, no longer work. 

Still true by the way.

The patch notes are right in Impulse in the history area that specify explicitly what's new.

yep. and the history omits quite many of the mini updates that happend this week.

Btw. I think they worked. I could finally join skirmish games again.

So it fixed the game for you and yet you're complaining?!

It's better they update the game frequently than infrequently. Always.

I prefer patches that come in small-sizes, but of course, the patches so far is very good to see as Stardock is working on Demigod frequently, but fact is I am still unable to connect. LOL much.