Everyday

[iaidoka2]

I check the COTA forums for the thread that starts "COTA released", the anticipation is almost killing me.

Just thought Id get that off my chest.

[AlexB]

You're not alone, m8!
Every day I come and have a hopeful peek too... [:)]

[GBS]

I check once in the morning, once at noon and once again in the evening. If they are still working diligently on the game you would think the Dev's could at least take 3 minutes a day for to update the forum. Right now there is nothing here.

[sterckxe]

ORIGINAL: GBS

I check once in the morning, once at noon and once again in the evening. If they are still working diligently on the game you would think the Dev's could at least take 3 minutes a day for to update the forum. Right now there is nothing here.

Well, they would if the situation would change - afaik they're still a bit stuck on the same killer bug Arjuna mentioned in here.

If it's any consolation I've been playing the beta for a couple of evenings now without encountering any new bugs, so it's looking pretty solid.

So a sitrep might sound : everyone - i.e. wargamers with extremely good taste and beta-testers - is waiting for this mother-of-all-bugs to be squashed so a gold candidate can be produced for some thourough testing.

So it won't be long now - and it's gonna be good

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

[Arjuna]

All right...all right. I hear ya![;)]

I have fixed a number of bugs this week, including some relating to attacks, but alas they are not the cause of the infamous out of sync bug. Most likely candidate for this at the moment is with the player's plan not updating one of its force groups correctly from the interface. This doesn't happen all the time, which is both good and bad in terms of trying to catch it. I'm re-writing some of the code to fix this. I'm also working on the Reference Manual. Progress is slow but there is progress. Hang in there.

PS anyone wanting to invest in such hi-risk development please apply.[;)]

[sapper_astro]

There is an upshot to this killer bug (thought not for Dave of course..),

Many dirty little bugs are being discovered and squashed while the betas continue to play, so when this mother bug is destroyed, the game itself should be pretty solid straight out of the box (a surprise for many PC gamers these days).[;)]

Would love to play the bloody game though....

[MarkShot]

I fully understand your the frustration of those who have been waiting and following COTA development/release situation since 2005.

Sometimes, you may think that we, beta-testers, just like to tease you non-beta testers or flaunt that we have the game now. However, in most cases, we post here about the game since we are excited about it and want to share our enthusiam beyond our little closed community.

I started my COTA Mini-Guide thread in October, 2005. At that time, I expected that release was around the corner and I was timing my public promotion of COTA with the swell of a wave which was building. However, the swell came and went, but no wave crested. What happened? Sort of like my own personal product launch, but no product. So, like everyone else, I wait and check the forums.

---

Now, regarding Dave O'Connor who is at the center of the "when will COTA be released?" story ... I've known Dave for four years now. Dave loves what he does. Which, of course, is one of the reasons why the game engine has no rivals in terms of what it offers for this particular genre. But beyond that Dave has a level of integrity and pride in his product that is rarely found these days in the software industry. Dave is almost compulsive when some cool idea enters his head and he imagines how it will add to the game. Thus, it is only way beyond any reasonable target dates for completion that he finally starts saying "we'll have to leave that for the next game". Unlike many developers who can sleep at night despite releasing games that won't be playable for 6-12 months after the release or maybe never, Dave has never entertained such slash and burn style of product development.

So, I think if I ever contemplated being wreckless and throwing all hope of financial security to the wind to develop PC games for a living, then Dave would certainly be my number one role model for the values I and my little company would embody.

---

None of what I have said brings COTA any closer to getting released. However, my point is that when Dave finally says that COTA has been "completed" that it will mean what it used to mean in the old days. The old days, when true craftsman took pride in their work and personally signed each piece before it left their hands on the shop floor.

[JeF]

Wow Mark !

None of what I have said brings COTA any closer to getting released. However, my point is that when Dave finally says that COTA has been "completed" that it will mean what it used to mean in the old days. The old days, when true craftsman took pride in their work and personally signed each piece before it left their hands on the shop floor.

Well said mate. [8D]

JeF.

[JeF]

And now, for something totally different ...

ORIGINAL: sterckxe
If it's any consolation I've been playing the beta for a couple of evenings now without encountering any new bugs, so it's looking pretty solid.

No. It's not of any consolation. It's pretty, it's solid. But not out yet.

ORIGINAL: MarkShot
Sometimes, you may think that we, beta-testers, just like to tease you non-beta testers or flaunt that we have the game now.

I blame the above guy.

Dear Mr O'Connor,

Can you please ask Mr Streckx to stop teasing us, poor soon-to-be-paying customers.
The waiting is already difficult. The teasing is a torture.
Just thinking that the guy is currently playing the game less than 100 kms from here is disheartening.

Yours truly,

JeF.

PS

ORIGINAL: Arjuna
anyone wanting to invest in such hi-risk development please apply.

Time or money ? If it is money, is 59.99 EUR OK ? [;)]

[sterckxe]

ORIGINAL: JeF

And now, for something totally different ...

ORIGINAL: sterckxe
If it's any consolation I've been playing the beta for a couple of evenings now without encountering any new bugs, so it's looking pretty solid.

No. It's not of any consolation. It's pretty, it's solid. But not out yet.

ORIGINAL: MarkShot
Sometimes, you may think that we, beta-testers, just like to tease you non-beta testers or flaunt that we have the game now.

I blame the above guy.

Dear Mr O'Connor,

Can you please ask Mr Streckx to stop teasing us, poor soon-to-be-paying customers.
The waiting is already difficult. The teasing is a torture.
Just thinking that the guy is currently playing the game less than 100 kms from here is disheartening.

Yours truly,

JeF.

PS

ORIGINAL: Arjuna
anyone wanting to invest in such hi-risk development please apply.

Time or money ? If it is money, is 59.99 EUR OK ? [;)]

Hi Jef,

You told me you couldn't get out of bed in time to actually play COTA when we were showing/demo-ing it in Antwerp last fall - bet you regret that now [:'(]

Bet you'll be there to play an early BFTB next november [:D]

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

[iaidoka2]

I like the fact that Dave spends so much time getting it right before release and I just noticed the COTA forums have moved up in the forum display.

[JeF]

ORIGINAL: sterckxe
Bet you'll be there to play an early BFTB next november [:D]

Count me in already. [8D]

JeF.

[sterckxe]

ORIGINAL: JeF

ORIGINAL: sterckxe
Bet you'll be there to play an early BFTB next november [:D]

Count me in already. [8D]

JeF.

Jupiler ok ?

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

[sapper_astro]

I actually wouldn't use the word frustration. Well, yes, a little, but the fact that I know just what it is that is being worked on makes the frustration less if that makes sense.

I appreciate the way in which you guys tell the hangers on what your up to in regards to the game itself. Many mobs just don't say jack and i usually end up walking off and accidentally forgetting about the game i was interested in because it seemed to have gone into limbo.

Updates, particularly updates with some detail attached, keep people interested. In my opinion anyway.[;)]

As for the good old days....well, that would be a welcome change to 'must wait 6months/1 year/download 3 500mb patches to make game work'.

[Major Disaster]

I guess this is a case of any thing worth having is worth waiting for. But a status update every now and then does help us natives from getting too restless. [:)]