A Plea To Farsight: Quality Control Needs To Improve, Respect Your Customers

[Hinph]

Hah. I've been pretty inactive with this game and community since the end of the second season, and it's the same kind of posts around here and the same problems at Farsight, eh? Wouldn't expect them to suddenly change the way they run things now, I guess, but it sure would be nice if they had some staff dedicated to improving the existing tables and core game rather than everybody rushing from new table to new table... Zen Studios doesn't seem to have a problem focusing on quality over quantity and remaining profitable with a niche product, so I don't want to hear about the necessity of this business model. I think they'd also benefit from dropping some platforms. Still supporting the damn Ouya? Haha, bustling community there? Why not at least switch over to Android TV instead?

But you know, it's still a pretty good time even with all the issues and jank. I'm just less inclined to buy new tables and definitely lost hope in the game ever reaching the potential I had hoped for in the early days.

 

[Cyberleader63]

I agree also, FarSight should focus on less platforms.
Really, who nowadays enjoys playing a home platform over mobile.

 

[shutyertrap]

I agree also, FarSight should focus on less platforms.
Really, who nowadays enjoys playing a home platform over mobile.

I for one do. Playing on Steam is so much better than iOS it’s not even funny. Better lighting, better sound, better graphics, and most importantly to me, playing with a controller. I used to play on PlayStation platform where I enjoyed playing on a 65” screen while curled up on my couch. So just slightly larger than a phone or tablet. Two things I loathe about mobile is using my thumbs to flip and how unintuitive it is to nudge. The only thing mobile has going for it is taking the game wherever, and true portrait mode.

 

[Citizen]

I'd rather play on home console, PC, or a handheld game system over a phone or tablet.

 

[Blkthorne]

I originally played on Android phone and on the PS3/360 but when the Steam version came out I switched to that, still play the phone version if I'm out and about but much prefer the PC version.

 

[Gorgias32]

I'm exclusively a mobile player, and have migrated over time from iOS to Android. The form factor and performance on my Android phone is great, and TPA is the perfect way to spend 10 minutes while waiting at the dentist/etc. I honestly don't mind the nudging, maybe it's because I have never played the PC version.

In any case, I know consoles are popular but I would love to know the statistics of number of installs on these different platforms. In the most recent Blahcade podcast, Jared was talking about wearing his "product manager" hat. At some point Farsight is just going to have to start cutting the less popular platforms. Just say, for instance, "we are not going to be updating the Macintosh version anymore, there are just not enough users", possibly they could offer a good faith discount for these users if they want to, but honestly games and platforms get abandoned all the time in the mobile world especially.

I would be pretty annoyed if they did this to the Android or iOS platforms, where I have spent a lot of money, but as long as they kept them up on the app stores, if they said "there will be no Season 8 on Android" I would be able to live with it.

 

[shutyertrap]

We have advocated for some time in our BlahCade podcast to trim the fat. Whether because the next gen has become the defacto platform or in the case of mobile, majority of people have upgraded to better devices. And you are right, you simply put a season cap on it and stop. You buy for what is available, not the promise of what may be 2 years down the line. Other than something like World of Warcraft, I can’t think of a game that is 5 years and counting, it just doesn’t happen. Even Zen has gone through 3 different versions!

That being said, they should have PS4, Xbone, and Switch. PC and iOS are their primary development platforms. But then you get iPhone X, with different screen and architecture to contend with. And Android, good lord, do you know how many devices FarSight has to check against each month to make sure the game runs? So in truth, the mobile market is more to blame for “supporting too many platforms” than anything else!

 

[yespage]

I agree also, FarSight should focus on less platforms.
Really, who nowadays enjoys playing a home platform over mobile.

Playing pinball on a tablet or phone isn't even akin to having sex with your clothes on.

 

[Pinballwiz45b]

I agree also, FarSight should focus on less platforms.
Really, who nowadays enjoys playing a home platform over mobile.

Errr, me. Seriously, why ask that in the first place?

Everyone knows that the PC and consoles perform superbly over mobile devices. But to each his/her own.

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

Other than something like World of Warcraft, I can’t think of a game that is 5 years and counting, it just doesn’t happen.

Skyrim... first came out in 2011, got an "HD" remaster for PS4/XBONE/PC in 2016, and they just released Switch and VR versions in 2017.

This for a 6-year-old single-player game whose last DLC came out in August 2012.

And it still has a ton of bugs in it, not all of which are capable of being fixed by community-made mods.

 

[Heretic]

Well if ya wanna. E picky for a premium model game still going strong ultima online is almost 21yrs old

 

[Citizen]

Diablo II also went strong for over a decade.

 

[yespage]

Skyrim... first came out in 2011, got an "HD" remaster for PS4/XBONE/PC in 2016, and they just released Switch and VR versions in 2017.

This for a 6-year-old single-player game whose last DLC came out in August 2012.

And it still has a ton of bugs in it, not all of which are capable of being fixed by community-made mods.

Grand Theft Auto. Heck, I bought a PS3 almost solely for that game.

 

[shutyertrap]

Skyrim... first came out in 2011, got an "HD" remaster for PS4/XBONE/PC in 2016, and they just released Switch and VR versions in 2017.

This for a 6-year-old single-player game whose last DLC came out in August 2012.

And it still has a ton of bugs in it, not all of which are capable of being fixed by community-made mods.

Right, but it's the community made mods that are also keeping it alive. If only TPA would let people crack into it.

Grand Theft Auto. Heck, I bought a PS3 almost solely for that game.

Has GTA V been out that long? I'm talking one specific game, not a series in case that is what you are referring to. And again, a game where the mod community has probably kept it alive more than the studio.

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

Right, but it's the community made mods that are also keeping it alive. If only TPA would let people crack into it.

If only.... Well I suppose there is the NoEx "Cabinet" mod that hacks into the camera views. FS have never commented on that, officially, even though it is a popular bit of software that's been around a couple of years now. Though I don't use it myself, I think FS might owe NoEx maybe more than the "couple of beers" he gets from PayPal contributions.

Has GTA V been out that long? I'm talking one specific game, not a series in case that is what you are referring to. And again, a game where the mod community has probably kept it alive more than the studio.

Pretty sure he's referring to GTA V. Yep, it's been out that long. And they're still supporting it with new multiplayer events.

 

[Heretic]

So your sayin i win?

 

[psykil]

In any case, I know consoles are popular but I would love to know the statistics of number of installs on these different platforms.

Looking at the entries for the last tournament: Mobile - 1269, PSN - 1483, Steam - 457
That's pretty typical from what I've seen. The majority of players on PSN are in the bronze category though, and most only put up scores on one or two tables. I'm guessing they don't own the others.