Polish Hill Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 <p>As a fan of sim sports I was surprised and excited to find that GDS existed about a year ago. Sadly the only reason I knew was because Operation Sports posted a review of WMMA 2. But as a very satisfied paying customer I would love to know a little more about whats going on with the upcoming games.</p><p> </p><p> TEW 2010 had a little information trickle out but then I check the site and suddenly a very polished, attractive College Basketball game is released! I'm not a basketball fan so I won't be purchasing but still I don't know if its possible but personally I'd love to know a little more on what your developers are working on. Maybe its a fear that too many unrealistic or distracting suggestions will come in and delay the project. Or perhaps unforeseen delays could disappoint customers. Regardless I think we'd all like to know a little more about the goings on. You all make tremendous products and regardless of the niche I'd love to see you grow even more.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystic Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 I agree a release schedule, if you knew of plans would be a good thing. I say this and no disrespect to the other staff members but being a grey dog forum member since buying TEW 2005 the site almost seems to have become Adam Ryland and company, with the additions of the TEW, WMMA and Wrespi series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linsolv Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Problem: Bowl Bound Pro Football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brashleyholland Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I was employed by a games company in late 2006 to manage a customer support team for their new MMORPG that was due out in March of 2007. By the time I'd left that company to live the dream full time early last year, the game still wasn't out. It had been re-written and re-named twice, and I believe it's been mostly scrapped and done over again since I left. It's still nowhere near ready from what I hear from friends who still work there. Point being, even big games studios that employ hundreds of people can face massive delays as ideas grow organically in the development process and some things just don't work out as planned. In my experience, giving out release dates early in the dev. process for games puts undue pressure on the developers, as well as irritating the less patient/rational amongst us. The company I worked for had never even officially announced the game in question, however we'd get hundreds of messages per month (sometimes per week) demanding to know why we weren't finished with the rumoured project that didn't officially (or actually, to tell the truth!) exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoNdOn Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 I was employed by a games company in late 2006 to manage a customer support team for their new MMORPG that was due out in March of 2007. By the time I'd left that company to live the dream full time early last year, the game still wasn't out. It had been re-written and re-named twice, and I believe it's been mostly scrapped and done over again since I left. It's still nowhere near ready from what I hear from friends who still work there. Point being, even big games studios that employ hundreds of people can face massive delays as ideas grow organically in the development process and some things just don't work out as planned. In my experience, giving out release dates early in the dev. process for games puts undue pressure on the developers, as well as irritating the less patient/rational amongst us. The company I worked for had never even officially announced the game in question, however we'd get hundreds of messages per month (sometimes per week) demanding to know why we weren't finished with the rumoured project that didn't officially (or actually, to tell the truth!) exist. You're right. It is very much a double edged sword. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrestlingfan1 Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 I like the idea even if it were purely games with no dates attatched. Just as a way of saying hey this is whats in the works, not sure when it will be released but just thought you'd like to know kind of thing. I'm sure you'd get some people who would then start complaining well i want this game when is it going to be read or daily posts of is there a release date yet, but those users are easily ignored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polish Hill Posted April 23, 2010 Author Share Posted April 23, 2010 I certainly understand why they wouldn't want to pick a specific date, quarter, or sometimes even year but it would still be nice to have any information. Even if its just "we're working on the next installment of Bowl Bound College Football." Then every month or so a potential feature could be mentioned or discussed. EA's done some interesting stuff lately to get input and ideas from fans. Even if its not implemented in the current game its something to consider for later on. Whatever happens doesn't need to have much polish but just knowing what games are being worked on or planned would be appreciated. Its hard to get excited or even consider setting aside some cash for a product that may or may not exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Ryland Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 There are two big issues with your suggestion. The first is very simply that it would cost us a lot of money. If I was to announce today that I'm planning to release TEW2011 next January (for the record, I am absolutely not working on anything of the sort) then sales of TEW2010 are dramatically reduced, especially during the six months before the scheduled release, as people decide to wait for the newer product rather than go for the existing version. This effect has been very obvious in the past in our sales figures. Secondly, there is very little benefit from a promotion point in doing it either, as announcing it massively in advance has proven to be a poor move in the past. It has been obvious from previous releases that people don't really start get excited about a game until a few months beforehand (and most people will usually forget about anything that is more than six months away), and you get the added pressure of people wanting more updates and getting angry if the schedule needs changing. Not giving any firm date is even worse, as then there are constant requests for one. The system I have used - announcing the game a couple of months before a firm release date and having a daily update throughout that time - has proven to be very effective at creating and maintaining a buzz about the product without causing any unnecessary extra pressure, and so is the one that I will be continuing with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Orange Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 Look at the pro football game, I'm sure that that is very solidly being developed but because there is an expectation for it we always end up getting those posts which go "they've really dropped the ball", "when are they releasing it?" etc. The way Adam does it is the way that suits the company, simple as. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorBait19 Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Omg TEW11 in jan. im waiting lmao jk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredreed Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 release Schedule Everyone has their own way of saying when a game comes out. I don't have a problem with that, but I do have a problem is with people saying that they are angry or fed up that a game is not yet out. Stop your complaining. When Adam is ready to announce bowl bound pro football is ready for pre ordering he will. But folks keep playing the games that are currently out and stop your whining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorBait19 Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Everyone has their own way of saying when a game comes out. I don't have a problem with that, but I do have a problem is with people saying that they are angry or fed up that a game is not yet out. Stop your complaining. When Adam is ready to announce bowl bound pro football is ready for pre ordering he will. But folks keep playing the games that are currently out and stop your whining. I could be wrong, but I believe Adam has nothing to do with that game. I believe it is Ari's game, but once again I could be wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Ryland Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 I don't - Fredreed has been consistently getting me and Arlie confused in his posts for several years now! (Although I've just noticed that you called Arlie "Ari", so apparently this confusion over names is becoming an epidemic...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galleyfan Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 I don't usually complain about Arlie. I try to support & encourage him, but I think it is beyond comprehension that he announces the Pro Football game back in 2006 & then in Jan. 2007 sets up a forum for peoples' ideas & says he will keep us posted as he works on the game but stops doing so in 2007. That's 3 years of hearing crickets cherping! I don't have an issue with not giving a release date or not posting all the time but if he is still busy on the game then give an update every few months to keep everyone's interest. If he's not working on anymore, then just say so already! That's all people want! Most people aren't asking for much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellshock70 Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 I'm old enough to have been around when code was all people could do in classrooms. The internet wasn't even around then and i can tell you from experience that code is very complex. In some cases on large projects you get to a point that you realize that there is a problem that can't be fixed. You spend many days going over it, rewriting it and rewriting it. Try as you might though in the end you have to scrap it and start over. The frustration that builds from that experience in some cases gets to the point that you need to take a break. This is Grey Dog Software not Electronic Arts or Yukes and a problem like this doesn't have as many people going over it trying to figure out the problem. So there is a greater chance of higher frustration, more breaks and less minds on the task at hand. I highly doubt that Arlie has stopped the project without informing people interested in it but he could be in a highly frustrating situation and needed to take a step back for a breather and come back to it in a different mindset. Not to rag on anyone but coming down on him could just be adding to any potential frustration. He might feel compelled to do something on it because of this but the frustration is still there and it can be a hindrance if you can't get that fresh mindset. Now I'm not saying anything I've previously typed is fact just a possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
map444 Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 I don't usually complain about Arlie. I try to support & encourage him, but I think it is beyond comprehension that he announces the Pro Football game back in 2006 & then in Jan. 2007 sets up a forum for peoples' ideas & says he will keep us posted as he works on the game but stops doing so in 2007. That's 3 years of hearing crickets cherping! I don't have an issue with not giving a release date or not posting all the time but if he is still busy on the game then give an update every few months to keep everyone's interest. If he's not working on anymore, then just say so already! That's all people want! Most people aren't asking for much. In my opinon, the pro football game seems like a big undertaking, the wrestling games do not. If I made software and couldn't deliver on something big everyone wanted I wouldn't tell them and ruin my cash flow from the simpler games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stennick Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 I don't know how you could possibly make a statement that any game is easier or more difficult to create than the other. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I think it'd be better if any opinion was based on some sort of reasoning and not just a wild shot in the dark. Nobody here has any idea what Adam puts into his games and have no idea what the football game would need to be created. In my opinion this discussion is leading nowhere and could quickly get off track with statements like that. Their not going to do release schedules, it doesn't help them in any way personally or professionally. Adam has spoken, he's cleared up any confusion and I think its best if the subject was left alone until someone else decides to come in here and offer advice on how to run a business they have no part in, no matter how unsolicited it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BHK1978 Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 Yeah there is no good reason to release a schedule. They did that over on Wolverine (not an exact date but a quarter) and when that quarter came and went people started screaming bloody murder at the poor guys over there. Life happens, and sometimes you miss your deadlines because of things that you could not possibly foresee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellshock70 Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 Yeah there is no good reason to release a schedule. They did that over on Wolverine (not an exact date but a quarter) and when that quarter came and went people started screaming bloody murder at the poor guys over there. Life happens, and sometimes you miss your deadlines because of things that you could not possibly foresee. that was my exact point with my rather long example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
map444 Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 that was my exact point with my rather long example. Yea but Wolverine actually releases stuff. almost 5 years since BBCF came out. I liked BBCF, but I just came by these forums for the first time in years and am actually stunned to see the same people waiting for the same product to come out. Seriously, does Grey Dog actaully have offices or is run out of a private residence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rathen4 Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 Grey Dog is the "umbrella" name. Various people develop under it, but it's not a big software place. Adam does WMMA and TEW series for instance. Then there's a dude called Brian Nicholls (sp) who does the new college basketball series, etc etc. It's not one big programming company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remianen Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 Seriously, does Grey Dog actaully have offices or is run out of a private residence? Grey Dog is the "umbrella" name. Various people develop under it, but it's not a big software place. Adam does WMMA and TEW series for instance. Then there's a dude called Brian Nicholls (sp) who does the new college basketball series, etc etc. It's not one big programming company. Publisher. That's the word you're looking for ('umbrella name'). Adam, Brian, and yes even Arlie, are developers while Grey Dog is the publisher. I think you'd be doing other developers a disservice by comparing them to Adam. He's not the typical independent developer (not by a long shot). There aren't too many indie developers who can boast three successful franchises, all of which are fully supported, updated, and continually developed. Most independents would be happy with ONE. And having separate office space isn't an indicator of professionalism or legitimacy. There are many doctors who operate out of their homes (private residences) while there are many telemarketing scam companies who have separate office space. So even if Grey Dog was run out of Arlie's garage, as long as they perform their duties as publisher, it doesn't really matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rathen4 Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Publisher. That's the word you're looking for ('umbrella name'). Adam, Brian, and yes even Arlie, are developers while Grey Dog is the publisher. I think you'd be doing other developers a disservice by comparing them to Adam. He's not the typical independent developer (not by a long shot). There aren't too many indie developers who can boast three successful franchises, all of which are fully supported, updated, and continually developed. Most independents would be happy with ONE. Wasn't sure of the specific terms, and didn't want to upset anyone or have someone come in on the internet white knight horse. Cheers for the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullhouse Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 What is Wolverine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stennick Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Its a game publisher similar to TEW I believe they have several different sports titles a baseball maybe? Its Wolverine Studios I'm fairly certain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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