Why keep us in the dark.

Solar2D Daily Builds and Public Releases
#1

Hi, I’ve been using Corona since the beta days. I will try not to be too negative and I might not be well informed on all the information. I have positive things to say about Corona, but for now let me start my raving. Let’s start with 2011 we all visited the Roadmap out of that bullet list I can think of only 2 or 3 tasks that actually got completed from the Top Priority list in 2011. We did how ever get a ton of other features which is fine and dandy but we as developers create our schedules off the information you provide us. I personally pushed of doing any scripting related to the Top Priority list thinking it would come soon. By November of 2011 I pretty much gave up on any priority features that I needed. My main request for 2012 is simply give us a better understanding what features are being worked on cut or back logged.

“Secret Feature” There is no reason to surprise us once again we are developers not children sitting around a camp fire. In 2011 I spend about a week working on audio function handlers with the limited tech we had, to learn two days later the secret feature was a new audio API. If you have a new feature please let us know for our personal schedules it’s a bigger benefit to us knowing verses guessing.

We are almost 3 months into 2012 and the daily builds have been somewhat bare. I know from other post and blogs that the performance is being addressed “A-MEN”. Any kind of status update would be beneficial to us as developers.
Cheers, Darkmod [import]uid: 7177 topic_id: 22346 reply_id: 322346[/import]

#2

+1 on that.
i’ll link this thread to that: https://developer.anscamobile.com/forum/2012/02/07/date-and-reliable-documentation

they say they’re working on it… I’m glad but still a bit suspicious, exactly because of the roadmap… ever since I joined there is a message saying “I will move the Roadmap to a voting system once we figure it out. Then am going to close this one.”
I’ve never seen the roadmap being updated ever [import]uid: 79152 topic_id: 22346 reply_id: 89062[/import]

#3

Hey guys.

We seriously are working extensively on completely revamping our documentation/tutorials. I personally am a leading member of that task.

We are aiming to get it done as soon as possible… however these things take time, as we have to gather everything we have and others have done to first create a database of resources. Then we have to update the web side of things. New interfaces, input all the data etc.

As for the roadmap/features part, we fully agree. And have a few things (that i cannot disclose right now) which will speed up the process a lot. By that I mean new features will be available a lot faster.

As soon as all the said things are in place, I will be making either a forum or blog post with full information.

Thanks [import]uid: 84637 topic_id: 22346 reply_id: 89070[/import]

#4

I’m sure you are aware of this, but: Most software projects experience sublinear returns on programmer efforts as the codebase grows. I don’t think Corona is any exception. Basically, the probability for unintended side effects of changes (bugs) grows and with it development costs.

Also, I think this is the reason why they are reluctant promising features on a certain schedule. “When it’s done it’s done.” :slight_smile: The last thing they want is a “damn you Ansca, feature X should’ve been available by now and now I can’t finish my project”. [import]uid: 58849 topic_id: 22346 reply_id: 89085[/import]

#5

I like Corona and I’m using it, but my thoughts are similar. I think it’s because it’s subscription based, it generally gets people more concerned when their needs aren’t met. For example fixing something as simple as masks. I’ve send two bugs months ago, other new subscribers are running into the same problems using up their time. I don’t know what the priority is, or if its even in the queue. It makes planning difficult. [import]uid: 99244 topic_id: 22346 reply_id: 89094[/import]

#6

This sounds a lot like how I am with my kids. I don’t give hard promises on anything. Usually a “we’ll see” because I’ve been burnt too many times promising something which I can’t fulfill because of circumstances. I don’t like breaking promises. I think I can see where Ansca is coming from here. My guess is they aren’t 100% sure the secret feature will pan out so they want to be sure before they announce it to the world and end up looking like a jackass by retracting it later. Or maybe they just wanna toy with us, that could be it too. [import]uid: 31262 topic_id: 22346 reply_id: 89097[/import]

#7

I program for a large software company, not related to gaming, and I can say this is how it usually works:

  1. there is a “wish list” of new fetures
  2. then there is the “bug” list
  3. then there is a list of new stuff that will create additional money (gets new subscribers)
  4. then there is the CEO “want list”

The CEO list trumps all others, following what makes money, then bugs, then the wish list. I have a wish list that was supposed to be completed 2 years ago. And I also have a wish list for this year…Guess what, I’m still on bugs.

This is just how it works guys !! [import]uid: 67800 topic_id: 22346 reply_id: 89145[/import]

#8

Ahhhhh… On our latest newsletter, I said I will put up the new features in about two weeks. And we have been tweeting, (follow me @carlosicaza) Level Editor, IAP for Android, and other stuff.

Truly, we try to be as open as we can. I don’t think any other company in this sector has daily builds, etc. We put up release notes for the daily builds with new features, bug fixes, etc. But, it is not always perfect and we can’t please all the people all the time. It is a fact. No matter what I, or anyone of my team members do, sometimes, things get mis-interpreted and all hell breaks loose.

As for features, wether missing or off the roadmap, I have personally taken the mea culpa. I dropped the ball on stand alone game center and I take full responsibility for that one.

As for secret features? Well, it is not you guys we need to keep some things under wraps. There are these entities known as “competitors” therefore, we need to keep an strategic silence on certain things we work on.

And as for the new features we are working on, it won’t be a surprise to anyone. But scheduling them in a constraint model where we ship nightly is the gating factor. Not just that, but also “testing” … So far, our daily builds have been working pretty good overall, but imagine if we were to release buggy unreliable daily builds. We would have been crucified by now :wink:

And as always, here is my direct email ‘cicaza ]at[anscamoible]dot[ com’ …
C. [import]uid: 24 topic_id: 22346 reply_id: 89153[/import]

#9

OMG Level Editor. I want now!

Thanks Carlos. [import]uid: 1884 topic_id: 22346 reply_id: 90633[/import]

#10

Patience is a virtue :wink: [import]uid: 10389 topic_id: 22346 reply_id: 90642[/import]