When I backed this game, I did so with the understanding that the studio staff and contractors would have humane work schedules. As eager as I am to play your game, I have to point out that it is a game: something which is by definition (check the book Homo Ludens, pretty much the definitive work on human gaming) “a test of skill or luck whose outcome is OF NO CONSEQUENCE.”
But if what I have read about game development holds true, three months is where the rubber meets the road and typical studios start working their people like dogs. I just want to say that while I’m dying to play this game, it will really spoil it for me if I find out that there was massive missing of holidays, birthdays, school events, and so on to bring it to me. No “blood pixels.”
Please, Julian, take care of the people who have brought us this wonderful game. I know you have financial realities to face, but if you want me to back you next time, take care of these guys/gals/people. I’m not too impatient to wait until spring, or next summer, if that’s what it takes to get it right and do right by your folks.
Fingers crossed. BB5 has just loaded for me. Gonna take the dive.
Well, if that means there’s no crunch, that’s great! I’m just afraid that what it would mean is a crunch starting now instead of a crunch that started in June. Fingers crossed, like I said.
Well, this was a thoughtful… strange… rambling…?!? I mean, I’m just not sure where this is coming from tbh?!? Was there a rumor that people at snapshot were being mistreated?? or a Leak, cause I follow quite a bit for things surrounding this game and I’ve heard absolutely nothing of the sort.
Just think for a second here… this game has been delayed how many times now?? at least 3. First they were shooting for 2018, then first quarter of 2019. Then snapshot officially announced a June Release date that then got pushed back to September 3rd… which now of course became the release of a backer build instead of a full product which now is pushed back to December. And as Kings_Rook already said, this last delay was done intentionally to avoid crunch time.
With all that in mind I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say that Julian is taking great care of his team & not whipping them with ropes and spiking their waters with 5 hour energies
And it’s exactly that December release date that makes me apprehensive. If Julian has commercial backers (and even if he doesn’t) game producers typically report pressure to release (and thus, to crunch) prior to the Christmas holiday because of the shopping season that accompanies it in many markets.
The only people who dictate Snapshot’s release schedule is Snapshot.
One of the reasons for the delay specifically was to avoid crunch. I won’t deny that people tend to put in 110% towards a release, and we do have some people working overtime (as there were people in the studio at 10pm last night making sure the backer build rolled out), but it’s all voluntary and the developers are compensated and given time off elsewhere.
The problem with crunch is that staff become fatigued, lose their focus and work more slowly. It’s often counter-productive.
