Can we have a calendar please?

[Stevethetrain.5170]

I know you guys work really hard on keeping the game content fresh and interesting but can we have an “at a glance” calendar showing planned storyline updates and events with the desclaimer that these can be moved forward and back please?

Just an idea.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

@Stevethetrain.5170 said:I know you guys work really hard on keeping the game content fresh and interesting but can we have an “at a glance” calendar showing planned storyline updates and events with the desclaimer that these can be moved forward and back please?

See Gaile's response above.

[Stevethetrain.5170]

But would it kill Anet to post this even if dates are subject to change?

[Randulf.7614]

@Stevethetrain.5170 said:But would it kill Anet to post this even if dates are subject to change?

Given the history of the community towards any changes to plans, probably

Keep in mind they dont finalise dates until thi gs are ready due to thr nature of their living world and development

[Zaklex.6308]

@Stevethetrain.5170 said:But would it kill Anet to post this even if dates are subject to change?

Yes, because the community would then consider those things as being set in STONE, and nothing is set in stone until it's released.

[Ayumi Spender.1082]

@Stevethetrain.5170 said:But would it kill Anet to post this even if dates are subject to change?

You tell the internet... I don't care how less toxic GW2 community is as a whole compared to online games... you tell the internet that something is coming as soundso date.The moment you do that and anything happen and needs to be pushed back... you might as have killed their family and ate their pets as they will treat you the same if you have done the same... AND set back the release date.

[Gaile Gray.6029]

@"Stevethetrain.5170" said:I know you guys work really hard on keeping the game content fresh and interesting but can we have an “at a glance” calendar showing planned storyline updates and events with the desclaimer that these can be moved forward and back please?

Just an idea.

We have found that it is more productive to give release dates when they are more established, rather than provide a date far in advance and find we need to change it. I really understand why you'd like that "At a Glance" Calendar, but years of experience persuade us that building one isn't the best for the company or the community.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

@"Gaile Gray.6029" said:Where did you get this information? By inference, you're stating that we've published the release date for Living World episodes that do not yet have a release date. You're suggesting we'll make minor updates for months that may not have an update at all, or may have one of a more significant scale. You talk about "anniversary events" when nothing about anniversary has been stated.

If you can show me where we have shared these dates, I'd seriously appreciate seeing it. If, as I feel it must be, this list is speculation -- founded on releases of the past, faith, announced probable cadences, hope, random rolls of the dice -- that's just fine. But please, preface this sort of "calendar" with a clear indication that it's your opinion and not published fact.

This was purely speculative, based on the 2-3 month cadence and 2016-2017 releases. It's definitely just an opinion and not meant as anything other than an educated guess. I apologize for any phrasing that makes that ambiguous.

I've blanked my previous response. Since you've answered the question officially, my guesses only serve as a distraction at best. I'm very sorry for any confusion I might have caused.

[b k.1648]

Given the count between episodes is 3 months exactly each time, that's just speculation mixed with annual events that don't change much.

[Astralporing.1957]

@Randulf.7614 said:

@Stevethetrain.5170 said:But would it kill Anet to post this even if dates are subject to change?

Given the history of the community towards any changes to plans, probablyThere is no such history, because Anet tended to

not announce

any changes at all. So all the players could see was Anet announcing something and then not delivering, with no explanation whatsoever.THAT is what caused negative community responses.

It was never a case of saying too much. It's always been telling not enough.

[Lexi.1398]

In my experience on other games, if they gave out a solid date for an update (or sometimes even a timeframe in years for a few less developed games), they'd 99% of the time not be ready in time (making games is HARD) push the date back at least once, queue community rage and people wanting to quit because The Devs Must Be Bad If They Cant Meet Their ETAs or that thing announced for a 2 months is something i really wan- 6 more months?! ragequitbecauseimpatient. so yeah, i understand the devs decision and im glad for it : P

[mercury ranique.2170]

I have played other games with deadlines. They never got met. In GW2, abeit the first era after cancelling Utopia, we have seen them keeping what they promise. First living world seasons, they promised to have a release once per month and they did. They do however also admitted it limited other development so they stopped it. Now they promise to have new content once every 2 months (more or less) and they still deliver. I care less for a calender, but more for the promises being kept.

[Killjoy.9213]

The problem with an "at a glance" calendar is that a big update like a new chapter in the lw could be planned for a set date then players get all hyped up for said date then a staff member at ANet gets sick or a loved one passes away, they have to push the date back a little farther. All that hype gets busted and the losers that get their expectations high start whining and complaining without caring about a death or someone coming down with something.

[Astralporing.1957]

@mercury ranique.2170 said:I have played other games with deadlines. They never got met.And as long as the delays were not outrageously long and were announced appropriately (so the players felt being kept in the loop), it usually didn't generate that kind of outrage Anet is fearing. That always results from either bad communication, or some really major messups in the production line, not merely from simple delays. On the other hand, being kept in the dark is what players don't like in general. Especially when it's not about simple, small things, but even about major points, or core informations like, for example changes to game direction.

[Gaile Gray.6029]

@Illconceived Was Na.9781 said:

@"Gaile Gray.6029" said:Where did you get this information? By inference, you're stating that we've published the release date for Living World episodes

that do not yet have a release date.

You're suggesting we'll make minor updates for months that may not have an update at all, or may have one of a more significant scale. You talk about "anniversary events" when nothing about anniversary has been stated.

If you can show me where we have shared these dates, I'd seriously appreciate seeing it. If, as I feel it must be, this list is speculation -- founded on releases of the past, faith, announced probable cadences, hope, random rolls of the dice -- that's just fine. But please, preface this sort of "calendar" with a clear indication that it's

your opinion

and not published fact.

This was purely speculative, based on the 2-3 month cadence and 2016-2017 releases. It's definitely just an opinion and not meant as anything other than an educated guess. I apologize for any phrasing that makes that ambiguous.

I've blanked my previous response. Since you've answered the question officially, my guesses only serve as a distraction at best. I'm very sorry for any confusion I might have caused.

Oh, no problem! I wanted to be real sure that everyone was on the same page, but I asked mods to delete my comment, too, to avoid confusion. I could just see someone quoting my quote thinking it was official, which would be bad. So to remove any question, I think we had a little cleanup. Thanks for letting me know.

Of course, if all the dates that you calculated turn out to be accurate, I'll probably owe you chocolates for being such a good estimator. :D

[Stevethetrain.5170]

Thanks for replying to my question Gaile!

I’m really looking forward to seeing how the living world storyline progresses and hope we haven’t seen the last of the human gods or the norm spirits come to think of it.

It was just a thought to head off the constant “When is?” Questions that must fill your inbox.

If the next part of the living world happens around Tuesday week it should coincide nicely with the delivery of my new mattress for my boat!A feast of some sorts (likely sushi!) would also have to be arranged for the day!

[Mikaq.7102]

While such calendar would be nice, I understand that there would be quite big challenges and whenever any developer gives out dates when some feature, update etc. people tend to stuck on that date and if that date is pushed back then it creates lot of friction.

However what should be possible to do is that having something in line that for example list of features/updates/content etc. is scheduled to be released in Q2 2018 etc. Sort of mainstream roadmap without giving out any certain release dates. Now situation is that we get information related new content maybe 2 weeks before it is going to be released.

Just my 2 cents for this thread.

[Kitty.6219]

Calendars are bad, there is no better way to bleep off your player base than a broken promise. I'm ok with a guesstimate from Anet saying "we should get this ready in 3-4 months, but sheeps happens!"