NightFall Progress Speculation

actionjack

actionjack

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2005

Kali

W/E

From the look of the recent in-game video and last try-out event, what do yout think is the progress on Nightfall right now?

My guess is about 75% done and on game-testing stage for the PvE part, and reblancing for the PvP parts.

Some graphical assests might still be in the production (like mobs, builds, armors, weapons, etc), but the main meat of the PvE should be done by now, perticually the missions. Might still doing some brainstorming and testing on the new skills.

Well, thats my guess..whats yours?

thedeadwalk!

thedeadwalk!

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2006

Atlantis

The Ocean [quay]

All I know is that all this talk is making the release date (whenever it is) so much further away.

My, God! It's been August forever!

-Loki-

-Loki-

Forge Runner

Join Date: Oct 2005

Remember that Sorrows Furnace movie they released months before it was rleased, and how complete it looked in that? And that was for 2 areas and a few game changes (chests, green weapons, etc).

Knightsaber Sith

Knightsaber Sith

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Aug 2006

Few Fallen Heroes [FFH]

W/E

True, but keep in mind if preorders go on sale sep 15; can't be too far off

Tetris L

Tetris L

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Germany

Servants of Fortuna



My crystal ball says they are 63.2975% done.

Of course that is just a rough estimate.

Horseman Of War

Horseman Of War

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jun 2006

The Cult of Doom

P/

id say they are closer to done than 75%

Id say a good estimate (if I was in charge of the worker bees at ANet ...) would be that they NEED to have the product 99% complete buy the first of october.

Granted, unlike many other games- the complete game wont be ON the disk we purchase... so I guess when it comes down to it, they could finish the game even after all our cds are shipped (last second)

But in my honest opinion, with how early they started advertising, Id guess they were somewhat ahead of schedule. My faith in ANet is not burdened by my own impatience.



I dont think that the maps are a huge issue for the time-constraints using a Construction Set, like in WC3 or Oblivion, it is quite easy to set up a 2D map in a day... you gotta test the pathing n stuff, add lighting, sound activators etc but making a map is probably the easiest part_____AND probably the first part they did~~ now they are working on the little bits, like spawn points, enemy pathing, AI, etc.

the maps are DONE. I bet u. They are just catching up all the scripting for quests now is my guess.

llsektorll

llsektorll

Desert Nomad

Join Date: May 2005

Toronto, Canada

R/

they started last november they are going to release this october sooo... if you do the math they are

83.013698630136986301369863013699% done
but if you are really waiting then here is the ETA
* 5,356,800 seconds
* 89,280 minutes
* 1488 hours
* 8 weeks (rounded down)

The Great Al

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

ALOA

E/Me

theyve been working on it for 10 months, and have 2 left...i would assume theyre at least 85% done.

edit: probably even more than that...i would assume the game will be fully complete within a few weeks, and then plenty of bug testing, etc.

Silver_Fang

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2006

Manchester UK

Rt/

I would say they are 95% done, since in programming, the last 20% took longer than the initial 80%.

floppinghog

floppinghog

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2005

pit of brimstone

Squad Six Six Six [ssss]

A/Me

its never done, why else do we get updates afterwards?..............

no one knows stop making pointless topics

Branskins

Branskins

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Feb 2005

I think the core of the game is 98% complete with the 2% for bug fixes and more polishing of the game.

Angel Netherborn

Angel Netherborn

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2006

Lower Ward, Sigil

Goda Vos

Quote:
Originally Posted by floppinghog
its never done, why else do we get updates afterwards?..............

no one knows stop making pointless topics
Your second line is a good point. Your first... wrong. By 'done' in an mmo sense, it means ready. We get updates because they are... updates, which means modifications. In the world of software, 'done' is when you meet objectives and required features, not 'done' as in completely finished and finalised and sealed.

TheMosesPHD

TheMosesPHD

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2006

Oregon

Mo Mo Patty Blinks [MoMo]

R/

I dunno what % I'd give the progress, but keep in mind that the progress of the game development probably slows down quite a bit in it's last stage. For most of the development period they're just going in and building the 3D models, creating the skins, writing up the triggers for quests and any other codes they need, but after they've completed most everything they have to do a QA check; the clean-up period.

They've gotta take it slow and go through everything with a fine-toothed comb to make sure the game presents a high caliber no matter what aspect of it you're playing. When Factions came out, I think they really failed to reach a high standard in this last step. I think all the small little glitches were a large part of what made Factions seem "lesser" than the original.

So basically, no matter what percentage they're at right now, I wouldn't mind the game being released a month late if they need it to make sure everything looks professional.

EDIT: It seems that every time I make a post, my grammar/sentence structure gets that much worse. sorry

Tetris L

Tetris L

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Germany

Servants of Fortuna

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Great Al
theyve been working on it for 10 months, and have 2 left...i would assume theyre at least 85% done.
Fallacy. Progress over time isn't linear. The 80/20 rule applies to software development more than anything. You can complete the bulk of work in very short time, but polishing the details can take ages. Ask George Broussard about the progress of Duke Nukem Forever.

Snowman

Snowman

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2005

Wales, UK

Devils Scorpions

W/E

I would actually say they are closer to 90-95% done..

The last 5% of the game will be testing and ironing out bugs, smoothing out animation, balancing skills.. and this will take the longest to do..

Imagine the Tyrian Explorer title, quite easy to get to 90%.. getting to 95%.."arrgg" getting to... 100%.. "AARRRRGGG"

then there is all the release campaign, adverts, press releases, events.. so I suspect the actual game is mostly done already.