Latest update on 1.2 patch from Sega/CA

Rather than tag this on the end of 38 pages, here is the latest official info from the .com forum:

SenseiTW Medieval II Update 2 - Latest News Lead [-]

Administrator/Administrator
Posts: 222
04/12/07 05:39:17
CA Staff
Tags : None
Hi guys,

We have had a chat with the development team at CA Oz and can now bring you an update regarding the status of Update 2. As previously discussed, there were issues highlighted by final testing that require further attention. The issues have been identified and the process to rectify them is underway at CA Oz. Rest assured that all resources are now being devoted to this as a matter of priority.

The main issue to be addressed is the intermittent passive AI that occurs during siege battles. While this certainly isn't something that occurs in every battle, it needs to be rectified before final release. There are also a number of minor issues that have also been highlighted and will be addressed.

Please accept our sincere apologies for not providing information on progress before now. Being on the other side of the world from our development studio meant that we couldn't bring you up to date on this as soon as we'd like. Based on the rather unfortunate turn of events last week, we feel it would be unwise to provide any further estimation of release dates for Update 2. However, we promise to keep you informed on progress throughout the process of getting this update to you.

Thanks for your ongoing patience. The team are obviously very busy on this, but I will keep pestering them for updates on your behalf!

Cheers,
Mark O'Connell
(aka SenseiTW)

Im very happy at their vow to fix the passive siege AI completely. Definately top priority.

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Originally Posted by whodat

Based on the rather unfortunate turn of events last week, we feel it would be unwise to provide any further estimation of release dates for Update 2. However, we promise to keep you informed on progress throughout the process of getting this update to you.

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Aah! A bit of common sense from CA, at last!

The deadline given for release of the patch always sounded as though it was driven by the marketing team to keep an impatient community happy, rather than by the guys building the damn thing.

Whilst I would love to have the update tomorrow, I'd rather have a properly working update in a few weeks' time. Letting the developers run the schedule means it will take longer but it should do what it's supposed to.....

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Originally Posted by Quickening

Im very happy at their vow to fix the passive siege AI completely. Definately top priority.

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I agree - I've experienced the bug only once (with the unofficial 1.2 patch, ironically). I sallied to avoid excommunication, but really was bringing in a massive relief army. The French besiegers just stood with their backs to my relief army as I shot them to death. They did send one or two archers to duel me. But otherwise the AI only reacted when I got tired and charged it from behind. It was very strange and definitely worth fixing.

Both encouraging and disappointing. Well, hopefully it'll be an excellent patch when it arrives.

Yep, I have to agree. I would MUCH rather CA fix the passive AI seige bug that popped up, along with the CTD issue that people have reported, than give us a bad patch.

From what I have seen from the unofficial patch so far, I love it. Agents that actually work, imagine that.

And kudos to CA/Sega for not stepping on their sword again with an announced release date. Take the time to get it right, then let us have it.

"It'll be ready when it's working properly" is a sensible policy! Good to hear things are working this way now.

edit in response to Pode, below: I'm hoping that's how it'll be from now on, as well!

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Originally Posted by Midnight

"It'll be ready when it's working properly" is a sensible policy! Good to hear things are working this way now.

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INFINITELY better would be a policy of "It'll be RELEASED when it's working properly." I know, I know, foolish idealism on my part, but really, would it have killed Sega to push for a release THIS Christmas instead of last?

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Originally Posted by whodat

Being on the other side of the world from our development studio meant that we couldn't bring you up to date on this as soon as we'd like.

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Not to be nitpicky, but why is this even an issue anymore in today's day and age?

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Not to be nitpicky, but why is this even an issue anymore in today's day and age?

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Because it's easier to talk about something over the phone when your both in the respective offices, instead of by email.

I think the problem was that they said it'll come so soon and in the end came quite a while after.... I belive its better to say that it will come in a lot of time and bring it before tje deadline instead of telling it will come fast and bringing it after.

I thought the real issue was the 1.1 conflict.. the passive AI was supposed to be fixed with last patch and didn't postpone it from bein' pushed out to the public?

I for one am glad that the passive AI will be fixed. I can be patient.

I am fine with the m letting us know about when patches are coming out but with all the bugs we have had to deal with why don't they stop releasing half baked games so we don't have to deal with this all the time.

(This notice also should goto NWN2, Oblivion, and Railroads!)

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Originally Posted by Lusted

Because it's easier to talk about something over the phone when your both in the respective offices, instead of by email.

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Email?? Yeah, I'd say that's inefficient. That's why nobody I know uses it to do business.

I'm an off-site game developer, and we work over IM. Waiting for email replies would be insane.

I'm perfectly happy playing the unofficial patch while waiting the eternal wait, but Smith's confusion is valid.

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Originally Posted by Rhedd

Email?? Yeah, I'd say that's inefficient. That's why nobody I know uses it to do business.

I'm an off-site game developer, and we work over IM. Waiting for email replies would be insane.

I'm perfectly happy playing the unofficial patch while waiting the eternal wait, but Smith's confusion is valid.

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Ditto.

I currently am doing intern work for a coal sales company that does millions of dollars in business every month. I work in PA, and there main office is in VA, and the salesmen are all over the country. We have no problem communicating with them, either through phone, email, IM, conference call, etc. I fail to see how distance is any excuse for delays in business today.

But, all of that aside, I love the game and I don't care if I have to wait for the patch. I just thought it was kind of silly to partially blame a delay on office distance.

Because their in diffrent Time zones, about the time where getting up, they're going to bed, they simply aren't in the offices at eithier end at the same for much of the day so they have to rely on e-mail for everything, and considering the complexity of the issues their dealing with it would be murder to try to do everything by e-mail. SO they're very limited in time wise.

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Originally Posted by Agent Smith

Not to be nitpicky, but why is this even an issue anymore in today's day and age?

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There is a tremendous time difference between Australia and the US or England. When it is 7am in Sydney on a Monday, its 10pm in London on Sunday, 5pm in New York on Sunday. :shocked2:

I used to live in New Zealand (having been raised in the US) and always had problems if I wanted to phone someone in the US right away. Email sometimes just doesn't cut it.

Yet ANOTHER delay.

"As promised, here is an update regarding Update 2. It is due to go into final testing at SEGA on 16th March. All going well, we then hope to have it ready for release approximately a week later."

:dizzy2:

My personal take;

I assume their target date for the patch is 20090101, so if its earlier I'm happy. Just my 2¢ worth. :laugh4:

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Originally Posted by Carl

Because their in diffrent Time zones, about the time where getting up, they're going to bed, they simply aren't in the offices at eithier end at the same for much of the day so they have to rely on e-mail for everything, and considering the complexity of the issues their dealing with it would be murder to try to do everything by e-mail. SO they're very limited in time wise.

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Still, every single businessman who ever goes on an international business trip has the same problem when reporting home, but they get it done.

There is something to be said about hunkering down when there is a known issue and you are trying to sell your product. But, maybe that's jsut my own personal philosophy...

To each his own, I guess :yes:

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Originally Posted by Agent Smith

Still, every single businessman who ever goes on an international business trip has the same problem when reporting home, but they get it done.

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Uh yeah so aren't they doing what they can in getting the job done then for their side?

I've had to work with people in Hong Kong from Canada and while email was our main method of communication they were times when it would've been more effective to simply contact with each other over the phone. For the people who didn't had office hours it was easier to work with but that lawyer....:wall:

Otherwise I would have to wait for the response time since the guy on the other end won't be responding until he wakes up and goes to his office.

IMO it's good they hold off final release until its done right...please continue this trend into actual game and expansion releases!

On the contrary, I wish they'd hurry the hell up and patch this horribly broken game that's been so for the past 4 months. Patience only goes so far.

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Still, every single businessman who ever goes on an international business trip has the same problem when reporting home, but they get it done.

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Yeah, but when i chat to Pala or Caliban, it's late evening in Australia and early morning UK. So they're not in the CA Oz office, how are they supposed to chat about things effectively if they're not at the office and bring up the code, or bring up the list or whatever.

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Originally Posted by Lusted

Yeah, but when i chat to Pala or Caliban, it's late evening in Australia and early morning UK. So they're not in the CA Oz office, how are they supposed to chat about things effectively if they're not at the office and bring up the code, or bring up the list or whatever.

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I don't know, stay up later so you can talk to them when they are in the office?

I'm not trying to be silly, but we all have to do it. I pulled plenty of all nighters in college because I had stuff I had to get done. I'm doing the same thing now going through law school. I'm not asking they work 24 hours a day all the time, just when there is a huge issue that needs to be dealt with such as this you may have to work around some inconveniences.

Palamedes earlier was pulling a late one, he was working til 7pm or something at the office, and that was only 10am here. They're already working over the usual 9-5, and they'd have to stay at the CA Oz office til about 10pm there time to leave enough time for a good convo with the UK office.

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Originally Posted by Lusted

Palamedes earlier was pulling a late one, he was working til 7pm or something at the office, and that was only 10am here. They're already working over the usual 9-5, and they'd have to stay at the CA Oz office til about 10pm there time to leave enough time for a good convo with the UK office.

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Well, in the business world, sometimes that is what has to be done. The other comments made it sound like they really weren't attempting to make it work like that. If they are doing that, then good.

Of course they're trying, it's just more difficult to communicte with the CA UK office, so it will always be a few days after somethings happened before a new plan can be decided upon because of having to discuss it with SEG as well and everything else.

Just to remind everyone, we're here to discuss the patch, not our opinions of CA's business practices ~;)