Ibn, give us a break

[AzulDrakkon]

"We care about all of our players, but when we allocate development resources, we must always try to get the most bang for the buck. If we have 30 man-hours that we can dedicate to a task that will make 75% of our players happy, or that will make 25% of our players happy, we'll most frequently chose the first one. It's just common sense.

We try to resolve issues important to sub-sections of the player base when we can. This is why we're working on getting the melee PvP weapon imbalance and the bow bug fixed, because we understand that these are concerns to an important chunk of our player base."
-Ibn


Oh so you admit you're fixing the mistakes you made in the first place, wow. You'll never add NEW PvP content, because you guys don't even do a halfhearted job.

One Day at Turbine:
"Ok, ok...like lets give whiny DTers that we hate so much some 'PvP love' so they don't unsubscribe!"

"Great idea!!! Maybe we could introduce a new mechanic? Perhaps some actual PK incentive like they've asked for?"

"Doh, you're dumb, we're just going to change a few values so that they are HORRIBLY screwed up and they complain more! Then We'll call the fix to our little mistake 'PvP content!'"

"LIKE OH MY GOD, THATS THE BEST IDEA EVAAAAAR!"

"I NO! THEY DON'T PAY ME THE BIG BUCKS FOR NOTHING!"

"Ok, so its settled?"

"Yeah, but make sure you put a melee defense modifier on the most overpowered item so its even more blantantly obvious."

"Oh, we'll have to make it UA then, because ninjas and Bruce Lee and stuff are UA and they could probably evade me"

"Good point...see you in next year for the next PvP content addition"

*Oh, not to mention you lock the thread after your bogus reply to add insult to injury.*

[Frank The Knife]

I believe they use the magic 8 ball in making pk decisions. :)

[Virindi Clown]

"
"Yeah, but make sure you put a melee defense modifier on the most overpowered item so its even more blantantly obvious."

"Oh, we'll have to make it UA then, because ninjas and Bruce Lee and stuff are UA and they could probably evade me"



Lol...sadly enough, that's the closest you can get to a logical reason for doing that. :rolleyes:

They seem to forget that a whole lot of people PvP on the white servers now, since there is PKL. If they would just fix problems right away, that would make them happy too.

As for content, well, that's a pretty stupid issue in this game. EVERYTHING could be made useful for PvM and PvP, but instead of putting in the time to do that, it often seems they put in the time to make things USELESS for DT PvP (but sometimes not NPK PvP, hmmm...), and almost as good as it gets for PvM (like the 18k value on the ancient armor, WTF?!?).

Even if it was something like a monster slayer weapon, which obviously would have no use in PvP, it could still be used in PvM, WHICH ACTUALLY DOES EXIST ON DT (remember the log of that month where DT had like triple the next highest server's monster kills?), but it will probably have a 8923487234283k value just so no one on DT can ever use it.

[Jida]

Azul, ever worked in software developement? Ever on a legacy product in the 10 year old range?

Fixing code is not like cleaning a messy room. It is like playing Jenga with Michael J Fox.

Let's say that they had 120 man hours to fix bowbug. We will also assume this is not 120 man hours for the team and is 120 hours per person (there is a very big difference).

This gives each person 3 weeks of time to work on their phase of 'fix'.

Once the coder starts work on the fix his time starts, once he thinks he has a fix it is given to QA where their time starts. Unless Turbine runs a timesheet bank this time is going to never end till the time runs out. This 3 week period is going to be shot through with,

1) New content
2) Other bug fixes
3) Meetings
4) Phase reviews
5) Lunch
6) Sneezing

Developement is not some super computer that always does things right, it is a bunch of people that are doing a job. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.

If I went to a restaurant 1 time a month and everytime I went there I *****ed about the food, the service and anything else I felt entitled to for my $12 I would end up eating more spit than food.

The fact that Turbine eve allows for you to post on a board and replies is very odd for a developement team.

What they are doing is their job, you think it is fun and exciting, you are wrong.

Within 3 months of working on AC any one of us would be sick of it. I am not talking about making up content or simply testing (read playing) all the latest and greatest things.

I am talking about staring at a compiler and code for 8 hours only to find out that I have 5 more minutes before some primadona complains that I am not working fast enough.

Most of you do not have a clue as to what it takes to get something done let alone what it takes to get monthy props completed.

[AzulDrakkon]

thats where you're wrong Jida...if their coding was elegant they could easily substitute damage values with no problems. I understand the difficulty of the bow bug problem, but thats another thing. This is animation, like fast cast and the other "unfixable" items. Also, AC isn't 10 years old...don't even pull that...look at games in the same age range...Diablo II (which mind you had a patch to make it EVEN easier for modmakers), Baldurs Gate...You'll see MANY mods and alterations to those programs. Its not our fault that they didn't code it well enough to allow for future modifications. They could work on it, but their resources are tied up in making miniscule things to sate people's thirst for content while the brunt of the work is being done on their NEW projects. By the way allowing you to post on Dev board is not odd. Also, the Michael J. Fox comment was out of line.

[ChildoftheKoRn]

the Michael J. Fox comment was out of line.
AZUL IS RIGHT. GET OUT OF THE PVP FORUM YOU MICHAEL J. FOX HATER

[Bad-Day]

Fixing code is not like cleaning a messy room. It is like playing Jenga with Michael J Fox.






LMAO Jida FTW.

[Jida]

You think the game was developed and released in 99'? You think that they just took a few months to mock up the BETA servers? The project started in 95 (if memory serves) and that is almost 10 years ago.

Also, so what you are saying is that *if* the code were elegant then they could easily change values?

So also on that line of thinking,

*IF* the game were not originally created for sprites the graphics would be better.

*IF* the code was not hashed by various dev groups over 10 years it would be contiguous.

*IF* all the servers were Red then PvP would be balanced.

*IF* if was a 5th we'd all be drunk.

The code is not elegant, they are not going to re-write the whole thing. AC1 is a legacy product in maintenance mode. They add content, they work on it,... it is not a front line 'bleeding edge' project.

And note, I said it is odd for 'dev groups' to post and interact with customers. Customer relations do, fans do, not Dev groups.

I have worked for 6 different companies, many in the gaming industry and not one ever had a Dev group that wanted to talk to people that do not understand the developement life cycle.

Look at AC2,.. it has what you are talking about right? Elegant code, tools to build worlds, easily changed values, component modules that are interchangable, etc.

Sadly, AC1 does not. It is a turd of a codebase that these devs valiantly attempt to work on while at the same time keeping all of us impatiant inconsiderate idiots entertained.

You do not understand the developement lifecycle,... you understand what you have read about what the developement life cycle should be and that is a pipe dream in this case.

[AzulDrakkon]

You know those other two were in dev for quite a while as well, D2 was probably started in late 96-97 and I believe the BG2 engine was also used on the first one. I'm not expecting much, I was expecting them to understand, you see most games don't have a monthly cost, and with increased payments I expect increased gameplay, so excuse me if I believe that I'm entitled to something more than a PvP fix that should've been done right the first time. I really don't care if you think you're a genius computer development expert, right now you're wrong. The simple fact is, every 4 months I pay enough to buy a new "bleeding-edge" game in fact I have 2 accounts, so make that EVERY TWO. I don't expect anything special, I expect something beyond a fix for their mistake.

In the end its my money...I ask, and if I don't recieve what makes me satisfied I unsubscribe, thats America, bud. If I go to McDonalds and order a combo, I expect the drink with the combo, not ten weeks later...MANY computer gamers/reviewers feel the same way, and certain whiny programmers and greedy publishers push out incomplete products. Then they feed you a line of bull.

BUT on another note:
Ibn finally acknowledged that theres a problem here, and I'm satisfied...because perhaps this will mean I can log in to some actual gameplay and perhaps new blood will flow into DT, you should read the other post. I'm satisfied for now, and I'm sticking with AC. Also I understand the development lifecycle for this game is severely limited by the engine, but they should have stayed with a known and beloved formula for AC2 and we wouldn't have this problem. Perhaps if they revamped the game, and worked hard they'd easily get another 10 years out of this. The PvP/PvM/Trades system is that addictive, and the people are much better than in other MMORPGs, and theres little touches that make you proud to play this game, but its almost depressing to see it hamstringed by the bugs and glitches that plague it.

[Jida]

With the population of AC decreased by nearly half of what it was years ago us paying a couple more dollars does not offset the costs of running AC.

We are a well, nothing more.

If they have 20,000 paying accounts right now (I doubt that however let's take that number) that is a grand total of $3,120,000 per year. Let's not look at taxes, overhead or what they have to pay out to other resources and simply look at that raw number.

The average coded on the East coast that has any value is going to make $75,000 a year. The average SQA person on the East coast is going to make $45,000 a year. The average sys admin on the East coast will make $75,000 a year.

We have now $3,120,000 dollars to pay for all of this. What do you want to hire?

10 Devs? Ok there is $750,000 out. 10 SQA to balance it out? There is another $500,000. 5 sys admins (including lab support, I.T. and otherwise). There is another $375,000 down the drain.

A grand total right now with limited resources of $1,625,000 per year leaving $1,495,000 over.

Man, they are making almost $1.5 million per year off of us,.... we should see a return right???

Good thing they don't have to pay for,

Admins
Electricity
Rent/Taxes
Bandwidth
Server Space
Infrastructure
Source Control
Copy Machines
M&M's
Burnable Media
Conference Calling Solutions
Outsourced Testing
ALL OF D&D ONLINE
ALL OF AC2
ALL OF MIDDLE EARTH ONLINE

By the time they get done with what they have to pay for that $13-$26 a month you pay does not entitle you to anything other than what we are getting.

For what needs to be done in order to accomplish what they are doing it is amazing what they do now.

In order to keep 95% of the money flowing they keep 95% of their target audience happy. Which means NPK and not PK.

It is very naive on anyone's part to think AC is a work of passion for the devs or some privately funded pet project. It is a business that exists to make money. Sure they provide entertainment, they would stop that in a second if it was that or going chapter 11.

Ibn has stated he understands DT is different, I apprectiate it just like we all do. It is not our place though to sit here and berate people doing a good job because we pay less money a month than most of us blow on 1 meal.

Will you quit AC?

If you do someone will eventually take your place. If not then they lose out on a piddance that is not going to make or break them.

[Dj_Viper]

Why don't you read why Turbine said they were upping the prices? Yes, because of inflation and such, but also for increased customer support. I agree that it is difficult to manage funds and all that, but that's part of being a business. We don't need you to come here and lecture us on that, we understand what being a business means. If your competitors have better customer service than you, and listen to their customers/adapt, they will get my money. It's as simple as that.

We pay each month for a monthly update. That is what Turbine tells us at least, and probably what 90% of the playerbase understands it to be. If we are not paying a MONTHLY fee for a MONTHLY update with new content/fixes on their mistakes, what are we paying for? I don't like paying 3-4 monthly payments to wait on a fix for a mistake they made. But that's just me.

[Jida]

You are not listening. You (and all of us here) are the minority in AC1.

They do listen and they do react quickly to the NPK issues since they represent the majority of their support needs.

We are conercase, ad hoc, side issues, etc.

If all of us quit, all of us PKs, it would mean that all the resources dedicated to us would be free to work on NPK issues with little or no impact to AC1's revenue.

I have played DT since retail. I have waited 5 years to have bow be effective. If you are complaining about a few months of imbalance then I have no sympathy for you.

If you all open your eyes for a second you will see that the reason why things take so long on DT is because we are not (and never have been) on the front burner.

Throwing out there that your $13 should tell some guy he better fix something for you or you will leave is not ever going to be a solution.

Also, the Devs are not blatantly ignoring the issues, they are ignoring PvP for the most part. There is a difference.

Ignoring the issues would mean they see them, understand them and decide not to act (which is what many of you seem to think they do).

Ignoring PvP is what they really do since they do not understand it, do not see the need for it and do not see the return for spending time on it.

[Sabriel_TFK]

God bless you Jida!

Finally someone with a decent head on their shoulders. :)

[Jida]

It is just frustrating and amusing when you see people growing up before your eyes.

These same posts read in 3 years by the people that posted them will make them cringe. When I started in AC I was 25 and now I am 31. In that time frame I have made tons of assumptions, lots of broad sweeping accusations and otherwise made an uninformed @$$ of myself.

Where I have an advantage in this case is that I have worked for companies doing the very same things that Turbine does now. I know what it is like on the inside and what the inside sees on the outside.

Mainly, I thnk Turbine has done an extremely good job with what they have had to go through over the years and topics like this on their own official board show a real lack of un-dumbyness.

[AzulDrakkon]

Jida, you'd know I've changed my opinion on the issue if you would read my post. Instead of ranting for 3 pages, understand that the thing that I want is people coming BACK to DT. Do play DT as of late, with server populations peaking at 600 strong? lets try to divide that population into its parts: 300 of which who are probably AFK UCMing, 100 which are just AFK, 150 who are hiding at their mansions or deep within a dungeon because they are too "low level" to compete...and 50 raiding various places (which mind you, you never see sub-126s hardly anymore unless they are in a large gank), at most? Its frustrating, and this was meant to vent my frustrations...you think people are going to return just because they fixed phantom UA or bowbug? No. Darktide will continue to dwindle and die, until all thats left are the hiders and the UCMers who haven't hit 160 or been banned yet. I see at least one person that raids consistantly saying "they're quitting" every week. If I leave its no big loss to them you say. So why can't I unsubscribe until I feel as if the issues that effect me have been addressed? I'm not being greedy, I'm using common sense. I play a game to have fun. AC is great, and its fun, but when it is no longer fun or goes dead, I will withdraw my money. BUT Ibn has acknowledged theres problem, and around DT, before his latest post, the concensus was that he just "didn't get it"...now he seems to be trying to understand DTs issues, which is all I want, because I can live with the populations now, and only being able to have a good raid at peak hours, but if I can't even get a good raid or PvP action before then, AC will mean nothing to me.

<Insert picture of Azul Drakkon noting that KPD157 has no clue of what makes Darktide tick.>

KPD, You're the prejudiced one bud. If you came on DT you'd understand that rPKs (kill untaggeds, anyone for that matter) are a big factor but antis (who usually help noobs, at least don't kill them) don't raid the starter towns as often. Then again you have a "level 30" on DT that probably doesn't even exist. There are as many good people on DT as there are bad like on any of the servers, our extreme distaste for most carebears (not used as an insult usually, but some carebears seem to hate the word.) comes from people like you, who label us as cheaters and morons just by going off of your first experience, or a trip to VN-DT. Maybe if you'd give DT a chance in a good mellow allegiance with a mature player base like TFK, J U S T I C E, Zandar Blackrock, or Alzar you'd like DT. Of course you wouldn't do that because we're all mean, evil cheaters who want to macro all day and make your life horrible and sad, right?

[Jida]

Azul, always read all that I write in a mellow even toned voiced. I never get worked up while typing so projecting an excited or angry voice on me will give you the wrong impression of my message.

I agree with your 'feelings' on the state of DT. I do not agree with the crap tossing at the Devs.

YOU HEAR THAT?!?!?! HUH DID YOU?!?!?!?! ;)

[Ibn]

Jida, even if you didn't mention that you have experience working on production legacy code, I'd have to assume that you did. Your assumptions about our cycles and processes are very close to spot-on.

Azul, yes I'm admitting we made mistakes regarding the PvP weapon rebalancing, I admitted that weeks ago. It would seem to make sense that creating new PvP content while the PvP weapon suites are still imbalanced isn't a valuable use of our time. What's the point of new PvP content when it'll just be pwn3d by a gank squad wielding Phantom Katars, right?

At any rate, right now our resources are stretched extraordinarily thin, due to the work on the expansion pack, billing migration, and the transition of the project and team to our Santa Monica studios. In this situation, we really need to focus on content that will be useful to the majority of AC players... which is not PvP-exclusive content.

Right now we're working on fixes that we think will have the most bang for the buck -- melee adjustments and a fix to the rapid-fire bow bug.

[Meel]

good reply ibn
Meel.

[Jida]

Very well said.

When everything is all said and done can we all agree to the following,..

"We only beat on Turbine because we love their work and want them to strive to be better."

If we did not care we all would have left a while ago.

[Jinnsman]

Azul, ever worked in software developement? Ever on a legacy product in the 10 year old range?

...

Developement is not some super computer that always does things right, it is a bunch of people that are doing a job. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.

...

I am talking about staring at a compiler and code for 8 hours only to find out that I have 5 more minutes before some primadona complains that I am not working fast enough.

Most of you do not have a clue as to what it takes to get something done let alone what it takes to get monthy props completed.
One of the best posts/threads i have read on an AC fan site. Well said and prots to you for expressing how many (all) of us who code for a living feel about all the whining and self entitlement that goes on here.

All I have to do is say AMEN!

[AzulDrakkon]

Very well said.

When everything is all said and done can we all agree to the following,..

"We only beat on Turbine because we love their work and want them to strive to be better."

If we did not care we all would have left a while ago.


I can agree with you there.


I give everything I say a healthy dose of sarcasm, it can sound like I'm being harsher than intended. The contributing factors were that Ibn locked the post, that he didn't seem to understand the status of DT, and I was a little bitter that a fix to a previous error was all we were getting. I like AC or I wouldn't continue to post here. I could really care less if people flame me for being an "impatient primadonna" because in the end its not their choice whether I keep playing or not.


Jinnsman if you don't love what you do get a new profession or stop crying about complaints.

[Heideggar]

"At any rate, right now our resources are stretched extraordinarily thin, due to the work on the expansion pack, billing migration, and the transition of the project and team to our Santa Monica studios. "

I just don't like seeing those first two excuses to as why things don't get done in a timely fashion : (

I'd imagine the X-Pack would be a side thing that would not interfere with regular live updates.

I would have thought something similar with billing migration, as you guys are going to use the new billing software with not just AC, but AC2, D&D, and other Turbine projects, right?

Moving, ok, I can understand that, but it still sucks : /

I don't know about the finances and HR of Turbine much, but I woulda thought hiring experienced people would have allowed you guys to not slack behind on content when trying to throw out the X-pack, billing migration, and even the moving.

*shrug*

[ChildoftheKoRn]

......... ok again i say thanks for replying more to the pvp forum and yes i didnt give thought to all the migration and such like that for the resource limit. I can admit I was wrong about that but Isnt it kinda wrong to say that your going to give more love to the majority of ac (being npk) and give them more content items and quests than giving the lesser majority (dt or any other red pk's) less luvin, Thats kinda like saying your gonna have 2 kids 1 being tall sending htem to college help them out and leavin the short one to fend for himself. Maybe thats overblown but still you have to realize that the dt pop are paying customers too, you have to adhear to both worlds not just the majority. Sure what your planning to do is basicaly what is needed. Dont worry about gank squads cause if someones gona gank the ganked should die. Im just hoping you'll do the right things up all the weeping and phantom (excluding phantom ua) and bring things up to par, hopefully keeping things fair for melee vs melee.

[Jida]

You thought wrong however it was only due to lack of experience.

Korn, it is not like having 2 choldren. It is like having a 1 child that is good, productive and is always trying to be in the right and another kid that used to live next door but after his house burned down he started living in your yard and he thinks he is as important as your son.

We will always be second class. That is unless Turbine sees a financial reason to support PvP.

Right now there is none.

The money we generate does not offset the man hours it takes to work on things for us. We are a drain on an already thinly stretched team.

Hiring more people for PK is not an option, putting people on PK solely is not an option.

One thing I cannot stress enough, we are the cornercase issue on a legacy product in maintenance mode.

Any money dumped into totally revamping our game system will onyl happen if Turbine outsources the work for free to coders that want to do the work under NDA and have deliverables without a return.

That is the only way this is going to happen.

Turbine is not an army sized company - they are not as big as Sony, not as big as even as 7/11 or Krispy Kreme.

[ChildoftheKoRn]

Hahahah i like how you put that. yet that is semi-wrong because its not like one day a player just pk into the game, turbine developed, place, and activated pk. So we are just as big of a responsibility to them as the npk world. And once their done with the migrating billing transfer etc etc im expecting alittle more productivity not along the lines of giving mages stronger spells and uber weapons (v scepter [which shouldve beena hot fix seeing how it completely dominated])

[Jida]

For a long time PK was simple fixes.

Then they added hollows and our view on what could be done expanded greatly.

Once they made that addition we began to look at PvP as a seperate set of possible content.

The Pandora's Box was opened and it cannot be shut now.

I understand what you think should be done and I agree. I also think it is a naive thought process.

The reality of the situation is that Turbine is more than capable of taking PvP and making it the greatest thing to ever be,... however it is not without the cost to revenue/resources.

[ElronOfDarktide]

How much does it really cost to undo something you did 3 months ago?

If you don't have the resources to do pvp only content... why did you nerf melees in pvp like you did? How did that get to be a priority when it was so clearly a terrible move that you now have to put more work into fixing?

Next time you do a change... and the result is something totally unexpected like you claim this one was... immediately undo it. dont wait 3-4 months with players in game being unable to leave their houses because they can't compete in pvp at all.

because in PVP when you mess things up it really ruins the whole game for people on darktide. Nothing you have EVER done has made the game basically unplayable for people on white servers.... but this melee nerf for instance made melees have two options. log off/unsubscribe.

Elron

[ChildoftheKoRn]

Im not saying only do pvp content. But outta a years worth of content about 2% of it has anything to do with pvp. just that i may seem like they do a good deal just cause theirs not a whole lot of it. And im not counting it as a change if they messed it up. I can see ibn might be starting to work alittle more iwth the pvp community now that hes actually creating/replying tos ome of the pvp threads. Lets just see if any of the content is going to make me wanna reactivate my acct. Played since xpac (when things started gettin fubar but still have good memeories of old dt) and I said my final goodbyes once i realised I felt victory whenever I got a mage passed 1/2 health. Hopefuly this next patch will make me reactivate to a killing spree from the melees :-D (no i dont mean melees being overpowered i just mean they actually kill things again)

[Jida]

I will try to put it into an example.

You are moving. You have enough to do in order to keep you busy for a long time. Your neighbor is also moving. You could help him move and make your move longer or not help him at all.

One day you decide to help him. You come over and try to move your way. He does not want for you to move your way and instead he wants you to understand the way he wishes to move. You get the basic idea (which is eating up time and he is not being very nice when he tells you) and start to move one thing.

He does not have the same things you do, he has things in a completely different way.

You pick up your first thing and it breaks. He runs out and yells at you.

At this point you see that helping him is a pain and you are moving away so why shold you care what he thinks.

A little while goes by and he is being nicer although he is constantly reminding you about what you broke. He is telling you to pay for it or fix it. Since you are neighbors you owe him that.

You decide to see if you can fix it only to notice that the broken thing has just as many fragile things near it. You do not know if they will break as you try to fix the thing you broke previously.

After a while of looking you leave. He is mad and yells a lot however he has nothing else he can do to you. He still is your neighbor and he is still moving although he is not moving as well as he could.

You find that it is too much hassel to work with him and if you let him vent he basically forgets for a while. You just bide your time till you move rather than tackling that project again.

AC1 is like this. They cannot simply run back in and change the weeping sword back to what it was without the chance that something else might break.

If there is another bug that pops up from this 'simple' fix then they will be forced to fix that with the chance that the fix will also break something else.

DT is not broken right now, it is imbalanced and out of wack, it is not broken though. Since they cannot dedicate the manhours to possible post mordem Dev time they also cannot commit to the initial fixes.

In a perfect world they would reset things to make us happy. If they reset it and everything goes to crap they cannot take the risk that this current 'fire' will not spread, eat up resources on items with true ship dates and impact a lot of other things.

I know, I know, it is a simple fix. It is also a huge case for risk assessment to deadlines and cannot be done quickly.

[AzulDrakkon]

Now that I've had some time to cool down and read this...Jida has swayed my opinion (but it is still their job to make us happy for continued payment, and I won't change my position on that), albeit I'm annoyed by the recent setback of my character losing his armor due to the landblock crashes (grrr...)


Also I realize that...

Ibn, you're just the messenger that I occaisionally shoot...sorry for making this sound as if its all your fault, I know its not...but you're really the only one I can call out, lol. I want to honestly tell you one thing. Answer peoples questions, don't try to evade or answer vaguely ...tell them whats going on, if you don't care, if you don't have a fix in the works, if its a year off, or even if you haven't been informed. People will appreciate the honesty/candor even if its bad news for them. I can tell you that just posting that you didn't understand some of DTs issues gave a lot of people newfound respect for you, and I ever heard a little from people IG. I would just like to say keep that coming please :)

[Dj_Viper]

Right now we're working on fixes that we think will have the most bang for the buck -- melee adjustments and a fix to the rapid-fire bow bug.

Thank You.

[ChildoftheKoRn]

Ibn, you're just the messenger that I occaisionally shoot...sorry for making this sound as if its all your fault, I know its not...but you're really the only one I can call out, lol. I want to honestly tell you one thing. Answer peoples questions, don't try to evade or answer vaguely ...tell them whats going on, if you don't care, if you don't have a fix in the works, if its a year off, or even if you haven't been informed. People will appreciate the honesty/candor even if its bad news for them. I can tell you that just posting that you didn't understand some of DTs issues gave a lot of people newfound respect for you, and I ever heard a little from people IG. I would just like to say keep that coming please :)

You should still yell at him so he can pass it on tot he people that actually do the content shitz :-D