2 months to release and the game feels like pre-alpha and is a letdown. Please delay the release.

If the current state of the game is pre-alpha, then it's completely ok. But the game is said to be released in December 2013. Even there may be a ton of improvements in these 2 months, I am not seeing the game will be what people expect it to be in just 2 months. A whole lot of things are still very bad and the game is a major disappointment at the moment.

1. The game has nothing like the awesome concept pictures and videos they show previously.

2. Unit design feels like vanilla TA and lacks creativity. It's a whole new game but they just basically copy the TA's units over. This is 2013 and you are making a new RTS game. Come on.

3. There is no new innovation in strategies and playstyle from the previous annihilation series. I feel like I am playing the same annihilation games like TA and SC with merely different graphics.

4. UI is so bad that it's worse than previous annihilation games. Spring engine beats this so hard.

5. Optimization is so bad that it's even worse than Supreme Commander. Spring engine beats this so hard.

6. There are so many things that were promised or the devs talked about on the forum are still nowhere to be seen. And we have only 2 months to go.

7. There are so many other little things that are off and I have never seen a decent game that is going to release in two months lacks so much polish.

Sorry to be an *** and rant about all these. But I think there are truly many problems and it should be said.

1. Agreed.

2. Full roster isn't in. I urge patience.

3. The interplanetary stuff isn't fleshed out due to roster.

4. Yes. I am very frustrated with the UI as well. See my sig for the UI threads. Please add your voice there.

5. Optimization is a result of still adding features. Again, patience.

6. Agreed. Many of us are feeling like it's only 2 months out and we're nowhere near complete. But Uber is probably freaking out more than us. Leave them to it, they don't need the added pressure.

Absolutely agree. They should delay the release date to February 2014 at least.

I agreed with you both.

Some of us are for some time, debated this huge problem, but we are just confronted with the theory that is still in beta.
Being that, we are in 2013, with a huge delivery how to create the right foundation for a game like this,
its actually a little scary to feel that there are just ideas, that Uber transmitted to us in all, we are a little disappointed with the direction the game is taking.

The lack off units builds and tech ,that really must change.
Make a rts in sphere planet its bring a lot off concerns , inside planets we showld view moore like flat field.
The UI, Commander, balance, graphics ,the really important iluminacion, moore units in at least 3 leval techs, to naval really works the fiels must be moore flat we FA(F) players are ust to intense naval fights ,so we now wy we say naval dont fit here.
And moore things really have to change.

Uber must understand they only make games ,but its we that buy and play them.

But of course all this could end, if you guys havent repaired Uber team is not saying anything from awhile.

Maybe they are really focused right now, to give us a game as it should be!
Im happy with that.

And iff its really in December the output of the game, to make sense of the critical games, that will be a really interesting game,
They have to engage seriously in this game, with all the knowledge that they have.
Or we all now what will happend.

But I still say they should delay the game at least with exit to March 2014, since the game is full of problems and there is not hardly anything ,for encouraging new players .

We already have, rts of great quality at a low price of production, in previous years.

But I still believe, and will believe until the end that we are mistaken, and that will be good game.
But for this to happen Uber has to start listening to the community, and make the right things to PA ,at this time we are not thinking together.

delay it.

I wouldent say pre-alpha. But yea its nowhere near finished.

However they might not have the money needed to delay it.

I wonder what Uber will make of this post. I think we all are aware of the current build and are all aware of the current fact that there is only 2 months till possible release. But I don't think this is the real problem I for 1 was so glad that there was going to be all these new ideas. I come from playing pretty much all rts games going so I have seen it all.
The point is not everyone will be happy on release for example UI will not suit everyone so it can be fixed or modded some of the navy I think is 2 big some of the buildings are 2 big (storage) balance will be on going optimisation on going so yes at the moment I think the current Beta does feel it has some way to go. But I no they have done a good job so far and with our help can and will make it better.

If they feel they need to delay then I think they will I can only imagine the community pressure they must be under let alone deadlines. If its ready good if not (It will have game of the year 2014)...simple.

Or the third "worst case" senario. It isent ready but they dont have the money to delay it.

start a smaller kickstarter. If I was sold back then, I'm twice as sold now.

If they admit to people they're in trouble and that they want the game to be perfect for it to sell well post-release, the crowd will understand.

That is certainly the problem. One clue of this is how they rushed into the beta phase, with major features (i.e. interplanetary) not even tested during Alpha. It made no sense. Beta is supposed to be polishing, not adding features. They rushed into beta because people who bought the Beta had to have at least a few months of exclusive access.

I guess Chris Taylor was right when he said that such a game could not be made without very deep pockets. Perhaps Uber was too optimistic/naive.

The more it goes, the more I think that we didn't actually back a finished game, but a demo platform that will be built upon for further RTS games, by the modding community, and other publishers (or Uber themselves). Gosh, the game isn't even finished yet, and they already said in Germany that modders would be able to sell mods. Planetary Annihilation is not so much a game, it is intended to be the App Store/iOS of RTS games. PA has to be good enough to show the potential of the platform, but not as polished as we hoped it would be.

I'm all in favor of a great RTS platform, and will be looking forward new games pushing the enveloppe further. It will certainly be awsome and we'll have lots of great innovative games. But I'm afraid it'll mean we'll pay at least twice. Once for the platform, once for the real game(s) that will make real fun use of it.

Thats not realy true either. Different companies do have a different view on alpha and beta.

But normaly its like this, when all the core features are in a game goes from alpha to beta. All the core features are allredy in so it has the right to call itself beta in my opinion.

Beta isent at all about polishing, thats very late beta (thats normaly also the public beta).

I would be extra-careful with that. Playing too much with so-called "creative" units can easily turn PA into SupCom 2. What would be by far worse than a current state of things. So... I prefer to have less creative units but more balanced gameplay than flying UFOs and other ****.

Oh - and: FYI: PA isn't a copy of TA units. It's by far less. TA got plenty of varied units filling in various interesting roles creating new strategies in the game. PA got nothing alike.

I would argue that original TA got BY FAR more strategies and gameplay styles available than PA currently does. And to make it worse - I haven't heard of anything yet that would improve the situation.

Totally agreed.

So is TA Spring. But at the same time - TA Spring offers BY FAR more interesting gameplay and strategy mechanics than PA does. And it's not a difference of just a few units small units - it's a matter of many different factors that paint a picture of PA being pure game of numbers - battle strategy doesn't matter nor makes any difference - who can build stuff most quickly is all that matters.

I think everyone needs to stop acting like they are experts just because they have internet access. Give credit where credit is due and I think the only guys that should be worried about the next two months are the devs. All the press release so far tells me they're having fun, if they're having fun making the game I think that's the best start. Also unless you've invested 10,000 bucks I don't understand why your whinging about dates. Did TA have community input like this? no. Did it kick arse? yes.

If everyone had they're input and created within the game imagine the mess! alternatively how many different variations would they have to release to please everyone. It's sweet that they opened up this process like this, this game may even break records (if it hasn't already) given it's a release over Kickstarter. I'm having fun with the Beta, I'm having fun watching it grow. But I didn't buy the Beta or alpha thinking that it entitled me to act like I'm a developer.

Positive criticism is great but scathing attacks and petulance are boring and annoying so next time you think of contributing to community discussion ask yourself. Is this a contribution? Why do I think this is a contribution and explain your reasons. A lot of people are talking like "I want it my way" to those people I say go make your own game, just don't sit here and whinge.

For making the xmas sales they will have to release by mid december so its barely 1.5 months away.

It's a niche game.
First because it's a RTS, and even more because TA-like are a sub-category of RTS, and they don't have a solo or factions. (so more a niche inside a niche inside a niche).

Releasing it for black friday or christmas make no sense.
It's not a game you will find in the shelves of your supermarket, and even if it was, the game doesn't target people who buy game like that.

Most likely they don't have the money to develop it further than January, and hope for early sales to make a game out of the engine.

Remember that they have to pay for (a shitload of) servers, for a game that doesn't bring them any money currently.

Most likely, it will have bad reviews because it's unfinished, and won't sell enough for them to continue building it further.

People here are already harsh about the game, and we are the people who supported it with kickstarter.. We are already sold to the cause...
Now they will have to convinced people to let go their favorite current RTS/MOBA for a half-baked game...

Or the next patch will have all units, a nice UI, most bugs fixed, orbital and multi-planet being interesting, and we have one month left to balance it correctly.
If so, yes it can work.

Guys, I'm dusting this tired gag off again

YOUPEOPLEAREDEPRESSING.vtf

Xmas sales are 3-4 times higher, just because it's a niche game doesn't mean it won't benefit from xmas sales.

And? Why are you even discussing that? PA is nowhere near being ready for Xmas, and heck: Even initial announcement said that it won't be ready for Black Friday. It was never part of the plan.

It'd much more prefer to have a good game released in January/February/March, than having unfinished game that's out for December.

The state of the game at release is very important. They may make it perfect 4 months and 20 patches after release, it won't wash away the initial feeling. (and the probable horrible metacritic score).

FA has solved almost every issues of supcom, still, people are still thinking that supcom is a laggy eco-turtle fest with T1>T2>T3>XP.

Did they every concrete announce a launch date? I don't recall them doing so, tbh; as far as I'm aware there's no definite "PA WILL COME OUT ON THIS DAY AT 4PM AFTER LUNCH". So stop getting all yer panties in a twist and let them get on with the game. Threads like this have pretty much no effect. Uber aren't going to read a small group of people complaining and say "ammagawd, we suddenly realised our game isn't remotely finished yet"