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[Bloomberg: Jason Schreier] - Cyberpunk Game Maker Faces Hostile Staff After Failed Launch
- Thread starter Era of not Yakuza
- Start date
- News
I disagree with Liana's views that the word "crunch" has a cheaper meaning these days, but there's absolutely not justification for the hate she's getting.
Let's not forget she was the one who first reported on the epilepsy issues on Cyberpunk 2077 and then got a mob sending videos that could trigger her epilepsy.
Jason could've kept the focus on his story. He knew people would check who wrote the GI article, and they'd pile on her mentions again. If he didn't, he should've known better. All of that could've been avoided, and the focus would be on his story. He's wrong on this one.
Let's not forget she was the one who first reported on the epilepsy issues on Cyberpunk 2077 and then got a mob sending videos that could trigger her epilepsy.
Jason could've kept the focus on his story. He knew people would check who wrote the GI article, and they'd pile on her mentions again. If he didn't, he should've known better. All of that could've been avoided, and the focus would be on his story. He's wrong on this one.
Considering how much better the game runs on PC, and despite numerous bugs is still for all effects and purposes a great game, this just shows that they should have been much more honest with people about the state of the game on 8th gen consoles.
If CD Projekt Red was run by people who primarily cared about the quality of the product, instead of $$$, then they should have just canned those versions years ago. I'm sure many people at the company could have already estimated in 2018 that there wasn't a way they would get the game they envisioned running on the base PS4, not without it being a complete mess.
This explains it greatly, though it's not like CD Projekt had a monopoly on anything, so it's even more baffling that they were run by people with such little care about the state of the game and their customers.
If CD Projekt Red was run by people who primarily cared about the quality of the product, instead of $$$, then they should have just canned those versions years ago. I'm sure many people at the company could have already estimated in 2018 that there wasn't a way they would get the game they envisioned running on the base PS4, not without it being a complete mess.
This explains it greatly, though it's not like CD Projekt had a monopoly on anything, so it's even more baffling that they were run by people with such little care about the state of the game and their customers.
I assumed you played the game after CDPR patched the alternate movement mode in a few months after launch?
Otherwise there are lot of mods that change combat animations and whatnot you can find on the Nexus but I would make sure they are compatible with the combat overhauls first.
The obvious issue is clearly management at CDP(R) would not allow that, though it's clear from the console ports that scoping down effectively did occur (such as the busted police AI/system and other cut corners I've heard about).
Jason had two avenues:
-Reach out and ask them to fix it privately (if they tell you to fuck off, then go public)
-Do what he did publicly
Both have the same outcome, the first one avoids sending 250k gamers after a woman
-Reach out and ask them to fix it privately (if they tell you to fuck off, then go public)
-Do what he did publicly
Both have the same outcome, the first one avoids sending 250k gamers after a woman
I honestly don't know how Twitter works well and it was a few months ago but I know he didn't want anything more to do with her. Which is obviously a right he has but troublesome in scenarios like this.
Quoting for the new page. People are acting like Jason is bringing up old shit, when he was reacting reasonably to brand new information.
Reminder to stay on topic
Official Staff Communication
OK so this is an important news story, but the last few pages of this thread has been exclusively about tweets between two individuals, instead of the substance of that story.
Since the tweets were deleted, this should be enough indication that it's time to stop re-litigating this twitter drama, no matter whose side you're on.
Let's please re-focus on the actual news story, which is about CDPR developers confronting their bosses over the crunch they endured. Thank you.
Since the tweets were deleted, this should be enough indication that it's time to stop re-litigating this twitter drama, no matter whose side you're on.
Let's please re-focus on the actual news story, which is about CDPR developers confronting their bosses over the crunch they endured. Thank you.
The thing I'm going to keep an eye out for in future coverage of CDPR more generally is if there's signs of a culture of retribution against people who speak out, especially off-the-record. I do think even when things are managed badly, some companies are good about being frank as information comes out, vs. others which are more secretive and seem to target staff willing to speak out about conditions. I don't honestly have a sense of where that falls for CDPR.
I have admittedly negative feelings toward them, seeing the deliberate/conscious actions they look around (and in light of) the Cyberpunk launch. That said, I'd love to see this as a turning point in management. I've been in work meetings where things got ugly, but also needed to get ugly to clear the air.
I have admittedly negative feelings toward them, seeing the deliberate/conscious actions they look around (and in light of) the Cyberpunk launch. That said, I'd love to see this as a turning point in management. I've been in work meetings where things got ugly, but also needed to get ugly to clear the air.
The crazy thing is just how much was already scoped down! Just from what I remember offhand:
- Dual pistols
- Wall running
- Vehicle customization
- Subway
- Thermal katana (I believe thermal mantis blades are still in, but the thermal katana is just gone)
I remember a thread on here, complaining at people who were against having to work so much over time.
"Oh I have to do this all the time, there is nothing wrong with it"
For anyone who believes this or has been made to believe work takes priority, you are so wrong, so very, very, wrong.
"Oh I have to do this all the time, there is nothing wrong with it"
For anyone who believes this or has been made to believe work takes priority, you are so wrong, so very, very, wrong.
I think there is a Reddit thread that is compiling all of the "missing" features. If I'm remembering correctly, CDPR said all NPCs would have a routine. I paid full price for Watch Dog Legion and felt burnt by that purchase, but all of their NPCs seem to be on a routine as promised unlike in CP77.
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We might never know how much of this CPU busywork was ever crafted/implemented and then left out in order to dumb the game down enough to "run" on 2013 consoles or just simply never even attempted.
Yup. I'm seriously trying to think of the last company to fall from grace the way CDPR has recently. It's just insane.
I was actually just discussing last night how impressive (to me) NPC behavior is in Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim (specifically routines, ignoring things like animations, etc.) They have homes, beds, families, jobs, they gather at their dinner tables to eat with their family, they go to sleep during certain hours, etc.
I can't think of one. It isn't just CDPR, its also CD Projekt as a whole. In like the past month they:
- Showed everyone that they're able to release a game more broken and featureless than anything Bethesda or Bioware has ever put out, something often used to put CDPR on a higher pedestal than either of them.
- Showed their ass with regards to writing, something that people put them above everyone else in the industry especially after The Witcher 3.
- Showed their ass by bending the knee to China AND putting out that "we listened to gamers and removed the game..." statement, breaking the illusion that GOG was a game's service that would be free of annoying corporate influence like implementing needless DRM and censorship.
- Completely took their mask off with regards to treatment of minorities.
It's not crazy at all. They had to finish TW3 and expansions. They were pretty up front that the 2012 teaser was just to drive recruitment. We've know since TW3 released that they hadn't really started on active development of Cyberpunk.
Remember a few weeks ago when people were saying it was between Last of Us Part 2 and Cyberpunk for game of the year.
Yup, people said TLOU2 was lucky Cyberpunk couldn't be nominated for The Game Awards or it would be an easy win for 2077.
Not a monopoly but an automatic buy from a shit load of people. Plus a lot of arrogance on their part thinking they're the darlings of the industry. I mean people were brushing things off early on with the PC release being a Buggy mess at launch. It wasn't until the console versions were reported on that things really took a turn.
They were only given the working version of the game for a review pre-release, so thats what they had to review. And consumers generally do want their reviews on launch day or before. So waiting for a release to buy other versions of the game before doing the review, isn't optimal solution either. Critics were also manipulated by CD Projekt in this. CDP used the media, media wasn't the one hiding the botched last gen ports by their own volition.
Here's what I think, I think that when they released the first trailer and then the gameplay trailer. They were REALLY cautious. I remember them saying they weren't gonna oversell or cheat in their gameplay demos. Try and give the customer what they will really get. What happened is that hype machine got started right after that. MARKETING took over. Look at how many deals they've signed: you had special branded Shoes, Phones, computer equipment branded with Cyberpunk, Clothes, Chairs, posters, EVERYTHING. I bet They had to deliver the game soon, in order to fulfill the demands for all of those marketing deals. Add to that, investors putting pressure.
And that the Creative director left for Activision/Blizzard two years before release.
Its crazy how between The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 became just another corporate game development studio like an EA or WB Games, which basically lead to exactly the situation they are in now. I mean, I get it. The Witcher 3's insane success probably brought with it a ton of pressure to grow the studio and accept money from investors and create a board of directors. I think they were even being offered to be bought out by companies like EA.
Hopefully this will be a learning experience for the company as a whole. But I totally see them learning all the wrong lessons.
Hopefully this will be a learning experience for the company as a whole. But I totally see them learning all the wrong lessons.
Do they develop anything other than games? If not, then game maker is just fine.
Reviews are subjective. Can't really do much about that. Especially when they reviewed the PC version.
Jeff Gerstmann was criticized with the usual "Jeff hates everything" excuse. He didn't review it but wasn't particularly impressed with the game.
As a woman who gave CP2077 a 7/10, Kallie Plagge was harassed in disgusting ways.
Probably 'cause Bloomberg isn't a games news site and "cyberpunk developer" wouldn't register with most people.
The problems regarding development methods had existed since The Witcher 1. Its just that the relatively smaller scopes of the games were able to hide a lot of the problems. Cyberpunk 2077 was significantly greater in scope. They didn't fix it then, they might try and fix it now but its difficult to do a humongous change in corporate culture when its so ingrained in the company.
I just have to imagine the huge amount placed into marketing and merch made the executives force the game to be released at a half broken state and hope that good will and promises of patches would get them over the finish line. I think its clear they thought this too, with the kinda condescending HEY GAMERS yellow jpg company announcements.
The only problem was that the game was just too broken in the wrong ways on all platforms that they couldn't manage to get away with it like they've done in all of The Witcher game releases. Classic case of biting off more than you can chew.
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Yep and after playing both games, I prefer 2077. Neither are my game of the year.
Tbh there was fault in both camps. They bought all the rights to the Witcher upfront. When he got pissy and aasked for his fair share they fucked him about a bit then eventually came to an agreement. Got to the right place eventually but took a fair amount of effort that probably shouldn't have been needed.
I don't think they should. It's evident now why they sent out PC review copies, but by many accounts that's actually quite normal for multiplats.
There's lessons to be learned, but I don't think it's fair to pin blame on those reviews.
I imagine it's because outside of game forums, "developer" is "engineer".
Yeah, that seems quite believable. Well, I just hope developers working there don't get punished for this.
It's a long story, but Sapkowski went looking for better compensation since the deal he originally made was ridiculous (though he himself had rejected a deal based on royalties). Compared to the profits CD Projekt were now making based on his property. It took lawyers and bit time, but he eventually got a new deal last year that was satisfying to both parties.
Witcher 3 released on 3 platforms. This one is on 6 platforms for christ's sake.
You need a build for PC, Stadia, Ps4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One OG, Xbox One S, Xbox One X.
That's insane.
And The Witcher 3, from memory, had some pretty decent problems on those 3 platforms. Its not like these platforms came out of thin air, I can't believe they thought they could honestly support all consoles simultaneously when they already kind of struggled with three. No one at CDPR should have thought that this time things would turn out differently.