When should we consider a game abandoned?

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When should we consider a game abandoned?

11 Eyl 2016 @ 19:48 - timsandtoms

tl;dr What info should I consider when marking a game as abandoned?
http://www.strawpoll.me/11207699

I recently put up a review for The Joylancer: Legendary Motor Knight for being an abandoned Early Access title, as it hasn't received any updates on Steam for the past 8 months. A couple of people brought up the fact that the dev is still posting update news on the forum, so we shouldn't consider the game abandoned.

Now, I'm of the mind that if we're not actually receiving any updates, then the game is in effect abandoned. Talk is cheap, and I've seen far too many projects where the devs will continue promising updates which never end up seeing the light of day. Up until now, my criteria for considering an Early Access title as abandoned has been that it hasn't received an update(that is, any changes to the files that you download the play the game, not just a news or forum post) on Steam for the past 6 months. I don't dig into the contents of the update to determine if it's a quality update, or if it has enough content, just that there is at least something being updated on the game.

So far, my criteria has worked pretty well, but I wanted to run it past everyone and make sure we're all on the same page on it. Do you guys think the devs forum activity should count, or only actual game updates? Also, it hasn't come up yet, but if there's a non-public branch of the game(a dev-only beta branch, for example) that's still receiving updates, should that prevent the game from being marked as abandoned? I could see that one going either way. On one hand, the game could clearly still be seeing development, but on the other, the people who have purchased the game aren't receving any changes.

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the matter! As usual, here's a Straw Poll, please cast your vote!
http://www.strawpoll.me/11207699

P.S. Just a little aside, but we're coming up on the Halloween/Holiday season, and there are frequently Steam sales, so the curator reviews could really help some folks out! We're currently the 111th most popular curator on Steam, on page #12 of the top curators. If everyone who followed got one friend to also follow, we'd be up to 86th, on page #9 of the top curators, making us that much easier for other users to find. I hate to pull the Youtube-esque "LIKECOMMENTSUBSCRIBEFOLLOWUSONTWITTERINSTAGRAMANDFACEBOOK" thing, but if you guys know anyone who would appreciate the info, please let them know about this curator/group!

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Aahzmandias 11 Şub 2017 @ 5:05

There is a fundamental flaw in these early access games on steam. What we really need, is a project plan, with milestones from these (indie)/devs.

I worked in the IT, and I know one thing for sure. Without milestone or a deadline, it will be never ever finished.

Only the devs, who know this, and are able to make such plans, finish their products. Maybe not in time, but they finish it eventually.

To be very harsh, if the devs don't state a deadline at that they suppose to be finish their project, I consider it as dead, even at the beginning.

LuckyDog 13 Eyl 2016 @ 10:14

@ Spray - yes, you were told right. A player can fall / drive thru the map, the 3-hr crash thing, use a stargate to another world and then be unable to return home (really), just to name a few. I hung in there with GRAV for well past the 1000hr mark, and would agree with anyone that GRAV initially seemed to have potential, but that energy was never converted into anything positive and meaningful - at least IMO. The true KILLER of the game to so many was in Jan/Feb2016 when BitMonster (Dev) experienced a series of server crashes that wiped entire worlds and Massive player base camps, and not even the Devs had a clue as to why/how this had happened, and actually continued to occur on different servers around the globe. (BM has servers for EU/Asia/AUS/US - and continuing posts still hint at ongoing major issues with Asia servers) Dev response to crashes was, "clearly something terrible happened." Do you think?!!
Well, anyway, I'll put a plug in now - this could go on all day

SPRÆY 13 Eyl 2016 @ 9:38

I was told that GRAV has major bugs not fixed from a long time, plus 12 months without a real update, but i didn´t corroborated myself.

LuckyDog 13 Eyl 2016 @ 9:30

@ A-CPR

- Very interesting article and poll here - keep 'em coming - and TY

Out of curiosity, I'd really be interested in your opinion of GRAV Reborn with regard to EA status. It has had so little development aside from language translations (which BTW Dev seems to consider as game updates - hardly IMO). I understand that GRAV 1-Universe was announced back in June, but still nothing released/updated as we approach the 3-mth point since Dev posting. Strangely, GRAV has a small, dedicated, and vocal fanbase, despite zero actual production from Devs in what I believe is 10-12 months.
Thx in advance to any others that would like to weigh in on the GRAV status, as well - Cheers

timsandtoms

13 Eyl 2016 @ 3:59

This is a topic that'll probably end up with another wordy post, possibly with another poll, but as it's now 4AM and I have to work tomorrow, that's something that'll have to wait, probably until the weekend. In the meanwhile, some quick thoughts on the matter:

- In hindsight, "abandoned" is probably a harsher and more specific word than was warranted, but I do feel that there should be a warning on games that aren't receving updates.
- The poll is actually surprisingly evenly divided. Y'all are much more forgiving than I would have expected!
- I need to figure out specifics, but at the moment, I'm thinking something like a review after 6 months with no updates/communication, or 12 with no updates, even with communcation?
- I've removed (into a private forum so I don't lose the info, if it's needed in the future) the review for The Joylancer: Legendary Motor Knight , pending how I end up deciding regarding this discussion.

SilentMarine 13 Eyl 2016 @ 3:33

Talk is cheap. A developer communicating about his game is a sign, but they have to show what they are doing.

I voted for 6 months regardless of dev communication, because gamers will want to see updates rather than just words. Especially those who feel burned by early access games.

Gorganthos 12 Eyl 2016 @ 20:31

Personally, I go with six months without communication from the developer or a year with communication. This is being kind in terms of trust though. I generally label games six months with communication as hiatus to give a warning bell. It is all about how the developer acts though, in consumer practices, language when dealing with forum patrons and past projects. Usually a warning sign when you have news of a new game being worked on by the same developer during the course of the Early Access product.

Elf 12 Eyl 2016 @ 17:58

I do know of one case where it's been more than 6 months since an update, and I don't think it's actually abandoned - TUG's devs announced that they were taking most of a year to rewrite the underlying engine. And while they haven't been posting on other media regularly, even most of the harsh critics believe that they will get back to updating the game.

Several of us believe they'll never reach a point that any reasonable person would call "complete," but that's a separate issue. It's not abandonware; it's "we made plans to design a bigger game than we actually had skill for," and they're going to keep plugging at that for at least a few more years, and as much later as they can keep scrounging up funding for.

Aythadis 12 Eyl 2016 @ 17:55

Congrats on hitting 111th popular curator! Seeing that, I mass invited everyone on my friends list, 18 joined so far.

cheese.9898 12 Eyl 2016 @ 14:53

@BlackSpawn
I think that's a very fair way of doing it.

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