Support NeoGAF

[Turin Turambar]

What's in the day 1 patch?

The smile of a child, the fragrance of a loved one, the hopes and dreams of a nation, the old mystery hidden behind the rainbow's end.

Spoiler

I already know there is a thread about the day 1 patch, but I still wanted to joke about 'it will change everything!' attitude.

 

[Ricerocket]

The patch is damage control based on initial feedback, they've cranked a bunch of the constants up to try to make the galaxy more interesting. The "Fix" to many of the games problems will likely be delivered as DLC somewhere down the road, as they are a very small team and creating enough content to fill that vast universe isn't quick.

Programmatically generated universes are almost always a bit dull after the initial wanderlust has worn off, so the trick is to get the micro mechanics to be the enjoyable park (i.e. Look at how the original Elite made the process of navigating around fun by itself) -

people are setting their expectations far too high, and a lot of the early reviews will be dismissed unfairly due to this magical 'patch'

Oh my god, the improvements to pop ins, increased texture res, shadows, and added content are damage control to just initial feedback? They wouldn't have fixed those if early preview leaks that happened like a week ago showed up?

 

[icespide]

Of course I do (even if I disagree) but it's still funny to me how people will change their tune throughout the generation.

At the beginning it was a big "NO" to everything that requires online. Now, it's "some things are OK".

you think an individual game requiring online is as bad as an entire console requiring online?

I think you misunderstood the entire online check-in fiasco drama

 

[Seik]

That was always going to happen with No Man's sky no matter what, since they plan to continue to release content for this game at regular intervals.

Even without the day 1 patch, the disc version will pretty soon be something very different from the updated game.

Physical copies just aren't a good fit for games like this.

This I agree with as well, NMS is more of a kinda 'online' game.

Though for many single player games out there, I hope you catch my drift.

 

[JayBabay]

NMS is 100% playable without its day 1 patch.

Exactly, so what's new? Devs have started doing this a lot more where they ship a game with a day 1 patch that irons out bugs or like in this case also changes drop rates or algorithms. I see nothing wrong with it and don't think it should be weighed against it since it shipped without those changes. That ship sailed a long time ago, guys. We've come to accept day 1 patches as part of the whole and review outlets have been panned in the past for not considering the performance improvements that a game gained from it.

 

[5taquitos]

The patch is damage control based on initial feedback, they've cranked a bunch of the constants up to try to make the galaxy more interesting. The "Fix" to many of the games problems will likely be delivered as DLC somewhere down the road, as they are a very small team and creating enough content to fill that vast universe isn't quick.

Programmatically generated universes are almost always a bit dull after the initial wanderlust has worn off, the trick is to get the micro-mechanics to be fun. Docking the ship, upgrading your suit etc. From what I've heard they haven't pulled that off. People are setting their expectations far too high, and a lot of the early reviews will be dismissed unfairly due to this magical 'patch'.

The pre-order bonus is also a joke, it's pretty much giving you an easy mode for the first couple of hours.

Is this for real? They've been crunching on this patch since the game went gold a month ago, before any streamers got their hands on early copies.

 

[Pestilence11]

Absolutely. Defensiveness is gonna be so high here. I wonder if anyone will have strong opinions about the "failures" of Metacritic.

As will the inexplicable hoping that something someone isn't interested in will fail.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

You should be able to review a game based on what is on the disc.

There is also no obligation to not review/hold-off if you purchase your own copy of the game.

Let's be clear.

Reviews are consumer guides. Reviews that only tell me what the game is like without the Day One patch aren't a good consumption guide because that's not what my experience is going to be like.

 

[Icyflamez96]

What's to be defensive about? I see more people arguing about a patch than the score. Why is that? Because it's actually a good score without the patch they move on to the next thing to nitpick about

To be fair, the reviewer in the link provided directly addresses the topic.

Yes, I know there’s a day-one patch on the way. What I care about is reviewing what people will have straight out of the box on the day they get their copy, the game that was handed over the counter to them when they parted with their cash in good faith. If the update drastically changes the experience of the game, so much so that’s it’s unrecognisable from what’s originally on the disc, then there’s something fundamentally wrong with the way games are being made; I wouldn’t pay for Chocolate Rice Crispies, receive plain Rice Crispies and then be told to wait while Kelloggs gets the chocolate flavouring together. Silly analogy, but it’s the same principle.

I don't think there's an issue with the discussion.

 

[JetSetRadio]

The patch should come with a PS4 Joe Danger copy!

 

[xxracerxx]

The patch is damage control based on initial feedback, they've cranked a bunch of the constants up to try to make the galaxy more interesting. The "Fix" to many of the games problems will likely be delivered as DLC somewhere down the road, as they are a very small team and creating enough content to fill that vast universe isn't quick.

Programmatically generated universes are almost always a bit dull after the initial wanderlust has worn off, the trick is to get the micro-mechanics to be fun. Docking the ship, upgrading your suit etc. From what I've heard they haven't pulled that off. People are setting their expectations far too high, and a lot of the early reviews will be dismissed unfairly due to this magical 'patch'.

The pre-order bonus is also a joke, it's pretty much giving you an easy mode for the first couple of hours.

Yeah, your username is apt if you think this is damage control.

The patch should come with a PS4 Joe Danger copy!

The center is just Joe Danger opening his arms to you for a hug.

 

[tiebreaker]

I agree that people should wait for the patch HOWEVER some people will not be able to download the patch and will play the version without the patch so reviews not using the patch is just as valuable to me

What about games unplayable without the day 1 patch?? Like Master Chief Collection. 0/10??

It's called a day 1 patch for a reason.

 

[RedRum]

All the more reasons that a game should be reviewed more than once. If the reviewers got a copy that didn't included the Day 1 patch, so be it. Review it. Score it accordingly. Nothing is stopping reviewers from updating a review 6 months, 1 year down the line. The policy should be the same across the board for all games and shouldn't change so one game can be reviewed with an update.

 

[Gamezone]

To be fair, lots of game get new features added later on without getting a new review. I know this isn't the same thing.

 

[Oh God Why]

Does anybody think or know if the patch (glitch related but still spoilered just in case)

Spoiler

will fix the exploit that the guy who first leaked No Man's Sky used to reach the center of the universe in about 30 hours (or so he claimed)?

 

[Xav]

There is nothing wrong in reviewing whatever is being sold at retail as is. Don't like it? Maybe finish your game before claiming it's gone gold.

Personally I think most gamers are connected online and I would review the game with that in mind but that's my choice.

 

[5taquitos]

Does anybody think or know if the patch (glitch related but still spoilered just in case)

Spoiler

will fix the exploit that the guy who first leaked No Man's Sky used to reach the center of the universe in about 30 hours (or so he claimed)?

Yes, that's one of the things confirmed fixed in the patch.

 

[Gator86]

As will the inexplicable hoping that something someone isn't interested in will fail.

Not being on some hysterical hype train does not equal hoping for a product to fail. I'm curious about general impression from reviews because I'll rent it soon and am excited to see people freak out over review scores. You can do both it turns out.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

You should be able to review a game based on what is on the disc.

There is also no obligation to not review/hold-off if you purchase your own copy of the game.

You should, and it's perfectly reasonable to write an article chastising the whole practice of day one patches that ultimately finish a game or make it releasable, perhaps to explain why there isn't an advance review available.

It still makes reviewing a game before the Day One patch useless for literally anyone who reads it.

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

Does anybody think or know if the patch (glitch related but still spoilered just in case)

Spoiler

will fix the exploit that the guy who first leaked No Man's Sky used to reach the center of the universe in about 30 hours (or so he claimed)?

Yes it will

 

[RoyalFool]

This nonsense again, haha. This update's been it the works for over a month.

You don't , in the final month of development, dramatically switch up the variables used to procedurally generate the entire universe the game is set in. Not unless the previewers were really damn negative about the build they were given.

Played it enough to be very wary of this day 1 patch promise, feel free to nuke my account if this gets over 75% on meta critic.

Going to lurk for the rest of this thread and enjoy the ride.

Good luck!

 

[Tagyhag]

you think an individual game requiring online is as bad as an entire console requiring online?

I think you misunderstood the entire online check-in fiasco drama

No sorry haha, I meant, I disagreed with thinking always-online isn't where we are headed in the future of consoles.

 

[mokeyjoe]

Is it Tuesday? Is the patch live?

No? Then I consider any of these an in-depth preview, at most.

The patch will be ready Monday. Could even be in less than 12 hours.

Importantly, even the game as it is is a really good game. Even if the patch adds little, it's clear the game is a success.

 

[sirap]

The patch is damage control based on initial feedback, they've cranked a bunch of the constants up to try to make the galaxy more interesting. The "Fix" to many of the games problems will likely be delivered as DLC somewhere down the road, as they are a very small team and creating enough content to fill that vast universe isn't quick.

Programmatically generated universes are almost always a bit dull after the initial wanderlust has worn off, the trick is to get the micro-mechanics to be fun. Docking the ship, upgrading your suit etc. From what I've heard they haven't pulled that off. People are setting their expectations far too high, and a lot of the early reviews will be dismissed unfairly due to this magical 'patch'.

The pre-order bonus is also a joke, it's pretty much giving you an easy mode for the first couple of hours.

From what you've heard? We have a spoiler thread with posters saying otherwise. Also, they've been working on this update since the disc went gold. Read the patch notes and you'll find very little "damage control".

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

You don't , in the final month of development, dramatically switch up the variables used to procedurally generate the entire universe the game is set in. Not unless the previewers were really damn negative about the build they were given.

Played it enough to be very wary of this day 1 patch promise, feel free to nuke my account if this gets over 75% on meta critic.

Going to lurk for the rest of this thread and enjoy the ride.

Good luck!

Mods hold him too this

 

[Wulfram]

What if the patch makes it worse?

 

[orthodoxy1095]

To be fair, lots of game get new features added later on without getting a new review. I know this isn't the same thing.

I mean, that's a whole other issue with reading reviews in this era of patches too.

What if the patch makes it worse?

Exactly. Good or bad, we should know how the patch affects our game.

 

[5taquitos]

You don't , in the final month of development, dramatically switch up the variables used to procedurally generate the entire universe the game is set in. Not unless the previewers were really damn negative about the build they were given.

Played it enough to be very wary of this day 1 patch promise, feel free to nuke my account if this gets over 75% on meta critic.

Going to lurk for the rest of this thread and enjoy the ride.

Good luck!

Oh god I hope you get held to this.

 

[Gattsu25]

Let's be clear.

Reviews are consumer guides. Reviews that only tell me what the game is like without the Day One patch aren't a good consumption guide because that's not what my experience is going to be like.

And in the absence of a company that wants consumers to be informed about what they are purchasing for $60, what is the expectation?

Should reviewers wait until monday to play the game for ~15 hours and then either half ass out, or rush, a review based on their initial impressions alone? Should gamers be expected to shell out $60 each to find out if the game they were looking forward to was a dud without any information by informed reviews?

This is a lose-lose situation that consumers have been placed in.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Imagine if UC4, Halo 5, or MCC were reviewed without the Day 1 patch. Holy shit this thread would pale in comparison, lol.

Hell, the PR were sneaky and disabled some features in the MCC review process, yet reviewers did not even make a stink, ironically.

then the 2 people buying this game day one without internet will be lucky

Hahaha

 

[Ferr986]

The patch is damage control based on initial feedback, they've cranked a bunch of the constants up to try to make the galaxy more interesting. The "Fix" to many of the games problems will likely be delivered as DLC somewhere down the road, as they are a very small team and creating enough content to fill that vast universe isn't quick.

Programmatically generated universes are almost always a bit dull after the initial wanderlust has worn off, the trick is to get the micro-mechanics to be fun. Docking the ship, upgrading your suit etc. From what I've heard they haven't pulled that off. People are setting their expectations far too high, and a lot of the early reviews will be dismissed unfairly due to this magical 'patch'.

The pre-order bonus is also a joke, it's pretty much giving you an easy mode for the first couple of hours.

LMAO NMS threads are the gift that keeps on giving.

 

[Banjo-Kazooie]

I don't necessarily thinks it's too unfair to expect the review to be based on the version and experience you paid money for. However... I think anyone reviewing it now before the day 1 patch does have some sort of duty to amend their review after the day 1 patch to see if their experience changed though.

Perfect world and all

 

[icespide]

What if the patch makes it worse?

then the 2 people buying this game day one without internet will be lucky

 

[JetBlackPanda]

You don't , in the final month of development, dramatically switch up the variables used to procedurally generate the entire universe the game is set in. Not unless the previewers were really damn negative about the build they were given.

Played it enough to be very wary of this day 1 patch promise, feel free to nuke my account if this gets over 75% on meta critic.

Going to lurk for the rest of this thread and enjoy the ride.

Good luck!

I mean Sean is kind of.. Never done that's the problem.

You can tell from every pre build interview he is always working his creation.

Also why is fixing a negative that almost all streamers complain about a bad thing?

Edit; also it's weird to make an account bet on metacritic scores, like bizzare. This isn't a sporting event it's a hobby and some people will love this game either way.

 

[Nameless]

To be fair, the reviewer in the link provided directly addresses the topic.



I don't think there's an issue with the discussion.

Fair enough. But that's still a rather archaic way of approaching game reviews in this day and age.

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

Imagine if UC4, Halo 5, or MCC were reviewed without the Day 1 patch. Holy shit this thread would pale in comparison, lol.

Hell, the PR were sneaky and disabled some features in the MCC review process, yet reviewers did not even make a stink, ironically.

Nobody batted an eye about day one patches for those titles(well MCC got it bad)

 

[dEvAnGeL]

this is the biggest review thread that I've seen with just one review lol

 

[Gattsu25]

Absolutely. Defensiveness is gonna be so high here. I wonder if anyone will have strong opinions about the "failures" of Metacritic.

Let's not pretend that a Metascore is useful.

Metacritic is useful for only one thing: linking to various reviews.

 

[Ferr986]

this is the biggest review thread that I've seen with just one review lol

This will probably be the biggest review thread ever on GAF.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Nobody batted an eye about day one patches for those titles(well MCC got it bad)

Yeah, we got a 9.0+ disingenuous reviews for a broken (still broken) mess. Great games, but not worthy of the near perfect score charts due to serious technical issues that were hidden. But, all is gravy train.

 

[Oh God Why]

Yes, that's one of the things confirmed fixed in the patch.

Yes it will

Thanks! Oh, and

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

Yeah, we got a 9.0+ disingenuous reviews for a broken (still broken) mess. Great games, but not worthy of the near perfect score charts due to serious technical issues that were hidden. But, all is gravy train.

Is the game still broken! I still haven't picked it up.

 

[weblaus]

Should gamers be expected to shell out $60 each to find out if the game they were looking forward to was a dud without any information by informed reviews?

This is a lose-lose situation that consumers have been placed in.

While that's not untrue, you'd almost think consumers are forced to get the game the instant it's available. Especialyl when somebody is undecided, there's the possibility to just, you know.... wait a day or two?

 

[Icyflamez96]

There is nothing wrong in reviewing whatever is being sold at retail as is. Don't like it? Maybe finish your game before claiming it's gone gold.

Except it's not consumer friendly considering most consumers will be playing day 1 with the patch.

Reviews are meant for consumers, so being useful to them should take priority over just trying to condemn developers, I think.

 

[Jawmuncher]

80% Metacritic is my guess

 

[orthodoxy1095]

And in the absence of a company that wants consumers to be informed about what they are purchasing for $60, what is the expectation?

Should reviewers wait until monday to play the game for ~15 hours and then either half ass out, or rush, a review based on their initial impressions alone? Should gamers be expected to shell out $60 each to find out if the game they were looking forward to was a dud without any information by informed reviews?

This is a lose-lose situation that consumers have been placed in.

Reviewers don't need to rush anything out, if they have any ethics about being actual consumer guiders, they'd take their time and write detailed, thoughtful impressions.

But they're just as much of "businesses" as the game developers.

The reality though is that this doesn't put me in a losing position as a consumer since I have some self-control and just wait until I can read reviews.

 

[Gamezone]

This is a good review. I like that the guy who is writing it is very well aware of the day one patch, and still want to review the game based on the physical copy.

 

[Ascenion]

Imagine if UC4, Halo 5, or MCC were reviewed without the Day 1 patch. Holy shit this thread would pale in comparison, lol.

Hell, the PR were sneaky and disabled some features in the MCC review process, yet reviewers did not even make a stink, ironically.



Hahaha

Uncharted 4 would've been fine, Halo 5 would've been missing multiplayer which for a Halo game is a no-no. MCC wouldn't and doesn't matter. Even with the patch that game got so much hate. It was fundamentally broken and still kind of is.

 

[CyberPunked]

Reviews without the significant day 1 patch are worthless tbh.

They announced the game had gone gold. So no, they are not worthless.

 

[Mory Dunz]

I was wondering how this thread wasn't 100 pages.

Then I went in and see that it hasn't even begun.


...so why is this thread already 3 pages???