New iGP launch schedule
By Jack Basford
Last updated: Fri, 03 Jun 2016 21:57
If you have been playing the iGP Manager open beta, you will already know we aren’t just testing, but actively developing and improving it based on your feedback. Much of the initial feedback requested more depth, which was expected. We started with very simple interfaces and simplified procedures throughout the game. We decided to add depth incrementally based on feedback, to strike the right balance between the desktop version and coming apps. After a season or two, many players are enjoying the game a lot, finding it has the same depth combined with more convenience. We will keep adding depth and variability to strategy right up to launch, to keep everyone on their toes.
Open beta is a great place to experiment with this, as we can tweak things daily. We would like to stay in open beta for a while longer and capitalise on this opportunity. Once we go live, this kind of rapid deployment will not be possible, as the balancing act becomes slow with everything needing very thorough testing before being put live. In some ways, the open beta can be viewed more like alpha testing in that sense. We’re using it as a chance to make rapid updates with few distractions from development.
Because we want this flexibility to continue developing the game in open beta, and even adding a new feature or two, we’ve decided to extend the launch by a few weeks. So, our target for releasing the new web game to igpmanager.com is August.
The extra time will bring several benefits to the final version of the game. One of the major benefits of this will be a mobile launch that quickly follows the desktop launch, meaning they will be weeks rather than months apart, as well as being a more polished and refined game.
This is important because it will also minimize confusion with our mobile audience. The mobile game is going to be an app, but we’ve seen many in open beta thinking it is meant to be a website, just because it can be opened in a mobile browser. While the entire game can run on some devices in the browser, it’s not intended and we want to be sure that everyone has the app available to them as soon after the desktop web launch as possible.
We also have a couple of new things we are working on with this extra time. Nothing major, but some nice finishing touches that we think everyone will appreciate. :)
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@Jack Basford It's just my opinion I am not trying to offend anyone but the new igp basing on tablet and then for pc seems a little weird, maybe it is me but I think usually a game for PC has more depth and information on the game and when it is converted for tablet usually there aren't as many things they can put into tablet. Before I continue I must say I am not some expert on gaming design so it is just base on how I feel.
Definitely feels as if it's lacking depth in all areas outside of the race. I get that the races are IGPs strongpoint, but it's good to have stuff to do in the meantime.
Odd track very rarely driver 2 wants his suspension softer than driver 1. But is takes a total of 4-5 runs between them to find the right setup for both. Rest of the laps are just testing tyres or trying to be faster :)
On here the difference between the drivers is very small too. tyre pressure, brake balance and ride-height are always different rare occasion gearing would have a 5 point difference
James, Matthew - I will see what I can do about the setup. I will add some more complexity to it. I have not been happy with it either in its present state. It is too easy. I tried making the downforce value much more variable from track to track recently, and it helped, but it wasn't enough. I also want there to be differences between drivers as there were before. I may do something like make suspension 1-20 as well as the wings and then inject more variability in to both.
@Jack, the level of granularity the non-beta game is great, and in general, you've transferred it over to the beta. Pre-race is the only big thing that is lacking, and by that I mean the entire aspect of pre-race: assembling/fixing, setup, fuel/tire strategy.
What below might look like squeezed in & it's a very tight squeeze..
http://s33.postimg.org/lmif8b6sv/Untitled.png
Jack as both drivers are working towards getting the same setup, I found the setup sort of easy by getting the drivers taking turns doing runs.
Could you squeeze in:
Brake Balance. 0-20
Tyre Pressure. 0-20
Ride-height. toggle low - neutral - high
To add complexity.
@Jay Loh - Do you just mean that you enjoy playing with your friends more? Or are your friends on the beta too? Because obviously when the beta is moved to live your league and friends from the live site will be on the new game.
@N Llens - That's the sort of thing we will look at balancing. I already added some cheaper suppliers to save money if people are struggling. You can also make an investment to top up your balance. That's what I am doing at the moment, to keep building facilities, using tokens from my sponsors.
@Matthew Lockinvar - Would you be happy if it was hard to find the right value, even if the range of values was low like it is now? It seems like most people think we need 1000 values to have complexity, but I don't agree. As long as it's hard to find the perfect value, then we have challenge, in my opinion. Would you agree?