When I first thought about this I thought that it must be regular updates but now that I really think about it I probably prefer just suddently hearing about it.
Anyway, what about you?
In fact, do you think it makes a difference to how the mod is recieved or expected?
The Poll
I like surprises, especially on mods that I really enjoy playing ( often many times )
If an update or new maps show up which tend to improve a mod, then that makes my day!
I like both things Equally. But when the mod is really good then I love surprise releases.
Make it and release it. Because I know most mods won’t finish at all. Updates are just waste of time. I’m interested in one thing: they are working on it or not.
Oh surprise me every time!
There is nothing worse than a promise of a mod that never seems to get released, and I bet there are a few on here that can name a few.
B.t.w. wow your site is looking good.
Surprises definitely, although it helps to know a mod is not dead.
While it’s nice to have regular updates, most mods fall into the trap of releasing updates early in the development process to generate hype. That hype usually generates a fanbase, and that fanbase usually pressures the mod into making regular updates that developers simply can’t keep up with. The mod then falls behind in updating, the fanbase loses interest and begins leaving, and the developers just give up, or worse release an embarassing alpha that just speeds up the inevitable failure.
Not to be cynical about the whole process, but does anybody else remember Science and Industry 2? Or ANY Resident Evil Half-life mod?
Surprises for me.
Updates are just promises rarely kept.
Anonymous makes a good point.
I really surprised at how many people voted for “Surprise”. For me these are the best kinds of poll Questions; the ones where I players vote for the one I think will lose.
I always try and ask question that will help developers make better mods, and whilst this won’t directly help them it does show them how they should be working.
I agree with Anonymous and Jasper here: Surprises.
That said I understand why often the other way round is reality.
I much prefer regular updates, this way there is plenty of time to give feedback to the devs without having to worry about there not being time enough to work it into the mod. Of course you’d need a fairly mature community for this to work. I can imagine that if you stick to a certain update routine that when, for one reason or another, you’re not able to show anything alot of whining will occur.
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Surprise me. I’d rather find out about a mod after it is released and I can start playing it than sit through a mod sounding good and it never seeing the light of day. I’m still waiting for “Chell’s Legend” to get done, and I haven’t heard any news on it since the end of April, and it was supposed to be “nearly complete” at that time. Black Mesa was supposed to release in 2009. I honestly wish I just hadn’t known about them and I could just be pleasantly surprised when/if they do finally get done.
Both.