Time to implement fixes

[Venti]

This probably needs to be pointed out. I've spent most of my career doing most of the functions traditionally in IT and Software Development.

Every time we report an issue, for example double exp not working, there is a long process that usually gets kicked off and I'm sure Sigil follows it in all bug handling.

1. The issue is reported by an internal or external tester
2. The issue has to be verified internally and passed on to a developer to identify what caused it. This step can take a long time as a system like Vanguard is millions of lines of code that is all heavily inter-related.
3. After the developer identifies the problem he has to work out a fix for it and perform what is called unit testing, basically a quick front line test, to be sure the fix performs what it is supposed to do and doesn't effect anything else in that module.
4. The developer passes the fix back to QA for intergration testing on an internal system to do what is called intergration test to verify the fix doesn't obviously break anything else in the other modules of Vanguard. Sometimes they do regression testing to ensure old bugs in this module aren't reintroduced.
5. QA and/or an install engineer develops a method to install the fix into the production/test vanguard servers. Usually but not always these install packages are again tested internally.
6. Downtime has to be sheduled with the Systems department that controls the servers.
7. Finally the fix gets installed

In all the steps above the there is alot of paper work and tracking systems that need to be satisified. Also there is often management and team byoffs that need to be received.

Installing a fix or making even a small change to a huge system like Vanguard takes a lot of time and work by the people behind the seens. Even the little thing like fixing what ever killed double exp last night can take a huge amount of time at all levels of the Development, QA, and Systems teams.

Thats just my two cents on the standard development patch cycle most companies use.

[Ysharros]

Indeed. Merely reporting a bug doesn't ensure it'll be fixed within 5 minutes, or even 5 days if said bug proves elusive to reproduce, track down, and/or fix.

[Lilith]

This is the game world, fixes happened instantly didn't you know?

[Ysharros]

Yepyep, I did. Just like I can pull fully-crafted items out of my backside instantly too, in the wild.

/cackle

[Venti]

Originally Posted by Lilith

This is the game world, fixes happened instantly didn't you know?

Well they can but they usually break more then they fix. Remember the ultimate fix is always format c: