Bi-Weekly Update for 03/04/09 - Changing the Way We Work

[Max]

Bi-Weekly Special, March 3 2009: Changing the Way We Work

This update is special as it outlines a series of changes that we will be making to the SWGEmu Project, and how it works. Part 1 will deal with these changes and plans. Part 2 will return you to your normal Bi-Weekly programming. Read on!

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Part 1- Changing how we Work
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SWGEmu is changing the way it works to be more organized and more efficient. We are employing new software to help us sort, file and fix. At the same time we are employing new methods and practices to ultimately help you play the play game we know you want to play as soon as possible. Both will be outlined further below. Our ultimate goal is to be as efficient as possible. We want to tap the people we have in our staff programs, tap the people we have in our strong community, and tap the best software and standards available to ensure our end product is the highest quality Open Source Project ever.

Over the next month the plans we lay here will be rolled out and settled, beginning today. We will be opening new Staff positions, employing a new bug reporting system, improving the way we provide support to users, and setting out a solid set of plans (in the form of Phase Testing and Development). These will allow us to prioritize what needs to be fixed and what needs to be added to make Core3 Beta-Test.

Here are the major changes being made:

Phase Testing

What is Phase Testing?

Phased testing is a way for every member of the community to easily test on our Test Center with objectives, tasks and with purpose. Each milestone or "phase" (hence the name) coincides with the current tasks being worked on by the development team. Each week, a new set of tasks will be posted across our Network. These are the things that need to be tested and worked on a given week.

Why is Phase Testing being started?

For a long time we have used the line "jump in game, do what you want, and let us know if you find anything wrong." However, we realize that a lot of people feel lost without a set purpose to their testing, and repeating the same thing over and over becomes boring. We want testing to be fun, and to tie in with what is currently being concentrated on. Most people join TC, and either socialize or instantly "blue-frog up" to a high profession and loot/pvp/duel. What is wrong is that we aren't really interested in some of the more obscure bugs at the moment, which are easily picked up in this manner. We are instead most interesting in the base "newbie" game, which is not tested at the moment.

How does it work?

Phase Testing works based on a weekly set of tasks.
These tasks will be updated on the Monday of each week, and posted across our network. After the week is over, the new tasks are posted and begun on. Some tasks may carry over depending on their status.
You may check tasks in a number of ways:

• Listed in the Current Tasks thread in the Announcements Forum
• Listed on the Launchpad Enhanced News feed
• Quickly Accessible via http://www.swgemu.com/tasks
• Available on Test Center via @tasks which opens a current task list inside SWG. Also viewable in the Message of the Day (when you first launch SWGEmu)

What can I do?

Test! Help us by testing based on the current task list. Submit bugs (now http://www.swgemu.com/bugs ) stating which tasks you are working on, and your report for the bug encountered.
The Quality Assurance and Profession Representatives will be taking a greater stance in organizing testing with the community. Contact them and ask if you can help with a current task.
Of course, check the tasks regularly!

Phase Development

What is it?

Phase Development is like Phase Testing, except for our Developers. There are longer term "Phases" which are goals for what needs to be achieved over a period of time, and under it there are the weekly set of tasks.
Phase Development is a way for us to organize ourselves better when coding and planning. With Ramsey taking up a position as Head of Development, he will be able to create goals, milestones and tasks for the developers. Milestones are planned long term using the Milestones tool in Assembla, and the relevant tasks for each milestone are created beneath it. A task list is then compiled on a weekly basis and the Staff, and community, may contribute to the current tasks in that week.

How does it affect you?

Besides the fact that it allow you to see what we are currently working on, it also allows the community to gauge where the emulator project is. Phase Development also allows us to set rough time frames for certain features. Take time frames as estimates, normally equal to around one week of the stated date.

Will it make things happen faster?

Yes and no. While it will make everything more efficient, there may not be as many incomplete or new features come into the game as we've seen. However, everything that is developed will be more complete and better coded.

Current Milestone Plans

Our long terms goal is the launch of Sun Crusher as a playable test center, and eventually a 1.0 release of SWGEmu. However, in the shorter term, we would like to share with you our current plans.
Here is what we wish to accomplish over the next month or so:

• The phasing out of Blue Frogs from TC
• The completion of all starter professions
• The implementation of basic missions
• The completion of lairs
• The completion of Death, Travel, and other necessary systems
• The ability for players to run an economy (trade, bazaars, banks, tips all finished)
• The implementation of crafting at a basic level
• Overall: The ability for players to zone into the game and begin playing immediately without any assistance from blue frogs, special trainers or the developers.

We feel that this will allow us to have a playable code base which is of a standard which is close to ready for a Sun Crusher Test launch.
For these changes to take place, there will be many changes, additions and subtractions. Also on the table is a definite Database Wipe in the next 3/4 weeks. Watch for news in future bi-weekly and daily updates.

NOTE: There have been rumors of us setting an official SunCrusher launch by April 30th. This is FALSE. The current milestone we aim to complete by April 30th, however this does not constitute an SC Launch, simply a completion of the necessary systems. Any solid ETAs about SC, or 1.0, launches are still null!
As Ramsey put it:

THE DATE MEANS NOTHING

We need to set a milestone AFTER the SC target and Assembla requires a date before posting. Repeat: That milestone is a container for tasks AFTER the SC launch. v1.0 could be before or after the date - it has not been decided.

That is why the milestone is titled: "VERY preliminary and tentative Date for 1.0 (Mostly for task planning)"

THE DATE MEANS NOTHING

Bug Report and Support Changes

We have made several changes to the way support and bug reporting is conducted here at SWGEmu. Please take note and use the following changes:

• Bug reports are no longer made on the SWGEmu Support Website (www.swgemu.com/support) They are now made at our new Bug Tracker (www.swgemu.com/bugs). Please register there and begin reporting as soon as possible
• The SWGEmu Support Site is being removed. The Knowledge Base is currently in the process of being transfered to the Forum FAQ system. This will be opened this weekend.
• In Game, Player, Abuse, Account and other official support is being provided through a special Forum system on our main forum page. Only you and the staff will be able to view and respond to your threads. Please feel free to create a thread any time in the correct category (there are only three to choose from now!).

Using this new software, we will be able to see and respond to support and bug reports much faster than we were previously.

Thanks for reading this (especially long) summary! We know it is a lot to take in, and may not seem exciting to some, but back stage we're really pumped. All these changes will make everything so much more efficient and organized. Enjoy the new SWGEmu setup!

Now, back to your original programing...