Getting bummed out again.

[Freedom]

ZC is starting be a bummer again.
We keep getting all these new features which is cool, but with each new release comes a whole slew of new bugs, which make it impossible to actually use the program to build and release a quest with.

I'm starting to feel like a professional beta tester for a program I'll be too old to use to build a quest with by the time a stable version is released.

I've already stopped in the middle of 2 versions of "The Adventures of Robinhood" which now set collecting dust in a file in my puter waiting for the day a release will be available to finish them in, and Castle Haunt III is complete up through level 7 made in the 2.11b10b which everyone will have probably moved on from by the time it's finished.......

I need a nap.

[jman2050]

We're working hard to get these bugs fixed. Fortunately, most of the bugs in the bug forum are more annoyances than crippling bugs like in previous betas. There's only one more real feature I personally want to include in ZC before release, and hat's the dialogue editor. Other than that and the scripting language (which is getting tighter and more table every day), I'm doin nothing but bug fixing and small minor additions.

And since we have so many devs, bugs and annoyances are getting fixed up much faster than before. I just implore you to have patience. A stable version will be out soon enough and everyone will be happy. In fact, I'll go a step further and GUARANTEE that a stable version will be out by the end of the year, if not much sooner.

[Freedom]

Yea, you guys are doing a great job, with additions and bug fixes and all, people just keep screaming for more and more, which just seems to be pushing a final back.

I'm running out of time here for now, next month (sept 7th) life as I know it is going to change, I'm going to start fixing up and packing up so I can put my house on the market in April, and move back east.
It's going to be a ton of work, and then when I get back east I'm going to have to set my Small Engine business all up again and try and get established there to get an income rolling in again, so I kinda think ZC is going to be set on a back burner for me for a while.
Probably by the time I can look at my unfinished quests again, I won't have a clue where I was with them, but "God Willing" I'll get em' done someday. ;)

[JayeM]

I'll go a step further and GUARANTEE that a stable version will be out by the end of the year, if not much sooner.

Will the new stable version be the one questmakers use for awhile, or will you be off on another round of betas with new features and new bugs? This is the main reason I left ZC. I know everybody keeps screaming for new features, but I think it's way past time to let it stay the same for awhile and give people a stable environment to work in. I'm keeping an eye on this one though...it looks promising.

[Dragonslicer]

Yeah, it would definitely be nice to have a version with playable quests. The lack of backwards compatibility is really annoying, especially since major bugs (dungeon maps not being saved when you exit the game is a good one) aren't fixed until the next incompatible version.

[DarkDragon]

JayeM, yes, we are rushing the last few betas in part because we want to get all of the new features tested and debugged as quickly as possible to prepare for a public release.

[Nicholas Steel]

when the next non beta version is released will you still release beta's? or wait 2 years before starting with beta testing again? because as said above it is good to have a stable version... and if you keep releasing beta's people will keep using them over the stable version.

[JayeM]

Perhaps if they want to keep developing ZC, they could go back to "secret" betas with a few testers and not release anything for 3 or 4 years when they have a bug-free version that's as far above this one as it is above 1.90.

Maybe instead of the current numbering system, 1.90 could be Zelda Classic and this release Advanced Zelda Classic or ZC II. (This addresses another concern of mine, that ZC is getting too complex for newby questmakers...there would be no stigma attached to working with 1.90, and people would continue making quests for it.)

I don't know what the developers have planned. I just know that the Zelda Classic community could use some stability. Then maybe someone could make a tutorial for this version as detailed as Alphadawg's 1.90 tutorial, ZC.com could be overhauled, etc.--all the needed support structure.

[beefster09]

The bad experience with private betas was ZC 2.10.

Zquest really isn't getting any harder, just new features are added for the sake of advanced use, but we do need to settle down for at least a year. (or at least to the public) The public betas for upcoming versions shouldn't come for another couple years, so we can settle down, and have a nice collection of stable quests. The main reason that this is a public beta is because 2.10 was very unstable and we needed to filter out the bugs. The most annoying bugs are from 2.10.

As for the tutorial, it comes with NeoFirst.

[Nicholas Steel]

the only bugs i know of in 2.10 is the midi bug and dungeon maps not saving.

[Dlbrooks33]

i say we keep it like this only because the progress goes faster and they don;t have to worry about exiting and open ZC just to test out 1 thing when you have a 101 people testing out 202 things.

[The_Amaster]

Zquest really isn't getting any harder, just new features are added for the sake of advanced use, but we do need to settle down for at least a year
Ha. Have you seen the scripting system. It's not majorly hard, to be sure, but it's pretty difficult to just pick up. And even now, most newbies go with 2.10, or even 1.92, cause they've either heard how stable it is, or they arn't aware of the betas. Only the one in a few newbie asks about how to actually find the beta version(Like me :D)

[Exdeath]

I personally like the betas being released. I'm always happy to see a new version with new features even if there are bugs. The developers seem to quickly fix the bugs in b or c versons.

I actually lose interest faster when there is not update for months or years. I'm always interested in the new features and now that I know about the bug submission forum I will help with the bug finding when I have time.

[jman2050]

Will the new stable version be the one questmakers use for awhile, or will you be off on another round of betas with new features and new bugs? This is the main reason I left ZC. I know everybody keeps screaming for new features, but I think it's way past time to let it stay the same for awhile and give people a stable environment to work in. I'm keeping an eye on this one though...it looks promising.

Just trust me on this. After the stable version, provided no crippling bugs are found (and if there are, I'll be pissed), it'll last QUITE some time before we release another version. Why? You'll see later.

[The_Amaster]

it'll last QUITE some time before we release another version. Why? You'll see later.Oh, man, I sense another revolution type thingy. Either that, or FFC Scripting is so powerfull they think they have appeased us for a while. (Oh, please, I hope not)
Although, how long could some time be?
1 day, 2 days....?



*Gasp* Longer!?

[Freedom]

the only bugs i know of in 2.10 is the midi bug and dungeon maps not saving.


and the overworld map triggering secrets, and the quest stopping "shops don't show up" bug, and cycling combos can become corrupted if you aren't careful which then corrupts the whole quest, and there are combo and tile page issues that can give trouble, and I'll bet I'm forgetting some others..... like some wrong enemies being put in, if earlier quests are played making it impossible to beat a quest since you don't have the weapon yet you need... ;)

Another problem I'm seeing is that a lot of people are so busy playing with the new features like starting subscreen competitions etc. that even with open beta testing to all, the betas aren't being carefully tested, which is going to result in bugs slipping through and a buggy final release next time too.
Daja Vu 2.10.

[Nicholas Steel]

i think that after the next stable release they should stop making public beta's but keep a upto date changelog for public viewing.

[Dlbrooks33]

I'l make a new thread with a poll and you must tell us why you don't/do want to cotinue Beta Testing.

[Dragonslicer]

It wouldn't be so bad if quests from earlier versions were playable on the latest version, or if the compatibility breaks were minor, the quest authors would fix them and release a new version of the quest. Of course, I also disagree rather strongly with the version numbering convention being used. Going from 2.10 to 2.11 should be fixing bugs, not adding major new features, never mind adding major features between beta versions. If major features are added, especiailly if you're going to break backwards compatibility, the version should go up to 2.2, maybe even 3.0.

[The_Amaster]

Yeah, I mean, FFC Sciripting alone is worth almost it's own version, plus all the other awsome stuff, like the subscreen editor, multiple tile warps, etc.