Beta testing is really depressing.
When you put as much time into a project as Kingcom and I have, you start to feel like you’ve produced something pretty great. Thankfully, our beta testers have been there to keep us from drifting into the clouds. We’ve been brought crashing back to the ground, but this is all to your benefit. I don’t mean to say that the game has been a complete mess, certainly the work we put into it up until now has paid off. As a result, our beta testers have been able to isolate bugs and help us to improve the text. Above all else, this process has reminded me just how important it is to test the game properly. Despite my efforts to test the game, there were some crashes that I had missed and some textual mistakes I had read right over. But we’re finding them and we’re fixing them thanks to the beta testers.
Unfortunately, we have some bad news to announce. No, the project isn’t canceled. No, the release isn’t being pushed back 30 years. However, it is looking like we may have to disable the wireless multiplayer in the patched version of the game. Please understand that after all the effort we put into making this game as perfect as possible, nothing frustrates us more than the possibility of having to do something like this. Although I said disable, know that it will still be included in the game. If you really want to try it in spite of knowing the consequences, it will be possible. Here’s the deal… According to the testing we’ve done, playing the patched game with both the original Japanese game or the patch results in unpredictable crashes during dialogue. Battle seems to work just fine, but it’s almost impossible to make any progress in the game while using wireless mode. There are some other minor issues regarding item boxes and search points, but those aren’t crashes. You might be wondering why we can’t fix these problems like we’re fixing others. Unfortunately, no DS emulator supports wireless play, so we have no way of debugging the issues. Without debugging, we would have no idea where to start fixing them. Unless we get access to a DS devkit (and that will never happen), we can’t do anything about these issues.
We realize that for most of you, this will make absolutely no difference whatsoever. 99% of you probably never intended to play the game using wireless multiplayer (if you even knew the game had it). As perfectionistic as Kingcom and I are, we aren’t going to put the entire project on hold for years while we wait for emulator that would allow us to fix this. That is why we feel that disabling the wireless is the best course of action. It will allow us to present the full game as we intended but will still allow access to that broken extra for those who really want it. Oh, and for those of you who know more about the game, the Versus style WILL be available in-game without using the wireless mode. This isn’t the perfect solution. There is no perfect solution. We’re doing the best we can with the hand we’ve been dealt. If and when it becomes possible to emulate DS wireless, we intend to release an updated patch that gets it working as intended, but understand that could be years from now. I apologize that it had to come to this, but I hope you understand.
What do you think the best solution is? Some of the options we considered:
- Disable the wireless (allowing access with a code)
- Leave the wireless as-is and add extra warnings in-game
- Disable wireless completely
I think it’s a good sign that as soon as you ask for people’s opinions, you get so many replies so quickly. There are loads of people following this project! Yay (I think)!
Kingcom and I were both surprised by so many responses so quickly. We do appreciate the input and while we obviously can’t please everyone, your comments have given us a lot of food for thought. So thanks to all those who have shared their opinions.
If it doesn’t work then tbh I think the best option is to disable it completely, I don’t see the point in leaving it in if people won’t be able to use it. Gotta admit though I didn’t even know the multi-player existed till just now.
Overall this update is great, it’s good to know you guys are working so hard (as usual) to release the best possible patch you can, I really admire your work ethic.
Cheers!
IMO the main attraction in Tales games is the battle system, and since they work just fine there’s no reason to delete wm. The fact that you can’t progress in the game wouldn’t always be a problem, I for example oftenly expend hours with friends in ToG just battling for the fun of it. Besides IIRC there’s a style in the game that you can only obtain if you play in Wireless Mode.
The only fun in multiplay is battling since only one player can walk around in the field/towns/etc. You can always progress in solo mode then battle in multi for harder monsters, it could be a pain but it’s not like it takes a long time to turn wireless mode on/off. If leaving WM in has absolutely no effect in soloplay when it’s turned off then #2 is the best option hands down.
take away the online functions.
Turn it off, unless you can fix it completely.
That´s sad… but it doesn´t matter that much to progess on the story imo, in most tales that uses the TP system, the more that you´re into the game, the more fun it becomes cause you can use more artes without having to watch out for TP, so for the endgame it will still be fun to play with friends (I mean we did that with the original game back a few years ago, it was so much fun cause every character on Innocence is fun to play as), so I say… keep it (aka.. option 2)
Versus style was my favorite one, especially for quick leveling up. If you can add it as a default style in the game so noone have to play wireless mode to get it then I don’t care about multiplay. If not, I vote for option 2.
Well… I think the best would be the first one… As for me, I won’t use the wireless mode… The true interest in the game is the story mode for me… Other than that, it has little meaning for me. xP
@Mei if it was default then wouldn’t it be too easy. Maybe throughhim413 can make it so that you have to reach a certain level or style level (similarly to how you get Innocent style)
Wow after reading the comments i’m amazed at all the impatient people just thinking this is their own personal patch and demanding it out without patience. And its no wonder they are playing it with emulators seems you guys forgot the people with flashcarts who can use the multiplayer. I mean they even went through the trouble to see if it worked for them and i thank you A.ZeroTranslations team for that. O_o
@30084pm
I don’t know if that is even possible but I want this multiplay issue to be as less a headache to them as possible. Though I don’t want to lose the versus style unless it can’t be helped.
I have absolutely no complains about disabling wireless, if it doesn’t affect the story progress and solo playing.
Well, I don’t care too much about WM (since the only game I used wireless in was TWEWY), so I guess either option should be fire. However, method 3 would be a bit too radical (there’s no harm in accessing the WM with AR).
I say the 3.
I’d go with number 2. I knew full well about the multiplayer, it was part of the reason I was so interested in the game. Me and my brother had played through part of the game with a menu translation (or something like that), and I’d assumed the crashes were to do with the patch rather than the game. That said, we made fairly good progress through the game, albeit saving regularly. So yeah, I’d keep it in.
On a side note, more out of curiosity than anything else, is it a problem with emulation that causes the crashes, or do they still occur using the original game cart?
@jardantuan – pretty unlikely that the original game cart crashes that badly….. Remember that this is a problem with the patched game, so obviously they’re not testing on the original cart… unless there’s some magical way of patching a commercial cartridge I’m unaware of?
There isn’t. And this and previous posts make it clear they are using emulators and flashcarts.
no. 3. i only play solo.
is it possible for u guys to confirm that wireless multi works on flash carts??
I’d go with option 3: this game is not multi-player oriented, and not an MMORPG, it doesn’t look like it adds much anyway. It looks more like an extra bonus feature. If it’s possible to enjoy the game solo from A to Z, it’s more than enough for me.
Good luck with the rest of the project and thanks, always!
Just a thought….. i know DS games like pokemon have been ultra hacked to that there is not need to trade pokemon, and 1 cartridge can obtain all pokemon by evolving them without the need to trade etc…. so if something like that can be done…. Do you guys think maybe you can take that extra fighting class or whatever that you can only get over Wifi, and implement it into the game another way…. like finding it in a treasure chest or like talking to some NPC and getting it etc….? that way we won’t need wifi to get that class, and the NON wifi players will have a more complete game.
Why does everyone keep asking about the Versus style when I clearly stated in the post that it will be available in single player mode?
If it’s gonna be problematic, then just take out the whole damned thing. And like you said, I’m part of the 99% who didn’t know and will probably not use the wireless multiplayer thing
Godspeed~
@throughhim413
Because people only ever read half a post at most before responding. Everyone who’s ever read comments sections anywhere knows this.
well i think disable wireless, why?? because im sure no flasscard user can play wireless (except ttds and the other ones XD)
All flashcarts do wireless fine. I’m not sure where you got your info from, CrimsonDragon.
Flashcarts and CFWs can do everything an original cart can and much, much more. You gotta have them if you wish to enjoy your PSP/DS to the fullest. This patch included.
Since you are going to include Versus style in single player mode, just do option 2 unless it affects the single player mode in regards to bugs and crashes.
just stop stalling with these useless questions
keep it in, warn people, search a way to fix it later
seriously…
The game is fighting back. It wants to remain in the language of glorious nippon forever, even if it dies in the process. Luckily, it’s just the wireless that’s gone, which I completely forgot even existed. Just got for option 2, since I’m assuming it’s easiest.
I’m not too worried about the issue, if this is the worst that comes out of the Beta testing then this is nothing
I probably wont use the wireless function anyways, but, thats not to say others wont want it left as is, I say go with option 2 for the people that want to ‘try’ the wireless option.
Option 2
id say leave a warning because sometimes people just want to play multiplayer
I’m a programmer myself (C++ if u were curious), and from the whole sounds of it; I could be honest that the SIMPLEST course of action with prob the least amount of work would be Option TWO. Okay okay okay…. my opinion is swayed by the constant thought of you guys (amazing work btw!!) translating such a vast project to be put into the hands of my gf and I’s flash carts XD! Simply adding a giant message box stating that its not the brightest idea to progress with Multiplayer (at your own risk) but play. This message is my vote along with a largest appreciation for the work you all have done (you beta testers are thanked too!!!) saying that you shouldnt torture yourselves any more than necessary, just add a warning; (btw I use DS DevkitPro; it is INCREDIBLY flaky with communication between hardware > wifi)
I would go with option 2: Leave the wireless as-is and add extra warnings in-game
I say 2. 1 seems pretty pointless needing a cheat code just to access the multiplayer. 3 on the other hand is just going to further disappoint people wanting the wireless multiplayer.
I’m thinking Choice 3. I mean, look at it this way, nothing in life comes free. In order to play the game with translation, we have to at least give up something, and that’s the wireless multiplayer. If we keep wireless multiplayer, we’re gonna pay the price of facing problems midway through playing.
@passerby
you misunderstand (saw that I few times I thought)
if you play single player you won’t be bothered by crashes because of the bugs in multipayer. YOu’ll only notice it when actually playing multiplayer.
Well.. I think I’d be pretty happy with number 2.. It doesn’t affect anything what-so-ever and as you’ve said in your post, versus style will be available by default.. If people want to grind for instance, they can kick it up with a friend and have some fun. As Multiplayer isn’t required to complete the main story. You’ve explained all this already. I wouldn’t see the point in disabling something that could be used for a laugh.
Number 2
Don’t mean to Double Post.
But is there any way you can create some sort of Poll?
I’m not doing a poll because it’s not a real vote. I’m just trying to get different points of view before I make a decision.
It’s like a benevolent dictatorship
So… why would the English translated version be important to somebody who is just wanting to fight in co-op battles? Couldn’t people who really want the multiplayer experience just play using several Japanese versions of the game? And then they can learn the story separately by playing the translated version.
The object of playing the game with friends is probably not to read the dialogue with friends, but rather to cooperate in fights. And that can be done without understanding all of the words.
throughhim413!!
President-for-life!!
You planning on releasing a new video/summary/somethingelse update or just the full patch done. I ask because Id like a warning at least a week b4 the game is released so i can reserve money for a flashcart.
There will be only text updates during the beta. The announcement of the release date will come a week before the actual release, so you’ll have notice.
^ was dying to know that, cheers.
@Sadface: If you do that, you’re gonna miss out on all the boss battles in multiplayer. Me and two of my friends played through the entirety of Tales of Symphonia and Tales of Vesperia together and it was great fun.
Option 2 if you ask me. Keep it in and let the people that are fine with crashes have their fun. I really have to wonder what the problem is, though…