[Issue 42] Hating Updates: What's in it?

[TriNitroToIuene 4,765]

 

 

The banner says it all.

 

The developers are the guys running Tanki - ensuring every single day goes successfully, seeing to it that our servers open, and making sure that every Sandbox, every Rio, every Polygon; every critical hit, every arcade shot, every healing; every self-destruct, every bit of banter, every respawn; every supply and every gold box alarm is possible. They prevent the game from crashing down, and they're the supporting pillars of it all. They're in charge of every single thing that goes on in Tankispace, including dropping gold boxes.

 

And most importantly, they bring in updates; ensuring Tanki stays new.

 

 

Just imagine, Tanki stops evolving. The same daily missions, the same amount of crystals, the same hulls and turrets, the same maps, the same game modes, the same friends, the same pinch, the same makeup, the sesame seeds.

 

Wait, I'm running out of same things.

 

Anyway, just think of Tanki being the same as it is now. What could be the most possible, comprehensible reaction one could have? Would it be gratitude for retaining the great elements of this game? Or would it be something more sinister?

 

Opinions could change, that's why I've prepared my own mini-interactive path. Here we go!

 

What would your reaction be if Tanki remained the same forever?

 

 

If you're optimistic, go to Spoiler A.

 

If you're not optimistic, go to Spoiler B.

 

If you're sensible, go to Spoiler C.

 

Spoiler A

Tanki Online, thank you so much for the great work you've done....er.... if you've done any, that is. The level of gameplay is perfect! I simply love the prospect of playing in Polygon CPs forever! This update of non-updation is sure to bring a uniformity in my gameplay I have never seen before! I can't wait to bring out my inner tank. Keep the nothingness up, Tanki! You're the best! Can't wait to play!

 

Your fluid gameplay is something I'd love to see. At last, Tanki has bridged the gap between fair and unfair by doing nothing. I am going to play tanki twenty hours a day now!

 

*Two months, many tantrums and six-inch-thick spectacles later*

 

TANKI YOU ROCK! YOU'RE EVER-CHANGING!

 

Spoiler B

Tanki Online? More like Laggi Online. You are absolutely destroying my opinion of you. You used to be so good, now Semyon you are introducing noob updates. I am getting killed a lot even when I'm not turning my turret and not using supplies at all! This is all due to your Daily Missions nerfing update. Thanks to your noob rebalances, my garage is not loading. Even when I am clicking 'buy' to purchase items, I am getting some nonsense about SMS! You are really noob, Tanki. I am not getting what I want. I am leaving this game now. Goodbye........

 

*Two months later*

 

I swear I'll leave if you don't set Daily Missions rewards right and get back crystal boxes of thousand crystals each. I'm telling you, I'll stop all my friends from playing it! *Sees the clock, and consults a calendar* Wow, how much more time will Tanki keep me waiting?

 

Spoiler C

*Lolls at the keyboard* Man, I'm so stumped right now..... don't know why Tanki has done this. Playing Tanki is nothing to the old days when Semyon kept announcing stuff in the VLOGs... how I wish Tanki rolled in these new things. I suppose it's our fate. We criticized the devs, they left us to do our own thing, and 'our own thing' ain't complete without them, baby! I could go on forever!

 

*On his deathbed a hundred years later*

 

Oh-kay, maybe I couldn't.

 

 

I think that a majority of us would accept those spoilers as the truth. If we don't, well, time to rework 'em.

 

Anyway, the time has come for me to make my actual point. Hold on to your hats!

 

 

What is it that the developers do?

 

You get the principle - they develop the game. Make sure it stays new and ensure new updates keep rolling. Because, let's face it. What would Tanki be without new features?

 

Now, don't go telling me it would be timeless - that's a pathetic pun (although a good joke). 

 

The developers bring in new updates because they recognize the need for a changing interface. It is obvious that they keep tankers' best interests at mind - yes, including the score caps, and the rebalances, and the nerfing in daily missions, and removal of crystal boxes. AND Smart Cooldowns!

 

Meanwhile, adding updates that make you rejoice or make you clasp your head in horror is not the only thing they do.

 

They have another, equally important, sometimes more important job (although it may not be acknowledged by you update-hungry guys) - to keep things smooth. Yes, that's right. Just because they're called developers doesn't mean that they develop all day long! Where did your grammar interpretation go? *Blows a whistle* I'll shape you up! Give me twenty reps of the alphabet! A, B, C, D, E, F, G! SET THINGS RIGHT, THEN COME TO ME!

 

Anyway, the developers have to ensure Tanki remains bug-free : that we can get our twenty hours' quota of gameplay every day. It's a pretty demanding job, they control, what, thirty servers, at least? There will be some bug or the other popping up in the game everyday - these often bring battles to a standstill, emit sighs, cause tears, well, we get the point.

 

And not to mention the thousands of complaints they get everyday from tankers crying for accounts or requesting stuff like free crystals. Imagine the patience involved in doing all that - they're sure to get cranky.

 

But still, they've got our best interests and heart, and I'm sure every update is delivered with good intent.

 

 

What is the difference between a good and bad update?

 

Let me make one thing clear - there is no such thing like a good update or a bad update. The positive or negative aspect depends on how we receive them. If we set our minds on perceiving an update as good, then it will definitely benefit us. However, if we set our sights on the bad part, then, scroll up and open Spoiler B.

 

However, from my considerable two-year experience in the game (which, I'm sure, can be considered a pretty long time), I've tended to notice that sometimes, people classify an update as 'bad' simply to beat about a different, mostly off-topic bush, mainly for 'equality purpose'.

 

The most common argument is that a 'good' update is good for everyone. Stereotype-breaking time, baby! I've not done this since I called 'heal Isida plz' users mistaken people.

 

There is no update that can benefit everyone - Tanki is already divided into different types of people. Um, sure, I mean, we're all from different countries and all that, but there's a difference in the level of experience we has that is the bottomline of our reception of a particular update.

 

Let me give you an example. Smart Cooldowns was perhaps one of the most badly received updates in Tanki (except for perhaps crystal boxes). Why was it so unpopular? Well, the majority of the population was (forgive me for this) too reliable on drugs to get pas't their daily slog in Tanki. Smart Cooldowns meant a big dip in their 'skill' level and consequentially, less Experience Points and Rewards. That explains the downvotes, people thought it was 'unfair' to many. However, only the 'pros' of the community remained unaffected.

 

We often tend to look past most updates by labelling them as 'unfair', but do we give a second glance to what the update really is? If we can get our minds to think past the 'not fair for everyone' attitude, then perhaps, we can appreciate what the devs really do for us.

 

 

What are the limitations of the developers?

 

This, perhaps, is one of the most important topics we shall discuss today.

 

One of the major reasons we find recent updates unappealing is that they don't work out so well for everybody. Well, it's not like the developers are having drunken fits or concentration lapses or things like that, it simply means that it's an attempt to see what every tanker wants, and it is their duty and moral responsibility to ensure Tanki stays new.

 

Perhaps you'll understand better if I put it this way - 

 

1. They have to do what is best for the tankers - The developers, I'm sure (though I've never been inside the AlternativaPlatform headquarters) number less than a hundred as compared to the seventy-thousand-odd players who play the game everyday. One must understand that there are thirty ranks in Tanki, and each rank will have different needs and styles of gameplay. The developers need to make sure that all the thirty ranks accept a new update as uniform and the scales don't tip too heavily towards one sect of the game.
2. They have multiple duties - Like I specified before, the devs have to keep the game running smoothly as well. Thus, they need to ensure each update fits snugly in the game engine - that is, check the compatibility. Imagine trying to make a tank fly in a battle without activating the anticheat. Wait, it is possible : hax. Anyway, the integrity and playability of the game is much, much more important than new updates - the latter would be nothing without the former.
3. Tanki provides enough to satisfy every tank's need, but not every tank's greed -Well, Gandhi sure got it right. Little did he know that a hundred years after he made this, some random Tank game would be pilfering his quote to teach a lesson to a crowd of seventy thousand needy people. But I'm sure he wouldn't have minded. The true meaning of this quote is, Tanki Online is a strategy game - a battle of your mind  - and the number keys 2, 3 and 4. To ensure we get our daily dosage of mind-bending, action packed gameplay, Tanki has made provisions to keep the game new, along with our thinking skills, at the same time ensuring that we tankers don't become fat due to lack of proper gameplay. We have to be smart enough to know what is good for us, and what is not.

Now I think I'm going to stop sounding like a guy preaching democracy and move on to the next limitation - something so important it has an entire section devoted to it......

 

 

The economy

 

The economy. There. Had to mention that. This article without a mention of the game's economy would be like @Godmode_ON without his special paint - impossible.

 

Why is it that the developers don't give us x2 battle funds everyday? Why can't we have constant 70% discounts? Why is it that among all the hype for the major updates, the minor ones are released first?

 

The answer is simply - budget. Now, I may not be the best person to explain this to you, but I'll try to make it brief.

 

This section mostly deals with discounts and the causes of the 'unbalanced' updates. Let's go. First off, the 'unbalanced' updates are so triggered because it needs to fit in with the Programming algorithms in the game - they need to adapt the announced updates to make sure we don't get technical snags while playing the real game.

 

Now, one may ask, how is this related to economy? The answer probably lies in an Economics textbook somewhere - human capital. It may be important for an update to seem reasonable to us, but even more important is that the update feels reasonable to the computer. Changing of the programming involves extra work by the hardworking devs and thus, more money is involved in pooling resources. It's simpler to make the updates suit the system, right?

 

And now for the sales half. Obviously, we already know that discounts eat up a big chunk of Tanki's economy, and too much of a discount will throw the economy into jeopardy. Want to know why? Well, at least you won't know now. All I know is that the crystals bought by Tankers is one of the most direct sources of income for Tanki Online, and a sale means less buying of crystals, blah blah blah, but you know where to look for that - I've already given it to you.

 

So next time the developers reduce the discount percentage, just keep in mind - it's not hypocrisy, it's an attempt to balance out the economy. (Oh, and please don't argue with the 'Wholesale discount' part - It's plain generous of the devs to do that).

 

Let's test you with an interactive passage once more!

 

A 40% sale has just been declared. What is your reaction?

 

If you're impractical and bitter, go to Spoiler A

 

If you're practical and bitter, go to Spoiler B

 

If you're practical and not bitter, go to Spoiler C

 

 

Spoiler A

What is this? Semyon declared a 40% sale because of the 40th birthday of some random developer? GO DIE.

 

Spoiler B

The developer was drunk, I bet you ANYTHING he was. He goofed up and typed 4 instead of 5. This game is going to the dogs, I tell you. Drunk developers! What next? UFOs?

 

Spoiler C

I guess Tanki needs all its resources for Unity, I bet that's it. It must be so taxing on the devs, you know, going like they currently are..... I just hope they don't ban taking help from friends for daily missions. Hats off!

 

 

Well, there you have it. A short and rather blunt reaction to each of the following situations. A honest reflection of each of the three sides of Tanki, although I'm not sure if you'll be as honest with me in the comments.

 

And now, we approach the conclusion of the article - we'll sign off with something BIG - the supreme reason why the game is not as much of the blitzy, carnage-filled, action thronged and popular game it once was (and it still is,  don't get me wrong!) Something that is so big that the developers are possibly giving the current version less, if not negligible priority. (And even with that negligible priority, they're still rollin' out awesome updates!) Ladies and Gentletanks, please meet.................

 

 

The Unity Tanki

 

This is possibly the best thing that happened to Tanki since I came on the scene the x5 battle funds. A new game. New challenges. A promise of more fun than ever before. And above all, a totally new experience! Yes, the Tanki Online Unity version has been the pet of the developers' eye ever since they recovered from the rather disappointing cancellation of Tanki v2.0. A shift to Unity means less lags (finally, yes!), much better graphics, greater detail, and much, much, much more absorbing gameplay!

 

I think, that from observing the VLOGs, we can already tell that this new version promises to be a blockbuster. Just think of it! 3D shapes, new maps, new everythings! It's not just a new update - it's a totally new game, with totally different aspects. It retains the fundamental core of the current Tanki, but promises a fresh break from all those lags and glitches.

 

And, we all know that updating a game is something - but creating a new game is totally different. The skill and attentiveness required is around a hundred times more than altering the present programming.

 

New codes, new UI, new objects - it's a wonder AlternativaPlatform finds time for the current Tanki Online at all. Admit it, fellows - they may not be at their best as of now - because they're focusing all their major efforts towards Unity - to ensure that we stay happy with the new Tanki Online.

 

Their think-tank may be stuttering - not because they don't care for us, but because they're thinking of the long run. So whenever we call some update 'noob', think again - it's only done to make a better Tanki in the future. All the manpower and all the skill is going into developing Unity, because it promises something big - and Tanki keeps promises they make. 

 

As our occasional guest @MarineMan2 has been kind enough to point out, only three developers are working on the current Tanki. Yes, zero three - the one digit numeral. The rest of the dev team is completely focused on Unity, and that points out two things - number one, Unity is going to be AWESOME, and number two, it's not lack of ideas or attention that causes these 'bad' updates - it's the lack of human capital.

 

Surely, it must be worth it?

 

 

The other side of the coin

 

On one side, it's the devs. And the other? Oh, gosh, not their computers! It's Godmode_ON the players! The players cannot exist without the developers, but on the other hand, without players, the developers are nothing.

 

We may not be playing the game for the developers, but it is imperative for us to realize that the developers made the game for us. While we may not like the updates they create, they are simply doing their job. They do all these things for us - not for personal gain (although money is another factor altogether). If they were the selfish, swindling pigs you'd imagine them to be, they wouldn't be here - probably in some hideyhole counting the money they generated from a phishing link or something.

 

And what if the developers suddenly stopped maintaining Tanki because they don't like the players? Pandemonium, isn't it? They have a job, and so have we. And while we have every right to express our opinions on various updates, we have absolutely no need to demand things from them.

 

Firstly, give Semyon Kirov a break, and stop demanding things from him - he is not a developer, he is the Community Manager - the guy who conveys the updates made by the developers to us, and also ends up taking all the blame.

 

Secondly, after reading that biiiiig rant I just finished above, I think you'd also agree that we need to stop being so harsh on the developers. While it is okay to write stuff like 'I don't like this update', we certainly shouldn't be writing 'GIVE US THIS, GIVE US THAT!' in the comments, because firstly - the developers are human beings too. They have feelings like the rest of us and they certainly make mistakes (at this point, Stratus interjects 'what do you mean, "too"'?). Do we need to go easy on the people because of whom Tanki is here today? Or do we continue our hypocrisy?

 

The answer, my dear tankers, lies in how well you interpret this final line - 

 

To err is human; to forgive is divine.

 

 

Edited October 16, 2015 by TriNitroToIuene

[Maf 32,300]

Wow, this will be a long read...

[Hex 11,520]

Wow, this will be a long read...

[BuriedSky 1,319]

That article was truly epic!

Hats-off TNT..;)

[13rilliant 8]

Great article!

 

Lol, the optimist spoiler

 

Edited October 16, 2015 by 13rilliant

[13rilliant 8]

;)

Edited October 16, 2015 by 13rilliant

[lukey0 27,543]

Very nice. And all but 3 Deves working on Unity, wow.

[anuclearbomb 220]

well written, but was the cool downs really the most hated? i thought it was the MUs huh, i must have been wrong...

Edited October 18, 2015 by anuclearbomb

[sonofchrysalis3 3,719]

Why is it that the developers don't give us x2 battle funds everyday? Why can't we have constant 70% discounts? Why is it that among all the hype for the major updates, the minor ones are released first?

 

The answer is simply - budget. Now, I may not be the best person to explain this to you, but I'll try to make it brief.

What do you mean, "best person"?  :mellow:  :blink:

[BuriedSky 1,319]

What do you mean, "best person"? :mellow: :blink:

He meant to tell that you can explain it much better...^_^ , which you actually did...I liked it..;) Edited October 18, 2015 by BuriedSky

[sonofchrysalis3 3,719]

He meant to tell that you can explain it much better... ^_^ , which you actually did...I liked it.. ;)

Thank you, but I thought we had established that I'm not a person.

[TriNitroToIuene 4,765]

Thank you, but I thought we had established that I'm not a person.

I am so sorry, I should have written 'best four-legged creature' in there :P

[huddy_2002 81]

.ok

[TheGoldenTanker 4,951]

You reporters hands must get so sore and achy after writing these huge long reports/paragraphs ._.

 

How the heck do you guys manage to do it, without your hands falling off?!?!

Edited October 19, 2015 by Unthinkable

[pwhite 120]

Every time someone rants on a new update we should link (or copy and paste this entire topic for those who do not care about getting banned) to the rant.

[K.a.M.a.JI 600]

Oh my eyes, How to read this very long topic  :wacko:

[beaku 2,656]

I wonder how sonofchrysalis writes with hooves and all... :huh:

[sonofchrysalis3 3,719]

You reporters hands must get so sore and achy after writing these huge long reports/paragraphs ._.

 

How the heck do you guys manage to do it, without your hands falling off?!?!

It's easy when you don't have hands!

 

I wonder how sonofchrysalis writes with hooves and all... :huh:

I am blessed with a little 7-inch unicorn horn and the ability to use its ultraphysical influences to manipulate material objects using a combination of neuric and matavic spells, transconscripting the paniversal weave....

 

Let's just say its magic.

[Nimtiz 7]

I feel like you are biased in that you can't provide proper critique or analysis that reflects the true nature of Tanki as they could say it is - 

2.3.3. Performance of any actions that have a negative influence on the Game’s development and image;

and would not publish it.

I feel like you did not properly argue the side of people deemed pessimistic ungrateful players etc. You said for the Pessimist, "don't set Daily Missions rewards right and get crystal boxes of thousand crystals each." Ummmm. NO. - Daily missions were officially reduced once, but I have noticed twice a substantial reduction in rewards. No proof, as they don't announce these kinds of things anymore. Crystal boxes of a thousand each - I get that you were trying to be satirical and hyperbolic, but as it does not represent the kinds of players that you should have been aiming for it undermines your position and what you wrote. Besides crystal boxes were 10 cry and were good, sure you had campers, but I never once saw people get annoyed to the point where they wanted them gone. That was Tanki's fault, for adjusting the reward to high to be a low incentive for players. They say they are added to the battle fund....but are they really? What proof is there of it, other then them saying it was.

 

What about these updates that they just spring on us with no mention in the news wire, vlogs or any social media. It's not as if they have a test server for them to use and trial it out like with the low flag count in timed battles.... oh wait, nevermind. People severely disliked it like last years update of the battle name change, the dislikes were in the negatives by the hundreds, now you can no longer dislike. I have had mods delete my messages because they were deemed 'too critical' of Tanki. When really it was just an honest critique.  

 

Your piece of writing is obviously subject to bias as stated previously therefore making the odds of this being really a true critique extremely low. Your 'Point of views'; if you can call them that; in the spoilers are proof of this. 

 

If this post is deleted I will know. I will be watching.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Nimtiz

[TheGoldenTanker 4,951]

It's easy when you don't have hands!

Wait... what?  :huh:

[TriNitroToIuene 4,765]

I feel like you are biased in that you can't provide proper critique or analysis that reflects the true nature of Tanki as they could say it is - 

2.3.3. Performance of any actions that have a negative influence on the Game’s development and image;

and would not publish it.

I feel like you did not properly argue the side of people deemed pessimistic ungrateful players etc. You said for the Pessimist, "don't set Daily Missions rewards right and get crystal boxes of thousand crystals each." Ummmm. NO. - Daily missions were officially reduced once, but I have noticed twice a substantial reduction in rewards. No proof, as they don't announce these kinds of things anymore. Crystal boxes of a thousand each - I get that you were trying to be satirical and hyperbolic, but as it does not represent the kinds of players that you should have been aiming for it undermines your position and what you wrote. Besides crystal boxes were 10 cry and were good, sure you had campers, but I never once saw people get annoyed to the point where they wanted them gone. That was Tanki's fault, for adjusting the reward to high to be a low incentive for players. They say they are added to the battle fund....but are they really? What proof is there of it, other then them saying it was.

 

What about these updates that they just spring on us with no mention in the news wire, vlogs or any social media. It's not as if they have a test server for them to use and trial it out like with the low flag count in timed battles.... oh wait, nevermind. People severely disliked it like last years update of the battle name change, the dislikes were in the negatives by the hundreds, now you can no longer dislike. I have had mods delete my messages because they were deemed 'too critical' of Tanki. When really it was just an honest critique.  

 

Your piece of writing is obviously subject to bias as stated previously therefore making the odds of this being really a true critique extremely low. Your 'Point of views'; if you can call them that; in the spoilers are proof of this. 

 

If this post is deleted I will know. I will be watching.

I never wrote this article to convince you not to dislike the developers, I wrote it for you to sympathize with the amount of work they do. Perhaps, when you know the pressure they're facing, you'll not be so quick to chastize them for everything. And, is it really necessary that you know everything that's going on? Even if the devs didn't tell us, you're obviously smart enough to work it out on your own, so what's the big problem? If the devs ain't tellin', you do so.

 

And I won't delete this post, because I'm so scared of you 'watching'. Your aim is obviously to bring to the light of others what the developers are doing from your point of view, and obviously, we sure don't want the truth hidden from the players, do we?

[suhrusai1234 1]

Awsome article . To be honrst with u i was cursing u at first

[KillerGnat 3,135]

great read.

[RED_Apex 0]

i cant believe my eyes
AMAZING:P :P :P :D :D :) !!!

 

HOW DO I BECOME A REPORTER

 

[TriNitroToIuene 4,765]

i cant believe my eyes

AMAZING:P :P :P :D :D :) !!!

You need to send examples of your writing work (preferably related to Tanki) to @ReporterApplications in a PM. You can send anything - guides, stories, articles, etc etc etc.