Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="El Mahdi" data-source="post: 4682747" data-attributes="member: 59506">I agree 100%. And again, I do not think it's easy. Don't mistake a simple explanation as a statement of ease of application. After 17 years as an NCO, I know full well that doing something right is rarely easy. However, it doesn't make it any less important. However, by your own estimation it requires above standard managers and programmers. I think the fact that the products have not, and are not, being provided in a timely manner says exactly what kind of managers and programmers that WoTC was dealing with (well, might or might not indicate what kind of programmers). Hopefully they have rectified this problem (the layoffs and targeted hirings at least makes it seem they've attempted this). You are also absoluely right that I can't necessarily lay this at the feet of the programmers. I'm sure you're right in that programmers do not typically have enough information at the beginning of a project to give an accurate timeline. But, they do have the ability to give a general timeline, and inform those they work for on what problems can typically hold up projects of this sort. Whether this was accurately provided by WoTC programmers at the start of this project or not, I guess only WoTC knows. But no matter what, managers in charge of such a project had better make sure they are sufficiently educated and informed in these types of projects, and not give unrealistic representations of how long such a project will take (you know, so your company doesn't spend 1 1/2 years advertising and marketing products you have no possible way of delivering on time - oops, that already happened). So you are right, I can't necessarily blame the programmers. However, whether the management involved was informed of all of this by their programmers or not (and if they were, doubly bad on them), they have mismanaged the hell out of this. But, no matter what they do, or will do, WoTC is not off the hook until those products are delivered, and delivered with an acceptable level of quality. I'm sure they wish they weren't, but they will continue to hear all of this from their customers (at least from me) until they deliver. Late is not acceptable, no matter why (well, for the most part anyways - for example, I'd cut them a break for a natural disaster - but as far as I know, Mount St. Hellens has been quiet for the last few years). For WoTC sake, I hope they do eventually deliver on everything they promised, especially the Game Table. Simply because the downside of not doing exactly that isn't something I think they really want to contemplate in too much depth. edit: Personally though, however it may sound, I'm really not that indignant or upset at WoTC.  However, hearing things like "it's not that simple", or "this is expected", or "this is common with these types of products", to me smacks too much of excuses and spin.  Or worse, hearing some declare that no such promises or expectations were made in the first place.  I do absolutely despise revisionist history and spin.  I may be wrong, but I really have not heard from anyone at WoTC admitting that they absolutely blew it but are working on it.  All I do seem to be hearing is "Hey, look at this cool new toy we have for you".  My response is: "Whatever, you were supposed to have had it out last June.  Come talk to me when you've got it done."</blockquote>

Verification