Weekly/fortnightly Estimate Update?

[MrLemonyFresh]

I had an idea. What if along with all other status elements eg 'CE / FCC Testing' etc, there were a count down device above it all, based on a team members current expectation for a release date? it could end a lot of date topics. Also, it's a thing that a lot of people find the most important (i suspect), 'when will it be release?' and there will be no need to post updates about how they're still alive.

It's hard to justify a post based entirely on when it will be finished at this point, so with a quick stroke of the keyboard and not too much fuss, everyone could be satisfied weekly/fortnightly that it will be finished at some point(not that I'm saying it won't be).

 

[MrBlais]

The only problem with this idea is they have no idea when key objectives get completed. Yet you start another 'estimation' thread? - It's all good, welcome!

 

[borgqueenx]

Third thread about a release date in one page? Nice.

 

[-Tj-]

I believe this kind of thing is why they don't put up dates: http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/50243-countdown-to-production-unit-showcase-7-days/page__st__60__p__769709&#entry769709

I hadn't preordered or followed up on Pandora till recently, but apparently dates have been pushed back so often that it's become pointless to try. Specific dates are great if they're met, but when they're constantly pushed back they tend only to irritate and frustrate.

 

[Monk]

I believe this kind of thing is why they don't put up dates: http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/50243-countdown-to-production-unit-showcase-7-days/page__st__60__p__769709&#entry769709

I hadn't preordered or followed up on Pandora till recently, but apparently dates have been pushed back so often that it's become pointless to try. Specific dates are great if they're met, but when they're constantly pushed back they tend only to irritate and frustrate.

+1

 

[MrLemonyFresh]

Sorry folks, didn't know. guess i haven't been around the forums enough lately, thought i had it there . For what it matters, i did make an effort to search for other posts with this kind of idea floating around.

 

[rabidpoobear]

We've already got some members that are pretty quick on that Create Post button, so if you can avoid it it's nice not to create new threads. Just make a concerted effort not to make redundant threads. You'll sort of just assimilate the information on the forums eventually, I'd suggest just not making new threads and posting in existing threads for the most part. This is a fairly active forum so it's pretty likely there's already a thread you can add your discussion to. To put it in perspective, I've got something like 300 posts, and I've been on the forums for a year (though more active since July), and I've made maybe 3 topics in that period.

 

[eyeball]

The only problem with this idea is they have no idea when key objectives get completed. Yet you start another 'estimation' thread? - It's all good, welcome!

Hmm, I understand that this has been a voyage of discovery, but to get to this point in a project and say 'they have no idea when key objectives get completed' is a tad worrying. I have no idea how the project is being run and appreciate that the team don't want to publish internal deadlines but at the end of the day people have invested hard cash into the idea and deserve regular updates, even if it's a nothing further to report kinda thing.

 

[WizardStan]

people have invested hard cash into the idea and deserve regular updates, even if it's a nothing further to report kinda thing.

As a consumer, you deserve either a Pandora or your money back. Any traces of information they choose to divulge about the project is entirely at their discretion and not because that is what you are owed.
That being said, they do their best to keep us informed. A lot of time they don't give information because they think it's trivial, and a lot of times I agree but others do not. A lot of times they don't give information because they don't want to worry people over nothing, and I agree heavily with this. From MWeston's wording of the recent tweaks to the case mould, they knew there was a slight problem a few days earlier, but he had hoped they would fix it before his countdown expired, therefore didn't tell us that there were tweaks being made until more tweaks needed to be made which screwed up his countdown timer. I fully agree with his decision if that were the case, because we absolutely do not need to know everything that is going on, nor are we entitled to it in any way. It's very good and appreciated that they do, but when they don't, I assume there's a reason for it.
This is why I get so flustered every time "investor" is mentioned: if you want to consider yourself an investor in the sense that you have put money somewhere with the hope that it has a positive payback, that's fine, just don't use that as some sort of justification for asking for things that you are not entitled to and may not actually exist.

 

[eyeball]

people have invested hard cash into the idea and deserve regular updates, even if it's a nothing further to report kinda thing.

As a consumer, you deserve either a Pandora or your money back. Any traces of information they choose to divulge about the project is entirely at their discretion and not because that is what you are owed.
That being said, they do their best to keep us informed. A lot of time they don't give information because they think it's trivial, and a lot of times I agree but others do not. A lot of times they don't give information because they don't want to worry people over nothing, and I agree heavily with this. From MWeston's wording of the recent tweaks to the case mould, they knew there was a slight problem a few days earlier, but he had hoped they would fix it before his countdown expired, therefore didn't tell us that there were tweaks being made until more tweaks needed to be made which screwed up his countdown timer. I fully agree with his decision if that were the case, because we absolutely do not need to know everything that is going on, nor are we entitled to it in any way. It's very good and appreciated that they do, but when they don't, I assume there's a reason for it.
This is why I get so flustered every time "investor" is mentioned: if you want to consider yourself an investor in the sense that you have put money somewhere with the hope that it has a positive payback, that's fine, just don't use that as some sort of justification for asking for things that you are not entitled to and may not actually exist.

I hate to fluster you again WizardStan but all of us are investors in every sense of the word whether you like it or not. Until such times as the Pandora becomes reality (which I hope is really soon!) I'm an investor in the Pandora project. When I get my unit I'll be considered a consumer with all the rights associated to it.

If you read through my post, nowhere did I mention that we should know everything that is going on, merely that a regular update would be good. There is also a difference between deserved and entitled. I am not entitled to anything other than my Pandora and peripherals but a regular update on the project that my investment (oops, there's that word again, sorry) is funding is, I think, deserved.

 

[WizardStan]

If you read through my post, nowhere did I mention that we should know everything that is going on, merely that a regular update would be good. There is also a difference between deserved and entitled. I am not entitled to anything other than my Pandora and peripherals but a regular update on the project that my investment (oops, there's that word again, sorry) is funding is, I think, deserved.

Then you think wrong. For your investment, you deserve one of two things: a Pandora or a refund. Information is good and welcome, but not deserved.

 

[rabidpoobear]

people have invested hard cash into the idea and deserve regular updates, even if it's a nothing further to report kinda thing.

As a consumer, you deserve either a Pandora or your money back. Any traces of information they choose to divulge about the project is entirely at their discretion and not because that is what you are owed.
This is why I get so flustered every time "investor" is mentioned: if you want to consider yourself an investor in the sense that you have put money somewhere with the hope that it has a positive payback, that's fine, just don't use that as some sort of justification for asking for things that you are not entitled to and may not actually exist.

I hate to fluster you again WizardStan but all of us are investors in every sense of the word whether you like it or not. Until such times as the Pandora becomes reality (which I hope is really soon!) I'm an investor in the Pandora project. When I get my unit I'll be considered a consumer with all the rights associated to it.
I am not entitled to anything other than my Pandora and peripherals but a regular update on the project that my investment (oops, there's that word again, sorry) is funding is, I think, deserved.

Do you ever preorder games? They don't give you information on the game except "hey, it's delayed" and they don't even tell you why. Diablo 2 was delayed something like 2-3 years.
You have given them money so that they have enough capital to get the device made. If you think they're bullshitting you, cancel your order. I'm with WizardStan on this one, but if you really don't agree with us and want to call yourself an investor, go find the other thread where we had a 25 page flamewar about it. Please don't start another one here with that. They give many updates and if you can't be bothered to find them on the forums just read the unofficial blog.

 

[rabidpoobear]

If you read through my post, nowhere did I mention that we should know everything that is going on, merely that a regular update would be good. There is also a difference between deserved and entitled. I am not entitled to anything other than my Pandora and peripherals but a regular update on the project that my investment (oops, there's that word again, sorry) is funding is, I think, deserved.

Then you think wrong. For your investment, you deserve one of two things: a Pandora or a refund. Information is good and welcome, but not deserved.

Maybe we should just let him call himself an investor, wouldn't want people to get their dictionaries out and start defining "investor" to me some more. </sarcasm>

 

[eyeball]

If you read through my post, nowhere did I mention that we should know everything that is going on, merely that a regular update would be good. There is also a difference between deserved and entitled. I am not entitled to anything other than my Pandora and peripherals but a regular update on the project that my investment (oops, there's that word again, sorry) is funding is, I think, deserved.

Then you think wrong. For your investment, you deserve one of two things: a Pandora or a refund. Information is good and welcome, but not deserved.

Maybe we should just let him call himself an investor, wouldn't want people to get their dictionaries out and start defining "investor" to me some more. </sarcasm>

Blimey, we're all a tad touchy on the subject aren't we. All right, let's sratch the I word and call ourselves venture capitalists, that make you feel better? I don't know why you're all banging on about getting a refund either, I don't recall saying that I wanted one. Perhaps it's people like you who drove away a big raft of people who just wanted to know how the project is going. Oh, and I don't think Diablo (or pretty much any other game to be honest) is funded on pre orders, where as this project is. Maybe it's you and WizardStan who should toddle off to the other threads and have a good flame about the definition of the word investor. Sheesh.

 

[WizardStan]

Perhaps it's people like you who drove away a big raft of people who just wanted to know how the project is going.

There's a big difference between wanting to know what's going on, and expecting to be told what's going on. You can want to know all you want. You can ask specific questions for all I care. As soon as you start thinking they owe you more than what they do, I will step in and correct you. I'm sorry you've taken it as a personal attack, but it's not.

 

[eyeball]

Perhaps it's people like you who drove away a big raft of people who just wanted to know how the project is going.

There's a big difference between wanting to know what's going on, and expecting to be told what's going on. You can want to know all you want. You can ask specific questions for all I care. As soon as you start thinking they owe you more than what they do, I will step in and correct you. I'm sorry you've taken it as a personal attack, but it's not.

Fair enough, although that all depends on your concept of correct. I happen to think I'm correct so feel free to try to step in whenever you like. I'm going to try one last time to put my point across before i go and look for something sharp to stick in my eye. I am not saying that I am owed more than i am. I was saying that as loyal supporters of the project we have earned/deserve updates on progress, we get them, that's great, I think they could be a little more frequent. That is different from entitled to.

Please please please don't make me start quoting Prince2 methodology to you about regular updates to the Project board and users to ensure end user buy in or i might die.

As I said, it's not about owed, it's about earned. There is a difference.

Oh and keep your ideas to yourself next time Mr Lemony Fresh ;-)

 

[Pleng]

Blimey, we're all a tad touchy on the subject aren't we. All right, let's sratch the I word and call ourselves venture capitalists

That's even more absurd!

 

[Lorkile]

I like how the boards have changed since last I spent time reading through threads, at least in in the good lol's I've gotten out of this thread.

 

[MrLemonyFresh]

We've already got some members that are pretty quick on that Create Post button, so if you can avoid it it's nice not to create new threads. Just make a concerted effort not to make redundant threads. You'll sort of just assimilate the information on the forums eventually, I'd suggest just not making new threads and posting in existing threads for the most part. This is a fairly active forum so it's pretty likely there's already a thread you can add your discussion to. To put it in perspective, I've got something like 300 posts, and I've been on the forums for a year (though more active since July), and I've made maybe 3 topics in that period.

hmm. (metaphor time) it's like i accidentally spilled a mug of coffee, i was drawn attention to it (a few times), i apologized for spilling the coffee... and then someone else comes and tells me I've spilled the coffee... why?

you told me not to repeat other threads from a long time ago, but you've just gone and repeated what a number of easily spot-able posts just said...

Oh and keep your ideas to yourself next time Mr Lemony Fresh ;-)

This argument is hardly my fault, it should have ended when i apologized. And considering the nature of your argument, it seems that any threads containing or referring to Pandora information or updates could start this kind of thing.

 

[gruso]

^ I don't think Rocking Horse was having a go at you. He was taking a sly shot at all the other responses in the thread.

Regarding frequency of updates, we do get them pretty often. They're not always the updates we want, and sometimes it seems like an ice age between them, but we do hear from the devs every single week.