Status of TSL

[turf]

I was just wondering, is this game still being developed?  On gamestop.com the game is showing canceled.  The team didn't give up did they?  It would be a shame for all their hard work to be for naught.  Someone please tell me this is wrong.

[TribeHasSpoken]

The game is certainly not canceled. I was made aware of GameSpot changing the status of the game to "canceled" several weeks ago. I have attempted to contact them to change this, but without success.

[tessspoon]

Oh good. I noticed that too the other day and was a little disconcerted by it as well.

[turf]

Boy that was good to hear.  I'm really looking forward to this game (I say that like I'm the only one).  I'm glad I can breath again now.

[PirateKingChris]

Why is this game ON gamestop.com to begin with? *scratches head*

[TribeHasSpoken]

I think he meant GameSpot

[dew7]

. . . possibly since there is no firm release date then GameSpot thought it was canceled

[GunHoMac]

You can't really blame them for putting cancelled...they have a reputation to uphold on game info.

[dark-daventry]

This project would never be cancelled without the fans getting told. The team would have surely sent out a letter or something saying the project was dead. Gamespot doesn't always have accurate game information, especially those for fan-games. In fact, this may be one of the only fan-games on the entire site.

[GunHoMac]

That's not the point.  They don't base their game status information on the actual livelihood of the development.  They base it on the awareness, promotability, and proximity to completion.  The game itself has lost awareness do to a perceived lack of development by the outside community (even if it isn't true).  Also, it doesn't seem to be promoted on the gaming forefront, so only people with prior knowledge are going to think about it on a weekly basis.  The game has no explicity defined end, so to a gamesite based on showing game status...it looks like a canceled project.  They won't remove it because they don't know that for sure, but I surely wouldn't expect them to change the status without something giving them good reason to do so besides "trust us...it'll get done".

[cygnus]

what is the actual status?

[Yonkey]

what is the actual status?

The game is still in production, and no official release date has been announced yet.

[dew7]

That's not the point.  They don't base their game status information on the actual livelihood of the development.  They base it on the awareness, promotability, and proximity to completion.  The game itself has lost awareness do to a perceived lack of development by the outside community (even if it isn't true).  Also, it doesn't seem to be promoted on the gaming forefront, so only people with prior knowledge are going to think about it on a weekly basis.  The game has no explicity defined end, so to a gamesite based on showing game status...it looks like a canceled project.  They won't remove it because they don't know that for sure, but I surely wouldn't expect them to change the status without something giving them good reason to do so besides "trust us...it'll get done".

Good point.  I think a lot of fans of the project feel the way GameSpot does about the project.  If there was an official release date for Shadows it would give the fans more hope even if the release date was far in the future.

[koko_99_2001]

Good point.  I think a lot of fans of the project feel the way GameSpot does about the project.  If there was an official release date for Shadows it would give the fans more hope even if the release date was far in the future.

Of course, it's hard to give a release date when everyone who is working is volunteering their times.

Example: I'm living with my parents for a couple months and only come around in the mornings now, for maybe an hour Can you imagine if I was actually working on part of the game?

[GunHoMac]

Example: I'm living with my parents for a couple months and only come around in the mornings now, for maybe an hour Can you imagine if I was actually working on part of the game?

Laptops, wireless cards, and remote access make where you are irrelevant to development.  People will always find time and a way to get things done that they really want to get done.  If you're relying solely on using your parents' computer hidden in the closet of their bedroom that you only get to use for 20 minutes before it explodes...you'd still find another way to get it done.

[icarus]

Example: I'm living with my parents for a couple months and only come around in the mornings now, for maybe an hour Can you imagine if I was actually working on part of the game?

Laptops, wireless cards, and remote access make where you are irrelevant to development.  People will always find time and a way to get things done that they really want to get done.  If you're relying solely on using your parents' computer hidden in the closet of their bedroom that you only get to use for 20 minutes before it explodes...you'd still find another way to get it done.

Internet and a PC probably isn't the trouble.
Lots of people working on the TSL project have a job too. When they get home they want some private life and relax some. 

[Delling]

Example: I'm living with my parents for a couple months and only come around in the mornings now, for maybe an hour Can you imagine if I was actually working on part of the game?

Laptops, wireless cards, and remote access make where you are irrelevant to development.  People will always find time and a way to get things done that they really want to get done.  If you're relying solely on using your parents' computer hidden in the closet of their bedroom that you only get to use for 20 minutes before it explodes...you'd still find another way to get it done.

I'd say that's an unfair characterization of what she said. She's merely using her personal situation as an example of the personal circumstances of the team that might be impeding development.

Also, all those things you list at the start of your email are unlikely to be available to someone who either A: blows up computers passively after having touched them for 20 minutes (crappiest super power ever!) or B: is apparently in such an opressive relationship with his parents that they lock away the computer, set the person to do chores during the day, and probably chain them to the bed at night (only other reason I can come up with the computer exploding is that they've booby trapped it to blow up upon detection of offspring-like typing).

The real point here is that simply wanting to get something done, such as severely distorting what someone else has said, is not enough to actually do it. Don't they teach anything in schools anymore? First, you master a food supply and build shelters that protect from the dangers of weather and then you build up society and culture: certain things have to come first whether you like it (or doing them) or not. (I'm sure you'll retort with something along the lines of "It's not a life or death decision to decide to spend some time making the game." No. No, it isn't... but then my computer doesn't blow up every 20 minutes after I touch it... if it did that, then I guess it might just be...)

Spoiler (mouse over to reveal):

For those keeping score, I think the score card reads something like:
GunHoMac: hyperbole
Delling: HYPERBOLE

[Petra Rocks]

 Mac is correct in that Cat's example does not fully match up to her point. Living with her parents does not inhibit her from working on TSL, nor does a limited amount of foruming time, by definition, mean a lack of time to work on TSL. It is further true that the higher a priority a person places on something, the more probable is it will get done, and that humans are capable of remarkable efforts and achievements in pursuit of something they greatly desire.

 However, icarus's statement is also true, as is the thought behind Delling's if you can get through the slightly convoluted wording.  Team members have other priorities than TSL, and thus spend the effort on other things. If you agree or do not agree with this prioritization is irrelevant. It is reality. 

[dew7]

True, but if you set a goal for yourself and set a date to have that goal done by then it is more likely to get accomplished.  Imagine, you going to school or work and nothing has a date of completion then nothing or very little would ever get done.

[Delling]

Mac is correct in that Cat's example does not fully match up to her point. Living with her parents does not inhibit her from working on TSL, nor does a limited amount of foruming time, by definition, mean a lack of time to work on TSL.

Not so. Her example is that as she is living with her parents for a while, she no longer has time to complete her responsibilities as a moderator so actively due to the responsibilities which she has to take on from living with her parents.

Her point is that a lack of forum time for a moderator is a direct equivalent upon analogy to a lack of development time for a developer. The fact that to her, there is a causal relationship between living at home with her parents and her lack of forum time also demonstrates her point well that such externalities as living with roommates/family, getting married, changing jobs, etc. can cause the team to take on higher priority obligations.

It is further true that the higher a priority a person places on something, the more probable is it will get done, and that humans are capable of remarkable efforts and achievements in pursuit of something they greatly desire.

No and yes. A higher priority is not a direct corollary to probability: (to relapse into absurd hyperbole) placing a high priority on making man-powered flight a competitor with space flight or supersonic jets in no way increases the probability of success (the probability of death or serious harm perhaps, but not success).

It is still true that humans can accomplish a lot when they really want to do something. However, wanting to do something doesn't move that something to the top of the priority queue in any realistic priority system. For instance, I'd like to spend more time studying Gaelic than I do, but I don't spend more time studying Gaelic because there's a higher priority placed on getting through college, which means a higher priority is assigned to all the lesser goals that go into getting through college, leaving very little for Gaelic.

Now, replace me with the TSL team and Gaelic with TSL and college with life, and that's the current status of TSL.

Team members have other priorities than TSL, and thus spend the effort on other things. If you agree or do not agree with this prioritization is irrelevant. It is reality. 

I don't think agreement is the problem (I guess, that you don't either). Somehow, these discussions of the progress of the game seem three-sided to me: you have fans talking with disheartened fans/hecklers, and the team or PR staff explaining that the team members happen to have lives too which--who would have thought it-- present problems of their own that happen to trump TSL.