TSL Updates!

[Numbers]

Make sure to have it all animated in Flash, with none of the voice actors returning to their respective roles, and out-of-context soundbites for the resurrected people when they perform "Africa," of which a karaoke version should be used. It'd turn into a massively popular meme overnight; one of those memes that comes out of left field that the world didn't know they wanted, like that image macro of those two guys from American Chopper yelling at each other and throwing chairs around.

[calmlunatic]

Happy November to the Development Team! Hope you're having a wonderful autumn!

[calmlunatic]

Happy December to the Development Team! Have a great winter season!

[Shalkar]

How far is chapter 5 in production? Please hurry before my hair turns grey. As Sherlock would tell Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes case of the serrated scapel.

[snabbott]

How far is chapter 5 in production? Please hurry before my hair turns grey. As Sherlock would tell Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes case of the serrated scapel.

The repository is at revision 2451.

[Numbers]

All joking aside, can we please have a progress report by January? There was an update the January of this year, and notably nothing else for the entire rest of the year. I'm not saying there should be an announcement every week, but it would be nice if there was more than literally only one update per year.

Spoiler (mouse over to reveal):

Also, if Shalkar's as much of a worrywart in real life as he is on the Internet, chances are he's fretted himself bald already.

[quiltface]

When I first started playing this game my kid was getting ready to turn 1.

Now shes in the 5th grade... my how time flies. 

[calmlunatic]

Happy New Year to the development team! Hope all is well!

[Numbers]

Hey all. Just wanted to bring everyone's attention to the fact that the last update was on January 31 of 2019, almost exactly 11 1/2 months ago. I think it would be in Phoenix Online's best interests to have an update, no matter how small, by this January 31. Interest in Episode 5 seems to be low, and you don't want to hit that multiple-year-long dead zone of no interaction with your fanbase again, do you?

[pelo88]

Greetings devs! I'm in England visiting me mum of 75 years getting married for the 4th time! Taking advantage of it and going to Stonehenge with my girlfriend on Monday. Very excited. Made me think to check for updates from you all for obvious reasons (obvious to anyone who's completed the later episodes).

I for one will be a fan for life even if there never is a 5th and conclusive episode.

Just wanted to wish you all well and thank you for all the amazing work you've already done. Of course I'd love to play anything else you all manage to release and I'll continue to support you by purchasing your other games actually available for sale.

Happy 2020 everyone!

[ShiftingBalance]

Hey all. Just wanted to bring everyone's attention to the fact that the last update was on January 31 of 2019, almost exactly 11 1/2 months ago. I think it would be in Phoenix Online's best interests to have an update, no matter how small, by this January 31. Interest in Episode 5 seems to be low, and you don't want to hit that multiple-year-long dead zone of no interaction with your fanbase again, do you?

I don't think they care about their fanbase honestly. I'm a patient person, but I've gotten used to zero communication.

[Numbers]

Ask yourself this, ShiftingBalance: if they really didn't care about their fanbase, would they even pretend to be working on something we, their fanbase, would be interested in seeing? They definitely care. They've proven that time and time again. The main thing I don't like is that they so rarely talk to us, and I'd like to see just one update a year, preferably at the end of each January. I really don't think an annual update is too much to ask.

[ThunderChild]

Ask yourself this, ShiftingBalance: if they really didn't care about their fanbase, would they even pretend to be working on something we, their fanbase, would be interested in seeing? They definitely care. They've proven that time and time again. The main thing I don't like is that they so rarely talk to us, and I'd like to see just one update a year, preferably at the end of each January. I really don't think an annual update is too much to ask.

I don't know, I think that ShiftingBalance does have a point here.

This whole situation reminds me on how Valve treated the Half-Life community after the release of Episode Two. In the first couple of years, Valve did mention that Episode 3 was still in development and this and that would be included (anyone remembers that Alyx would know sign language?) but after a couple of years, nothing would be said anymore and since 2007, there has been no new instalments in Half-Life 2's City17 storyline. My fear has become a truth regarding to TSL's episode 5, in which I cannot escape the feeling that Phoenix Online are walking the same path as Valve did.

*** This project is dead !! ***

Note: For those who are going to brabble about Half-Life: Alyx. That 'game' only exists because Valve has something to sell: their own VR kit and nothing more !! If they didn't have that VR kit, then they wouldn't have the need for a Half-Life title in order to raise/mobilize the masses . . .

[Enchantermon]

To be fair to Valve though, Half-Life is their flagship, and as such it's always been used to push and introduce new technology and ideas. In Half-Life, it was scripted sequences in an FPS. In HL2, it was physics. In HL2:LC, it was HDR. In HL:A, it's VR. While the price tag of the latter is admittedly quite steep in comparison, they're still following their pattern previously established. Sucks for those of us heavily invested in the story of Half-Life, though.

Returning to the main point of the discussion, however, there's a big difference between Valve and Phoenix: Valve can sell Half-Life and Phoenix cannot sell TSL. It's the same point that's been made over and over again: TSL is, necessarily, always going to take a back seat to products and services that will help Phoenix pay its bills. TSL is a volunteer fan project, as it's always been, and Phoenix is first and foremost a business.

So I will wait, watch this page, and hope that there's another update in store for us at the end of the month. I do agree that a yearly progress report would be great, even if there isn't a lot to say. It was very encouraging to see the blog post last year.

[Numbers]

ThunderChild, please refrain from making any more Half-Life comparisons. It seems like Half-Life is all you ever talk about. It's annoying. And speaking of annoying...

*** This project is dead !! ***

Yelling in a huge font doesn't make you look authoritative. It makes you look petulant. I honestly don't blame POStudios for not interacting with their fanbase more if this is how the fans are going to act.

[ThunderChild]

ThunderChild, please refrain from making any more Half-Life comparisons. It seems like Half-Life is all you ever talk about. It's annoying. And speaking of annoying...

If I choose to compare it with Half-Life, which is pretty much the same situation, I remain free to do so!

I honestly don't blame POStudios for not interacting with their fanbase more if this is how the fans are going to act.

This is what happens when you a) don't show anything and/or b) don't speak to your customers/loyal fanbase anymore. It is due to us, the fanbase, that Phoenix got to this point where they are now and after (almost) a year without anything from them towards us, the fanbase, don't be surprised when that same fanbase are deciding to leave this one "as is" and move to other games. Even you declared that it is in their best interest to give us an update and the holiday season was a very good opportunity to do so. Instead, the silence remained deafening, so where does that leave them and us ??

Also, since you are not a moderator here: please don't act like one. You are just a regular user here, just as me !! Agree with me or disagree with me but don't act as if you are running the show here. It is disrespectful just because you do not agree with it !!

[ShiftingBalance]

TSL is, necessarily, always going to take a back seat to products and services that will help Phoenix pay its bills. TSL is a volunteer fan project, as it's always been, and Phoenix is first and foremost a business.

While I understand that, a quick progress update once in a while can't hurt anything. I still feel like they used us, the fans to build their commercial business and now they can't even give us updates anymore. If I knew that episode 5 was ever going to be released I might be more inclined to try their other games because I find TSL quite good and their paid games are probably also good. But we can't even get yearly updates anymore. Has it been worked on at all this last year? I don't know.

[GrahamRocks!]

... *is just looking around at all the fighting and arguing and frustration and just shaking her head*

[calmlunatic]

Happy February to the Development Team! Have a great winter season!

[Shalkar]

I suppose the project is dead sigh