Instead of the Damn Vultures Circling My City…..

How about some beta testing?

I'm not sure if this is specific to the Android version (Samsung Epic 4G), but playability since version 3.0 is pretty awful.

I understand that we are supposed to be wowed by the fact that the windmill blades now rotate, that there are buzzards flying backwards around our cities, that there are moving flames for the news, and flapping flag for the battle field, but it means nothing if basic game play is poor.

This release has far worse game play.

The first release, which did not have a working city list for fortified points and oases, wasn't even at the level of a beta release. It was early alpha.

With app version 3.0.1, we are now at early beta.

The problems (which have already been posted to the Bugs section by other people, this is intended to be a path forward):

• Network timeouts, whether using 3G, 4G, or WiFi, are far more common.
• Commands given on a round in battle are not reflected until the END of that round, meaning that you cannot catch and correct mistakes.
• Withdraw from battle with low levels of coins (I ran into this at 17 coins) will not work.
• Unsuccessful hunts are now over half of the results. (If this is a change in the game, as opposed to a glitch, this complaint is moot)
• I need to restart the game to show troops in my city after they have been called back from a hunt almost all the time, and frequently when returning from battle, or when they have been called back from a fortified point or oasis.
• I need to restart the game frequently to update despoil resources.

Additionally, some of your graphic decisions are just awful: The new color for the crop oasis makes it almost impossible to read the level, white on pale yellow, is not readable.

So here are some suggestions for the future:

• Set up a beta server, and let people on different operating systems run proposed updates to spot problems. There would be a lot of people who would be willing to put some time in on the beta server to get a preview of updates.
• Place a greater focus on reliability and game play, as opposed to new features or graphics.
• Make sure that your development process takes a careful look at how different smart phone OSes work, because my sense from reading the forums is that Android is far more problematic than iOS.
• Create a low resolution version for those of us who don't care about having vultures circling our cities, and don't want the battery drain of the whiz bang graphics..

Two final notes: What exactly is this alliance war thing for? It does not seem to get one anything but a banner.

Also, an annoyance with chat: I don't mind seeing the most recent chat at the bottom of my screen, but when people post epic solidifications for their alliances, it covers most of the screen.

Thank you for your consideration.

I could not agree more, even now it seems the game is still in late alpha testing, bugs and glitches going rampant.

A server for beta testing is a great idea, maybe let people who know what they're doing/experts in to find bugs/glitches.

All in all, haypi Spent over a year on this update and so far it looks barely tested and has caused thousands to quit.

So very true,Haypi thinks we are gonna be jumping with joy over them animating a few meaningless things,who cares,fix the real damd problems
like u I get timed out,resources and soldier qmount don't show have to restart.Sometimes when I go to look at my forts or oasis list haypi forecloses wtf!!!!Come on Haypi fix the real problems!!!!We are not impressed with patch 3.0 stop being itunes B!!!Listen!!!

Sincerely,
Waverox

Forgot to mention,since patch 3.0 things have gotten worst! !!!!!!
Sincerely,
Waverox

There is such thing as the "edit" button.
While I understand that many people are angry with the many bugs and things happening in the new update, I think that even after a few weeks or so things will get better. Haypi does try a great deal to please their players, but bashing isn't the solution. They don't just sit on their butts everyday and they DO try to make things better. So I ask to please be a bit more patient..

There is such thing as the "edit" button.
While I understand that many people are angry with the many bugs and things happening in the new update, I think that even after a few weeks or so things will get better. Haypi does try a great deal to please their players, but bashing isn't the solution. They don't just sit on their butts everyday and they DO try to make things better. So I ask to please be a bit more patient..

I am suggesting that they can solve many of their problems at a very low cost by creating a beta server, and allowing users who are pre-defined as "not clueless" to participate in pre rollout evaluations.

The problem with V3.x is not that it's bad, but that it was released before it was fully cooked.

If they had put it out on a beta server, they would have found 90+% of the problems pre-release, and had the opportunity to fix them without a large user community breathing down their necks.

Who was it who said, "A late game is only late once. A bad game is a bad game forever?"

Finally, an easy to understand post without un-needed flame and some good constructive criticism. You sir, get a brownie point. Haypi likes constructive criticism, and I'm sure they are listening and trying to fix some stuff already. Though, like cassy said, some patience will be needed.

Thank you.

@"What exactly is this alliance war thing for?"
Alliance Wars is the new, a bit harder, system to get your alliance on the leader board. So, its just like before in a sense that the only thing you get for getting on the leader board is bragging rights.

i concur. well said

[Thomas]

The 79th server is our testing server, and has been in testing use for a long time, but I'm sorry it still has so many bugs.

Thomas -

Who were the players that tested the application? It's obviously not the server that is the issue, but the client side application.

Recruit players to test the app before general release and you'll have better results. Offer them coins in return for fair testing. Have the experts come up with a list of things to test and have 50 players do the testing.

Most of all, use your brain.