The Big Picture - August 2010 - Wait for it... Wait for it...
Yodapollo
Inactive, Chef Emeritus Posts: 447
Hey, everybody!
So, yeah. This is late. By a week. I wrote a version for you guys last Friday. And, guess what?
*pause*
The Big Picture changed. As in, the Big Big Picture changed. As in, the roadmap (about which I write the ‘Big Picture’ updates) changed. So, with a different Big Picture, the old ‘Big Picture’ would have to go and a new ‘Big Picture’ would have to be written to better represent the new Big Picture. Does that clear things up?
I am super-pleased to say that our next release will include a major feature for which many of you have been clamoring for some time. Some may say it's a quantum leap forward for GameSalad.
*pause*
No, really. PAUSE!
When you download the next version of GameSalad, we want ‘Pause’ functionality to be available. We’re still nailing down design, but we’ve decided that enough is enough and Pause should be a part of the next GameSalad release.
But, wait! There’s more!
In addition to Pause, we’re working on an entirely refactored scenegraph, as well as newly-optimized sound and asset managers. What this means to you, and more importantly to the people playing your games, is a dramatic improvement in performance. We’re talking better frame rates, better memory management, fewer crashes, fewer slowdowns. It’s big box of better.
This is also just the first step in order to facilitate all the really exciting “bells and whistles” we’ll be introducing in the coming months.
You’ll also find a brand new dashboard and portfolio management interface. With this built into the tool, you’ll be able to manage all your GameSalad.com content, as well as access video & text tutorials from within the GameSalad creator.
Beyond that, there’s still a lot of stuff. I mean, a LOT. Unfortunately, I can’t really get into details on most of it. This is the Big Picture, after all, not the Close Up. Sure, I could say things that are in our roadmap, though not necessarily part of the next release; I could talk about GameCenter, video, social networking, and about a hundred others (matabooboo & updog, anyone?), but I couldn’t (and I wouldn’t) give you hard dates on any of them. I can say, however, that none of these major features I just mentioned will be “Pro Only”. Bottom line is: they get done when they get done (think Starcraft II, not Duke Nuk’em). We’re working on all of them, and when one is ready to be included in the tool, it will be.
Still, we think the next release of GameSalad is one of the most exciting releases we’ve worked on. Lots of features. Lots of tweaks. Lots of improvements. Lots of awesome!
There’s also another major change coming in the next couple of weeks:
A New Moderation Program - We’re in the process of building the support infrastructure for a volunteer moderation program for the GameSalad forums. Invitations for the moderation program should go out in the next two weeks. Those accepting the invitation will be granted the authority to edit, delete, and move posts and threads. They will be given full ability to issue warnings to abusive or offensive posters. The Forum Community has reached a size that moderation really is a must as I’m personally looking to remedy the situation as soon as possible.
If you know of someone in the Community who is especially deserving of being included in this group, feel free to start some sort of nomination thread. We would really appreciate the feedback on who you feel really stands out as pillars of the GameSalad Community.
There’s a lot more on the way. We have some major reworking on the GameSalad blog coming in the next couple of months (including news feeds, daily features, and more community-centric stories) as well as updated and re-optimized templates, with corresponding high-quality video and text tutorials.
The things we’ve been building on since the spring are finally starting to come to fruition and this fall is definitely going to be season to remember for GameSalad.
Mahalo.
So, yeah. This is late. By a week. I wrote a version for you guys last Friday. And, guess what?
*pause*
The Big Picture changed. As in, the Big Big Picture changed. As in, the roadmap (about which I write the ‘Big Picture’ updates) changed. So, with a different Big Picture, the old ‘Big Picture’ would have to go and a new ‘Big Picture’ would have to be written to better represent the new Big Picture. Does that clear things up?
I am super-pleased to say that our next release will include a major feature for which many of you have been clamoring for some time. Some may say it's a quantum leap forward for GameSalad.
*pause*
No, really. PAUSE!
When you download the next version of GameSalad, we want ‘Pause’ functionality to be available. We’re still nailing down design, but we’ve decided that enough is enough and Pause should be a part of the next GameSalad release.
But, wait! There’s more!
In addition to Pause, we’re working on an entirely refactored scenegraph, as well as newly-optimized sound and asset managers. What this means to you, and more importantly to the people playing your games, is a dramatic improvement in performance. We’re talking better frame rates, better memory management, fewer crashes, fewer slowdowns. It’s big box of better.
This is also just the first step in order to facilitate all the really exciting “bells and whistles” we’ll be introducing in the coming months.
You’ll also find a brand new dashboard and portfolio management interface. With this built into the tool, you’ll be able to manage all your GameSalad.com content, as well as access video & text tutorials from within the GameSalad creator.
Beyond that, there’s still a lot of stuff. I mean, a LOT. Unfortunately, I can’t really get into details on most of it. This is the Big Picture, after all, not the Close Up. Sure, I could say things that are in our roadmap, though not necessarily part of the next release; I could talk about GameCenter, video, social networking, and about a hundred others (matabooboo & updog, anyone?), but I couldn’t (and I wouldn’t) give you hard dates on any of them. I can say, however, that none of these major features I just mentioned will be “Pro Only”. Bottom line is: they get done when they get done (think Starcraft II, not Duke Nuk’em). We’re working on all of them, and when one is ready to be included in the tool, it will be.
Still, we think the next release of GameSalad is one of the most exciting releases we’ve worked on. Lots of features. Lots of tweaks. Lots of improvements. Lots of awesome!
There’s also another major change coming in the next couple of weeks:
A New Moderation Program - We’re in the process of building the support infrastructure for a volunteer moderation program for the GameSalad forums. Invitations for the moderation program should go out in the next two weeks. Those accepting the invitation will be granted the authority to edit, delete, and move posts and threads. They will be given full ability to issue warnings to abusive or offensive posters. The Forum Community has reached a size that moderation really is a must as I’m personally looking to remedy the situation as soon as possible.
If you know of someone in the Community who is especially deserving of being included in this group, feel free to start some sort of nomination thread. We would really appreciate the feedback on who you feel really stands out as pillars of the GameSalad Community.
There’s a lot more on the way. We have some major reworking on the GameSalad blog coming in the next couple of months (including news feeds, daily features, and more community-centric stories) as well as updated and re-optimized templates, with corresponding high-quality video and text tutorials.
The things we’ve been building on since the spring are finally starting to come to fruition and this fall is definitely going to be season to remember for GameSalad.
Mahalo.
Comments
Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Quantum_Sheep
Web: https://quantumsheep.itch.io
I'm so glad there will be performance improvements.... we really need that to make our games comparable to other top games in the app store!
Oh and, Pause! Yay!
By the way I would love to be a part of the "New Moderation Program" also!
We have lots of untapped potential still if performance is improved. There's plenty of distance in what can be done through the maths as FMG keeps proving. Just because we don't have a magic button to do some things doesn't mean they are not possible.
So glad that performance is the priority - it should really make a difference!
Thanks, gendai!
www.marcosriffel.com
<Pours coffee down throat via funnel>
/crawls to laptop
/reads post again
/faints
Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Quantum_Sheep
Web: https://quantumsheep.itch.io
Looking forward to performance increases. Archangel on the iPad looks amazing with all the sprites going nuts, I can only imagine if I cranked it up a notch with GS' optimizations.
I guess the next step is hitting the refresh until 0.9.0 is ready for download.
Asuming we will need mods from different timezones to keep an eye on things around the clock I would be honoured to put my name forward as a representative for the UK!
JCFord
I CANNOT WAIT for the better performance and stability.. It will make all of our games SOOO much better
Sooo.... when can we expect this update? :PP
// red.
Ya Ta!!!
This will make little sense to our American cousins, but right now I feel like this:
Just replace 'football' with 'Pause' and you'll get the idea
Thanks Gendai - If you need a hand with the design, let me know!
To quote the good Doctor, "This is what I do. This. Every day. Every minute. Every second. This."
Or something like that anyway
QS
Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Quantum_Sheep
Web: https://quantumsheep.itch.io
Will the improvements to performance include the performance while we are designing within the tool? Like keeping the speed up and not crashing/freezing as frequently?
HOLY QUANTUMSHEEP!
I hoped for openfeint or such supports, but that can wait
But seriously - this news is more exciting than a monster track rally. To wit, "We'll sell you the whole seat, BUT YOU'LL ONLY NEED THE EDGE!!!"
Pause, speed, videos... WOOOOWWWW
There’s also another major change coming in the next couple of weeks"
Reading through it again, I would say in the next two weeks
Today will be a day long remembered - the promise of Pause and improved performance, three titles updated/released for free on the app store, interesting results from yesterdays sales and I'm about to go out and get unbearably wonderful.
Today has been a *good* day
Catch ya later - promise no singing/loving up later!
QS
Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Quantum_Sheep
Web: https://quantumsheep.itch.io
I hope it's soon
Why isn't this a sticky?
// red.
"There's also another major change coming in the next couple of weeks"
And if you take every third letter then transpose that letter to the next letter in the alphabet, cycling the Z back to A, it spells usbpffbsbfnhuouvfxl!
Cheers, Weswog