Sub-Dividing Patches & Patch Schedule

[dspguy]

I appreciate the OP's metaphor, but I can't say that a sandwich shop can represent the release schedule of an MMO. We don't pay a subscription fee to get our stale bread, moldy cheese, rotten meat sandwich from a shop. I don't think it applies.

I've played a lot of the mainstream MMOs (not all). They all have patch cycles for releases. The nature of an MMO is that we are paying a subscription fee to access the service. The same way we pay a usage/subscription fee for internet, mobile, paywalls, VPNs, etc. I have never played an MMO that released the entire game, all in one patch, and then the developers "peaced out" while the company collected subscription fees for a decade.

I do agree that it feels like a long time between patch cycles. Personally, I sub/unsub (and set a reminder on my calendar for 42 days so I don't lose my house). When I do spend that $15, I tend to hit the game hard for weeks. And then leave it behind for 1.5 months.

[NarhiFaunlha]

I appreciate the OP's metaphor, but I can't say that a sandwich shop can represent the release schedule of an MMO.

I'll admit: I might've been a little bit hungry when I came up with that metaphor.

My biggest complaint is that the content they release keeps you busy for a week or so. Sure, you have weekly dailies to do for a few months, but there really isn't anything there to incentivize you to keep playing. There needs to be. That's part of the reason why I feel like Field Content needs to be implemented sooner into the patch cycle. Currently we're told its coming even though we don't know precisely when at launch.

[Daralii]

I'll admit: I might've been a little bit hungry when I came up with that metaphor.

My biggest complaint is that the content they release keeps you busy for a week or so. Sure, you have weekly dailies to do for a few months, but there really isn't anything there to incentivize you to keep playing. There needs to be. That's part of the reason why I feel like Field Content needs to be implemented sooner into the patch cycle. Currently we're told its coming even though we don't know precisely when at launch.

Unless they deliberately divert extra attention to getting it out quickly, it probably won't be before May.