development The state of the game in 2021

[LoWERcAsELeTTerS 3]

So, after looking at the number of players over the last three years there has been a steady decline. We're getting just over 200 players now every month where there used to be 2000+ in the early days of APB. 

There was a nice jump up to 1000+ when Little Orbit took over development it seems, but since then a steady decline. Apart from the maintenance patches and holiday events, what is Little Orbit going to do to change the state of the game? 

Myself, and I'm sure the entire APB community, would like to know what the future of APB will be. Will any new mechanics be implemented? i.e., new objectives in missions? New zones? New contacts? 

As a player that played back in CBT, I appreciated seeing the 2021 Roadmap. It was a nice and seemingly fresh engagement with the community. I think we need more of that from Matthew Scott and other developers at Little Orbit in regards to what the future plans for APB are. I think there should be more of a dialogue between the devs and players in regards to these future plans as well.

I would love to see a revival of this game because the game and gameplay have always been great. I would hate to see another team mismanage this game and let it die....again.

Here is the population of players through Steam across APB's lifetime.
https://steamcharts.com/app/113400

[tuktukdriver 15]

They will start marketing the game again to new players and if new content and maps are released, i think APB can even beat it's all time player record.

But only if there is something better on the table than old clunky dunky engine (that doesn't even work on newer GPU's anymore)

Edited November 23, 2021 by tuktukdriver

[LoWERcAsELeTTerS 3]

Yes, I definitely believe APB has the potentiality to retain a high average of players if the attention is given to the game. 

But I just don't know what the plans beyond that 2021 Roadmap are now. All I'm seeing are holiday events being put into the game and minimal response from devs. I also saw a GM in game once since I've returned to APB. 

I seriously think this community needs more communication from the devs.

[Deadliest 385]

There is no devs

[Queen of Love 453]

Riot 2.

With more bugs.

[Yapopal 170]

It all comes down to engine upgrades. Little Orbit wants to update the engine with minimal impact on gamers. The engine began to be redone again, not relying on the old 2.0 build. As you read Mat's posts, you will notice that the build process is very complicated. Of all the people on Earth, Matt is most interested in updating the game. He doesn't have a lot of resources to get the job done quickly. We can only hope that Matt can handle it.

[LoWERcAsELeTTerS 3]

I appreciate your response Shemer. I think we just need some more communication from Matt. I see more updates and posts about Fallen Earth than APB. So perhaps too much is being taken on at one time?

[CookiePuss 5379]

On 11/26/2021 at 4:20 PM, LoWERcAsELeTTerS said:

I appreciate your response Shemer. I think we just need some more communication from Matt. I see more updates and posts about Fallen Earth than APB. So perhaps too much is being taken on at one time?

Maybe he hates us cuz we are such jerks all the time.

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by CookiePuss

[yourrandomnobody74 106]

1 hour ago, CookiePuss said:

Mayne he hates us cuz we are such jerks all the time.

A small gesture in form of QoL updates that we've been spamming patch threads for would yield much better results than the "FOCUSING ALL TASKS ON ENGINE UPGRADE" automated response we've been getting the past year, while them doing weapon balancing in ways no one asked for? There's no vision whatsoever on how this game is supposed to play from anyone it seems, nor does anyone other than the community bother talking about it. Is Qwentle still hindering this game since 2012? Has the SPCT put in some bad word about the community and LO/G1 devs just decided to refuse cooperating with us and SPCT? Questions over questions....

I don't understand, it is very simple why everyone is upset, the core gameplay of this game is still flawed to death after numerious years of suggestions due to some dev just REFUSING to realise his vision of APB is flawed.

Edited November 27, 2021 by yourrandomnobody74

[tuktukdriver 15]

We can be very nice but not naïve and we need some clear perspective on how the game is progressing

[CookiePuss 5379]

28 minutes ago, yourrandomnobody74 said:

A small gesture in form of QoL updates that we've been spamming patch threads for would yield much better results than the "FOCUSING ALL TASKS ON ENGINE UPGRADE" automated response we've been getting the past year, while them doing weapon balancing in ways no one asked for? There's no vision whatsoever on how this game is supposed to play from anyone it seems, nor does anyone other than the community bother talking about it. Is Qwentle still hindering this game since 2012? Has the SPCT put in some bad word about the community and LO/G1 devs just decided to refuse cooperating with us and SPCT? Questions over questions....

I don't understand, it is very simple why everyone is upset, the core gameplay of this game is still flawed to death after numerious years of suggestions due to some dev just REFUSING to realise his vision of APB is flawed.

We are lucky the game is alive at all. 

If I was Matt I'd have cut my losses long ago. 

Try to keep that in mind. 

[yourrandomnobody74 106]

27 minutes ago, CookiePuss said:

We are lucky the game is alive at all. 

If I was Matt I'd have cut my losses long ago. 

Try to keep that in mind. 

Matt is not the only dev and I'm very sure he's not in charge in anything related to balancing. 

Edited November 27, 2021 by yourrandomnobody74

[vsb 6171]

2 minutes ago, yourrandomnobody74 said:

Matt is not the only dev and I'm very sure he's not in charge in anything related to balancing. 

matt might listen to the people he's hired that he believes know better, but at the end of the day as the ceo im pretty sure he's got the final say on just about anything related to apb

[yourrandomnobody74 106]

30 minutes ago, glaciers said:

matt might listen to the people he's hired that he believes know better, but at the end of the day as the ceo im pretty sure he's got the final say on just about anything related to apb

key words, how can he know if something is right when he doesn't play the game (admitted so himself)? i could see him just letting a dev take care of it... probably the same dev that clearly failed to deliver for +10 years now in regards to gameplay balancing. 

 

...a dev that even decided to make emp grenades to "counter car gameplay" 

 

in a properly functioning structure,, we'd have the community do gameplay playtests every month/week so constructive feedback can be given as to how the game can be a better product (perhaps even hire some people to do some work for them in regards to the tutorial) so that the wait for the engine upgrade will feel shorter

apb won't magically become new and improved after the engine upgrade, which seemingly the dev team wants us to think?... either that or they're planning some kind of mega-giga engine update launch patch that addresses a ton of issues at once (obv not the case but hey, wishful thinking)

Edited November 27, 2021 by yourrandomnobody74

[CookiePuss 5379]

5 minutes ago, yourrandomnobody74 said:

key words, how can he know if something is right when he doesn't play the game (admitted so himself)? i could see him just letting a dev take care of it... probably the same dev that clearly failed to deliver for +10 years now in regards to gameplay balancing. 

 

...a dev that even decided to make emp grenades to "counter car gameplay" 

Bro, theres like 3 people working on APB. 

You need to face reality. 

 

Be grateful for what you have and stop complaining. 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2021 by CookiePuss

[yourrandomnobody74 106]

Just now, CookiePuss said:

Bro, theres like 3 people working on APB. 

You need to face reality. 

no confirmed staff number was thrown out as far as im aware, still not a excuse for their current state.

they can always open-source the game and/or ask for help from community members willing to lend a hand in their favourite game. 

[CookiePuss 5379]

6 minutes ago, yourrandomnobody74 said:

no confirmed staff number was thrown out as far as im aware, still not a excuse for their current state.

they can always open-source the game and/or ask for help from community members willing to lend a hand in their favourite game. 

For a while Matt's posts made it seem like he was the only one working on the game, and only in his free time. 

 

As for the rest, keep dreaming. 

[Nagletz 218]

8 hours ago, CookiePuss said:

For a while Matt's posts made it seem like he was the only one working on the game, and only in his free time. 

 

As for the rest, keep dreaming. 

Yeah, imagine drowning and refusing to get a helping hand, at this point they even biting it...

[LilyRain 674]

1 hour ago, Nagletz said:

Yeah, imagine drowning and refusing to get a helping hand, at this point they even biting it...

He DID get a helping hand.

 

[Nagletz 218]

1 minute ago, LilyRain said:

He DID get a helping hand.

 

Thats just a one person, not enough i think. I see momma's programmers in chat appearing every week, and be like  "imma do better just hire me", so why not? Don't tell me they dont have money lol

[CookiePuss 5379]

3 minutes ago, Nagletz said:

Don't tell me they dont have money lol

They don't have money. 

[LilyRain 674]

4 minutes ago, Nagletz said:

Thats just a one person, not enough i think. I see momma's programmers in chat appearing every week, and be like  "imma do better just hire me", so why not? Don't tell me they dont have money lol

 

1 minute ago, CookiePuss said:

They don't have money. 

Indeed they don't. Remember that they sold APB's IP for extra funds. They wouldn't have done that if they had $

[ninjarrrr 258]

1 hour ago, LilyRain said:

 

Indeed they don't. Remember that they sold APB's IP for extra funds. They wouldn't have done that if they had $

don't forgot they got sued and they couldn't pay the plaintiff!

 

[CookiePuss 5379]

14 hours ago, yourrandomnobody74 said:

 

 

3 hours ago, Nagletz said:

 

I don't mean to be overly negative, I just don't think people realize  where APB is right now. 

 

 

[LilyRain 674]

41 minutes ago, ninjarrrr said:

don't forgot they got sued and they couldn't pay the plaintiff!

 

Yeah, that too. :Sadge: