With all the hubbub surrounding the egregious mistake by Vivendi in not releasing the game with a stand-alone dedicated server, TribalWar decided we should find out the info about why this happened and when we can expect to see something like to solve this issue. I was able to grab Patrick Dillon, brand manager for Tribes: Vengeance, to get some questions answered.
<blockquote>TW: Why was a stand alone server not included with release?

Patrick: <b>It wasn't part of the original development plan and was developed too late in the cycle to be included with the game.</b>

TW: The game's release date was pushed up from Oct 12th to the 5th. Was this decision a good move for the game when that extra time could have been used to include features such as the standalone server?

Patrick: <b>Its hard to say, but most likely, it wouldn't have changed the situation.</b>

TW: When will we see a stand alone server released?

Patrick: <b>VUG will be providing a toolset in the next few days that will allow users to set up and run dedicated Tribes: Vengeance servers that will not require a CD.</b></blockquote><p>So there you have it folks. If we get any more information, we will be sure to pass it along to you.

wave

Good. I hope it gets out soon

Hi there

cool. a few days

next few days ehh..

this might work.

patch 1.5

TW: Why was a stand alone server not included with release?

Patrick: Tt wasn't part of the original development plan and was developed too late in the cycle to be included with the game.

not bad, i can wait a few days

SP will tide me over

I think this should be stickied like my pants.

bah.

My question is:

Why was this CD Server thing implemented to begin with?

Originally Posted by Hologram

My question is:

Why was this CD Server thing implemented to begin with?

You don't specifically prevent people from running a server without CD. It's more a question of, "why wasn't -server command line switch configured to ignore CD check". But that's not a question the marketing manager can answer.

Or why weren't the tools just bundled with the disk.

Did you ask if the dedicated server will require a full install? "Will not require a CD" is a bit vague.

WTF a few days, thats BS.

Originally Posted by Smooth P

Did you ask if the dedicated server will require a full install? "Will not require a CD" is a bit vague.

At this point, I don't think this is the right battle to be fighting. I'm for getting the dedicated server out TOMORROW.

Im just glad they are fixing it. Its annoying that the day it comes out, there are very little servers to play on because of this. But I can wait a few days. Not really a big deal to me. Unless a few days becomes a few weeks.

I dont really blame the devs for this one. This is probaly a choice made due to pressure coming down from product management and marketing.

Sadly, you would think the T2 launch disaster would have diminished these kinds of problems with a new release of Tribes.

But as you all know the coporate heads at Vivendi and Sierra could care less. What more important is being on schedule, pushing units out and getting sales... big sales. On top of that games are big business now and I think more companies will want to control the free reign of servers running various games (look at whats happening with Half-Life and Steam).

They really ..really want to figure out how they can not only make money on the sales of the game, but the bigger money maker: Making us all pay to play.

Understandably the CD keys are to help hinder piracy which is rampant but why on the server? Who knows. The game is pretty polished but you can tell there was pressure to get it out on time even if everything hasnt been refined yet. Well at least its out.

I agree. They should be busting their asses to get this out TODAY. It should have come with the game. The fact that they didn't plan on it coming with the game realy bothers me. So it's the community's up-roar that caused them to get this released "In the next few days"? You mean... they didn't KNOW this would happen?