Comments on: My Dream Patch Day, And The Junk. http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/ The mental ramblings of Sanya Weathers Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:58:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Gareth Eckley http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1215 Gareth Eckley Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:38:13 +0000 http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1215 This is exactly how CCP handle EVE Online upgrades. This is exactly how CCP handle EVE Online upgrades.

]]> By: Kerri Knight http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1219 Kerri Knight Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:21:08 +0000 http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1219 Hour 3 of a "15 minute downtime rolling realm restarts" 2 deleted posts asking for an update no sticky no announcement nothing on the client launcher nothing at the login screen clearly this is community management at its finest..... How do people keep their jobs with this kind of performance? Hour 3 of a “15 minute downtime rolling realm restarts”

2 deleted posts asking for an update

no sticky

no announcement

nothing on the client launcher

nothing at the login screen

clearly this is community management at its finest…..

How do people keep their jobs with this kind of performance?

]]> By: Intelligent Artifice » A perfect MMO patch day http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1218 Intelligent Artifice » A perfect MMO patch day Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:58:49 +0000 http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1218 [...] Weathers, who was the community director for Mythic Entertainment has written an excellent blog post about what a perfect patch day for an MMO should look like, from the point of view of a community [...] [...] Weathers, who was the community director for Mythic Entertainment has written an excellent blog post about what a perfect patch day for an MMO should look like, from the point of view of a community [...]

]]> By: Sanya had a dream… | Cuppytalk http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1220 Sanya had a dream… | Cuppytalk Tue, 08 Jan 2008 03:18:05 +0000 http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1220 [...] About the perfect patch day. [...] [...] About the perfect patch day. [...]

]]> By: Zeitalter3 Entwicklerblog » Blog Archiv » Patches & Wartungsarbeiten http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1223 Zeitalter3 Entwicklerblog » Blog Archiv » Patches & Wartungsarbeiten Thu, 20 Dec 2007 08:20:26 +0000 http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1223 [...] Weathers hat in ihrem Blog einen tollen Artikel darüber, wie ihr optimaler Patchablauf aussieht: My Dream Patch Day, And The Junk. Patches (oder, wo wir schon einmal dabei sind, auch Wartungsarbeiten) sind nämlich nicht nur ein [...] [...] Weathers hat in ihrem Blog einen tollen Artikel darüber, wie ihr optimaler Patchablauf aussieht: My Dream Patch Day, And The Junk. Patches (oder, wo wir schon einmal dabei sind, auch Wartungsarbeiten) sind nämlich nicht nur ein [...]

]]> By: Solvoug http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1222 Solvoug Wed, 19 Dec 2007 05:00:30 +0000 http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1222 Good stuff! It isn't just MMOs where this dream should become reality! I work for a large company with an e-commerce arm, several "mini sites" and other online properties. Patches in any software that integrates real-time user interaction needs to be managed like this. The issue is as Andrew described -- the dev resources are always allocated 100% plus to the work ahead; the end result is that a bunch of work that *should* be done, won't be. The irony, of course is that if it *were* to be done, it would avoid a lot of work that *must* be done all of a sudden (and usually with out the controls of "normal" enhancements and bugfixes) because something that went horribly wrong on patch day and it cannot be ignored. Good stuff! It isn’t just MMOs where this dream should become reality! I work for a large company with an e-commerce arm, several “mini sites” and other online properties. Patches in any software that integrates real-time user interaction needs to be managed like this.

The issue is as Andrew described — the dev resources are always allocated 100% plus to the work ahead; the end result is that a bunch of work that *should* be done, won’t be. The irony, of course is that if it *were* to be done, it would avoid a lot of work that *must* be done all of a sudden (and usually with out the controls of “normal” enhancements and bugfixes) because something that went horribly wrong on patch day and it cannot be ignored.

]]> By: Andrew http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1221 Andrew Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:05:32 +0000 http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1221 Alex - A short downtime for patches is prioritized below backups, system maintenance and testing. The patch day is usually doubled/tripled up as a time where a full system backup can be made in a consistent state, and any outstanding maintenance can be performed. In the cases where a short downtime has been prioritized highly, testing suffers and more problems occur. If enough budget was diverted towards QAing - including paying developers to sit idle until bugs are discovered - then the patch duration could be minimized. MMO studios always have more work ahead, and so every usable asset is scheduled 100% (and then some) which results in a lot of work only being done when (or if) it's required (i.e. at the last minute). Alex – A short downtime for patches is prioritized below backups, system maintenance and testing. The patch day is usually doubled/tripled up as a time where a full system backup can be made in a consistent state, and any outstanding maintenance can be performed. In the cases where a short downtime has been prioritized highly, testing suffers and more problems occur.

If enough budget was diverted towards QAing – including paying developers to sit idle until bugs are discovered – then the patch duration could be minimized. MMO studios always have more work ahead, and so every usable asset is scheduled 100% (and then some) which results in a lot of work only being done when (or if) it’s required (i.e. at the last minute).

]]> By: Alex http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1224 Alex Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:31:21 +0000 http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1224 From a users point of view it would be nice to see more games which don't take hours on a patch day, especially ones which seem to do it more often than the main patch day! It's quite disappointing for MMO providers to take up most of a working day to install a patch. I know that occasionally there is going to be a patch which goes wrong and takes extra time to frantically fix a bug, but routine patches seem to take longer than ever. My hope is that with increased knowledge of the game and the patching process you'd be able to make it faster after many years of doing it. Am I expecting too much to see servers returning before the afternoon? From a users point of view it would be nice to see more games which don’t take hours on a patch day, especially ones which seem to do it more often than the main patch day!

It’s quite disappointing for MMO providers to take up most of a working day to install a patch. I know that occasionally there is going to be a patch which goes wrong and takes extra time to frantically fix a bug, but routine patches seem to take longer than ever. My hope is that with increased knowledge of the game and the patching process you’d be able to make it faster after many years of doing it.

Am I expecting too much to see servers returning before the afternoon?

]]> By: Matt D-K http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1227 Matt D-K Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:24:34 +0000 http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1227 From a coder's perspective, I agree strongly that the Joel Test mentioned above is great. I would add" 1. ALL code submissions to the mainline must be reviewed by at least one other engineer. and that all code submissions to version control have clear notes. This should be enforced both through peer pressure, but also through software controls ( integrate version control with review software ) 2. ALL code submissions must have clear change notes. These should include: (a) a one phrase or sentence overview of the change ( e.g. Spell Database Update) , (b) a list of all changes made from the non-coder perspective ( e.g. expanded the range of spells ), (c) an elaboration of the changes suitable for coders ( e.g. updated the spell index field from an unsigned short to a uint32_t ), (d) Bug numbers as appropriate ( e.g. FogBugz Ref 421 ) (e) Testing notes as appropriate ( e.g. Please create several spells in the range of 70,000 to 200,000 of various types and make sure they work ) 3. On a daily ( M-F ) basis, the code should be rebuilt ( from complete scratch if at all possible ) and emails sent with the aggregated ( and nicely formatted if possible ) change notes from #2. Backups made, emails sent on failures. 4. Automated tests should be run immediately following #3. Emails sent on success or failure. 5. Automated scripts should be used to aggregate changes for notes to Test and Live That's all off the top of my head for now. From a coder’s perspective, I agree strongly that the Joel Test mentioned above is great. I would add”

1. ALL code submissions to the mainline must be reviewed by at least one other engineer. and that all code submissions to version control have clear notes. This should be enforced both through peer pressure, but also through software controls ( integrate version control with review software )

2. ALL code submissions must have clear change notes. These should include:
(a) a one phrase or sentence overview of the change ( e.g. Spell Database Update) ,
(b) a list of all changes made from the non-coder perspective ( e.g. expanded the range of spells ),
(c) an elaboration of the changes suitable for coders ( e.g. updated the spell index field from an unsigned short to a uint32_t ),
(d) Bug numbers as appropriate ( e.g. FogBugz Ref 421 )
(e) Testing notes as appropriate ( e.g. Please create several spells in the range of 70,000 to 200,000 of various types and make sure they work )

3. On a daily ( M-F ) basis, the code should be rebuilt ( from complete scratch if at all possible ) and emails sent with the aggregated ( and nicely formatted if possible ) change notes from #2. Backups made, emails sent on failures.

4. Automated tests should be run immediately following #3. Emails sent on success or failure.

5. Automated scripts should be used to aggregate changes for notes to Test and Live

That’s all off the top of my head for now.

]]> By: =j http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1230 =j Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:40:05 +0000 http://eatingbees.brokentoys.org/2007/12/14/my-dream-patch-day-and-the-junk/#comment-1230 Any producer found playing a competitor's MMO during patch day (especially if^H^Hwhen it goes south) should be punched in the junk on the spot. Prefably with an instrument similar to the Vociferious Hammer weilded by the forum kiddies. srsly Any producer found playing a competitor’s MMO during patch day (especially if^H^Hwhen it goes south) should be punched in the junk on the spot. Prefably with an instrument similar to the Vociferious Hammer weilded by the forum kiddies.

srsly

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