Let's talk about ridiculous release delay.

[Atrius (He/Him)]

Anemos Alchemist: LOL! I just realized that we've been waiting for a text editor in the Editor, (repetitive, anyone?), for over a year. =D
Anemos Alchemist: *insert conversation starter here*
Salanewt: So? Better for it to come later than for it to be rushed now.
Salanewt: After all, one thing that many Golden Sun fans can take pride in is their patience.
MegaDarkNero: ...After waitng almost a decade for a third Goldensun game to be announced.
Salanewt: Indeed.
Salanewt: Just more proof that we tend to be patient though.
leaf: tbh it'd be better if atrius would just focus on one thing at a time and release each part as it's done, instead of saving up for a grand release like this >_>
leaf: there have been so many things that have been added, fixed, or otherwise improved upon since v0.2, but nothing has been released
Salanewt: You make a valid point too.
leaf: like, we could've had defense editing ages ago, but instead of getting a new release when that was fixed, we instead have to wait until everything ELSE to get done before we have access to it
leaf: I'd rather have a product that adds new utility (like the aforementioned defense editing) with some unfinished new additions (like a not-fully-working text editor) than have nothing at all
leaf: and if some of the new additions are glitchy, that's fine too... it's as simple as just not using them
leaf: the only reason I could see for not releasing when progress is made is if it somehow interferes with already established functions of the editor
Salanewt: Yeah, but the way Atrius handles the editor's release dates now means that we can get more at unexpected times.
Salanewt: That way, we can be more excited for unexpected content.
Role: I'll raise you and counter you, sala. Most of us are sick of waiting, and the editor we have now can only do boring difficulty hacks.
Role: So basically, it'd be nice to have, say, a V0.2.1, with a fixed set of glitches (defense, name entry, etc...), and a V0.2.2 with beta versions of the new editors. Once he finishes with the new ones..
Role: That's when V0.3 comes out.
charleysdrpepper: Why not do something interesting that will make you forget about the editor? (That way, time can seem to go by fast, and when the later versions come out- Surprised!)
charleysdrpepper: That strategy may not work for everyone, though.
Salanewt: Aye, you've countered me successfully.

This seems like a conversation that needs to be had, I too find it ridiculous that it's been over a year since the last release.  Obviously something needs to change.

leaf: tbh it'd be better if atrius would just focus on one thing at a time and release each part as it's done, instead of saving up for a grand release like this >_>
leaf: there have been so many things that have been added, fixed, or otherwise improved upon since v0.2, but nothing has been released
Salanewt: You make a valid point too.
leaf: like, we could've had defense editing ages ago, but instead of getting a new release when that was fixed, we instead have to wait until everything ELSE to get done before we have access to it

Agreed, completely.  Aside from having a much more demanding job outside of working on the editor than I did while programming versions 0.1, and 0.2, the other main delay is that I'm working on too many things at once.  I've already decided that I will not be adding any new features to the editor until I've polished whats already there enough for v0.3's release.  For future versions I need to avoid spontaneous decisions to add new previously unplanned features between releases.  It wasn't such a big deal back when everything the editor handled was uncompressed, and fairly simple to deal with, but now as I'm delving more into the compression algorithms, and ASM the complexity of writing the code required to handle it all is slowing progress down a lot.

I do not want to release versions where features are knowingly left glitchy.  I get enough people asking how to edit sprites, text, maps, e.t.c with v0.2 as it is, the last thing I need to do is to actually make the editor look like it can edit things it can't, or leave a feature in that could easily break the ROM even if it's being used in a way that it shouldn't (And yes, that can happen very easily once you start dealing with compressed data)

I'll take Role's suggestion into consideration, though I'm not committing to anything just yet.

[Rolina]

Well, this just makes sense to me.  0.3.0 would be the initial release, 0.3.1 has bug fixes, 0.3.2 has beta versions of new things, 0.3.3 has bug fixes we found for those, 0.3.4 has new beta things, etc... and then 0.4.0 would be the next major release, with beta versions being upgraded to complete versions.

For now, though, I'd not mind a, say, v0.2.5 release.

[leaf]

Well, this just makes sense to me.  0.3.0 would be the initial release, 0.3.1 has bug fixes, 0.3.2 has beta versions of new things, 0.3.3 has bug fixes we found for those, 0.3.4 has new beta things, etc... and then 0.4.0 would be the next major release, with beta versions being upgraded to complete versions.

For now, though, I'd not mind a, say, v0.2.5 release.

/support

@Atrius: I guess I see your point on not releasing anything with known glitches, although to me that just means it shouldn't be an "official" release.

[Rolina]

Think of it this way:  We have releases and Updates.

0.2 is the last release.  0.2.5 would just be an update, not a release.
0.3 would be the next release.

Get what I'm saying?

[MaxiPower]

I wouldn't mind an "update". to test all these smexy new features. Even if its just to hold us over etc....

[i_am_isaac]

Think of it this way:  We have releases and Updates.

0.2 is the last release.  0.2.5 would just be an update, not a release.
0.3 would be the next release.

Get what I'm saying?

Yeah I get it maybe updates could be better.
If you'll release a v0.3.0 today it is sure will have bugs but think of it. There are people who love to tweak and will try to use the new features and because of this there will be a chance that they may
find interesting glitches, bugs etc. and this will cut your work off Atrius, instead you're the one who's looking for the bugs.The curious people might find the bugs or glitches and will just report on you then you'll fix it and someday you'll release an update(example: v0.3.1) with bug fixes. I think this is how DOTA being released.

Uhmm... you can shut my mouth.This is just my opinion.

[Aile~♥]

I need defence editing BADLY for my next idea.

I also need the ability to change the minimum damage limit, but that'll probably come later.

[Clara Vita (she/her/hers)]

purge

[Atrius (He/Him)]

Although it would be really nice to have a dedicated bug tester or two, It's pretty difficult to weed out the candidates that just want to get the program early from those that actually know how to test for bugs, and are willing to do it properly.

Recently progress has been slowed due to the discovery of a crippling bug in the automatic repointing system that affects the editing of any compressed data, including text.  Although I am seriously looking at doing an incremental release before the full v0.3, it has to be fixed before that,

[Salanewt]

Although it would be really nice to have a dedicated bug tester or two,

It's pretty difficult to weed out the candidates that just want to get the program early from those that actually know how to test for bugs, and are willing to do it properly.

The first part makes sense, and the second makes even more sense. After all, how could one be trusted if they have been waiting impatiently for the editor (with good reasoning, because it is good work)? I am not fully sure how you could get beta testers, unless you separate the code for the glitched parts, so you are unable to save with anything else (eg. remove saving for everything but editing text in the enemy editor). The only problem I see with this is that the other editor could be used for touch-ups that the buggy editor can not do (with the previous editor). Otherwise, you could secretly offer sections of the beta 0.3 editor to other people, but it only has one of the main glitchy sections (or with the main glitch). That way, the assigned people are stuck with only the one new thing instead of all of the new additions. If you make them promise to keep it anonymous, then it is unlikely that all of the parts of the editor will come together for people to abuse.

I hope at least some of that paragraph gives you ideas, since I want to help out in any way that I can.

Have a nice day.

[Atrius (He/Him)]

The idea of having testers is to find bugs that I'm not aware of.  If I were to disable certain parts of the editor like that, how would I know I'm not disabling parts that have bugs?

[Salanewt]

That was a problem that I was also thinking about as I was explaining my apparently lame RCMP compliment/joke... Well, you will probably think of an idea for finding as solution. Of course, bug testing yourself could take weeks, or even months if you are unlucky.

You could also have a poll with the more likely candidates. However, this would cause problems within the community... Hm... I'm sorry, I am not sure how I can help right now, since I am better with keeping our own project safe than one which I am not really involved in.

Have a nice day.

[DarkShuyin]

Also testing is hard and dedicated work.
I suggest you pick someone who knows something in this area.
and who has alot of time on his/her hands.

[i_am_isaac]

I get Atrius' point. so I'll just leave all my hope to Atrius' hands.
I'll just shut up for a while and wait patiently for the release.

[Menaus]

Well, you better stretch because your going to get cramps waiting there. Atrius how about you focus on the smaller glitches and features and update that as version 2.1? You dont have to work on a whole crapload of glitches and make alot of new features, if you look at Blizzard or Microsoft they do alot of little updates and rarely do a huge update.

[i_am_isaac]

I think that will not happen because while I'am waiting for the v0.3
I'am thinking a strategy of how to beat BassBX the hell a month pass and still I can't beat him.

[Charon]

They BETTER have a Japanese release date by the end of this year. >_>

[Tetsuya the Azure Blade]

They BETTER have a Japanese release date by the end of this year. >_>

Are you on about GS3? If so, I hope that there's a Japanese release of the game by the end of this year because I can't wait to play it >_<

[Charon]

Well obviously, I think everyone wants that.

[Rolina]

Hey, Goth Bird Girl, Atrius was talking about the next release EDITOR, not GSDS... Surely you knew that, right?  I mean... This is done under the Lost Age Editor forum...