The Patch Release Process needs a considerable change Asobo

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1

Hi,

Yet again another Patch brings fresh new problems that didn’t exist before; this time it’s the Auto Pilot in various forms changing so dramatically for the worse.

I really have to question the thought process in continuing to release patches to a Deadline, when it would make clear common sense to thoroughly test patches prior to release in order to release them without adding fresh new issues to deal with.

Every patch so far has been so very good in some aspects but then so ridiculously poor in others, I can’t believe for one minute that the Private Testers are not finding the most blatant issues (Sensitivity Page missing, lightning in clear blue skies, Poor AP adjustments etc etc) so why are they being ignored?

Why is it within minutes of a patch being released a Major Issue is found that is so obvious it should’ve been easily found before release? Why continually release patches only to add to your work load?

There’s too many Band Aid fixes going on and not enough Surgery for me, simply it needs to get better Asobo, please review your Patch Release Process as these first few months have been very poor and I speak as someone who has been on Private Testing Teams for Software since the 1990s.

Thanks.

(For reference i am a huge fan of the potential this Sim could bring, I’ve logged 150+ hours and for the most part I’m thoroughly enjoying the experience, but the above really concerns me looking at it from the outside)

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2

I honestly stopped playing two days ago, almost everything is broken from aircrafts, graphics issues, connection issues, ctd, etc etc, I’m not trying to be harsh because the sim is beautiful but it’s unplayable I just can’t enjoy it with all these issues I hope that in 6 months or a year from now things will get better

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Yeah the game is essential unusable. I’ve not said much negative on these forums but they need to get their priorities right. A flight simulator where flight is impossible?? Absolutely ridiculous.

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One minute I could see a list of downloadable aircraft/airports (it’s necesary to download them as my MSFS is not on the default drive), next minute the list shortened. The default A320’s autopilot does not follow the flight plan in the FMC but goes of on vacations. Even using the DIRECT (to selected waypoint) does not work. Wondering how long it will be before the sim really works. This latest patch seems to undo all the good things available prior to this.

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I second this. This latest patch has actually made the sim almost unusable for VATSIM flying the A320. The default is as broke as the FlyByWire version.

Yesterday was the first time in a couple of days I tried to fly again in the sim post-patch and found myself flying the entire SIDs and STARS and approaches manually.

Before I even got off the ground to face the above issues, the second I tried to pushback I got a random CTD!

When trying to see if the aircraft would fly the ILS at EGLL (runway 27R), the AP now positions the aircraft between the two runways - so tracking about 2nm off the centreline! That is simply unacceptable!

Bearing in mind VATSIM is an official partner too - I wonder what their leadership team are saying with all of this… Yesterday I had to tell the ‘controllers’ that my AP was suddenly inop because the second I got a vector and input manual heading mode with a heading (which coincidentally was straight ahead too)… The aircraft put me into an ever increasing left bank.

Whilst I am capable of flying the airbus manually and did so for 60% of the short EGCC - EGLL - EGCC hop - it cannot be done for longer journeys and most would also struggle.
(Pre-patch I had to fly manually for just takeoff and landing)

The current testers need clearing/sacking/getting rid of if they are missing these issues. I question the process of selecting them in the first place if they are failing to / are unable to find the blindingly garish and obvious major faults with the patches.

Edit: On balance of fairness - IF the issues ARE being found by the testing team, but Asobo are not listening properly then that’s a major flaw and unacceptable. They’ve frozen patches to deal with major Autopilot issues already in the past so there is no reason why they shouldn’t do that again to deal with it - we’d be thankful for them actually not release borked patches

It’s the first time I’ve actually actively chosen not to even bother booting the sim up because it’s just a headache to use - I fly every time on VATSIM… And out of courtesy for others and to save myself embarrassment on the network now find myself unable to use an airliner.

This is a sim - with a dedicated community who fly in the sim “seriously” but this latest patch is making me think this part of the community isn’t being taken seriously and that the focus is more on gamers blasting about in “planes” on multiplayer.

I actually tried to raise bug issues on the MSFS Discord too and got blasted with heat by some of the mods on there too which is just both disappointing and frustrating too. I got treated as though I’m doing something wrong and am the only one facing issues.

It’s all particularly frustrating as I own a YouTube channel focussing on flying the A320neo accurately and on VATSIM!

More frustratingly - the patch notes mention “good communication with the FlyByWire team” but the same patch has actually broken their A32NX so much that they are not able to fix it yet (and it’s been basically a week). Previous patches were sorted within a matter of 1 to 2 hours.
Btw - I get “the patch changed a lot” from the notes, but when the default is also worse, it cannot be described as an improvement for me.

I absolutely love the sim but am finding this latest patch exceptionally bad for me - as others seem to find too

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That is a massive assumption on your behalf though, how do you know the Testers aren’t finding the issues but simply their words are not getting through to the Devs? Again it’s to do with this Deadline Logic for Patches, Asobo may well be listening to the Testers but as they simply HAVE to release a Patch on a given Date it’s going to get released in what ever state it is.

Ok assumption on my part too, but to put blame on the Testers at this point in time is irrelevant, it’s the Patch release Logic that needs urgent attention, QoL & Game Breaking Issues need dealing with before Release - not after.

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This is the first game where I am afraid of patches. Break something occasionally ok. Break something everytime? What is wrong with you

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They pulled the patch a few weeks ago “to work on issues with autopilot”… So why not do that again this time around?

Also it’s a fair assumption re:testing as communication wise they needed to speak English and be fluent in French too.

Major issues being found should trigger a pause or hold on the patch - deadline or not… And if there is a deadline - why aren’t issues being picked up before this if there is a testing team?

Edit: in fairness if they are finding them and are being ignored then that’s a serious flaw with Asobo and needs addressing immediately because that is completely unacceptable and makes the testers job impossible if they are not being listened to. I’ve added an edit to my original post to balance it a bit more

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Yes that is exactly what I’m referring too, as you say they delayed one Patch so why not the others? Why are they rushing through with the most obvious Big Issues not being addressed?

It’s almost as if Asobo are complete newbies to the world of Gaming/Simulation Software Development, they’re showing examples of extreme naivety and a lack of understanding. So whether it’s them personally OR they’re being pressurised from “Above” (re: Microsoft) who knows, either way it’s poor and needs attention more so than the Patches themselves!

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I think patches should be optional just like OS updates. I’m tired of so many things breaking after a release (things that were working before) and waiting weeks for them to get fixed