Topic

Closed schedule

Is there a closed schedule?  Getting a bit frustrating trying to figure out when to beta-test a time-sensitive format without knowing when my plants and animals will be killed off by outages.  I know it's a beta, but we're at the point where randomly placed and non-calendared outages are just resulting in wasted effort, i.e., the #1 reason to not do something.

Posted 16 months ago by Tomorrow's Man Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • Your plants and animals will not be killed by outages.  Time sort of stops while the game is closed, so they will be fine.
    Posted 16 months ago by larky lion Subscriber! | Permalink
  • (except that one time the devs forgot to turn off the clock and so many trees died)

    Yes, everything is fine. Breathe.
    Posted 16 months ago by Lord Bacon-o Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Larky lion is right. Also, there is no closed schedule because the devs won't know how long it will take them to be ready for the next test until shortly before it happens. The outages are not random: they coincide with when the team has new content available and it is ready to be tested. I'm confused what you mean by "wasted effort". Can you elaborate? The testers may not be working during that time period, but the developers are...
    Posted 16 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Well, if we don't know the schedule, then we don't know when to go back in and feed our plants/animals unless we sit here pinging every few seconds; no offense to Glitch or Dr. Milgram, but I can't just wait around refreshing the page until "Closed" is no longer the raison d'etre. 

    For example, one of the recent outages was unusually long -- and I'd checked a few times daily -- then into the week, which was atypical, because outages had typically lasted over the weekends -- then I just stopped, because I figured something had gone bust and no one had communicated any information otherwise.  I skipped a few days or so, then the next time I went in I was met by dead pigs, etc. because at some point the clock had started ticking again, but unless I was Milgraming my refresh button like a Facebook acolyte I'd no idea when I was "back on the clock."
    Posted 16 months ago by Tomorrow's Man Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I checked Tweet- and it suggested the approximate time of the next testing. It sorta helped me.
    Posted 16 months ago by Zeezee Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Honestly, if part of the framework is time-based stress, then what's the difference between this and the ultimately annoying Farm-thing on Facebook, that I don't do because *I have enough stress without worrying about fake stress*?  I really enjoy Glitch because it's got such a languid/self-paced kind of rhythm -- a perfect stress reliever -- unless I can't take a break for a few weeks then come back and pet my pigs.  

    If I have to ignore the game for a few weeks due to the stress and schedule of real life then come back to Glitch to escape from real life with some virtual enjoyment and escapism and all my pigs and trees are dead, well, then isn't Glitch just the agony of life made obvious and accelerated?
    Posted 16 months ago by Tomorrow's Man Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I've been playing since mid-April (not very long, I know) and I've never had anything die on me.  When the test ends I close the game.  When I know the game is open I get back in and everything is as I left it.
    Posted 16 months ago by Marla Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Don't worry, Tomorrow's Man: pigs, trees, etc. are relatively easy to replace, and "soon" we won't have to worry about this any more because the game will be open 24-7.... 
    Posted 16 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Ah. Now I get it.

    At this time, there is only two things that need tending or they die: Trees and Pigs.

    You can take care of pigs with pig feeds. You think you will be gone of a long while, buy more pig feeders.

    Trees... well, there is now solution at this minute. I am unsure of how long it takes a tree to die at this point. But, honestly, it take very little time to whip up 5 tree beans and a fertidust. Boom you are back in business. 

    (Eventually, there may even be things to care for our trees... and crops... etc)

    So with very little planning, you don't really need to stress.

    As to the "schedule"... well. all recent test HAVE had a fair amount of warning when they'd start. So... I'm not sure how you missed it.

    ETA: Yes. What was said above. When the game is 24/7, it should be too stressful to pop in for 5 minutes once every three days (or however long it takes to kill a tree).
    Posted 16 months ago by Lord Bacon-o Subscriber! | Permalink
  • You seem to be talking about two different things here.

    a) When is the game open?  You don't have to check obsessively.  You can sign up for the twitter feed or add the Facebook page to get a little notice of openings.  This is a temporary thing anyway; it's just how beta is.

    b) What happens when the game is live 24/7 and you have to take time off?  Once you are advanced enough to have a little spare cash, it's relatively easy to replace animals and trees.  Before then, plenty of advanced players are happy to help with things like this (like me).  Besides, they aren't critical to playing the game; you can always visit trees and animals outside your house.  The ones in your house are largely for convenience and decoration.  

    It's certainly fair to be unhappy about things degrading while you are out of game, but it shouldn't really affect your gameplay, so don't let it get you down.
    Posted 16 months ago by larky lion Subscriber! | Permalink
  • There are multiple ways to tell if Glitch is open.  The @isglitchopen account on Twitter (which can be followed by RSS feed, if that's more your thing) as well as the Facebook feed for two.  Often -- though not always -- there's an email that also goes out.
    Posted 16 months ago by knitmeapony Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh yes, pig feeders. Yes, those are vital! Stock them full before you log off the game.

    And trees: actually, as far as I can tell they don't die unless you harvest them to death without watering/petting in return. So they won't wither or die in your backyard if no one is there to harvest them.
    Posted 16 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I suggest "liking" Glitch on Facebook. They generally make an announcement when the game opens up & since I don't have a Twitter, that's the easiest way for me to feel like I'm staying in the loop. If you're really worried about your animals and crops dying, you could also take extra care to leave them in good condition before the game closes. (Stock your pig-feeder & supersoak your crops.) That way, even if you don't make it back shortly after the game reopens, your pigs & crops will be set to survive.
    Posted 16 months ago by Gitchy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • From my experience,The devs always let us know when the tests will open and close through their twitter and face book pages..
    Posted 16 months ago by Muncey Mango Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I reckon I need to FB or Twitter to be on top of things, though I'm a Google+ person...is Glitch on G+ yet?  If not, let me know to whom/whoms to send an invite/invites!
    Posted 16 months ago by Tomorrow's Man Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Certainly, many Glitchers are on G+, so you could add some of them and presumably hear from the grapevine, but I don't know of anything official.
    Posted 16 months ago by larky lion Subscriber! | Permalink
  • you can set http://twitter.com/#!/isglitchopen to send a text message to you with every message [that feed only messages when the game opens and when the game closes]

    Glitch also currently sends a "game on!" email with the start of every test.

    but basically .. don't worry. it takes a long time for animals and trees to die, and those are the only things you have to worry about.
    Posted 16 months ago by striatic Subscriber! | Permalink
  • And usually like two days after the game closes there is either A) someone going through Glitch withdrawal or B) someone who is too new to Glitch to figure out how it works asking when the game will open again.

    A lot of Glitchens and some devs are on G+ but there is no official Glitch page. While I follow both Glitch twitters and "like" Glitch on FB, I don't check them, I just skim the forums once every 2 days or so and I learn when the game opens. 
    Posted 16 months ago by Piratice Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Screw facebook and twitter. Just add the rss feed of the blog or the twitter rss to your google reader feeds. It's really easy - the rss feed link is always that tiny orange square icon. You can right click it, copy the url, and paste it into "add subscription" in google reader or other rss reader. Tho, since the devs will surely hear this complaint over and over, why not add an ema notification..?
    Posted 16 months ago by FlirtyvonSexenhaven Subscriber! | Permalink
  • twitter feeds don't have RSS.

    the blog does not announce test openings and closings.

    there is already email notification.
    Posted 16 months ago by striatic Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Um, I get some twitter feeds through Google Reader. You can just cut and paste the url, as the previous post notes.  I just did it with playglitch.
    Posted 16 months ago by larky lion Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'll try to find the Google spreadsheet thread and bump it. Maybe one of the dev's will help out and make it stick. It connects the Google+ accounts to the Glitch accounts for those who voluntarily submit their information. Actually we need to add Facebook (mySpace too?) and Twitter info I think. 
    Posted 16 months ago by Fokian Fool Subscriber! | Permalink
  • striatic said: twitter feeds don't have RSS.

    the blog does not announce test openings and closings.

    there is already email notification.

    Ok then... I stand corrected on the blog part; incorrect assumption on my part.  But if there is an email notification when the game restarts, wtf are people complaining about? ^^;;;
    Posted 16 months ago by FlirtyvonSexenhaven Subscriber! | Permalink
  • People are complaining that TS doesn't post a calendar telling us when the service will be up and down.

    Beta is beta.
    Posted 16 months ago by Skwid Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Tomorrow's Man - sorry to hear you are getting frustrated! The reason we aren't posting schedules in advance is because we want to make sure that we are ready to introduce new content into the game so that we could make the most out of our Beta testing sessions.

    Whenever we set a date or a time, we immediately announce it on Facebook and Twitter. The moment we open, you'll know about it via @isglitchopen and it's usually re-tweeted by @playglitch.

    Piratice - our official site has our Twitter feed embedded into it, to keep you up to date with the most recent developments.

    We're building something pretty enormous, so hang in there;)
    Posted 16 months ago by sugarQb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Okay... Thanks? Don't know why you typed that to me but okay... Haha... I saw the feed on the main site one time, but I don't go to it at all. XD I have beta.glitch.com bookmarked, not glitch.com haha. 

    Anyway, T's Man knows what to do now hopefully. 
    Posted 16 months ago by Piratice Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Flirty, the e-mail notification doesn't work as far as I know. The only time I got an e-mail about the test opening was for my first test.

    Tomorrow's Man, you should also keep an eye on the forum. There's often an early announcement about when the game opens. 
    Posted 16 months ago by Victoria Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Gotcha. Well, i added tbe twitter to my rss reader so i'm covered.
    Posted 16 months ago by FlirtyvonSexenhaven Subscriber! | Permalink
  • sugarQb - You guys are building something pretty enormous for us? Oooooh can't wait!

    It's always great to start a new test and look for all the new wonderful stuff you've added.
    I'm kinda sorry for everyone who isn't a tester - they won't get that special tingly pre-test excitement that we get. But I'm happy for us :)
    Posted 16 months ago by Codex Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "We're building something pretty enormous, so hang in there;)"

    You mean I'll be able to get XXXL t-shirts for my avatar soon? Cool!
    Posted 16 months ago by dopiaza Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I must say this forum is quite different from most I've been on, format wise.
    Normally forums have an announcement/news section that could be used to transmit information to the players. I think that would be a useful addition.
    Posted 16 months ago by Terroni Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I've never gotten an email notification that the game is open. Yes, I checked, and I am signed up for them. Apparently only some lucky people are receiving them, while others aren't (or are only occasionally getting them). Something is obviously broken there.
    Posted 16 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Like Shepherdmoon, I don't get any emails notifying me that the game is open, even though the option is checked under Account.
    Posted 16 months ago by Millie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I sometimes get emails, but I mostly rely on my RSS reader to follow the isglitchopen twitter account.
    Posted 16 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I am also signed up for the email when the game is open. I used to get them previously before I started playing actively. I don't get glitch game on email anymore. I rely on the forums, this site and my F5 key, and friends update status to let me know when  the game is on. 
    Posted 16 months ago by Chicalet Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I also signed up for the game-open e-mail notifications and I have yet to receive one.

    RE: The pigs - I played until the end of the test before this last one and logged into the game as soon as this test opened. I found 3 of my pigs dead. So, it seems that for my pigs, at least, time didn't completely stop when the game did. This wasn't a big deal for me, but it should be noted that there are some time issues. I don't yet have the skill needed for a feeder (as far as I've been able to determine) so that isn't an option for me.
    Posted 16 months ago by Audaria Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Audaria--I've heard tell that the pig feeders don't require the Remote Herdkeeping skill (that's for the meat and milk collectors). I could be wrong. I didn't hear about that until after I'd gotten RHK XD
    Posted 16 months ago by Arii Subscriber! | Permalink
  • There were some changes made to Account Preferences.  During the most recent test I received notifications when people added me as a friend, and also when I completed learning a new skill.  There is also an option to enable email notification when a new test starts.

    Currently those three preference settings are enabled by default, however I'm not sure whether the "notify at start of test" is actually working. (It seemed to me that the contact notifications started while the test was in progress and I did not receive a "start of test" notification).

    To check on your preferences:
    1. Click the Account tab near the top right corner of this page.
    2. On the Account page go to the bottom section "Human" and click the button that says "Update your preferences" and then change the checkboxes as you like.
    Or you can also just use this link: http://beta.glitch.com/account/prefs/
    Posted 16 months ago by Merek Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Audaria @Arii - I don't yet have RHK and pig feeders worked for me in the last test.
    Posted 16 months ago by Wiggles The Fluent Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Agreeing with Wiggles here. Feeders work without RHK (so do collectors, they will fill up, but you won't be able to get anything out until you have the skill). Without feeders you can just throw food on the floor of their pen and they'll eat it rather than die, though they won't get "full" enough to nibble they won't die.
    Posted 16 months ago by Skwid Subscriber! | Permalink