Tech

Cyberpunk 2077 Is A Lesson In How Not To Release A Game – CGMagazine

Published

4 years ago

December 21, 2020

CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 has been one of the most highly anticipated games of the year as it has been in development for roughly eight years, featuring countless delays including 3 delays in 2020 alone. On December 10, the game was finally released to the public to mixed reviews and quite a few opinions. With a game in development for so long, it was expected that it would run on all the platforms it was released on with minor to no issues; however, numerous bugs and crashes across all platforms made the experience less than enjoyable for most players.

Could it get any worse? Well, if you have access to the World Wide Web, then you know it did get worse. Developers on the game started to lash out towards management and there were numerous stories online regarding CD Projekt Red’s forced crunch tactics. The game has received a lot of negative press and the game is pretty much unplayable for the majority of console players who play on the base PlayStation and Xbox systems. To add even more salt to the CD Projekt Red’s wound, the game was pulled from Sony’s PSN Store and Microsoft has stated they will refund any dissatisfied players and have put a disclaimer in their digital store as to the issues that are occurring with the game.

How did one of the most high-profile titles of the year go so horribly wrong? Overall, it seems as though Cyberpunk 2077 has done everything wrong in terms of how to release a game. And is a perfect example of “what not to do”.

Cyberpunk 2077 – CD Projekt Red

Bugs and Glitches

Even after a day one patch upon the games release, numerous bugs and glitches were still being reported. So much so that #Cyberbug2077 was trending on Twitter. If you are a PC gamer, things were not as bad as Xbox One or PS4 players, but there was absolutely no excuse for the extreme amount of bugs that were occurring. Issues that were noted included images downgrading {decreased detail) during the game and characters becoming unrecognizable to continuous crashes, both system and in-game levels.

The question then becomes, if the game was full of bugs and glitches then why was it released? Personally, I believe CD Projekt Red had to release it after the continuous delays in 2020, and with the next generation consoles being already released. Even so, this does not excuse the fact that the game was released so unplayable that now it has been removed from being purchased online and refunds being issued. While there are promises from CDPR that patches will be coming to fix any issues, including one big one in January and one big one in February, the fact remains the same that the game was released too early to the public.

Review Code Distribution

One of the biggest issues that I have with this release, is that CD Projekt Red only distributed PC codes to reviewers, so that when the embargo was lifted the only reviews that were available were based on the game’s most stable platform the PC. Now that the game is released it is very clear why CD Projekt Red only gave review codes for embargo for PC, and that is because the game runs best on a PC rather than the consoles. This feels as if it was strategic so that all reviews would be as favourable as possible before launch.

Cyberpunk 2077 Removed From PS Store for Quality Issues 1 — Cyberpunk 2077 – CD Projekt Red

In addition, review codes were sent only a few days prior to the embargo date of Tuesday, December 8, 2020 with the game releasing on that Thursday the 10th. So, this left those lucky PC reviewers approximately 72 hours to play and write a detailed review for a game like this. The amount of pressure placed onto these reviewers was huge and could have been completely avoided by having the studio sendoff review codes in a timely fashion. But again, CD Projekt Red did not take this into consideration.

Proof that Crunch Does Not Work

Cyberpunk has been delayed countless times, so much so that it hurt the actual quality of the game, instead of delaying it to improve it. What is amazing about all of this is the fact that in October 2020 it was announced that the game “went gold” meaning it was pretty much ready for distribution. I believe CDPR felt they had to release the game by the end of the year. Keep in mind that the next generation consoles had already been released, with the game being optimized for previous generations, the pressure was extremely high and there was money to be made.

While crunch is nothing new to the AAA studios, originally CD Projekt Red claimed that their employees would not be subject to such conditions. However, that was not the case as it was proven that employees had been mandated a six day workweek along with having to work overtime. And one can only imagine the toll that it took on their employees’ physical and mental health.

Cyberpunk glitch 1024x576 1 1 - Cyberpunk 2077 Is a Lesson in How Not to Release a Game — Cyberpunk 2077 – CD Projekt Red

The debate over crunch can be complex as some view it as “part of the job” while others see it as unnecessary. Regardless, the facts remain the same, for a game that has been continuously delayed it is clear that they did not plan the development of it very well at all. It appears as if CDPR does not care about their employees well being given what they said versus what they actually did, and this is unacceptable. Developers and other staff working on ANY game should be treated as valued human beings rather than a way to release a game to gain profit.

I have to touch also on the toxic behaviour and backlash that has started mostly towards the developers of this game. Developers have been publicly mentioning constant harassment and negative comments that have been thrown in their direction. From their actual work or role in the game’s development to comments about that game that does not even relate to them. It seems as though developers just have been targeted just because there are a lot of them and it is easy to target those who make the game, versus the executives who run the company, about why a game is not playable or plagued with technical issues.

So What’s Next?

Although It seems like things have gone from bad to worse for CD Projekt Red, there can be some positive outcomes from this for both the company and the industry. We now have the ability to use Cyberpunk 2077 as a case study of how not to release a game, whether it is a AAA game to the smallest of indie titles.

Cyberpunk 2077 (PC) Review 2 — Cyberpunk 2077 – CD Projekt Red

First, project management should be a high priority so that when adjusting timelines and pushing out due dates, adjustment, including delays, are not happening constantly. Secondly, treat employees like actual human beings, not just a way to get a project completed. While crunch can happen at times when a project is due, having crunch become part of the project itself is unacceptable. Thirdly, release the game once development has been completed and it is playable on all platforms that it is being released on. Players deserve a game worth playing and spending their hard-earned money on. The downside is that while the marketing and promotion was done extremely well generating major hype about the game, it only backfired once the game was released.

At this current juncture since the game’s release, CD Projekt Red has two choices. They can take the Cyberpunk 2077 development and launch experience and learn from it, even create a clever marketing campaign touching on it for their next game. Of course, this is the optimal choice, but, if they want, they can stay in denial and keep moving in the manner that they are, which is putting out fires and trying to calm the gaming masses. Let’s hope they do the right thing.

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The Internet is Littered in ‘Educated Guesses’ Without the ‘Education’

Published

1 week ago

October 8, 2024

Nick Kossovan

Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.

The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.

Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.

The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.

Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.

On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.

The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.

More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.

Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:

You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!

Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.

Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.

There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.

Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.

Successful people tend to be secretive.

Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.

Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.

Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.

______________________________________________________________

Nick Kossovan, a self-described connoisseur of human psychology, writes about what’s

on his mind from Toronto. You can follow Nick on Twitter and Instagram @NKossovan.

Tech

Tight deadlines on software projects can put safety at risk: survey

Published

2 weeks ago

October 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – A new survey says a majority of software engineers and developers feel tight project deadlines can put safety at risk.

Seventy-five per cent of the 1,000 global workers who responded to the survey released Tuesday say pressure to deliver projects on time and on budget could be compromising critical aspects like safety.

The concern is even higher among engineers and developers in North America, with 77 per cent of those surveyed on the continent reporting the urgency of projects could be straining safety.

The study was conducted between July and September by research agency Coleman Parkes and commissioned by BlackBerry Ltd.’s QNX division, which builds connected-car technology.

The results reflect a timeless tug of war engineers and developers grapple with as they balance the need to meet project deadlines with regulations and safety checks that can slow down the process.

Finding that balance is an issue that developers of even the simplest appliances face because of advancements in technology, said John Wall, a senior vice-president at BlackBerry and head of QNX.

“The software is getting more complicated and there is more software whether it’s in a vehicle, robotics, a toaster, you name it… so being able to patch vulnerabilities, to prevent bad actors from doing malicious acts is becoming more and more important,” he said.

The medical, industrial and automotive industries have standardized safety measures and anything they produce undergoes rigorous testing, but that work doesn’t happen overnight. It has to be carried out from the start and then at every step of the development process.

“What makes safety and security difficult is it’s an ongoing thing,” Wall said. “It’s not something where you’ve done it, and you are finished.”

The Waterloo, Ont.-based business found 90 per cent of its survey respondents reported that organizations are prioritizing safety.

However, when asked about why safety may not be a priority for their organization, 46 per cent of those surveyed answered cost pressures and 35 per cent said a lack of resources.

That doesn’t surprise Wall. Delays have become rampant in the development of tech, and in some cases, stand to push back the launch of vehicle lines by two years, he said.

“We have to make sure that people don’t compromise on safety and security to be able to get products out quicker,” he said.

“What we don’t want to see is people cutting corners and creating unsafe situations.”

The survey also took a peek at security breaches, which have hit major companies like London Drugs, Indigo Books & Music, Giant Tiger and Ticketmaster in recent years.

About 40 per cent of the survey’s respondents said they have encountered a security breach in their employer’s operating system. Those breaches resulted in major impacts for 27 per cent of respondents, moderate impacts for 42 per cent and minor impacts for 27 per cent.

“There are vulnerabilities all the time and this is what makes the job very difficult because when you ship the software, presumably the software has no security vulnerabilities, but things get discovered after the fact,” Wall said.

Security issues, he added, have really come to the forefront of the problems developers face, so “really without security, you have no safety.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.

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Tech

Beware of scams during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sales event: cybersecurity firm

Published

2 weeks ago

October 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

As online shoppers hunt for bargains offered by Amazon during its annual fall sale this week, cybersecurity researchers are warning Canadians to beware of an influx of scammers posing as the tech giant.

In the 30 days leading up to Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, taking place Tuesday and Wednesday, there were more than 1,000 newly registered Amazon-related web domains, according to Check Point Software Technologies, a company that offers cybersecurity solutions.

The company said it deemed 88 per cent of those domains malicious or suspicious, suggesting they could have been set up by scammers to prey on vulnerable consumers. One in every 54 newly created Amazon-related domain included the phrase “Amazon Prime.”

“They’re almost indiscernible from the real Amazon domain,” said Robert Falzon, head of engineering at Check Point in Canada.

“With all these domains registered that look so similar, it’s tricking a lot of people. And that’s the whole intent here.”

Falzon said Check Point Research sees an uptick in attempted scams around big online shopping days throughout the year, including Prime Days.

Scams often come in the form of phishing emails, which are deceptive messages that appear to be from a reputable source in attempt to steal sensitive information.

In this case, he said scammers posing as Amazon commonly offer “outrageous” deals that appear to be associated with Prime Days, in order to trick recipients into clicking on a malicious link.

The cybersecurity firm said it has identified and blocked 100 unique Amazon Prime-themed scam emails targeting organizations and consumers over the past two weeks.

Scammers also target Prime members with unsolicited calls, claiming urgent account issues and requesting payment information.

“It’s like Christmas for them,” said Falzon.

“People expect there to be significant savings on Prime Day, so they’re not shocked that they see something of significant value. Usually, the old adage applies: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Amazon’s website lists a number of red flags that it recommends customers watch for to identify a potential impersonation scam.

Those include false urgency, requests for personal information, or indications that the sender prefers to complete the purchase outside of the Amazon website or mobile app.

Scammers may also request that customers exclusively pay with gift cards, a claim code or PIN. Any notifications about an order or delivery for an unexpected item should also raise alarm bells, the company says.

“During busy shopping moments, we tend to see a rise in impersonation scams reported by customers,” said Amazon spokeswoman Octavia Roufogalis in a statement.

“We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance. We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”

Falzon added that these scams are more successful than people might think.

As of June 30, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said there had been $284 million lost to fraud so far this year, affecting 15,941 victims.

But Falzon said many incidents go unreported, as some Canadians who are targeted do not know how or where to flag a scam, or may choose not to out of embarrassment.

Check Point recommends Amazon customers take precautions while shopping on Prime Days, including by checking URLs carefully, creating strong passwords on their accounts, and avoiding personal information being shared such as their birthday or social security number.

The cybersecurity company said consumers should also look for “https” at the beginning of a website URL, which indicates a secure connection, and use credit cards rather than debit cards for online shopping, which offer better protection and less liability if stolen.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.

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