New report details Cyberpunk 2077's development troubles, crunch and "almost entirely fake" E3 demo - Eurogamer.net

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New report details Cyberpunk 2077's development troubles, crunch and "almost entirely fake" E3 demo – Eurogamer.net

Published

3 years ago

January 16, 2021

Harry Miller

A new report has shed fresh light on Cyberpunk 2077’s troubled development.

According to Bloomberg‘s development sources (paywall), Cyberpunk 2077 suffered from a raft of technical problems and unrealistic deadlines set by CD Projekt management.

Cyberpunk 2077’s disastrous December 2020 launch, which revealed serious technical issues with the game on consoles, and glitches, bugs and cut content across all platforms, resulted in its removal from the PlayStation Store and a warning label on the Microsoft Store about the performance of the game on Xbox One.

This week, CD Projekt co-founder Marcin Iwiński addressed the events leading up to the botched launch of Cyberpunk 2077 in an attempt to explain how the game’s widely lambasted Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions were released in such a poor state.

According to Iwiński, problems with the console release stemmed from Cyperpunk’s “huge” scope – specifically the “multitude of custom objects, interacting systems, and mechanics” all condensed into a single big city and “in a relatively loading-free environment”.

Despite the significant hardware gap, the studio believed “things did not look super difficult at first”, but Iwiński conceded “time has proven that we’ve underestimated the task”.

That proof, of course, came on launch day, when considerable criticism was immediately levied at Cyberpunk’s prominent bugs and awful performance, particularly on base consoles. However, Iwiński insisted the studio’s testing “did not show a big part of the issues you experienced”, and that the developer saw “significant improvements each and every day” as it got closer to release and “really believed we’d deliver in the final day zero update”.

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However, according to Bloomberg, CD Projekt’s own developers said many common problems were discovered, but the staff didn’t have time to fix them before launch. According to Bloomberg’s sources, CD Projekt’s management dismissed concerns raised by engineers that Cyberpunk 2077 was too complex to run well on the ageing last-gen consoles.

The report also revealed that while Cyberpunk 2077 was announced in 2012, full development began in 2016 when studio head Adam Badowski took over as director and overhauled the game, including shifting it from third-person to first-person.

Bloomberg reports Cyberpunk 2077’s eye-catching E3 2018 demo “was almost entirely fake”. “CD Projekt hadn’t yet finalised and coded the underlying gameplay systems, which is why so many features, such as car ambushes, were missing from the final product,” Bloomberg said. “Developers said they felt like the demo was a waste of months that should have gone toward making the game.”

Jason Schreier, author of the report, took to Twitter to reveal more, saying features originally planned for Cyberpunk 2077, such as wall-running, flying cars and ambushes were all cut during the process of development.

CD Projekt addressed the removal of the wall-running feature – shown off in gameplay demos prior to launch – in a July 2020 interview. Speaking to GameReactor, level designer Max Pears said wall-running was removed “due to design reasons”.

Previous gameplay had shown player-character V using Mantis Blades to perch in hard-to-reach spots before leaping down to assassinate enemies. This never made it into the final version of the game.

Schreier also tweeted to comment on Cyberpunk 2077’s disappointing police system, which “was all done at the last minute”.

“As is evident by the final product, it was unclear to some of the team why they were trying to make both an RPG and a GTA with a fraction of Rockstar’s staff,” Schreier said.

– And if you’re wondering why the police system in Cyberpunk 2077 is so janky: well, it was all done at the last minute. As is evident by the final product, it was unclear to some of the team why they were trying to make both an RPG and a GTA with a fraction of Rockstar’s staff

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) January 16, 2021

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CD Projekt’s approach to crunch has come under fire in recent years. In September 2020, CD Projekt told employees it would require them to work six-day weeks until the game’s November launch (it was subsequently delayed to December), breaking a previous promise not to force compulsory overtime to finish the project.

This new, compulsory overtime was paid, as is required by Polish law, but came after many employees were reportedly working long hours already.

At the time, Badowski tweeted to say: “This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make, but everyone is well compensated for every extra hour they put in. And, like in recent years, 10 per cent of the annual profit our company generates in 2020 will be split directly among the team.”

When CD Projekt delayed Cyberpunk a final time to December, it said it was struggling to ship the large number of different versions of the game it needed to have ready this year – including current and next-gen consoles, PC and Google Stadia.

Bloomberg reveals the extent of the crunch that occurred at the studio over the years, with some staff saying they felt pressured to put in extra hours by their managers or coworkers.

– A few non-Polish staffers shared stories about coworkers using Polish in front of them, which violated company rules. Made them feel ostracized, they said… were their coworkers talking shit about them? Combined with crunch and low salaries, this led quite a few expats to quit

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) January 16, 2021

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Thoughts now turn to CD Projekt’s ongoing attempt to turn Cyberpunk 2077 around. The studio plans to release variably sized patches – intended to fix bugs and improve the experience across all platforms – “on a regular basis”. The first of these is due next week, with another more significant patch to follow in the coming weeks.

But will Cyberpunk 2077 patches be enough to restore CD Projekt’s reputation in the eyes of fans and investors?

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Cytiva Showcases Single-Use Mixing System at INTERPHEX 2024 – BioPharm International

Published

12 mins ago

April 17, 2024

Harry Miller

The Xcellerex magnetic mixer, single-use mixing system was designed to address challenges in large-scale mAb, vaccine, and genomic medicine manufacturing processes.

Cytiva unveiled the Xcellerex single-use magnetic mixer at INTERPHEX 2024 in New York City on April 16, 2024. The single-use mixing system was designed to combat challenges in large-scale monoclonal antibody (mAb), vaccine, and genomic medicine manufacturing processes. The mixer is offered in 2000 L and 3000 L capacities and can be configured in several ways to accommodate diverse mixing processes. Its compact size benefits facilities with space constraints or complicated installation of large-scale consumables.

According to the company, minor leaks may cause significant delays and losses. “When dealing with a 3000 L batch of cell culture media, the estimated financial loss can cost between $60k to upwards of $100k” (1). The system helps prevent expensive leaks with a novel mixer biocontainer that incorporates user-centered design elements to improve durability and ease of use. The design provides enhanced safeguards and added protection from leaks that may occur during shipping, storage, and operation.

Time taken to mix batches can inhibit product development times, specifically the challenge of mixing floating powders such as cell culture media. Current systems have underpowered impellers with circular or cubical shapes that make producing large volumes challenging, according to Cytiva. This new single-use system “has a powerful impeller that when combined with the mixer’s hexagonal shape creates a vortex, enhancing the interaction at the liquid surface. This vortex effectively pulls down the floating powders into the main body of the liquid to allow for a more efficient and shorter mixing process,” the company stated in a press release.

“We’re tapping into our differentiated portfolio to solve a wide range of challenges for our customers. Our new magnetic mixing system is flexible and capable of meeting the many demands and constraints during buffer and cell culture media preparation,” said Amanda Halford, president, Bioprocess at Cytiva in the release. “By reimagining the design, we’ve tackled some of the biggest obstacles to downtime.”

Cytiva is also working to advance messenger RNA (mRNA) manufacturing. In an interview with Pharmaceutical Technology EuropeTM , Scott Ripley, general manager, Nucleic Acid Therapeutics and Precision Nanosystems at Cytiva, discussed technology that enables the “democratization” of mRNA manufacturing (2). Many mRNA therapies and other types of genetic medicines in clinical development are designed to be delivered with the help of lipid nanoparticles. One such platform is Cytiva’s Precision Nanosystems NanoAssemblr microfluidic-based nanoparticle manufacturing platform, which enables the development of genetic medicines with potentially increased stability, efficacy, yield, and quality of non-viral genetic medicines, according to Ripley.

Ripley was enthusiastic about this platform’s ability to “democratize” the good manufacturing practice (GMP) manufacturing aspects for advanced therapies, while managing to cope with the increased molecular diversity of the molecules being handled.

“For example,” Ripley says, “the mRNA platform is unique in that, on one end of the spectrum, it is vaccinating the planet, on the other end, it’s personalized cancer vaccines.”

Reference

1. Cytiva. Cytiva Unveils Latest Innovation for Large Scale Mab, Vaccine, and Advanced Therapy Manufacturing Processes–The Xcellerex Compact Single-Use Magnetic Mixing System. Press Release. April 16, 2024.
2. Spivey, C. Democratizing GMP Manufacturing for the New Therapeutic Pipeline. PharmTech.com. Nov. 21, 2023.

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Nintendo Indie World Showcase April 2024 – Every Announcement, Game Reveal & Trailer – Nintendo Life

Published

1 hour ago

April 17, 2024

Harry Miller

Image: Nintendo Life

Nintendo’s April 2024 Indie World Showcase was a 20-minute presentation of games from independent developers coming to Switch sometime in 2024, with several previously announced games getting release dates.

It was a fairly low-key showcase overall, although there were definitely some choice nuggets in there.

Below you’ll find the video of the full Indie World Showcase April 2024 presentation, plus every individual game announcement with a trailer, a date, and a link to our more detailed coverage.

Nintendo Indie World Showcase April 2024 – The Whole Presentation

First, the presentation itself if you want the whole thing:

Every Switch Game Announcement & Update

And now every trailer for every game from the April 2024 Indie World Showcase, plus some blurb and a link to our coverage if there is one:

Little Kitty, Big City – 9th May 2024

Will you make your way home or will you explore what the big city has to offer first? I mean, getting home is obviously your main priority. Obviously. Well, it’s one of your priorities. Maybe more of a guideline… It’s definitely on your To-Do list somewhere! But first? Exploration!

Yars Rising – 2024

Play as the young hacker, Emi Kimura, as she starts to uncover the dark secrets of mysterious corporation, Qotech. In this brand new side-scrolling Metroidvania from acclaimed developers, WayForward, take the Yars universe to a whole new level and unlock something hiding deep inside of you.

Refind Self: The Personality Test Game – Summer 2024

Games can really show someone’s personality, don’t you think? By way of a simple exploration-based adventure, this data-science game analyzes your actions to estimate your personality.

Sticky Business – 17th August 2024

Sticky Business is a creative relaxing 2D game developed by Spellgarden Games. Players will create stickers, pack orders, and listen to the stories of customers. Sticky Business is available now for Nintendo Switch, Mac, and PC alongside its DLC.

Antonblast – 12th November 2024

ANTONBLAST is an explosive, action-packed retro platformer featuring a destructive twist to classic gameplay and a lovingly hand-animated pixel aesthetic inspired by the Game Boy Advance, blown up and reimagined for the modern era!

Silky smooth 60fps action platforming and explosive escapes combine in a bombastic adventure. Blast through buildings, fight your demons, and explore wonky worlds in ANTONBLAST!

Valley Peaks – 2024

The mountains are calling! In this ribbiting first-person climbing platformer, each mountain is like a puzzle, and it’s your job to make your way to the top of every ridge to place radio towers for the froggy inhabitants of Valley Peaks.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes – 16th May 2024

A woman, summoned by an eccentric man to participate in a project in an old hotel somewhere in central Europe, becomes embroiled in a game of illusions, increasingly dangerous and surreal.
Now you are invited to fall into the same rabbit hole, in a non-linear mystery with an immense amount of handcrafted puzzles, constantly presenting you with new riddles to solve, each leading you closer to deciphering the enigma of Lorelei and the Laser Eyes.

Europa – 2024

On the moon Europa, a lush terraformed paradise in Jupiter’s shadow, an android named Zee sets out in search of answers. Run, glide and fly across the landscape, solve mysteries in the ruins of a fallen utopia, and discover the story of the last human alive.

TMNT: Splintered Fate – July 2024

Join the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as they rescue Splinter from the clutches of the Foot Clan amidst chaos in NYC. Experience fast-paced, roguelike action with unique powers for each Turtle. Team up with friends for co-op gameplay, explore iconic locations, and face classic TMNT foes. Don’t miss the adrenaline-packed adventure in this FIGHT, ADAPT, REPEAT portal loop! Subscribe now for updates and get ready to restore peace to the city!

Cat Quest III – 8th August 2024

Ahoy, ye brave buccaneers and fearless feline adventurers!
Prepare to weigh anchor on August 8th as Cat Quest III hoists its sails! 🏴‍☠️😸 Embark on a voyage through the Purribean and clash swords with the notorious Pi-rats. There is no better way to celebrate International Cat Day.

Take command of yer own sea vessel, meow-ster the waves, and plunder yer way through this swashbucklin’ catventure! Join forces with yer matey for local co-op play, and together, turn the tides of fate!

Will ye be the one to discover the mythical North Star? Set paw on the path to glory!

stitch. – Today (17th April 2024)

Stitch. is a casual puzzle game with embroidery on a numbered grid. The main objective is to fill in the levels’ areas with no gaps to complete Hoops.

Stitch. lets you create beautiful embroidery patterns, by solving levels and Hoops of various difficulties and sizes. It’s easy to learn, but hard to master!

Stitch up all the beautiful landscapes, plants, animals, objects, and more.

BZZZT – Summer 2024

Become a tiny ZX8000 robot and begin your journey through a beautiful, pixel-art world inspired by games iconic to the platformer genre. Follow a surprising story, upgrade your skills, beat challenging levels, and compete with other players for the fastest speedrun!

SCHiM – 18th July 2024

Embark on a playful journey in SCHiM and get ready to jump from shadow to shadow. This 3D platformer integrates light, shadow, and animation into its gameplay.
Interact with the shadows you visit in a colorful environment and be part of the stories that unfold. Every object, living being, and thing has a “schim”. You play as a schim who becomes separated. Can you make it back to your human and help others along the way?

Animal Well – 9th May

Hatch from your flower and spelunk through the beautiful and sometimes haunting world of ANIMAL WELL, a pixelated action-exploration game rendered in intricate audio and visual detail. Encounter lively creatures small and large, helpful and ominous as you discover unconventional upgrades and unravel the well’s secrets. This is a truly unique experience that can make you laugh in fear, surprise, or delight.

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami – 23rd May 2024

Solving crime is no walk in the pond. You are a down-on-his-luck detective who also happens to be a duck. Use your powers of de-duck-tion to inspect evidence, fill in the blanks, and bust the case wide open, in a narrative mystery adventure where nothing is quite as it seems.

Another Crab’s Treasure – 25th April 2024

In a vibrant undersea kingdom on the verge of collapse, a hermit crab embarks on a treasure hunt to buy back his repossessed shell. The second game from AGGRO CRAB.

SteamWorld Heist II – 8th August 2024

Get ready to join Captain Leeway and set sail on the Great Sea in this turn-based strategy game. Bullets ricochet with deadly precision as you go on heists to find epic loot, whilst trying to figure out just what is causing the water crisis. Put together your rag-tag Steambot crew and sail across the sea to uncover the mysteries that surround you!

Let us know below what you thought of the latest Indie World Showcase by voting in the polls below and dropping us a comment.