The first beta version of Airport CEO has now been deployed on the experimental branch which means that the first beta sprint has officially begun. We will during the next two weeks deploy daily updates on the experimental branch with the goal of by the end of this two week sprint deploy the first full beta 1 version on the default branch.
“Wait… what? How does this beta thing work?”
Read the 156th dev blog to get the full detailed breakdown of the development cycle, but here’s the most important part you need to know:
The Airport CEO beta development cycle consists of a series of sprints. A sprint is a short period of time in which a number of planned development tasks should be completed and the ACEO beta sprints are no different. They will last for two weeks (pending no delays…) and contain a series of different planned tasks ranging from performance overhauls of certain systems, plain bug fixing, polishing and or necessary changes to certain gameplay elements. Another type of development task found in one of these sprints can also be “minor” new features that have been planned for some time, such as larger maps or additional world entrances.
When a new sprint starts, a new beta version is released on the experimental branch. That beta version is then maintained with daily updates for two weeks, updates which are comprised of a mix between planned development tasks as part of the sprint and bug reports from both the experimental and default branch. When the two weeks are up and the sprint’s tasks are completed, the beta version will be deployed on the default branch and the cycle starts over. This means that the first release of a beta version we deploy on the experimental branch will contain very few fixes but those daily releases will then eventually amount to a larger bi-weekly default release. The first beta version, Beta 1.0-0, was released today which means that the first beta sprint starts today. If we stay on schedule, this means that we’ll launch a new beta version on the default branch every other week, i.e. every other Wednesday.
Here’s the initial change log for Beta 1.0-0:
Release notes - Airport CEO - Version Beta 1.0-0
Bug
[ACEO-32120] - GA aircraft can in rare occasions get stuck outside world boundary on runway approach
Improvement
[ACEO-31244] - Removed excessive sprite renders and made multiple overall improved object LOD-ing to improve rendering performance
[ACEO-31374] - Terminal validation algorithm overhauled to avoid very notable "per every three second" lag spike
[ACEO-32255] - Ability to set custom sandbox rules per new airport session
[ACEO-32621] - Multiple improved UI features, displays, buttons and layouts across various panels
This is only a few of the development tasks we have planned for the first beta sprint and the full extent can be reviewed once this sprint is completed. We’ll update and complete this topic with more information as development progresses and we stretch our legs in this beta period.
All the same Boeing-767. Guys, I’m certainly not giving advice, but just speaking out. Who needs another Boeing ?! You are great programmers and designers, but as marketers you fall behind. Tell me. Why can’t we stuff the only serial Chinese aircraft into the game and not play on it in terms of marketing? There are more inhabitants in China than in all other countries, the translation of which is presented in the game. By the way, the Chinese version has been translated almost completely. China has 1.5 billion population, but their plane is not in the game. You have been making a game for 5 years, and at least try to play in order to use the opportunity to attract more Chinese gamers through the Chinese plane. Contact a Chinese airline to request permission to use the airline’s name in the game. Place it instead of the A-350 on the label, Comac Arj 21. It’s your business, big giraffe, he knows better.
First glance of the UI showed (on a Mac) that the bottom menu items now lags when you mouse over them, this only happens in the 1st layer menu’s with more than 5/6 items. When you move your mouse over the menu items it take some time before they pop up with the information, it’s not on all buttons but it seems to be random. The 2nd layer (i.e. floor tiles) is again spot on for all menu’s.
Room selection (for any room) doesn’t work (ACEO-32750). When you build a room and try to click it to open/close/delete the room, it is not selected.
Edit: After a S&R (QTD) I was able to select the toilet room, but when I selected a food room or a staff room a ‘rename’ pop-up appeared and after that all overlay systems are not working anymore (ACEO-32755). This results in that you cannot select any 2nd layer build items or layout any floors, demolish things or select a terminal. The ‘rename’ pop-up is also not easy to get away, you have to click on one of the menu items to get it closed.
I can understand your point. I agree with you that there will be a time, when it’s good to think about the implementation of your Chinese aircraft.
But please take a look into the real aviation world nowadays. The Boeing 767 is such an iconic aircraft and still used by many airlines. In my opinion we need the B767 in the game first, since Chinese aircrafts are only part of a few airline fleets in the world.
Do you understand the meaning of the words “not a single Chinese aircraft” and “not a single Russian aircraft” in the game? 1000 or 2000 models of commercial use in the game will be, this is not the essence of the question.
Now think like a salesperson. For example, you are in the market and want to sell a product. What difference does it make whether it is iconic or not, from your point of view. In terms of sales, you need to think about what might interest the buyer. We have to think about what the buyer would think. The game has been in development for 5 years, and the opportunities are not used to pressure the national identity of representatives of the largest market. Personally, I lost interest, despite the fact that I spent 1 month, several hours a day, to check, correct and polish the Russian translation of the game, but I will finish what I started. And he disappeared because, as an aviation lover, I do not see in the game what aroused my interest in the first place. The game has been studied. Achievements in Steam? Not interested. Best Airport Award? Not interested. Russian plane? Interested. This is consumer behavior, and the iconic status of this or that item does not matter here.
Complaining about how some plane is and some isn’t in the game is pointless. There will be a selection what these devs decide based on their preferences and so be it. Rest, you get from the workshop.
And my guess is that devs take a selection based on common planes in Europe / Sweden.
The game could have been developed without involving the community over the past years. But they decided for an early access way. During this time claiming about missing festures is wrong as it is not finished at all.
I’m looking forward what comes after 1.0.
Many players don’t buy early access games anyway, so they will play it for the first time when it’s final. And then they start with the existing list of planes until more stuff gets added.
Also I’m wondering about your numbers as when I was in China, Steam was blocked. So the Chinese market is HKG/Macau area only maybe.
ACEO-32770: UI locks down. Nothing works, can’t click anything with left mouse button in the game world. Shop popped up a grey box with “enter text here” and nothing else.
I totally understand your point and agree with you in a certain way. But that means that we would have an unknown Chinese aircraft in the game just because there could be potential more buyer in China than in Europe or America. I think it’s never good when someone is only driven by sales numbers. Please don’t get me wrong, but in our current aviation world the B767 is more popular than a Comac.