As the makers of Pokémon GO no Adv. Sync is unacceptable
Bapastalf
Posts: 7 ✭✭
As the makers of Pokémon GO, having no Adv. Sync is unacceptable. They knew when they started working on this game that the feature would be popular and needed based on the POGO statistics. So why in the heck did it not come with the game day 1? Portkeys suck I’m so many ways, from poor distance detection to a terrible and nonexistent portmanteau management system. Something like Adv Sync would at least take SOME of the pain away. And after the portkey-center community day event with the dragons, minus adv. sync, I’m officially putting this game on the shelf. All of my friends and family have already so I don’t have anyone to complete the SOS group quest anyway. So until I see a news article that says these things have been remedied, my time and money will be elsewhere.
Comments
As you may not be aware of, Adventure-Sync has already been talked about. It was even mentioned in the most recent Newsletter.
https://community.harrypotterwizardsunite.com/en/discussion/comment/11939#Comment_11939
I’m VERY aware of the announcement. I understand that “soon” we MAY have it. But you have missed my point entirely. They have a game that is the exact predecessor to this game in Pokémon, and THAT game has had Adventure Sync. for a year. So they obviously comprehend that it is a feature that users really desire. Therefore it should have been in the game FROM THE START. I shouldn’t be sitting around waiting for something they should have cut and paste over a year ago in development.
@Bapastalf I think the main reason the game doesn't come with it at first, is because for one thing, they want us out there playing. If everyone has it in their bags or pockets just counting walking, that's not doing much, especially for launch time. They want people curious, people talking to one another, forming community, etc. I mean, it's in the title: Wizards Unite
Second, I think it's because, even if ingress and pokego do exist, all three of these games are different and have to be built almost entirely from scratch. Sure the system and idea is the same, but the way they go about a lot of things is different, and they have their own animations and way of leveling up, etc. In other words, developers would have to prioritize all these other things working properly first.
As someone who is working in building an app (although I only do the art, not the actual programming) I see how much trouble arises at random times for developers to fix. It's definitely not easy, even if it exists elsewhere.
It might seem like these are all snappy-fast things to do, but they're really not! And one of the things I always like to say... is that this game isn't even half a year old. We're going pretty fast, and we're ok :)
So let's wait and see :D
Yeah I get that they want people out there walking around. But whats the difference between having the phone in my pocket, with the darn app open, draining my battery VS. being able to have it in my pocket closed, or able to do other things with my phone? To me the lack of Adv. Sync does not boost community interaction at all at launch.
To your second point, yes all 3 games are different and thusly must be built differently, just like say cars and trucks are built differently. They are all still in the same category and therefore all should come with the same things. Whether you buy a car, a truck, or a van, you expect it to come with seatbelts, a radio, turn signals, etc. these aren’t things that are essential to its basic function, but they are features that are so integral to the popularity and usability of these things, that it is assumed it will be a part from the day they are built. They didn’t rush out the Tesla only to add in seat belts as a patch a year later. Adv Sync is THAT important to most people playing theses games today.
Despite being a nurse who walks 13 hours a day, with the app open in my pocket, I have 1.9km registered. Why? Because the baseline tracking system is garbage. Which is ANOTHER reason why Adv Sync was created...accuracy.
there will be no convincing me why it wasn’t there from launch.
@Bapastalf Yes it is implemenented in Pokemon Go, but that does not make this an easy task. I am not sure about the ownership over that code as Niantec is not the sole owner. Likely this will have to get implemented into the backend api framework that underpins everything. That is extremely difficult. Once that is complete then they can try using that api. However, the api communication also raises additional security concerns as information has to pass from device to device to backend api without being altered or spoofed. Previously this would have mainly been communication that was already happening between the app by accounting for the additional step distance information from one device. Unifying this ability and creating that pipeline creates added complexity. Otherwise, they will have to reimplement it in its entirety within HPWU.
Pokemon Go was released in July 2016. Adventure sync took over 2 and a half years to implement into Pokemon Go. Unfortunately magic wand waving doesn't make software development any easier.
https://www.polygon.com/2018/10/25/18022886/pokemon-go-adventure-sync-walking-feature
yall continue to miss my point. I understand that it took 2.5 years to shoehorn adventure sync, something that didn’t exist and had to be made from scratch as an entire concept when it was done for Pokémon GO. But the developers KNEW when they were barely started on Wizards Unite that adventure sync was a thing that was gonna he needed. So the whole code should have been made with it in place in the first place. That’s the point y’all keep missing. It shouldn’t have to be SHOEHORNED in now by working around api and security issues. It should have been coded in from day 1. It should have been on their whiteboard of app features right next to character creation, combat encounters, and in-app purchases. If they’d have had even a modicum of foresight it would have been built from the ground up. THAT is the point I’m making. There should have never been a version of this without it in the first place.
@Bapastalf As someone who has spent 30 years as a software engineer, several times managing teams working on separate but related projects, I strongly disagree with your characterization that adding AdventureSync to HPWU for launch would have been essentially free if it was on the whiteboard on day 1, especially since it didn't exist for almost another year. Any feature has to be developed, integrated and tested, even if the bulk of the code already exists.
I also lack any information if there is a technical or marketing reason that AdventureSync is not currently available, so most of what has been posted is merely conjecture, for all we know there is simply a switch that needs to be thrown. If you have some other insight into the development process at Portkey then I would love to read about it.
Here is what I do know, I would rather have had a June launch without AdventureSync (and whatever other features people might think are must haves) than still be waiting for the app.
@Osprey1 @Bapastalf I just wanted to reiterate too that adventure sync was developed for Pokemon Go. That means Niantec itself may not wholly own the rights to that code. Code that is written by a developer can't be copied over to a different project just because they wrote the initial implementation. Software copyright is a very annoying murky legal area.
@Ginnungagap I suspect as Niantic has already announced Adv. Sync for HPWU, though delayed they're likely past that hurdle by now. @Bapastalf I respect your point though I agree with @Osprey1 in that I'll take what I can get and wait patiently for the games development over time rather than wait longer for an initial release.
Pokemon Go's initial release was bare bones, and stayed that way for some time before the onslaught of events and activity started rolling in. I have been pretty impressed with the initial release of HPWU compared to PokeGo. Hopefully Adv. Sync will come sooner than later, and the flurry of activity that is Pokemon Go today will carry over to Wizard's Unite.
@ZookiTabooki PokémonGO WAS barebones when released, which is why I deleted it the first month and didn’t pick it back up until my friend reintroduced me two months ago. That’s 3 years of game play they lost from me because they didn’t release a complete game. And potentially could have lost me forever if I hadn’t had someone pull me back in. Developers can’t continue to rush things out and rely on patches and DLC to make it the game it SHOULD have been Day 1.
but I can definitely understand those of you who love it all so much you’ll take it in whatever form just to have access to some small piece of the world. I shared that sentiment for a month or so.
exactly, @Bapastalf and that is also exactly why the game developer should not have rushed to release this bug-infested 2.4.0 update — that is the real calamity
ps - there are fans here so grateful for anything in this app that they’ll take it, over nothing as the alternative - and you and i won’t convince them otherwise (not that we want to ... we just want the developers to triple-check their work before unleashing wholesale dumpster fires on us all)
@Bapastalf I think you misunderstand our intent, or rather our perspective. I can't remember the last time I played a game that was 'complete'. Games today no longer follow the model of a complete, finite product. The main draw for me with gaming today is the growing, ever evolving and lasting experience that 'complete' games cannot provide. Though your opinion is as valid as any other and I respect that, I'm more inclined like many other players to take a more positive outlook.
We complain as much as anyone else, but we also try and bring balance to the force by expressing positive thoughts and viewpoints in the interest of maintaining a positive forum experience for everyone. There is nothing wrong with that any more than someone expressing a negative viewpoint; it's a matter of perspective and everyone is entitled to their own. Yet his hardly warrants some of the vitriol I have witnessed in the forum of late. We reap what we sow. To each their own. Such as life.
Speaking of keeping it chill and friendly, here’s this thing I think is funny.
i’m team @Bapastalf
👍🏼
@Acumen I love that, soooo so incredibly good 🤣
@ZookiTabooki well said 💜
Still waiting....still not playing until it’s in the game.
Been 5 months since it was announced.
Why do you even bother when this type of game doesn't even seem to be your type - as you've shown with your previous replies?
Here's a solid suggestion, since you still check the forum when AdvSync is rolled out in HPWU then maybe start re-playing at that point because it will be all over the forum when it happens.
At the end of the day we all have different opinions about what is mission critical in a game and since this is clearly a hot topic for you just skip on the playing until it happens. There are plenty of people who play and are on this forum are very protective of the game for different reasons as I, myself, absolutely adore anything HP. Do I get frustrated with the game at times? Yes, but I roll with it as it is a GAME and I try to report the issues on this forum so that someone may offer advice. Which I must say I have learned so much from all the players here. Mi HP familia!
Also, this is a free game so there is no financial responsibility in playing. I personally know that Niantic has to make money as they are a corporation so once I month I buy one of the deals that occurs during one of the event's which typically run about $10 or so. The amount of joy I receive from the game and commaraderie I get from this forum is certainly worth $10 a month to me.
Just a suggestion. I wish you the best of luck in waiting until advsync rolls out!
@Bapastalf has the right to play or not play, if and when he so chooses, without “suggestions” (whether well-intentioned or otherwise) by others to not play. i can tell @ClairabusGryff is well-intentioned by her supportive tone. can’t say the same about certain other comments.
@Bapastalf is not alone in being disappointed that HPWU/Niantic would tease adventuresync as “coming soon” and then not deliver AND not even communicate further on the subject despite numerous inquiries by numerous forum members.
LoL