hmm am i the only one that noticed that there seems to be this bit of space under the tree. Maybe there is something hidden in there?

well, i can't wait for this game. And to see who's right about what they predicted and who wasn't ^^

Thank you Arthur, for that update on page 25

I understand that you can't rush the game, and you should definitely not do so on account of impatient fans (one of the reasons we're fans, is because you put so much care into your games)

However, in my impatience, I couldn't help but notice that a month after screenshots were posted of VV3, there was a video released. I love the screenshot and concept art of VV4, but there is only so much to theorize about it. Maybe we could get another screenshot? It doesn't has to be of the map, it could be the detail screen, or something

Again, I understand about the progress of the game, but I feel you might've put up the screenshot a little early. No offense, but we're hanging on to a thread here!

I would love to hear another update as well please!! Is it coming along better now, getting close?

Many people seem to be posting more or less the same questions in this thread that have been asked before. I'll therefore post roughly what I've said earlier.

No developer will want to be tied down to a definite date for the release of new software until the very last minute (usually the day before). This is because important bugs can be discovered during testing that would cause a delay - getting rid of some bugs can mean that several thousand lines of code would need to be rewritten. Even after the bug has been found and fixed, the game has to be retested to ensure that the fix works and that it doesn't have a "knock-on effect" on other areas of the game.

I'm sure that everyone would much rather have a working version of the game when it does come out than a version a week or so earlier that doesn't work properly or crashes. It is far better that no definite release date is advertised than it be postponed because of unforeseen factors.

That's not a guarantee that the released version will be bug-free - no software is ever that. There is always the chance that a bug will be missed by the beta testers, but will only surface when the game is played by a much wider variety of players and on a wider variety of machines. An example is the "generation 30" bug in Virtual Families. For that to have been found in beta testing the testing period would have to have lasted six months, which I'm sure no-one will agree is practical.

Totally agreed Arnie, thanks for this crystal clear clarification!
We all can imagine now how hard this crew must be working to get the game out. Sure hope they take all the time they need.

Thank you for your wise inside Arnie, I would rather wait a little longer for a working game than get one with faults that only causes frustrations. LDW has done a fantastic job with their games and I am sure this one will be a winner as well

I'm going to apologize to everyone whose post has been removed in the recent trimming of this thread. It was necessary to remove some very good, but off-topic posts in order to get things back on track here. I don't like to have to remove posts like that, but it was necessary.

I'd also like to add my two cents worth here and, once again, ask everyone to please have a little patience. We are working very hard on VV4, and whenever we have to intervene in a discussion that's getting out of control, it takes time away from our work on VV4 and makes me feel bad the rest of the day. I'm sure nobody wants that.

Is VV4 later than we had intended? Yes. Despite our best efforts, that happens with most of our games, and you'll find threads similar to this for just about every game we have released. As has been said many times before, software development is an uncertain process full of twists and turns along the way. Our real-time games are even more challenging because of the added complexity of managing the effects of the passage of time on the games.

We are a very tiny game studio with a handful of people doing all the work, not a large corporation with teams of developers assigned to various parts of a project. Arthur and Carla have the huge job of managing LDW and all of the work that goes on here, in addition to now having a brand new baby, who isn't even 3 months old yet. When (and if) they feel the time is right to add more tidbits about VV4 here, they will do that.

We are working as hard as we can to bring you VV4. We want to see the game finished and ready for all of you to play as much (if not more) than you do. All we are asking is that you have patience and continue to keep this thread a friendly place for discussing Carla's original post. We're not trying to be insensitive or mean, but we are ordinary people like you are, with feelings just like everyone else. Hostile, disruptive, or hurtful posts do cause problems - for us and for everyone reading and posting here. So, please keep it friendly and on track.

Amen!

Aaah, Barbara (aka Wonder Woman) really has all the tact and grace of an angel.

Thank you, Barbara.

I second that
Hope you still having a good day Barbara!