Noticed something in the Feb-24 dev-update...

[Belboz99]

Hey all,

Just thought I'd point this out as I think many may have missed this bit...

In the very beginning of the clip there was a male voice asking "what's this?" and a responce by a female voice (both out of frame) saying it's for the dev-update "next week".

This implies that they were nearly 1/2 way done with the 2nd round of polish on the 17th or there-abouts.

So, if we were to say that Christmas was when they decided to do a 2nd round of polish, and Feb 17th is essentially the 1/2 way point of completing that 2nd round, that's 7 weeks and 5 days (54 days) from the 17th that we could be looking at completing that 2nd round, and thereby completing the game (if all goes well!).

The magic number that I come up with is April 11th, 2012. That's where I'm placing my bet. Not saying that "I know" or anything ridiculous, but if I had to wager, that's the date I'd put my money on.

Lots of variables of course, for example, they may have taken the week after Christmas off and started the 2nd round after New Years, (Jan 2nd) which would make the magic date April 3rd. Also, dev's said they're putting extra work on the bosses and the unknown size of the boss act (Act 4) which is supposedly around 1/2 the size of the other Acts, could put the date further back.

Still, I kinda like the date April 11th, feels like I should remember that date for some reason.

[amb2010]

...Someone did it.. *rejoices*

I wouldn't exactly say it's a solid judgement for the time it takes since, as you said, development can be thrown off by even a tiny bump but this is what I meant about applying critical thinking skills in the other thread dealing with the Friday update. Instead of going "Zomg! NO NEWS! /rage", think about it and see what you get. This is that.

/claps and thanks you for restoring my faith in people being able to think and use analyzing skills on the internet

[hawkn]

They also lost a week or so to the snow storm that hit Washington. I think an early/mid Q2 release is likely.

[SamuelMarston]

Nice conspiracy theory!

I like it.

[RayBanJockey]

Where I work (software, but not games) one month is the shortest unit of time you can postpone a release, and there are so many things that can delay a project it's ridiculous - most of these are due to external factors like sub contractors cocking up and just not delivering (it's true! *whistles innocently*). Time flies when you're fighting to meet a deadline, but the customer waiting to see the final product grows ever more angry and impatient for every hiccup pushing the release date forward. And they frankly don't give a flying F about all the very good reasons we may have for being late.

I don't really know what my point with this is except I'm never surprised when software devs just don't tell people when they're getting their goodies because while you can take a real good guess, if there's any complexity involved in the project at all the chance of that guess coming true is sadly close to zero. I sure wish we could work like that, but the guys with the money would quite literally come down and kill us if we tried it. So I'm fairly certain Runic internally have a complete timeline set in stone, with release dates and the lot just to keep the suits happy.

All we really need to know is that TL2 is:
a) it isn't that far off, and
b) will completely PWN when it does arrive! Instead of being the bug ridden half shoddy DUNG you get when you have to deliver a certain date no matter what.

[TheView]

Absolutely. Im into software engineering myself. And it is true that deadlines have to be met(It's really hard). But as a dev said, it is the polishing stage that takes most of the time. It is when you're wrapping everything up and producing your final build that you sometimes realise that something is missing or you see something in a new light and decide to redo it. It's hard to wait bit I am very happy that they decided to polish the game instead of releasing in December.

[Brixtan]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I don't see TL2 getting released anytime before June. Going on their history of timetable projections, I'd say expecting TL2 any sooner than summer is setting yourself up to be letdown.

[Cogzwell]

I was beginning to judge late April as well, but then again I was also just as hopeful for a February release not to long ago.

[pothb]

I really just hope it won't be a simultaneous or nearly so release with Diablo 3. I plan on getting both, but I usually end up playing one then the other. I'm not great at juggling two games, and having 2 games that I want to play will be hard on me. Then again, with classes.... it will be hard on me either way.

I think Diablo 3 will tear me away from this game, not because it's a definite that it's better but most of my friends, if not all will probably play that over this.

[Foxfire]

You know, I don't think the D3 team with the ridiculous money behind them is doing anything. But it weirdly seems like D3 and T2 are both holding off their release dates till the another one announces first.

So Torchlight 2 guys come out and say April 11! Then the D3 team will go, we're releasing on April 4th! Or vice versa. At the moment neither of the teams are willing to break the ice, so they are both just stalling by changing skill systems or polishing or going on holidays to the snow to try and come up with reasons to allay our suspicions.

Anyways, that's my tin foil hat theory and I'm sticking to it.

[Derekffs]

I havent said this once yet but now I can say im 10000 percent postive and sure that in either march or april there will be a release date for diablo 3 or torchlight 2. More so diablo 3, I always thought torchlight 2 would be first concidering how slow blizzard is and that incentive to release it before blizzard.

Even guildwars 2, wouldent release withen the same 3 weeks, as swor.


So one is defeantly gonna be a decent wait for torchlight 2 they havent even tested beta yet, and I have a feeling at this polish rate it wont be finished until atleast end of march. Then I give another month & half for beta and fixes. Also assuming since diablo has finished everything other then bugs and will be released extremley soon, I would think torchlight would wait atleast 1 month. Im also assuming torchlight will be willing to give a release date around this time because they are near done and people are really pressing for when to come buy it, specially near the d3 launch.

[cheeseheads]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I don't see TL2 getting released anytime before June. Going on their history of timetable projections, I'd say expecting TL2 any sooner than summer is setting yourself up to be letdown.

ya have to agree. I was thinking early to mid quarter 3 myself.

[turnipz]

Diablo 3 is the biggest advertisement torchlight 2 has, releasing close to it would be the best thing for them. Being they are both very similar and very high quality there will be a lot of comparative reviews I'm thinking.

[Derekffs]

Diablo 3 is the biggest advertisement torchlight 2 has, releasing close to it would be the best thing for them. Being they are both very similar and very high quality there will be a lot of comparative reviews I'm thinking.

I dont think people are going to spend almost 100$ when includig tax for 2 games that are similar in the span of a month. I know later sales will still come, but I still beleave more people will try torchlight if its out earlyer. Plus the hype for a arpg has been here for a long time now, or did you forget all the "release it before diablo threads" Runic will make a profit either way, but I would never understand why they took a extra 10 months to finish the game (im glad they are) but then released shortly after diablo. Developer standpoint I understand, buisness one, I dont. I hope they have a release date idea because so many arpgs are releasing this year, and the hype goes to the one can jump too first. Im sure it would be rawring in the diablo comunnity and the general community if torchlight 2 had a release date and a day to come to be ready. Or a preorder would work nice also.

[cheeseheads]

Diablo 3 is the biggest advertisement torchlight 2 has, releasing close to it would be the best thing for them. Being they are both very similar and very high quality there will be a lot of comparative reviews I'm thinking.

I dont think people are going to spend almost 100$ when includig tax for 2 games that are similar in the span of a month. I know later sales will still come, but I still beleave more people will try torchlight if its out earlyer. Plus the hype for a arpg has been here for a long time now, or did you forget all the "release it before diablo threads" Runic will make a profit either way, but I would never understand why they took a extra 10 months to finish the game (im glad they are) but then released shortly after diablo. Developer standpoint I understand, buisness one, I dont. I hope they have a release date idea because so many arpgs are releasing this year, and the hype goes to the one can jump too first. Im sure it would be rawring in the diablo comunnity and the general community if torchlight 2 had a release date and a day to come to be ready. Or a preorder would work nice also.

while i agree with you. /popcorn. This might get get fun.

[amb2010]

I guess we'll just have to sit here and accept the fact Derek that you are such an amazing business person and know so much about game development and the selling of games that you know more about the business side of things than the actual game developers.

What next, telling them how to program? Runic will do what Runic wants. If they feel fine releasing, they feel fine releasing. It is not our job to tell them what to do nor do we really have as much insight to the business as they do (at least to my knowledge you do not own a company that has sold a million copies of a game) so I say we leave it up to the guys that actually are a part of the industry to decide what a "sound business decision" is.

/steals popcorn.

[hawkn]

I just read the thread and laughed... Mostly at the grammar that is probably making Webbstre cringe.

/is allergic to popcorn

[adoomgod]

The game will release in May, period.

*edit*

/Conjures doom-magicks causing popcorn kernels to grow 5000% in size, and become sentient demonic beings. Run amb run!

[DeathWalker]

My revised prediction is April 1st.

[RayBanJockey]

I just had a look at some TL2 footage on youtube and also the trailer on TL2's website (next to the orchestra and armour vids), for the first time I might add. I don't know what I've been up to until now but for some reason I've only been looking at screenshots (by which I was by no means unimpressed). And I can tell you it's looking every bit as polished as D3, maybe even more so to someone who might prefer TL's artistic style. It's just so smooth and has sort of a "premium" feel to it. I'm very impressed and more eager now than ever.

I'm still getting both games though, in reply to someone above in this thread who didn't think people were likely to cough up 100 hooha's for both at once. That's just the sort of gaming nut I am - it doesn't matter one iota how shitty one of them turns out to be. But after having seen those youtube clips I no longer think TL2 will have the back seat ride. Bung a load of mods into that and you have the potential for some serious enertainment value, I'm sure.