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dragoniv -> (10/2/2003 12:42:30 AM)
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Here's the way I see it work on my system. Try it on yours:
1. Communication comes in from my wimpy neighbors to the south.
2. Them: "We have bad things to say to you, matey."
3. Them: "You give us $1000, you not fear our ships."
4. Me: "Go to hell." Technically, the conversation is over.
Typically, clicking the ACK (check button) or Close will close the window. But sometimes...it doesn't, and the comm window reopens.
When this occurs, I always press the ACK button and it goes away. I think I've seen the cycle repeat it self if I click Close a second time. However, it does sound that maybe you're hitting a bug that for whatever reason I don't see.
Here's a take on the "buggy" software state of the industry. I manage a software development team myself (unfortunately NOT in the gaming industry), and I see this ALL OVER THE PLACE. Upper management is always focused on the here-and-now financial picture, and everything (can you say software projects) is wanted yesterday.
**** the testing! **** the documentation! Just get it out the door! It doesn't make us any money on the development floor, now does it?!?!?
So, we march forward, knowing full well this strategy will bite us in the *** (and it ALWAYS does). Six months later, after the giddiness of the initial money take, they start saying things like "hey, why are our support costs so freaking high?" We retort "Remember all that testing you wanted us to skinny down or skip? Remember how we compacted six weeks of development into three with half as many developers? Remember how that case of Jolt soda was supposed to turn us into robots?" However, that typically gets miscontrued as a call for more rigid documentation, and off we go inventing all sorts of new procedures that we won't be able to use come the next time crunch. :) Viscious cycle.
Consoles are buggy as hell, though, too. UI is generally cleaner than PC games, but some recent titles have had some atrocious bugs that make you ask "You guys DID test EVERY level, DIDN'T YOU?!?!?"
People go out and buy the software anyway. Maybe someday they'll wake up...but probably not.
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