I tend to agree with you on several consistent points, T-888. The developmental process here is an infallibly slow turning wheel, that just before it grinds to what you think is a halt, someone comes to along squirt a little oil on the cogs. But that is kinda the nature of the beast. As has been stated numerous times however, 2238 is a mod created for a game(s) that is nearly ten years old. I think a lot of people here need to differentiate between the four important states the game is or could be undergoing:
For those of you who are to ADHD, lazy, ignorant, mentally deficient, or linguistically challenged to read a well defined thought, just mouse-wheel on past this.
What the game could be: 2238 could be a shining example of modification genius, where the breadth of Fallout 1 and 2's wasteland is not only given justice, but expanded on in a meaningful way. Northern Towns would be a constant wash of bloodshed and riches, while to the south a strong support of quests with worthwhile rewards and features that remind us of the good ol' days. Developers would update and fix known issues as soon as they are reported, and still have time to add to the plethora of great ideas. In true Fallout style, the wasteland would be harsh, but the learning curve would be conducive to a worthwhile play experience. Ideas supported by outside developers would be implemented and enjoyed, while the community as a whole looked on with bright eyes. Also, there would be encounters with brahmins that can fly.
What the game is supposed to be: 2238 could be exactly what I, you, or jack, sally, and, bob wants. It could be that your vision for the game would indeed make it enjoyable, but the fact is, you (that is to say, all of you) and I aren't the developers for the game. They alone are meant to deal with the difficult task of balancing the needs, wants, and complaints of the community as a whole. I seriously doubt that even if tom, dick, sally, you, and I all enjoyed one incarnation of the system, Bob is going to have a beef about something. so what it is supposed to be, in the mind of a single player, to me, is a seriously moot point. That being said, the community is rapidly shrinking, so taking player advice with a bit more weight may find the game in a better place. Adversely, in my time here, I've seen suggestions implemented that totally break delicate portions of the game.
What the game is: The reality of the situation is, as I said before, is that we are playing an old-ass game, with a little known modification. The fact that it is still being reworked and fixed, even in a slow manner, is amazing to me. These devs don't get paid to do what they do. I would assume they derive some sort of pleasure from playing the original Fallouts or at least modding in general, because I would see no other reason to take the kind of abuse that is regularly dished at them from the community at large. These are people, I would assume, that have jobs, school, family, or at least some aspirations beyond fixing 2238. Again, the current staff and how the game is will have to be largely predicated on who has the time or the gumption to take a crack at an EXTREMELY inflexible engine, with a fairly steep learning curve (or at least that is what I have found in my short attempts with the SDK, which to be honest, I'm not all that talented with in general anyway).
What the game will be: This, in my opinion is the most important point of all. None of us really know the end-game here. It could be that in another year, what 2238 could and should be, will all be there, adversely it could have gone totally unchanged. There is no real point in speculating here, because what will be, will be. The major fact here though, is that it is not any one persons game. It is the amalgamation of several developers coming and going, some better than others. You seriously can't expect a truly pro modder to stay with any one game for more than a few years, if that, and it is starting to show, in as T-888 so interestingly described as a "random potato salad, mishmash features out of blue". They devs are here to play around, just as much as we are, and we should expect that in things to come.
*Phew* Now that I've gotten that out, I just want to summarize by saying, that if you know a better way to do things, I think the developer(s) here now have been pretty open to player suggestions. There are some things that just aren't possible under the current engine and some things that would be fun for some people but not work for others, that will be deflected as such. But it general, I think they are doing a pretty good job of trying to balance that, and by telling them so you are more likely to motivate them to action then constantly complaining about what was, could, or should be.
