25-year-old XBLA game delayed by a week
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Sep 5th 2006 at 9:10PM }
In a moment that's sure to elicit a grin or an unstoppable urge to fling your retinas into the back of your head, a game that was released in 1981 has somehow managed to be delayed for a week in the year 2006. Konami's side-scrolling shooter, Scramble, was all set for release this Wednesday when Microsoft's elite and possibly overworked team of testers concluded that the game simply wasn't ready to hit Xbox Live Arcade. The official word reveals that "during the final testing and certification of the title, we discovered some minor issues that should be addressed. Therefore, we are going to take an extra week and fix these items to ensure a high quality game experience for all when the title does launch on its new date of Wednesday, September 13." This isn't the first time the weekly XBLA release schedule has had to make due without a new game -- this week's replacement is a Project Gotham Racing 3 UNO deck priced at 100 points ($1.25 in non-funny money). As exciting as theme decks and picture packs may be, the consistency of game releases has been somewhat shaky so far. Let's hope future XBLA Wednesdays don't have more games taking XBLA sick days. Har.
[Thanks Matt!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GSI @ Sep 5th 2006 9:19PM
Umm...news flash...they don't just transfer it over and *magic* it works.
There are *always* going to be problems when games (no matter how old they are) are transfered/ported over to another platform it wasn't designed for. Plus if they are trying to add new features that were never in the original, it will also add more problems.
So what does this tell us?
(1) On 2 occasions Rob has over-reacted to 2 games being delayed.
(2) (So far) on one occasion Ludwig has shown he knows *ZIP* about game developement (and you don't need to have work on a game to know this either.)
AndrewNeo @ Sep 5th 2006 9:30PM
It's been an XBLA game for 25 years?
Ludwig Kietzmann @ Sep 5th 2006 9:22PM
Sense of humor much?
Robert Summa @ Sep 5th 2006 9:28PM
First of all, GSI, you're wrong.
Second of all, when I spoke with the guy in charge of XBLA a while back, he said they had a bunch of games in the bank, ready to go up on XBLA. And, I specifically asked him if the "Every Wednesday" promise was too hard to keep considering their approval process, and he said it was no problem.
Apparently, there is a problem.
Put down the fanboy goggles and face reality.
rjg @ Sep 5th 2006 9:35PM
man, how do you star someone, you nailed it. Fanboy goggles, nice.
Anthony @ Sep 5th 2006 9:32PM
#3
Do you just like to bitch. They delayed a game to fix a bug they found....Big deal. Its better then get rid of the bug now instead of waiting 3 weeks for the next patch. And yes, #1 is right, there will always be something wrong with a ported game, it is ported after all. They just need to find and address all the bugs.
Xavier @ Sep 5th 2006 9:39PM
Wow fuckshit, I guess it would be better to release a game that they find minor issues with than delaying it a week to make sure it runs pristine. What a stupid asshole you are.
This blog is getting awfully hard to read lately, can't tell the difference between the bloggers and the comment fanboy monkeys anymore.
"OMG QUALITY CONTROL YOU SUCK!"
Footlong! @ Sep 5th 2006 9:40PM
So the wednesday arcade game didn't make it on time, I'll get over it. Matt mentions that the 'replacement' is a PGR-themed UNO deck (that comes with a fee). Now I don't know if it's just Matt throwing words together or Microsoft's official statement on the 'replacement', but don't you think it'd be a nice gesture on MSoft's part to offer free content as a show of faith when they miss a deadline. sure they don't have to do it, and no one will blame them if they didn't, but to make some old content free or release new free content would be a nice way for MSoft to show they really care about their consumers
GSI @ Sep 5th 2006 9:44PM
Fanboy goggles? WTF are you talking about?
Ludwig is making it seem like that b/c an old game was delayed that this is the first time to happen in the history of porting a game. His caption proves this:
"25-year-old XBLA game delayed by a week"
As for my other points...how convenient that you ignore my other points b/c they were both valid. You *constantly* blow things out of proporation when a game is postponed.
Robert Summa @ Sep 5th 2006 9:45PM
This is what I asked Canessa and this is what he responded with:
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/20/joystiq-interviews-greg-canessa-of-xbla/
We hear that it takes quite a while for the approval process a game must go through in order to make it onto Xbox Live Arcade. Is this true and if so, how will it affect Microsoft's ability to come through on the promise of at least one new XBLA game every Wednesday?
The process does take a while. Some developers and publishers just underestimate the amount of time it takes in the approval process. As far as making sure games come out every Wednesday, that won't be a problem. We have over 80 titles that are currently in development and have been cuing up releases in secret. What we're doing with our new XBLA Wednesday program is merely bringing structure to the whole process.
Now, you see that part about releases all cued up. And not just one or two, by the sounds of it, they have a whole year's worth. This is what I have a problem with. They promised a new game every Wednesday. So far, they have failed twice to do so.
"On July 12, 2006, Microsoft launched the "Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays" program,[4] which calls for a new Arcade game to be launched every Wednesday for the rest of the summer. Microsoft also announced that it will have 50 Live Arcade games by the end of 2006.[5] From now on, Arcade games are expected to be released exclusively on Wednesdays."
Johnny Bloom @ Sep 5th 2006 9:46PM
Don't worry Ludwig, I got your back.
Praise be High King Ludwig!
Dirtyboy @ Sep 5th 2006 9:48PM
It would be nice to see Microsoft release a more steady stream of content onto Live. It seems to me they space it out so that whatever is released has a chance to make some big sales, before the next (over)hyped download is released.
Ludwig Kietzmann @ Sep 5th 2006 9:52PM
Xavier,
Firstly, this is a delay in a campaign that promised a new game every Wednesday. Tomorrow is, in fact, Wednesday, and there won't be a new game. There are ways to play the Devil's Advocate here, most of them requiring levels of civility you are unlikely to reach.
Then, you seem to be taking this post as a complaint against quality control. Perhaps you should try reading the whole thing before coming to that (incorrect) conclusion. If anything, the post pokes fun at how a game can be released and then delayed again, as is the nature of the industry to delve into the past and repackage things. Nowhere does it say fixing bugs is a bad thing -- a delay is the unfortunate trade-off and it's perfectly fair to not want to embrace it.
Oh well, at least posts like yours DO make it easier to tell the difference between the bloggers and "comment fanboy monkeys". Nice job.
GSI, I fail to see how the headline implies that it's the first time this has ever happened. "New game released this week." OMG, this is the first time in history a new game's been released! The headline is a sarcastic take on the truth, that's all.
Renegade @ Sep 5th 2006 9:54PM
I would have to say this would be the recommended move. Yeah, the game is old, probably has been in development awhile and really should have all the bugs ironed out by now. But you rather them release a buggy
version? How many game developers now released unfinished games then have to end up patching them after release. So why not pass up on all the possible bug complaints and delay the game by a week.Also, as far as I remember, MS said they would try to stick to the schedule, but it was only the first batch of XBLA Wednesday games that they said for sure would be released on time. Anything past that date wasn't
definite. So....big deal!
Patrick @ Sep 5th 2006 9:55PM
Eh, not such a big deal.
September 13 is my birthday. Wewt.
cringer8 @ Sep 5th 2006 9:56PM
I thought it was funny, Ludwig. You see, I know that you know *why* it was delayed, but can still find it funny that it was delayed. The title alone was priceless. It would have been even funnier if it simply read:
"25-year-old game delayed a week"
Stoli @ Sep 5th 2006 9:58PM
How can a game that's this old and this small really need that much debugging?
If it was a bigger game, yes, I could see there being potential port problems. But c'mon, this isn't Final Fantasy we're talking here.
I think that's the gripe about bug testing here. Just my opinion, though.
Bill @ Sep 5th 2006 10:01PM
More criticism of MS, what a shocker.
Why dont you write another article about how the PS3 tard pack is really a "gamer pack", or HDMI cables not included is "no big deal".
One thing I can be pretty sure of, there will be no criticism of Sony and Nintendo when they delay there online arcade titles (which they currently have..zero, gosh, if it's so easy why does MS have 40 and Sony and Nintendo have..zero).
Guess that's one way to avoid delay criticism. Dont make any games. Works for Sony, Nintendo, and Joystiq.
Matt @ Sep 5th 2006 10:24PM
The entire point of this post, to me, is pointing out the irony in having a game that has already been proven to work having been delayed for a week. If you think about it, these are very simple games, and therefore it's pretty ridiculous to think that they couldn't have caught the issues with the title, oh I don't know... half a year ago?
Give Joystiq posters a break, if you don't particularly share their sense of humor, you don't need to post such hateful and negative things... just ignore the post and move to the next. :)
brandon_r87 @ Sep 5th 2006 10:19PM
If it's such a big deal, go read Kotaku. Joystiq is at war with Kotaku. Joystiq has always been at war with Kotaku.
hey alex @ Sep 5th 2006 10:20PM
How old the game is irrelevant. Any piece of code, especially if it's ported to another processor and updated, can contain bugs. This simply happened to be old code, which if anyone has programmed, is not always a joy. Older code can sometimes be a chore.
That they found a problem and are addressing it prior to release is a good thing. I rather have a working game than a game that contains bugs.
I have to admit, I was looking forward to additional achievements tomorrow. And now, I'll have to wait a bit longer. Am I totally bummed there's no Scramble yet? Not really. It wasn't necessarily high on my list of 'must haves' but it would have been a nice diversion while waiting for Lego Star Wars II.
That a new UNO deck is being released in it's place is a pleasant and welcome surprise. We all knew new content was coming, but no one expected it to be this week. I'm glad to see something released.
LaughingMan @ Sep 5th 2006 10:39PM
I can't believe 21 (give or take) people have taken the time to compalin (one way or the other) about some game you will forget about .00001 seconds after first playing. Maybe I'm been out of the loop but is there such a strong "Scramble" sub culture that people are actually getting upset over a game I could play on my watch? Did a Scramble arcade cabinet land somewhere in the South Pacific and is now being worshipped as a god?
IT's MF'n SCRAMBLE!! LOOK AT THE SCREENSHOTS! HOW EXCITED COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE!? You're heart, lungs and nervous sytem have been working fine up till now, another week won't kill you.
IdiotsAllOfYou @ Sep 6th 2006 3:06AM
In case you can't read, the point of the whole deal isn't that Joystiq hates MS or thinks MS can't get their crap together or that "Whew! We almost released a buggy game and thank god we delayed it!" it's the fact that MS has been on this stupid "New Release Every Wednesday!" campaign lately and it *has not panned out TWICE now so far* and we're this early in. First they release the console way too early and it's buggy as hell and requires an extra +$100 warranty to cover it just in case, now they go on impossible to meet release schedules that they are never going to be able to meet. MS is full of nothing but talk and has yet to deliver one game beyond freaking UNO that has me wanting to pony up any cash for this time bomb of a "next gen" system.
JustMe @ Sep 5th 2006 10:58PM
Proven to work on a 1-3Mhz Zilog Z80 processor, at 224x256 resolution with primative sound, yes. But now operating on a 3.2Ghz PPC Tri-Core processor, at a higher resolution, with improved sound. Plus, you add new options, update the graphics and add achievements. Just because it was created on a system to operate in it's own environment long ago doesn't mean it can run on any other system unaltered and function properly.
Even with emulation, emulators still have to be tweaked to operate properly.
2slick @ Sep 5th 2006 11:19PM
wow to the loser that brought us this information, reporting that xbox arcade has gotten off to a shaky start and what not, wow the first arcade game to actually be delayed after being set in stone. and crying becuz microsoft skipped a wednesday a few weeks back, get over it, heaven forbid 1 arcade game out of however many there are actually get pushed back after having a solid release date. no sf2 or uno or w/e don't count, because they never had solid dates, it was a vague "spring" or "may" or w/e, if u believe those dates, u should be forced to play in the wnba w/ a sports bra on. learn to wait until a publisher says it'll be out on this date, if it's wrong or gets pushed back then, feel free to b1tch all u want.
John H. @ Sep 5th 2006 11:28PM
This game is just not worth getting that excited over. True, it could be viewed as the ancient progenitor of the Gradius games, but it has neither powerups nor (as with games like Robotron) heart-stopping pace on its side.
rokobungi @ Sep 6th 2006 1:23PM
they're just trying to find a way of stealthily making the game hard for the people that have already mastered the arcade version and impossible for newcomers to scramble.. kinda like what they did to robotron and SF2 (sorry the mame one runs a bit slower and the ai is a little easier to beat till the very end.)
Lord_Satorious @ Sep 6th 2006 2:10AM
Am I the only one that thinks the PGR3 theme deck should be free? We overpay for everything, you figure they'd give us a break on a stupid Uno deck theme.
Chris @ Sep 6th 2006 10:39AM
I'd really appreciate it if they'd put a little more work in than 'let's port this to a 4:3 window with a static image around it.' That ensures that as soon as they release a game I enjoy enough, my CRT is going to fry when I forget to give it a break.
Dave @ Sep 6th 2006 11:14AM
Does this mean Lumines Live will get bumped a week too? Feh.
GunForHire @ Sep 6th 2006 1:36PM
I don't care about Scramble - where the hell is Lumines already!
NeedleLies @ Sep 6th 2006 12:44PM
I totally agree with you Lord_Satorious.
Although I love the marketplace. IMO, the fact that M$ or other publishers charge us (no matter how small the fee) for dowloading themes , picture packs and skins or "PGR3 themed decks" is appalling.
Mainly because you are paying these guys to advertise their products... they SHOULD be paying us for that! Especially considering the Live annual fee.
Again, I love the Mrktplace and love and regularly buy the premium content that keeps coming out, but having your main target pay to promote your product is ridiculous.
Robotic House Plant @ Sep 6th 2006 4:11PM
At the Summer of Arcade launch party (7/11/06) Greg Canessa mentioned Microsoft was launching a "5 week program" where they will "attempt to bring" games on a regular basis. The releases would occur on Wednesdays. He said they were "shooting" for 50 releases by year end.
I didn't hear anything about they would always release games on every Wednesday. The offical press release contains no mention of games every Wednesday either.
The podcast is available at majornelson.com
http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2006/07/13/Summer-of-Arcade-Kick-off-Party.aspx
On another podcast, I seem to recall Major Nelson mentioning some weeks may not necessarily have content, but there could be weeks where there's extra content released (ie, more than one game).