Fez re-releasing buggy patch due to cert costs

Polytron is re-releasing the Fez patch it pulled due to a save file corruption bug--with that error still in. Why? Because it improves the game for most, and if they changed anything, "Microsoft would charge us tens of thousands of dollars to re-certify the game."

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When Polytron released the first patch for Fez in June, it discovered that a bug was corrupting some player's saved games and promptly pulled the title update. Which is perfectly sensible. However, it's now re-releasing that very same patch without fixing it at all, "Because Microsoft would charge us tens of thousands of dollars to re-certify the game."

"Less than a percent of players" are affected by the bug, Polytron explains. "It's a shitty numbers game to be playing for sure, but as a small independent, paying so much money for patches makes NO SENSE AT ALL. especially when you consider the alternative. Had Fez been released on Steam instead of XBLA, the game would have been fixed two weeks after release, at no cost to us. And if there was an issue with that patch, we could have fixed that right away."

Yes, if only it were on Steam. Though Fez sold over 100,000 copies in its first six or so weeks alone, Polytron presents itself as hard-up and doesn't want to give Microsoft more money. It claims, "We already owe Microsoft a LOT of money for the privilege of being on their platform."

So, as the wonky patch did bring heaps of performance improvements and bug fixes and whatnot, and as Microsoft is okay with a bug which affects so few players, it's coming back.

"For 99 percent of people, it makes Fez a better game," Polytron says. "To the less-than-1-percent who are getting screwed, we sincerely apologize. We know this hurts you the most, because you're the ones who put the most times into the game. And this breaks our hearts. We hope you don't think back on your time spent in Fez as a total waste."

From The Chatty
  • reply
    July 19, 2012 6:00 AM

    Alice O'Connor posted a new article, Fez re-releasing buggy patch due to cert costs.

    Polytron is re-releasing the Fez patch it pulled due to a save file corruption bug--with that error still in. Why? Because it improves the game for most, and if they changed anything, "Microsoft would charge us tens of thousands of dollars to re-certify the game."

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      July 19, 2012 6:40 AM

      Good for them, in a way.

      I know MS is trying to assure quality with its certification, but they have to realize it is far too expensive for the smaller devs, even when they woo these devs with platform exclusivity deals. If MS really wants the game on that platform to the point of time-limited exclusivity, they should be willing to work as much as possible to help on post-release cert processes (eg sucking up the costs themselves or aiding the smaller dev) Otherwise, we're going to keep getting crappy XBLA titles.

      Thankfully, it sounds like Fez's exclusivity runs out in a couple months and Phil 's hinted at PC and PSN ports already.

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      July 19, 2012 7:50 AM

      Well, sounds like he should make Fez for Steam! I'm all for it.

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      July 19, 2012 8:22 AM

      Maybe he should have taken four years and won some more IGF awards while developing the patch.

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      July 19, 2012 8:44 AM

      ... Every time I hear about this company, I find I think less and less of them.

      Yea, if only they had put it on steam, but I read from their website they went to xbox for the dollar$.
      And then they get into GDC as a promotional event, with the "Don't blame us, you'd do it too!" attitude.

      Not very cool.

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        July 19, 2012 10:28 AM

        I meant IGF.

        Yea this guy is a dick.

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      July 19, 2012 9:01 AM

      It's a tough spot to be in. A simple solution would be to gift affected players a copy on Steam, assuming they can accurately determine who is having trouble.

      I feel for them though. I certainly don't give a crap about the 1% of IE7 users visiting any sites I build.

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      July 19, 2012 9:07 AM

      They want to blame MS for their sloppy coding when they knew about the price for patches when they signed up. This is just a weak excuse for their failings. They should give the people affected by the patch a full refund.

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      July 19, 2012 9:19 AM

      "Had Fez been released on Steam instead of XBLA, the game would have been fixed two weeks after release,", says the guy who before releasing the game said "Computers are for spreadsheets." in response to whether or not his game would be on PC. I hope when this pretentious dick inevitably releases games on PC, everyone gives him the finger.

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      July 19, 2012 9:28 AM

      Lovely Microsoft.

      And on a side note, did Shack do an article on Defense Grid 2's kick-starter? If they did, I missed the article.

      http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hiddenpath/defense-grid-2

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      July 19, 2012 9:37 AM

      "Had Fez been released on Steam instead of XBLA, the game would have been fixed two weeks after release" says the guy who before he released his game said that "Computers are for spreadsheets." I hope when this pretentious dick inevitably releases games on PC, everyone gives him the finger.

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        July 19, 2012 10:10 AM

        eh, this is the dude that told Japan that their games suck, and told the world to choke on his dick when he won that award for Fez. Don't expect too much class coming from him.

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        July 19, 2012 10:27 AM

        Didn't hear this. Won't be buying his games ever.

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        July 19, 2012 12:18 PM

        People will still buy it on PC, enough that he will be able to continue being a dick until someone makes him put up a MC Chris type video years later.

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          July 19, 2012 1:37 PM

          I watched it. Seems to be more about a kid wanting to bitch about indie games for ten minutes rather than do a review.

          "I understand that you old people like old things but looking retro is SO LAST WEEK."


          EVERYTHING IS OVERRATED ALWAYS. ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE ELSE LIKES IT.

          This is why some days I hate the internet.

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          July 19, 2012 2:54 PM

          lol yeah this guy sounds like an idiot "Hey guys I play lots of games, so this obviously means I am better at designing them!"

    • reply
      July 19, 2012 9:48 AM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      July 19, 2012 10:05 AM

      Any advice on avoiding the bug?

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        July 19, 2012 6:05 PM

        I think it's if you're in certain locations when the patch is applied. I don't know what they are but I know there's a list on his website. So if you play the game offline and go to one of the safe spots and then install the patch you should be fine.
        That's my guess though, I haven't actually tried it yet.

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      July 19, 2012 10:14 AM

      He knew the policy going in when he signed with microsoft. Getting irritated that he never owns up to anything and everything is always about him. After hearing that for the Indie Game the Movie they never bothered asking his partner for the other side of the story and phil fish basically shut him out so he could look like the victim makes me feel absolutely zero sympathy for this goon.

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        July 19, 2012 10:34 AM

        [deleted]

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          July 19, 2012 11:37 AM

          "My own sources close to DeGroot said that was an inaccurate characterization: he was never asked. The filmmakers eventually admitted the wording was incorrect, and issued an updated version of the film with this phrasing:

          "Phil Fish's ex-business partner was not asked to participate in this film."


          http://www.giantbomb.com/news/the-rabbit-hole-that-is-life-after-fez/4275/

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            July 19, 2012 11:55 AM

            [deleted]

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              July 19, 2012 1:58 PM

              That movie was suckin' Phil Fish dick real hard.

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                July 19, 2012 2:44 PM

                [deleted]

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                  July 19, 2012 2:53 PM

                  It seems to me that that was the total angle they were going for. 'Tortured genius' that we've all seen before, yadda yadda yadda. This was especially apparent to me with uber dramatic I'LL KILL MYSELF moment.

                  The reality is that he's just kind of a prick.

                  The Team Meat dudes were super endearing, even the one that is not Edmund McMillen. That guy is a far superior Phil Fish - misanthropic dickhead that isn't also a whiny emo bitch.

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        July 19, 2012 12:18 PM

        Yea, he was also the first one crying that Minecraft "might" have gotten special treatment to release their huge content patches for free. I for one will never buy this game, or anything he makes.

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        July 19, 2012 3:02 PM

        Well admittedly, the testers in compliance should have caught the issue as well.

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      July 19, 2012 2:36 PM

      [deleted]

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