Why we are only minimally involved in the development of Overwatch is revealed by Jeff Kaplan with funny examples from programming everyday life.
While Overwatch regularly offers its players new updates with special events, maps, or occasionally a new hero, fans are not really satisfied with the supply. In particular, the long waiting times frustrate some players, as does the fact that they are often faced with “accomplished facts”.
Developers of Overwatch repeatedly mention that they are currently “experimentally” working on some new game modes that ultimately never reach the players. Either because the modes simply “aren’t fun” or are difficult to balance.
Some players wish that these modes could at least be tried out in the “Custom Game” area, so that the community could experiment with them. Jeff Kaplan then explained in the forum what exactly these experimental modes look like – they are nothing that can be shown to the public.
“When we play our maps internally, it looks like gray mush with a few light effects. When we test new features, they often don’t even have an interface, and things can only be executed via console commands.”
Testing new heroes is similarly entertaining. Here, one does not first complete a hero entirely, but considers the abilities and then uses things that are already in the game.
“For Ana, we used Widowmaker’s model internally. For Sombra, we used Symmetra’s model and animations. For her abilities, we didn’t even have proper visual effects. Often, when we test a new hero and he or she uses their ultimate ability, we just write ‘ULT’ in big letters above their head. (…) It takes a lot of imagination to envision what it will look like once it’s finished.”
Earlier, it was even “worse”:
“The best example is probably the first test of Overwatch. The entire map was gray and angular, and the only hero was Tracer. We had no visual effects or assignments, so Tracer was constantly firing lasers from her eyes.”
For the future, Kaplan hopes to be able to release some videos from these early test versions so that the community can better understand why they will never be able to play something.
