I decided that the best move for me was to skip this update. After all of my criticism in the weeks and months leading up to its release, I didn't think it was right for me to jump right in and play the game. There's literally nothing this update could have done that would have made the 6 month gap worth the wait for me. It looks like there's some sexy content, but after watching all of the criticisms, the deleted posts, and defensiveness from Stoper, this just hasn't felt like an inviting thread.
With that said, I would take this conversation in a different direction. This update is behind us, and I don't think there's any saving it. In my opinion, even the cheating-route won't be enough to change the general outlook of this update. If Stoper is still reading this thread, and if he's listening for anyone's opinion, I would suggest that he either:
1. Drop the cheating route entirely, and move on
or
2. If the cheating route is essential, pull it together quickly and put a bow on this update.
In my opinion, this update has done fundamental damage to Stoper's reputation, but he can recover from it. The first step is putting this update behind him and changing the conversation. Right now, at least here, the conversation is dominated by this update and the bungled communication over the previous 6 months. I wouldn't waste one more second on this update because it just keeps the conversation rooted in negativity. Even if the cheating route turns out to be awesome, there's almost no chance it will be worth a 7+ month wait. It's almost a no-win situation for Stoper.
Instead, if it were me, I would come out with an aggressive communication strategy in order to change the conversation. I'd start with a detailed mea culpa, fall on my sword, and discuss the next full update. Obviously this won't be accomplished all at once, and it will take a lot of work, but I think most people will respect the honesty of a mea culpa. The next step is the hardest because the next update is extremely important, and it cannot be late. I'd set an end of June release schedule, and come hell or high water it has to make that deadline. I think it's vital to show patrons and fans that a good/full update can be completed in five months. He needs to show that this was a one-off event, and that it won't happen again.
If he does that, I think that most of the people who are upset will cut him some slack. But right now the onus is on him because it's hard to deny that this game looks like it's fizzling out.
