Where are the release notes posted for each server maintenance?

TonyJr113

I looked around to see what was fixed with today's maintenance or what "backend server" maintenance for the Xbox meant bout could not find release notes posted. Maybe I missed it as I am fairly new here. Release notes are common for software updates and maintenance so figure they must be posted some place.

Destai

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

Korashy wrote: »

I made a post about it too earlier.

This place is wild. Apparently hotfixes are not something done in these parts

We do Hotfixes. There is a section of the forum dedicated to that. Today's maintenance was specifically to active Vengeance Test 2. No fixes or changes to anything outside of some backend database management. We have an incremental patch for PC coming next week.

It sounds like the ask is we get "patch notes" for what's being deployed on the backend. The duration of maintenance windows has long been a pain point, so getting some sanitized list of activities would help people be more understanding in these situations. Think of it like this Kevin, let's say you're getting car repairs done. Patch notes are the list of changes you're paying for, but then they have some shop issues that delay those repairs. You'd want to know why, what those are, and how long it will take. Same principle here.

Is that something you guys can provide?

TonyJr113

Destai wrote: »

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

Korashy wrote: »

I made a post about it too earlier.

This place is wild. Apparently hotfixes are not something done in these parts

We do Hotfixes. There is a section of the forum dedicated to that. Today's maintenance was specifically to active Vengeance Test 2. No fixes or changes to anything outside of some backend database management. We have an incremental patch for PC coming next week.

It sounds like the ask is we get "patch notes" for what's being deployed on the backend. The duration of maintenance windows has long been a pain point, so getting some sanitized list of activities would help people be more understanding in these situations. Think of it like this Kevin, let's say you're getting car repairs done. Patch notes are the list of changes you're paying for, but then they have some shop issues that delay those repairs. You'd want to know why, what those are, and how long it will take. Same principle here.

Is that something you guys can provide?

This is exactly what I am talking about! Great analogy.

I have been in the software industry for over 25 years. I understand maintenance and unexpected delays. Over the years, the maintenance window continued to decrease in duration (some places guarantee a 99.99% uptime) and more transparency has been given to the clients (and end-users) through a list of this is what is being done (aka patch notes). In 2025, the software industry should be held to this higher standard than when I started in the 90s. Servers can be updated and replaced with little downtime through rolling patches, A/B testing, and having the replacement server ready to go. Explaining why the downtime will be over an hour through patch notes will help people understand the game and hardware is improving.

sarahthes

TonyJr113 wrote: »

I looked around to see what was fixed with today's maintenance or what "backend server" maintenance for the Xbox meant bout could not find release notes posted. Maybe I missed it as I am fairly new here. Release notes are common for software updates and maintenance so figure they must be posted some place.

This wasn't a patch maintenance.

It was to activate the vengeance campaign.

There is a stickied post in this channel about it.

virtus753

TonyJr113 wrote: »

I looked around to see what was fixed with today's maintenance or what "backend server" maintenance for the Xbox meant bout could not find release notes posted. Maybe I missed it as I am fairly new here. Release notes are common for software updates and maintenance so figure they must be posted some place.

Fixes tend to come only with patches. When those happen, the forum banner specifies “patch maintenance” and the notes are typically posted here:

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/categories/patch-notes

For non-patch maintenance, which can have a variety of reasons, they do not tend to elaborate beyond “backend server updates” (such as Xbox got today but PC and PS already had) or “quarterly backend database fixes” or “account maintenance” or “prepare for the Vengeance test” and the like. There are no specific release notes for non-patch maintenance like there are for patches, just general descriptors.

Korashy

I made a post about it too earlier.

This place is wild. Apparently hotfixes are not something done in these parts

ZOS_Kevin

Korashy wrote: »

I made a post about it too earlier.

This place is wild. Apparently hotfixes are not something done in these parts

We do Hotfixes. There is a section of the forum dedicated to that. Today's maintenance was specifically to active Vengeance Test 2. No fixes or changes to anything outside of some backend database management. We have an incremental patch for PC coming next week.

Grizzbeorn

Korashy wrote: »

Apparently hotfixes are not something done in these parts

Whoever told you that lied to you. If you're just assuming, then you are wrong.
They do hotfixes when they can. They've been done plenty of times.

TonyJr113

sarahthes wrote: »

TonyJr113 wrote: »

I looked around to see what was fixed with today's maintenance or what "backend server" maintenance for the Xbox meant bout could not find release notes posted. Maybe I missed it as I am fairly new here. Release notes are common for software updates and maintenance so figure they must be posted some place.

This wasn't a patch maintenance.

It was to activate the vengeance campaign.

There is a stickied post in this channel about it.

So, it took 9 hours to activate a new feature in software? Are we in the 90s still?

LootAllTheStuff

TonyJr113 wrote: »

sarahthes wrote: »

TonyJr113 wrote: »

I looked around to see what was fixed with today's maintenance or what "backend server" maintenance for the Xbox meant bout could not find release notes posted. Maybe I missed it as I am fairly new here. Release notes are common for software updates and maintenance so figure they must be posted some place.

This wasn't a patch maintenance.

It was to activate the vengeance campaign.

There is a stickied post in this channel about it.

So, it took 9 hours to activate a new feature in software? Are we in the 90s still?

XBox had additional maintenance beyond the vengeance test stuff:

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/679700/maintenance-on-all-live-megaservers-june-30-3am-edt-7-00-utc
"The Xbox megaservers will be undergoing additional backend maintenance." That was stuff the PC and PS got the week before, which is why they were back up earlier.