what role do the forums take?

Forums are excellent sources to make customers do their own self help, and come up with solutions rather than getting the company to do that.

How does FC use these forums beyond that?

Ani.

Amen Ani.. I have posted many ideas on these boards and have seen a ton of good ones as well... I think that if the game devs actually browsed through the boards every now and then that it could give them some more ideas for upcoming patch's that will actually make the playerbase happy.. what would be nice to see is if they noticed some ideas that they liked and started a poll for each one for the playerbase to vote on before implemented... would be a great way to make it a more interactive game.... but using what you just said... doubt that would happen *shrug*

From the main website there is a section detailing that the dev's want feedback from the game, in form of suggestions and the like, with a link to the "future anarchy" section of the website. Also, there have been quite a few times where I have seen the Dev's and others involved with FC make comments on these boards in response to certain questions and inquiries. And all this in my 2 months of playing.

So my question is? Where have the people who have been complaining been?

And the reality is that Im sure you want the dev's working on the game instead of browsing these forums every day answering the hundreds of questions and THEN answering the hundreds more they get when they actually do appear on these boards.

Zoloft is your friend.

If at least 75% of the posts in these forums were the least bit constructive, maybe the devs would have the time to actually read them.

Usually a good idea is followed by a massive number of flames (not always though) making it hard to sort out the goodies.

If the only reply you can think of is: "R U Nubi?" or "Come back when you're 150+ and über like me", maybe it's better not to post at all and let the people with the constructive ideas share these with the devs on the "Future Anarchy" forums.

The bottom line is: If you keep it constructive, the devs are probably more likely to take your ideas into consideration.

its not all 150+.. but that is alot of what needs the changes... as the fact remains, life is very very different between the levels of 50 and 150.. I have seen some very good ideas floating around on the messege boards that would help everyone, not just the high level charactors... such as the reload button, putting outside mission objectives into the compass, and sheathing weopens.. thats just to name a few.. There have been some very constructive ideas on these boards.. even some that have gotten a reply yet still havent been fixed.. anyone remember the old post requesting changing fixer and enforcer titles so they werent so ... male oriented? ;) that got a ton of replys and even some from Cosmik saying they will try to get it fixed.. that was a few months ago I think :P basically what im saying is.. ideas should be respected here, not just everyone flaming how it will screw up their profession.. heh