Scarcity of Devs to answer questions about 18.7

[Neista]

Without being sarcastic, if Genele can pop in to answer jokes about wether or not she is Skynet it would be nice if she or some of the other Devs could pop into this forum and answer valid questions about the new patch, or at least as to why there is no update this month to fill us in on it.

Seeing as there is no August developer update, we naturally have some questions and in this wall of silence assuptions will be made, both about the changes themselves and FC's attitude toward the game and the players.

A few well chosen words could do much to deflect the concerns many of us have

[nanoforcer]

I absolutely agree, it's not like it's hard to write up a small FAQ about the new patch, we have lots of questions to pick from.

Right now i feel that every suggestion or feedback just falls to deaf ears, this might not be the case but how are suppoed to know when there is so little feedback?
It seems to be a general consensus "why do i even bother posting here, i never get any feedback" etc etc.

[metaluv]

Without being sarcastic, if Genele can pop in to answer jokes about wether or not she is Skynet it would be nice if she or some of the other Devs could pop into this forum and answer valid questions about the new patch, or at least as to why there is no update this month to fill us in on it.

Seeing as there is no August developer update, we naturally have some questions and in this wall of silence assuptions will be made, both about the changes themselves and FC's attitude toward the game and the players.

A few well chosen words could do much to deflect the concerns many of us have

Nothing new, there's only 2 dev posts in the 18.7 sub-forum.
communication is not a funcom priority

[Gargle]

Without being sarcastic, if Genele can pop in to answer jokes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIb6AZdTr-A

[MachSchau]

I think this whole silence and no feedback is going to be common place for a while, if not indefinitely.

For me personally, I sort of just use the forum now to either agree with someone on an idea or to relay information to players. As mentioned earlier in this thread, what is the point of providing feedback if there is no dialogue from devs/dev person.

[Thor84]

A few well chosen words could do much to deflect the concerns many of us have

Agreed. Part of devolving a game and making changes is customer service.

Not that FC doesn't help it's players. But simply letting us know that your hearing our suggestions or why you added changes that seem out of the blue, can change the players attitudes from angry and confused to something more open.

Lots of suggestions have been made before these patch notes and some would get responses but others nothing.

We don't expect you to explain everything that's going on but just achknowloging us on some issues says that your listening.

[Artyomis]

Last time I've talked to Genele - she said that shes content designer and game director. If I want anything to be sorted with community - I should contact their community relations team.

I always thought that spoken and written communication is highly important for any manager of a social-aimed massive multiplayer content, but seems like I was wrong.

Angry community with "weird" content changes is way more important than happy community with slowly appearing wise-made suitable and appropriate content.

[Poko]

Last time I've talked to Genele - she said that shes content designer and game director. If I want anything to be sorted with community - I should contact their community relations team.

I always thought that spoken and written communication is highly important for any manager of a social-aimed massive multiplayer content, but seems like I was wrong.

Angry community with "weird" content changes is way more important than happy community with slowly appearing wise-made suitable and appropriate content.

Heh wow, I never met such a screwed up company when it comes to communication, I cant quite understand how hard it is to write SOMETHING, or reply to some things..its not like we are asking them to cut their fingers off (maybe they did already)

It's really like me supplying my customers with a product, then when they ask simple question..Just look at them, and tell them I am just the provider, I know nothing about anything, nor will I tell you anything.

1. The customer would laugh in my face
2. The customer would more than likely try to fight me
3. The customer would head to the nearest exit
4. The customer would turn around, scream FU, and I would never see them, or their money again.

So yeah..Wtb a new GD, I'm about down to number 3.

[Neista]

Part of me wants to think the Dev team have been told 'remake the game easier for new players, take no prisoners' and they are just keeping quiet because they are just doing their job and dont want to take flak for following orders that they dont nessecarily agree with, but a larger part of me is starting to believe they simply couldn't care less what their subscribers think.

Again, their silence does nothing to disabuse me of these views

[Lheann]

Part of me wants to think the Dev team have been told 'remake the game easier for new players, take no prisoners'...

Problem is that 18.7 and the NPE don't make the game easier. If anything it widens the gap between newbie area and mainland experiences. The new ICC and shop prices just slap new players in the face really hard.

[Phorum]

While you guys say no one is listening to what we have to say, I have to chime in that I did read someones post about ammunition being to scarce when starting out and that there should be more ammo given at startup and or atleast an ammo vendor near by the spawn point. While there was no response from FC, I made a new toon yesterday and actually saw that there was now an ammo vendor near the spawn point!

I agree with all of you that we do deserve a brief update about our beloved game. However, I believe that if the dev's answer only a select few questions or correct a few assumptions players have. Other players who did not get their questions answered will start flaming anyways. I think FC is just trying to pick their battles.

As for 18.7... these are not the only changes that will ever be made! remember that!

[Traderjill]

While you guys say no one is listening to what we have to say, I have to chime in that I did read someones post about ammunition being to scarce when starting out and that there should be more ammo given at startup and or atleast an ammo vendor near by the spawn point. While there was no response from FC, I made a new toon yesterday and actually saw that there was now an ammo vendor near the spawn point!

I could be wrong but wasn't that ammo vendor always there? I haven't been through the startup area sine the day 18.7 went to TestLive but I recall seeing an ammo vendor terminal just past the first NPC.

[Phorum]

I don't know how old the post was. I remember reading it sometime last week. I made a couple new toons last night and saw it and happened to remember the post on the forums, and was like "oh hey, maybe they do listen to us... wthin reason!".

[Traderjill]

I don't know how old the post was. I remember reading it sometime last week. I made a couple new toons last night and saw it and happened to remember the post on the forums, and was like "oh hey, maybe they do listen to us... wthin reason!".

The post I believe you're referring to is a bug report but that ammo vendor has been there for quite some time (just looked again after I posted). It was, at the very least, there when 18.7 went to TestLive so it wasn't put in as a result of any feedback (was my point).

[Emma]

There is also an ammo vendor in ALL the "old" backyards ... the original starter area that preceded the current "newbie island". Newbie Island does not have any because all the starter weapons there do not require ammo.

Emma

[Ophiuchus]

FC communication is extremely inconsistent and it's very frustrating. One or two of the TSW Devs communicate very regularly and it's great. The rest of them? Not so much. AO Devs? *crickets and tumbleweed*

[Artyomis]

Every more of less official structure/company/organization has its press-attache or PR-secretary that submits public posts and makes press-conferences.
Imo, any social MMO, especially expensive and "full of plans/problems" one such as AO should have some kind of press-secretary, that will run chat/forum sessions with players on a regular basis and provide much more information regarding development process, changes and such than now.

So Funcom, give us someone to talk to, who knows inner company processes, development plans, who can also provide is with minor timeplan on upcoming changes (without too much details ofc and not with "engine-style" dates). It will benefit you as a company at a first place, and playerbase as a whole.

[Michizure]

Hello everyone,

I apologize for the delay in this reply. In regards to the changes made in 18.7, particularly the Profession/balance changes, few are set in stone. Ideally, I'd like to massage the changes that are currently on Testlive into a state that is less jarring or difficult to swallow; this may not be entirely possible in some cases, but that is what I hope to fully grasp before we sign off on 18.7's Live release.

Given how these forums are abundant with ideas/suggestions, I feel bad asking for more feedback, but that is what we are looking for. Our Community team will be putting up a more official Suggestion box thread. I'll also be scrounging up information/feedback on my own from Professionals, the forums, harassing individuals, etc.

I also invite all of you to come onto Testlive and try these changes before requesting everything be reverted. Change can be scary, but it isn't always as bad as it may seem.

Thank you everyone for your patience, and sorry to those who have been running low. This patch's development has been an interesting process, and we hope the end result will be a large step towards gaining back some lost momentum.

You can look forward (or dread) hearing more from me in the near future.

[Esssch]

I know people here love to hate WoW, but look at what their developers/representatives do:

https://twitter.com/WatcherDev
https://twitter.com/Celestalon
https://twitter.com/holinka
https://twitter.com/Muffinus
https://twitter.com/_DonAdams

And that's not even counting their forum posts.

[Le-Quack]

I see their problemes with low subscribers wich means they run on a low budget, but it doesnt cost much time to say helo in a thread or two each day like Michizure just did in this thread.