Why I’m grieving.

[technohoungan]

Supposedly Issue 28, Page 2 is causing the sky to fall and people are leaving! Learn to adapt.  Everything is playable.

[JasperStone]

Exactly

[Arnabas]

My memories of when the game was originally live include countless angry posts every time a tweak was made. 

 

I can understand being a bit upset that you might have to relearn your favorite character after dozens of hours spent making them "perfect," but changes aren't made in a vacuum. They're made with an eye toward long-term development. 

[PeregrineFalcon]

Yeah, let's go ahead and make fun of people who are giving feedback that you don't like. That's a great way to encourage people to participate in testing and giving feedback, right?

[Snarky]

1 hour ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

Yeah, let's go ahead and make fun of people who are giving feedback that you don't like. That's a great way to encourage people to participate in testing and giving feedback, right?

As a person who regularly gives feedback no one likes…. 

Edited Tuesday at 08:13 PM by Snarky

[GM Crumpet]

My condolences. I'm so sorry for your loss. Those enhancements weren't cheap

[Scarlet Shocker]

54 minutes ago, GM Crumpet said:

My condolences. I'm so sorry for your loss. Those enhancements weren't cheap

 

That's what she said.

[Scarlet Shocker]

1 hour ago, Snarky said:

As a person who regularly gives feedback no one likes…. 

It's not the feedback people don't like about you @Snarky (Ok kidding kidding... or am I?)

 

Joking aside there are several issues going on here I can see. I don't know if I can fix them... but I'm pretty sure I can identify them and maybe that's a beginning

 

Let's take a moment to recognise that change is difficult because it can take you from a place where you are even if you're unhappy to a place you might hate!

That's not the goal of our Devs... but change is very difficult because it's a human condition.

 

Our current devs are not amazing at communications. That's like most devs ever. OG devs were the same. To know what's going on in the future as a fan/player/lover of the game you have to actually participate in the future of the game.

 

That is challenging on several levels:

 

• Do you have time to participate in future game? Most people have limited time in which to play and with literally thousands upon thousands of characters needing input and care and attention not everyone can afford time to play on a test server to see if [Tweak X] is beneficial. Especially if they play a tank and it's for controllers. Emotional investment counts.
• Am I a casual player? I played on live, I'm glad the game's back but fuktifino if I'll play if they break the game
• I love the game. I don't have time. Go slowly and gently but don't ruin my experience. You're a dev, have you given me reason to trust you?
• Patch notes are patch notes. They fail to deal with feels and emotions. Even if we read 'em
• Even if I don't like the changes, my voice is worth exactly one single Jackschitt. You'll do what you do but I don't get a voice. Ok, I get it. This isn't a democracy and I don't have any financial investment in the game but that doesn't mean I should be voiceless... but I am,
• The "Player Council" - I've seen them in many games. Mostly they are toxic and elitist and are highly exclusive (Looking at you MWO) and I have little faith that the feedback I put in the forum is making an impact.
• Devcoms are pretty poor. This is a criticism I will level here at our team. Not through malice and I appreciate that everyone here is a volunteer but unless you work hard at looking (and even if you do) it is seriously difficult to comprehend the HC Devs train of thought. Regular bulletins/discussions/engagement would be very helpful - although that's a challenge because volunteers. But it does sometimes seem to me that The SkyGods have decreed that...
• I feel powerless because I don't have technical skilz to bring to this amazing project so my voice doesn't count but "Change X" makes me unhappy.

Almost all those complaints (and I've tried to make them impersonal and generic as possible) are emotional. But they remain important. I would argue because we are in a very special place in the gaming world, it's doubly important. We do love what our newdevs give us, and they have truly done an outstanding job of delivering, thus far, but patch notes be like "Welcome to the feast, bread and water is on the menu, choose bread, or water, or both" are not exactly encouraging even if what turns out to be a beef asado with gravy and spices and all kinds of goodness.

 

Bottom line: Communication is key and I don't think we have that yet and I'd implore our Dev team to work on that before they do more game stuff.

 

 

[technohoungan]

4 hours ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

Yeah, let's go ahead and make fun of people who are giving feedback that you don't like. That's a great way to encourage people to participate in testing and giving feedback, right?

Maybe "I'm leaving due to changes I do not approve of"? is considered feedback, but unless you are coming with a solution that makes sense, it does not help the devs solve problems.  I'm sure that most people on this game are 30 years+ so I do not understand why constructive criticism cannot be provided.  

 

Feedback is fine and should be provided, but it can be provided in a more constructive way.

[technohoungan]

2 hours ago, GM Crumpet said:

My condolences. I'm so sorry for your loss. Those enhancements weren't cheap

If that is part of the complaint, and they have the best enhancements. I wouldn't be surprised if that they have numerous alts that can earn more inf to fix their toons.

[jrhughes0]

8 hours ago, Arnabas said:

My memories of when the game was originally live include countless angry posts every time a tweak was made. 

 

I can understand being a bit upset that you might have to relearn your favorite character after dozens of hours spent making them "perfect," but changes aren't made in a vacuum. They're made with an eye toward long-term development. 

True.

Also the developers are always on the look out for bugs and glitches.  Sadly someone will always exploit a bug/glitch and raise holy Hades when their "trick" is patched.  Not that I'm pointing fingers mind you.

[Player2]

8 hours ago, Arnabas said:

changes aren't made in a vacuum. They're made with an eye toward long-term development. 

 

Of course not. They're usually made inside computers. Vacuums suck as an environment for game change, but are really great for picking up loose debris that have settled on your floor.

[WanderingAries]