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How Hawken's Community Manager Got His Team To Embrace Player Feedback


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#1 van Uber

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Posted 24 July 2013 - 01:33 PM

I'm not saying you don't do this already, but here is an interesting write up on how to do it:

http://www.gamasutra..._with_PULSE.php

“You have to find a way to communicate in the language and the format that has the highest chance of getting your consumer’s attention. Why not present it in the project management solution they're already using?” –Evan 'Scapes' Berman

#2 Tice Daurus

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Posted 24 July 2013 - 01:44 PM

I'd be interested to know if PGI's DEV's follow this train of thought. And if not, why not?

#3 Homeless Bill

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Posted 24 July 2013 - 03:28 PM

I read that earlier today and thought about posting it. But then I realized they won't read this thread. And if they did, they aren't going to be updating their development practices any time soon.

My guess is they're struggling just to hit the release date and something like this doesn't have a snowflake's chance in hell until after release.

#4 Belorion

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Posted 24 July 2013 - 03:44 PM

So Hawken is going to cater to their communities every whim?

More reason than ever not to play that game.

#5 van Uber

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Posted 24 July 2013 - 05:42 PM

View PostBelorion, on 24 July 2013 - 03:44 PM, said:

So Hawken is going to cater to their communities every whim?


That is not the point of the article, it is how you handle community feedback. There are after all valid points and pressing concerns out there midst the white noise.

#6 Belorion

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Posted 24 July 2013 - 07:37 PM

View Postvan Uber, on 24 July 2013 - 05:42 PM, said:


That is not the point of the article, it is how you handle community feedback. There are after all valid points and pressing concerns out there midst the white noise.


They basically are saying they are turning every hot topic into a trouble ticket. Some hot topics have people pointing in both directions. It isn't possible to handle each and every request that the community has, and some things shouldn't be handled. Listening too much to the community is what made WoW slide down hill.

Esp. the pvp.

#7 Deathlike

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Posted 24 July 2013 - 11:26 PM

Three things PGI could do to benefit from the community (examples to follow sometime during PGI's workday):

1) Don't insult your player base's intelligence.

2) Pay attention to what the player base is actually saying in the big mega threads.

3) Take feedback seriously.

I know I may be on an island for this, but following these 3 things can actually allow more sales, more fun, and more success for everyone involved.

Edited by Deathlike, 24 July 2013 - 11:27 PM.


#8 Volthorne

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Posted 24 July 2013 - 11:40 PM

View PostDeathlike, on 24 July 2013 - 11:26 PM, said:

1) Don't insult your player base's intelligence.

They don't need to, we already do that to each other plenty.

Quote

2) Pay attention to what the player base is actually saying in the big mega threads.

3) Take feedback seriously.

Who says they don't? Listening to what your playerbase is saying and acting on it are two different things.

#9 Borengar629

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Posted 25 July 2013 - 12:03 AM

You guys mix it up a little here. Developpers are not to be confused with Community Managers.

CMs are actually those that function as the connection between the player base and the devs. You see that a lot when you watch NGNG-Streams, where Garth is frequently asked when he is going to fix specific problems. People just don't get that Devs and CMs are not the same.

In fact I do think, that the devs are doin a pretty good job here so far. Since the end of closed beta we achieved a lot here.
So the devs' side is fine with me at the moment.

But what strikes me a little odd sometimes is the information policy here transfered by the CMs.
I feel often like we're treated as we wanted to spy on something that is not meant for us to know. Specifically when it comes to Community Warfare for example. I mean... we're the damn players. Tell us what your plans are.
By not doin so they feed those who say that it will be ****** and they try to squeeze as much money out of us until then.
That notion can't be in their interest.

I miss that honesty and close relation that you usually have between the officials and the players in a beta. I don't feel close to them anymore, nor do I feel important or valuble to them anymore. That is a little sad.
Not even communicating to us why there is no creativity update in july is nothing but bad policy and therefore bad business strategy.

If they would tell us "we have no clue what Community Warfare will be like", or "We don't know how to balance weapons" I don't think that a lot of us would rant about that. No, we would come up with ideas for the problems. Many of them stupid. But maybe some they wouldn't think of themselves and that would benefit them and the game and therefore us.
What is so wring in letting your clientel participate in creative processes.

Just let us know what you're working on, what you're up to and even more important what problems do you face and don't have a solution for yet. We are not your enemies. I don't wanna mention money and stuff because this is stupid but we are like your best buddies when it comes to paying the rent...

You don't have to cater us every whim like aforementioned. You don't even have to argue with us. Just let us know that we as a community count and are valuble to the game and the direction it is going.

#10 Typhoon Storm 2142

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Posted 25 July 2013 - 01:16 AM

View PostDeathlike, on 24 July 2013 - 11:26 PM, said:

Three things PGI could do to benefit from the community (examples to follow sometime during PGI's workday):

1) Don't insult your player base's intelligence.

2) Pay attention to what the player base is actually saying in the big mega threads.

3) Take feedback seriously.

I know I may be on an island for this, but following these 3 things can actually allow more sales, more fun, and more success for everyone involved.


Ridiculous. You want PGI to pretend that most MWO players are kinda intelligent? But that's just not true. Most people who post in the forums are dumb as ****. Of course they have a hard time reading through all the posts, because of all the idiots who repost old stuff over and over again, post double threads, create useless polls, or just plain stupid ideas. Have you read the feature sugesstion forums lately? You call that "feedback"? It's more like a bunch of apes who randomly press buttons on a typewriter.





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