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Gamefront: A Cautionary Tale


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#201 PPO Kuro

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 07:13 AM

I still like the game. It's almost the only game I play and I'm using cheese build only about 25% of the time :D

One thing that I will repeat (and I see multiple people doing it) PGI REALLY needs to improve their communication with us, the players.

@Colonel Pada Vinson: Good post sir!

Edited by PPO Kuro, 05 September 2013 - 12:35 AM.


#202 Chrithu

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 07:57 AM

View PostWM Jeri, on 01 September 2013 - 04:51 AM, said:

The question is how will SC handle similar events? Well only time will tell that.


Oh they had their share of community uproars already. Permadeath and more recently the start of the real-money shop system being the biggest such events. They caused some short timed controversies on their forums. They handled it brilliantly on both occasions by publishing articles from Chris Roberts on the NEXT DAY that explained their reasoning and plans in deep detail and in case of the shop-system start offered a set of possible solutions the community could vote about.

Without those good and timely delivered explanations their forums would already be in constant flamewars and they'd already have created a group within the community that hates what they're doing. But as it stands they are in CONSTANT dialog wih the community, take feedback to heart and by that instead of losing trust are building it and growing it EVERY DAY.

I mean one thing that needs to be mentioned is that their community manager Ben Lesnick actually went out and defended those giving negative feedback against "white knights" mocking them, telling them that such feedback is most valuable and important to the team.

#203 Sug

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 08:43 AM

View PostAlois Hammer, on 03 September 2013 - 07:09 PM, said:

Kaetaetoa, aka K-Town, was a forum area buried deep under the "Off-Topic" area heading. It was used mainly as a place to dump threads the mods didn't want to deal with, but that weren't issue enough to delete entirely like the big 5000+ vote "No 3PV" poll.

...and it seems, like so many things that could put more egg on PGI's face than they put there themselves, to have vanished entirely. Inconceivable.


Just noticed this myself. Was any reason given for deleting the K-town forum?

#204 Alois Hammer

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 09:18 AM

View PostSug, on 04 September 2013 - 08:43 AM, said:


Just noticed this myself. Was any reason given for deleting the K-town forum?


Unknown. Looking for it to link it in response to the question I was responding to was my first realization that it was gone. Of course me being me, my own suppositions on the matter shouldn't be too hard to guess. -shrug-

#205 Cybermech

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 09:29 AM

http://mwomercs.com/...-the-periphery/
its been called the periphery which is a name thats going around, meme threads and stuff like it.

#206 Jestun

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 09:39 AM

View PostFactorlanP, on 31 August 2013 - 01:47 PM, said:

I still believe that the negative articles are necessary to force PGI to follow through on promises.

Honestly, If I were Russ and Bryan, I would be on these forums 10-12 hours a day over this weekend. Talking to people. Letting people vent in a way that they feel like they are being heard.

Then I would spend all day Monday compiling my notes from those talks and figure out a way to solve as many problems as possible. Then on Tuesday, I would make a Command Chair post detailing every thing that I took away from listening over the weekend, and how PGI is going to put what was learned to work.

Then I would spend the next 10-12 hours talking with people again. Listening, taking notes.

I would do it in a humble and open way. I would take the heat that would be sure to come my way, and resist the urge to snark back.

If I were Russ, I would make one last Tweet, saying that it was my last tweet. Then I would delete twitter from every device that I own.

I would make Garth useful. Have him be a real presence here on the forums. Engage people. Give him some authority to talk about things in the pipeline in a general way.

I would instruct ALL of the dept heads to make WEEKLY Command Chair posts detailing what the department is working on. Something for the maps guys, the system guys, the balance guys, the art guys, etc.

I would tear down the wall of silence with a deluge of information and transparency.

If something is behind schedule, I would be sure to say so as soon as I learn of it.

If there is a balance change that needs to be made, I would explain the reasoning behind it in detail. Then I would listen to the feedback. I might still make the change, but I would always keep open the option to roll an unpopular change back if it doesn't accomplish the goal.

And lastly, I would USE THIS COMMUNITY AS BETA TESTERS WHILE I CAN. Send it live and let the community try to BREAK IT!

The continued use of the Cone of Silence is only compounding the PR problem.

/rant off


I liked this.

Then I unliked it so I could like it again. Once wasn't enough.

#207 Deathlike

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 09:44 AM

View PostJason Parker, on 04 September 2013 - 07:57 AM, said:

Oh they had their share of community uproars already. Permadeath and more recently the start of the real-money shop system being the biggest such events. They caused some short timed controversies on their forums. They handled it brilliantly on both occasions by publishing articles from Chris Roberts on the NEXT DAY that explained their reasoning and plans in deep detail and in case of the shop-system start offered a set of possible solutions the community could vote about.

Without those good and timely delivered explanations their forums would already be in constant flamewars and they'd already have created a group within the community that hates what they're doing. But as it stands they are in CONSTANT dialog wih the community, take feedback to heart and by that instead of losing trust are building it and growing it EVERY DAY.

I mean one thing that needs to be mentioned is that their community manager Ben Lesnick actually went out and defended those giving negative feedback against "white knights" mocking them, telling them that such feedback is most valuable and important to the team.


If only this forum had such discussions....

#208 Cybermech

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 09:49 AM

while Russ stops tweeting and more open communication is defo whats needed :D
the whole articles are only forcing PGI to ignore more people and further the gap.
Some I'm lost, you either want better communication or you don't.

#209 Cybermech

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 09:55 AM

View PostDeathlike, on 04 September 2013 - 09:44 AM, said:


If only this forum had such discussions....



It did and went sour really fast, man those guys back in the day were just making stuff up with some much fail.

#210 Jestun

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 10:08 AM

View PostCybermech, on 04 September 2013 - 03:16 AM, said:


thank you for helping proof the falseness of these articles.


FYI you proved nothing as false.

You just said that you disagree with each point, with no proof whatsoever.

#211 Jestun

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 10:15 AM

View PostJason Parker, on 04 September 2013 - 07:57 AM, said:


Oh they had their share of community uproars already. Permadeath and more recently the start of the real-money shop system being the biggest such events. They caused some short timed controversies on their forums. They handled it brilliantly on both occasions by publishing articles from Chris Roberts on the NEXT DAY that explained their reasoning and plans in deep detail and in case of the shop-system start offered a set of possible solutions the community could vote about.

Without those good and timely delivered explanations their forums would already be in constant flamewars and they'd already have created a group within the community that hates what they're doing. But as it stands they are in CONSTANT dialog wih the community, take feedback to heart and by that instead of losing trust are building it and growing it EVERY DAY.

I mean one thing that needs to be mentioned is that their community manager Ben Lesnick actually went out and defended those giving negative feedback against "white knights" mocking them, telling them that such feedback is most valuable and important to the team.


Indeed. Thought I'd provide a link.

The Voyager Direct section of this SC news update (the cash shop: https://robertsspace...3241-17-Million

Vocal parts of the community felt the ship equipment prices in the hangar module combined with the rate at which you can buy the ingame currency made it seem like a cash grab.

Rather than ignoring the issue and hoping it would go away they explained in detail their intentions (that it was purely an option for people to support the game and there will be ways added to the alpha to earn currency ingame soon enough which is when they expect the actual testing to start), looked at the feedback that was given and are asking the community how they feel the situation would best be addressed (from free currency for testing to reduced prices) as well as giving every pledger an additional free amount of currency with a poll.

Edited by Jestun, 04 September 2013 - 10:16 AM.


#212 Jestun

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 10:19 AM

View PostCybermech, on 04 September 2013 - 09:49 AM, said:

while Russ stops tweeting and more open communication is defo whats needed :D
the whole articles are only forcing PGI to ignore more people and further the gap.
Some I'm lost, you either want better communication or you don't.

View PostCybermech, on 04 September 2013 - 09:49 AM, said:

while Russ stops tweeting and more open communication is defo whats needed :)
the whole articles are only forcing PGI to ignore more people and further the gap.
Some I'm lost, you either want better communication or you don't.


Their response to criticism should not be "ignore it".

They should look at the press they are getting and the word of mouth advertising the group they they proclaim is the "vocal minority" are giving given how close we are to launch and how little advertising they have done.

No one is implying they should make every decision as a democracy with the community. It's not a case of ignore them all the time or do everything they say, there are shades of grey.

#213 Cybermech

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 11:20 AM

the press is false in lots of ways.
pick one that I pointed out that was wrong.
what proof?
what do you mean?

you can't even pick out one of them.
YOUR POINT and others is that they should learn from this.
If its false which a lot of it is and I just pointed out all on page one of the article.

so while your pretending to be speaking for people all your doing is trying to proof that things are bad with false articles.
bravo to you


Edit: just cause you seem to be lacking the ability to link things together.
crying on the forums forced ALOT of people out of the forums a long time ago.
these false articles are FORCING PGI and others to ignore even more things.
why, cause there are false, your the one spreading lies, so now you get even more ignored.

it was open place for discussion but it was a long time ago, it went sour cause of all the crying.
now your continuing the process and thus making sure more people get ignored.

Edited by Cybermech, 04 September 2013 - 11:34 AM.


#214 Dr B00t

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 11:54 AM

View PostKovarD, on 30 August 2013 - 09:47 PM, said:

I would love to know how Russ is feeling right now with all bad press that is happening. Probably like that.

Sad thing is we tried to help, we warned them, but like Bryan said, we are the "vocal minority". :D

rofl thanks for posting that video...love those, made my day...surprised you didnt mention project phoenix suckering more people

View PostCybermech, on 04 September 2013 - 11:20 AM, said:

the press is false in lots of ways.
pick one that I pointed out that was wrong.
what proof?
what do you mean?

you can't even pick out one of them.
YOUR POINT and others is that they should learn from this.
If its false which a lot of it is and I just pointed out all on page one of the article.

so while your pretending to be speaking for people all your doing is trying to proof that things are bad with false articles.
bravo to you


Edit: just cause you seem to be lacking the ability to link things together.
crying on the forums forced ALOT of people out of the forums a long time ago.
these false articles are FORCING PGI and others to ignore even more things.
why, cause there are false, your the one spreading lies, so now you get even more ignored.

it was open place for discussion but it was a long time ago, it went sour cause of all the crying.
now your continuing the process and thus making sure more people get ignored.

you seem to suffer from serious delusions...might wanna seek professional help

Edited by Dr B00t, 04 September 2013 - 11:53 AM.


#215 Cybermech

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 12:05 PM

what are you talking about.
you guys are terrible at this and can't seem to nit pick at anything.
which is just priceless.

#216 Dr B00t

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 12:09 PM

View PostNicholas Carlyle, on 02 September 2013 - 06:57 AM, said:

One thing I've never understood, how do some founders have such low post counts? It basically means you joined the game, played and managed to give 0 input to PGI.

It would be one thing if PGI was doing poll's and such on the start of the game but they aren't.

It's sad that you'd spend money to help create MW:O then not do anything to help it become a better game.

i have a high post count and did like you said trying to help the game...but what's the point? to be ignored and told im not their target demographic? they dont even know what their demographic is obviously as i plunked down 60 bucks on a game sight unseen due to promises they made...and have now broken...

honestly if there were a class action lawsuit i would sign up

#217 Cybermech

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 12:13 PM

you mean the game developed during beta... how strange.
we were told back in the day that the game would be different.
it was something pointed out a few times.

#218 Dr B00t

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 12:28 PM

View PostCybermech, on 04 September 2013 - 12:13 PM, said:

you mean the game developed during beta... how strange.
we were told back in the day that the game would be different.
it was something pointed out a few times.

we were also promised a lot of things...i understand things change but breaking promises is bad for business...and is essentially lying

#219 Cybermech

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 12:34 PM

breaking promises can happen.
if they planned to have 3pv at the start then yes it was lying.
but they didn't, support for 3pv was over time with people requesting it too.
I didn't want it in, I know its advantages before hand and how it changes gameplay (for the worse in my opinion).
it got enough push to go forward and separate ques was the aim.
however if you thought separate ques would have been straight away well then that is just lying to yourself.
looks like 1pv for 12mans is incoming for launch, which is guna happen

#220 Chronojam

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Posted 04 September 2013 - 02:40 PM

View PostStoneMason, on 04 September 2013 - 04:53 AM, said:

When people talk about the "Vocal Minority" what they are really referring to is a large group of international Mechwarrior players who are likely to have been involved in fan-run competitive leagues at some point in the last fifteen years. These are people who continued to play a very flawed title, Mechwarrior 4, for over ten years waiting for MWO. They have seen every mistake made by PGI at least once before and they understand better than anyone how it will impact competitive play in the long term.

These are mature people who, on the whole, are either polite with their complaints or just leave quietly. They are middle aged, cashed up and probably running most of the in-game regiments/units you see on the forums. The developers have squandered one of the most cohesive and enthusiastic fan communities in PC gaming through poor communication and an indifferent attitude.

I was a member of one of those leagues, Net Battletech, only for about a year during high school. I met people from all over the world and have NEVER found an online community that was as passionate, friendly and mature.


Clearly not the Target Demographic. Hand over the cash and get lost.

Oh and you better not act upset either; otherwise you're a whiner (if you're polite) or a hater (if you're impolite).





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