Russ Bullock, on 12 September 2014 - 10:57 AM, said:
I say that this process is far too complicated and protracted, and designed to fail.
I support change to ECM, I do not like its implementation, but what I'm reading in Russ' post does not fill me with hope. Unfortunately I feel extremely skeptical about this.
I support the community making proposals, but the proposed process does not convey a willingness to openly listen to and then implement ideas.
If PGI were actually serious about implementing community feedback, then all that's required is to put out a survey with a wide variety of popular options. Some options would overlap and so common idea threads would be highlighted in the aggregate results.
All that's needed is a collaboration between a group of community-chosen reps and the game developer. Options are then put to a survey/poll.
I appreciate that not all community ideas are fair/fun/feasible and so not all things voted for should be implemented.
But ECM is definitely one feature where community feedback should have been listened to a long time ago.
Russ Bullock, on 12 September 2014 - 10:57 AM, said:
Do you think you the community can come to an agreed upon consensus? One in which if the changes are implemented everyone says great job PGI on listening to us now we feel great about ECM and your ability to listen to feedback?
It is abundantly clear that the community cannot come to a complete consensus, but this is natural and normal! Is this a backhanded comment by Russ about the community? Is Russ trying to buy peace in the midst of the Transverse backlash? Is he admitting the community have hated ECM for ages and PGI have intentionally not acted? Is he implying that the lack of consensus to date obliged PGI to say and do nothing?
Russ Bullock, on 12 September 2014 - 10:57 AM, said:
You the community decide how your going to present a proposal, nominate a peer that you feel has the best handle on this, put together your own player council whatever you like but present a proposal that your peers vote on. The vote would likely need to be far greater than just 51% in favor. Perhaps something more like 80+%
What's wrong with 50%? 60% is considered a landslide in elections. A vote of 80+% is extremely high and it takes an extraordinary event like the announcement of 3PV to get such a response.
It feels like this figure is deliberately picked to make it practically impossible to pass. Once voting fails to reach this criteria, the publicized conclusion will be that the community has spoken against the change.
Is this 80% of respondents? 80% of all subscribed players? 80% of active forum members? 80% of the council? This voting system requires clarification.
Russ Bullock, on 12 September 2014 - 10:57 AM, said:
At that point PGI will analyze the proposal, if we see any technical problems or balance problems that we feel perhaps you didnt see, we will point those items out to you. Then if necessary you can adjust your proposal and put it to a vote again, if successful PGI will again analyze and repeat if necessary until we have a final design solution for implementation.
So it's possible for PGI to nullify good feedback anyway. This could spiral on and on until fatigue sets in. Is an 80+% vote required each and every iteration? The counter-proposal could very well be not in people's favour, and therefore could fail at any step.
Russ Bullock, on 12 September 2014 - 10:57 AM, said:
PGI will then communicate how long it will take to implement with full explanation as to why, and we will patch the changes in upon the agreed upon delivery date. Once complete if this whole process has gone smoothly and civily we will proceed with doing things like this far more frequently or at least for other areas of the product that are controversial.
Will this impact the delivery of other features? Will this become a convenient reason for why other features are delayed?
What if the process is not civil? Will all future attempts at community engagement be abandoned?