If you've spent any amount of time on the forums, you're sure to have witnessed people on both sides putting across their arguments in a way that suggests colossal mental incompetence. This was what I was referring to. Anyone with any measure of impartiality can see both sides have relevant points. /edit
I had discussion recently with a friend, who (rightfully) pointed out that many people complaining about this game are doing so in a way that is both unreasonable and in a manner that's far from constructive.
This game is a Beta, it should/will improve. Hopefully PGI gets it right sooner rather than later, but there you go, we don't really have a say in this.
But one point I think is beyond dispute: PGI is currently not handling this 'beta' issue very well.
What do I mean? Simple.
Symptom:
Many people complaining.
PARTIALLY correct reason:
People are not clever, and have no idea what a Beta entails, or have the wrong expectations of a Beta.
However:
MAIN REASON:
PGI have completely fluffed up and muddied the waters in establishing people's expectations as to what the game currently is (a Beta).
Result:
Some people really had/have no idea this is a Beta. Especially from the ads. Even the 'Beta' addendum to the client was only added very recently a patch or two ago.
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I'm sure many of you have seen the Google AdSense MWO ads. Now of all the things that come to mind when you see those ads, where does 'BETA' come to mind?
Its certainly not one of the first few.
So you have excited people clicking, coming in, and signing on.
Then being comprehensively... violated through the exit portion of their anatomy.
Or tearing their hair out because of technical issues, of which quite a few exist. Completely within normal limits for a beta. Something that doesn't assuage anger to someone unaware of said beta status.
And futilely searching for some official documentation to help them along... and finding little exists aside from some useful community guides we have.
Made far worse by the fact MW/BT isn't exactly that intuitive to get into.
The attrition rate for new players to MWO must currently be atrocious. And the worst thing is, people probably have little to no idea at all this is a beta.
Considering the not insignificant amount of money that is charged by AdSense, it just seems like such a colossal waste.
Maybe its a matter of trying to stop the play now all the horses have exited stage left. But this is one thing that PGI should be looking at trying to address alongside getting the game up to scratch.
Surely having people try MWO in its current state under such wrong impressions, have them get upset, then go and badmouth the game to a bunch of their other friends isn't something PGI wants to be putting money into.
If those of us who KNOW this is a beta get can get annoyed as it is, surely the experience for others must be far worse.
Edited by Valore, 10 January 2013 - 04:53 AM.