"Best Answer" Thoughts

[MrDeathTrout]

I have mixed feelings on the "best answer" green check in the forums.  

On one hand it is great to have some feedback from Wyrd to settle thorny issues.

On the other hand.  Wyrd stopped responding in forums when M2E came out since people had to search for forums for answers to rules questions.  I could be very difficult to find the right answer and not practical during a game.  All official responses come from the FAQ so you have one source to check and it is easily referenced during a game or tournament.  Now we're getting back into the same situation.  According to Wyrd the responses are not official, but they are marking the best answer and locking the tread so no further discussion can take place.  Is that really different?

IMHO: If the community cannot come to a consensus on a question and Wyrd thinks it is important enough to be addressed it should be in the FAQ. 

Thanks

 

[Lucidicide]

The thread you are referencing had the original question answered by a direct rules quote, which everyone in the thread (including the OP) agreed on. When the discussion started to degenerate into other things (after it had been solved), I locked the thread because it was off topic. I checked Best Answer because it was a quote from the rules that answered the question to everyone's satisfaction.

I'll happily go back and uncheck the Best Answer, but the thread needed to be locked. If you are still confused about the issue, feel free to start a new thread about it. I have no issue with the rules being discussed further.

There is really no change in policy here. I was trying to avoid an argument on the forum about non-rules issues after the community had come to a consensus. Looks like I made a mistake in checking Best Answer; won't happen again.

[Tuttleboy]

Quite honestly I hate there best answer thing. It's almost like a popularity contest imo.

[Lucidicide]

Just now, Tuttleboy said:

Quite honestly I hate there best answer thing. It's almost like a popularity contest imo.

Well, best answer can't be set by the community. There's just up-votes and down-votes.

When we went to the new forum and this feature became available, I conducted a poll to see what people preferred. This style won out. I'm uncommitted either way, though. If people would prefer the other, we can definitely change it to a "normal" forum. Feel free to start a poll if you feel strongly about it, and we'll take it from there.

As always, this forum is for you all, so we'll do our best to make it what you'd like it to be (within reason).

[MrDeathTrout]

 

On 4/5/2016 at 2:50 PM, Aaron said:

Well, best answer can't be set by the community. There's just up-votes and down-votes.

When we went to the new forum and this feature became available, I conducted a poll to see what people preferred. This style won out. I'm uncommitted either way, though. If people would prefer the other, we can definitely change it to a "normal" forum. Feel free to start a poll if you feel strongly about it, and we'll take it from there.

As always, this forum is for you all, so we'll do our best to make it what you'd like it to be (within reason).

Fair enough, locking of that thread was warranted for reasons not related to best answer.  The core issue remains.  I agree with Wyrd's stance to stop posting answers in the forums when they released M2E.  Best answer in any form seems like it is open up the same can of worms all over again.

Settling a rule dispute I rely on (1) Rulebook, (2) FAQ, (3) what I can recall from the forums, and (4) last my best judgment.  Every time I make a call I'm not 100% I research it later so next time I'm better prepared and let the involved players know if I was wrong so next time they know as well.  If during a tournament I make a call and someone says "But Wyrd said X was the best answer in the forums" that puts me in a difficult situation. I know what I think the best answer is, but if I'n not 100% sure that puts a lot of doubt in my mind.  Did I miss that post, or forget it?  Did they misremember or misunderstand it, and are wrong?  If the same situation came up and they said the FAQ says X. That can be checked easily and quickly, not so for the forums.  If I make the wrong call it could cost someone a win or winning the entire tournament, I know in the grand scheme of life making the right ruling is not important, but I still take it seriously and the "best answer" mechanic makes it more difficult for me, not easier.  

I do love it when you guys do make rulings in the FAQ, that makes my job easier. I'd like to see more of that, though I know FAQ bloat is also a concern.

To summarize, Wyrd stopped posting answers to questions in the forums for very good reasons, this seems no different to me.  Any thing important enough for you to rule on belongs where it is easy to find (in the FAQ).

I know you guys have a very tough job and deal will all sorts of criticism every day.  So I don't post criticism of your decisions lightly, but I hope this thread is constructive and want you to know I'm very happy with Wyrd you guys do a great job.  Malifaux is head and shoulders above any other table top game I've played, you respond to our concerns, and do your best to please as many people as possible.  The fact that you took the time to read my concern and then responded shows why Wyrd is so great.  I've worked with the public before, it is not an easy thing to do.  Anyway thanks for reading my concerns, I'm sure guys will do what is you think is best for the game.  I might be in the minority not liking the "best answer" mechanic.  That's why I posted this so other could agree or shout me down.

Thank you