Math Mathonwy's Alp thread.

[011121]

You have to consider the context. It is one thing to point out things they may disagree with in a thread full of battleports and actual examples (which they do)' date=' another to post in one of the quickly deteriorating Dreamer threads, which all end up locked anyway (because it clearly is too loaded a subject). [/quote']

But if I'm right it's precisely the lack of response that causes the threads to deteriorate. In other words I think you may be confusing the symptom for the disease.

Why draw some arbitrary distinction between two means of communication? The forum should be treated exactly the same as a telephone call, as should a twitter, an email, or semaphore. They're all means of communicating with the customer.

See I think that's a bad idea as it again provides deafening silence on the issue for anyone who might be watching without participating (which on a lot of forums at least is the vast majority of readers).

You'll be shocked to learn I strenuously disagree. The only reason to have a company forum is to facilitate direct communication. If it doesn't serve that purpose then let some fan site deal with all the headaches. Yes it's true that there may be some people who, if Wyrd said "we've heard a lot of concerns about alp bombs and we've looked into the issue and at this time we don't think there's an issue warranting an errata but we'll keep it in mind for future releases" would rage-quit. I think you'll find the number of people driven off by an impression that the company just doesn't care to be much larger. The issue is the rage quitter is loud about it so they seem much more important than they are.

Has not acknowledging them reduced the number? Apparently not, because it doesn't address the underlying concerns. As before this is the official site, if not used to communicate why bother having it?

I haven't been here very long and I joined right about the time of gencon so it may very well be an atypical time but honestly I've seen a lot of rules threads as well where people have been asking "where's wyrd's response?" I'm thinking here of the threads on Zoraida and if she can take two types of special forces, as well as others that I can't remember the issue on at the moment. As a new customer that certainly gave me pause. I've dealt with game companies that made awesome products but completely fell down on the job as far as customer outreach and it's just not worth it to continue with them. Like I said given the circumstances in this case I'm willing to extend some benefit of the doubt, but that only goes so far.

I thought this thread was exactly about communication since it was about why a thread got locked and what might be a better ways for wyrd to deal with the issue.

[011121]

Ok, let's look at the responses Wyrd has. Let's assume the topic of the thread is, "Alps bad, cuddle please." Wyrd responds.

1) "We agree! Alps are bad, they should be cuddled." They end up in an argument with the players who disagree. Threads start appearing about the impending changes, dreamer players put their alps up on ebay positive a terrible, game changing cuddle is coming. Keep in mind, we're talking about the internet here. In this place, the sky is in a constant state of falling.

2) "We disagree! Alps are fine." All the people complaining start moaning about how the alps will never be fixed and how they are going to quit the game. Also, arguing directly with Wyrd.

3) "We hear you, but will take no position." This is, in essence, the exact same thing as saying nothing. And will probably incite further bitching one way or another. "They heard our complaints, they know there's a problem! Why not just fix it!"

There will always be people who over-react and lack perspective. Who cares? The goal for Wyrd should be to maintain a healthy game (and hence a healthy income). If Alps are broken then they should absolutely fix them. If hey aren't broken then they shouldn't. But at the same time they should acknowledge the concerns of what may be a sizable number of players, even if they think they are completely bogus. That's just public relations 101. You don;t ignore people who are complaining about your product. If they have a point you make amends, if they don't you just try to make them feel validated by showing that you listened.

You can't please everyone but you can create an impression that you take your customers seriously. Even if behind close doors you slap your forehead about the idiots you have to deal with.

A long time ago I worked in phone support tech service. We got some unbelievably bone headed calls. Not only that but calls where people had been idiots and were raging at us for our stupidity. It didn't matter. Every call you treated the customer with respect and made sure you understood why they were frustrated (even if they had no cause) and you did what you could to help them. Sometimes they were still mad when they hung up but usually you could completely disarm the situation simply by making them feel heard, that you empathized with their aggravation.

It really does work. Even on the internet.

Give you an example- I started the LOLifaux thread. One of the mods changed the title. My first reaction was negative but he dropped a note saying "great thread- just tweaked the title" and i went back and looked at several people who had posted that they had thought it was "loli"faux. Just that simple act of acknowledging that he was doing something that could be taken as heavy handed or intrusive dispelled my initial reaction completely. Of course he had every right to change the title and could have done it without caring what my feelings were, but doing it that way probably would have made me think long and hard about posting here, and possibly the game in general.

Feelings are irrational, but they still matter. Wyrd doesn't have to abase themselves. But they'd be doing themselves a favor to openly acknowledge complaints. The goal is to make the customer think of themselves as part of a team with the provider.

sorry this was so long.

[Smokey616]

Here is a proposition quit moaning and grow a pair alp bomb players included. I happen to quite like the challenge of tearing one apart with he ortegas, and as a mostly neverborn player find it ruins the fun of the game to hit them with something so easy, especially when there is so much else the neverborn can pull from there ass. If this problem really is broken then why do alps die so easy? There are loads of ways around it, hence the fact that all these experienced players keep coming up with effective, plentiful and devastating ways around it. It's not jus the forums, friends of mine roll their eyes when I play neverborn for fear of it, even though I don't use alps for the "it's too easy" thing. If it really is causing loss of sleep or reduced enjoyment in the game then your opponent should have the decency to identify with this and do something about it! No matter how blind it's hard to enjoy a game that someone else really isn't. Sit tight, await ruling, endure the waves of alps and fill them with lead. Failing that... Poke your neverborn friends in the face until they bin their alps