How does everyone feel about Anet's communication and community interaction?

[Astralporing.1957]

> @"Randulf.7614" said:

> Well we got a significant roadmap after the lay offs.

We really didn't. We've got a bit of the general plans, but most of those were known long ago. And there were some key points on which they said nothing (expac for example).

 

I'd really want to hear from them about a real roadmap, including their thoughts about the future direction of the game, and about many "touchy" subjects people keep asking (like game difficulty for specific content types, legendary availability per content type and subtype, eyc.).

 

I'd like to hear that, but i don't really _expect_ it. While it's true that, at least for a while, the communication was better than average so far, it wasn't all that better, and they haven't really embraced that change. Not that i don't understand it - the level of communication we are speaking of can't depend on normal devs - it needs someone (or a _group_ of someones) for whom it is a primary job. And they don't have such a person. Gaile wasn't one, and i don't think Stephane is as well. It's not something that can just be left to individual devs (especially considering they aren''t exactly paid for it).

 

Besides, MO still runs things, and the communication model we've had so far is an extension of his views on it - and those, as far as i know, hadn't changed. For any significant changes to happen, the whole communication policy needs to change first, and that can only come from the top.

[Derdzvero.7051]

Communication... what communication? Ah, patch notes and TP announcements-yes, those are good.

[Crystal Black.8190]

While I would also like more information what anet is planning for gw2 in the future, I can understand that they dot want to, because in a game like GW there would be many people complaining or be disappointed if things turn out different. What I would like to see much more is more forum activity of the devs. I really enjoy asking Devs in other games why they did things this way and not another. Having a dev that works in this specific area answer just feels good and you know that the forums are read by them even if you can't get answers on everything. But a post here and there would really help to know that feedback in the forum is read and not just there for other players. I for example miss the reddit AMA's after a living story episodes. Guild chat is nice to get some questions answered, but I think a written form is more time efficient.

[Teratus.2859]

I very much enjoy the more open communicaton from Anet about the game and their plans for the future.

 

Even if that information is along the lines of we want to do this, we plan to do this but there's a chance it wont happen.. i'm still glad to know that whatever that was is something they wanted to work on.

 

Having nothing but silence leaves far too many questions floating around which can lead to people getting a little disheartened about the game and it's future.

[IndigoSundown.5419]

Would I _mind_ if ANet said more things more frequently? No, I wouldn't mind at all. Do I view them speaking up more as some sort of requirement for _my_ tastes? No, not at all. So, I am in the camp of those who would rather ANet do than talk.

 

However, the frequency with which this very complaint surfaces suggests that there is certainly a subset of forum users who want more communication, and feel such communication _is_ necessary to fuel (their) interest in the game. The real question, though, is whether those wanting to hear from ANet more frequently represent a sufficiently significant percentage of the total player-base to counterbalance whatever negative publicity is generated by "disappointed that X did not happen" posts.

 

ANet certainly ought to be in a better position to make that call than I am. However, some of ANet's decisions over the life of the game suggest that they could use someone in the decision loop who better understands the psychology of disparate player demographics. So, while they might have metrics galore, I think it is certainly possible that their communications' policy is ill-advised.

 

So, what's the solution? A regular Game Director's blog such as Colin Johanson published might be good. This could be monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly. Preface such a blog with a canned statement to the effect that, "Any game development referred to as "in discussion" may not happen, and I'll let you know if such things are off the table in a later article should that happen." That could mitigate the blow-back which happens when people are "disappointed" that something "promised" falls through.

 

Surely such a blog would generate interest among active players. It _could_ also get less active players interested again. It might even generate news about the game. While the gaming "media" generally leave something to be desired, there are a lot of them, and they need to regularly throw out something to get views.

 

The idea might be worth consideration.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

The players I know in-game never look at the forums, newletters, blogs, and rarely consult the Wiki.

I know I like Dev posts/statements/interviews; I'm not sure how many others care, though.

[Opopanax.1803]

I feel like they are doing better communicating than previously.

 

More would be even better.

[KryTiKaL.3125]

> @"Turkeyspit.3965" said:

> > @"Randulf.7614" said:

> > Communication is not and has never has been Anet's strength. They prefer to "surprise" and that philosophy is unlikely to ever change.

>

> That's my major complaint. I've played MMO's long enough to recognize that devs get little value from interacting with player base. Many of the requests levied are unreasonable, much of the feedback is short sighted, biased, or completely subjective, and no matter which way the devs might turn, they will be wrong. Additionally, forums in general comprise a very small subset of the player base, often dominated by the most vocal (usually embittered) players, which provide a very slanted view of the game.

>

> But, this concept that ANET can't tells us what is coming until the day, or even week before, to me at least, is bothersome. They did a huge media campaign for the Skyscale, but skipped over the (now apparent) most important aspect: the collection. The whole event at the Mystic Forge was a dog's breakfast, and even when the event returned, many players didn't even know it was going on.

>

> I know I can't expect to have what I used to get when I played WoW: websites full of data mined information, videos taken from the PTR, write ups, etc.

>

> But I would like more than what we have.

>

> Apparently when Dragon Bash is released, we will be getting a Skyscale Mount pack in the Gem Store. I bet many a player would liked to have known that when the 2000 gem Skyscale skin went up on the store the other week. Maybe they would still have bought it, but maybe some would have opted instead to save their gems for the other pack.

>

> I find this deliberate withholding of information to be quite unpalatable. By all means, only confirm what you know is ready to launch, even if only a few weeks in advance. But that I have to rely on third party media sites for information, or wait until the 'day of', just doesn't sit well with me.

>

> For the record, I've never felt 'pleasantly' surprised during any of this, so whatever strategy ANET has for 'surprising' us, it isn't working, at least for me.

>

> EDIT: link added with additional info on Dragon's Bash https://www.mmorpg.com/guild-wars-2/columns/guild-wars-2-the-dragon-bash-festival-2019-1000013737

 

Depends on which requests they pay attention to. You have to be very picky and careful with what community suggestions are actually warranted to be implemented and which ones are just obscenely bias. Most of the time "Balance" suggestions are the ones that they really shouldn't pay attention to, particularly in relation to the impulsive and purely knee-jerk reaction suggestions of "NERF THIS CLASS" especially when those individuals to provide a "why" for it.

 

I've been personally spoiled by some other games that I play. Warframe and BDO particularly.

 

Warframe's devs are pretty transparent and communicate pretty well with their community. They have a weekly devstream where they discuss what they are working on, talk about problems and changes that need to b addressed, as well as impending content updates in the short term (sometimes long term). Warframe also has semi-frequent events, many of them repeats, but the rewards of them are tangible and useful so even if its the same event several times in one year, or a few times in a year, players can get access to these rewards and benefit from them.

 

BDO (Black Desert Online) is not as great in the communication department, still honestly better than Anet with GW2, but they still keep the game constantly running with events. There is practically never *not* an event running in that game, its either something to do with grinding monsters, gathering or fishing or it just involves an additional login reward pool, and other times it can just be something where you just need to be logged in for a couple of hours. They always have something going which keeps players playing and keeps them looking forward to what could come next. They also have the added benefit of their free updates that have added classes and new weapons, new zones, or balance patches or QoL fixes that go through the pipe almost every week. They also have the benefit of something for balance and update quality that GW2 doesn't. A test server.

 

GW2 is nearly 7 years old, just a couple months from now, and a game less than half of its age put up a test server before GW2 did. Thats...kind of sad, especially if you consider where balance is at these days. Its a tragedy on all fronts. I feel like they are completely capable of doing it, they have their own in-house dev environment...why not duplicate it onto some servers and give players access? Sure it might break because a lot of the changes would be in development...*but thats the point*. This is particularly important for balance patches...Anet needs a test server, they clearly do not do the job right just on their own internal testing and the live environment for the game *should not* be where these things are further tested.

 

ArenaNet needs to really focus on improving a lot of things while they have this time between expansions as they work on Season 5 of Living World.

 

* PvP content needs to be addressed, both sPvP and WvW. Currently sPvP Ranked is a joke. Its the same few people in the top spots on the leaderboard and they only get there through manipulating and loopholing the matchmaking system with off hours queuing and queuing alongside their friends to try and manipulate the matches. WvW as well has *no reason* to even try to win, not even a reason to win your matchup for that week. This gives no one incentive to actually improve, it gives no one incentive to care about WvW. There needs to be at least some *reason* to win your weeks matchup and a reason to even be in Tier 1 WvW, which currently that doesn't even come with clout or bragging rights...because no one cares. There is also the *lack of* PvP content. WvW and sPvP are fine but...honestly would be it be such a bad idea to add GvG? I know they've apparently said in the past that they don't intend to support it, but seriously they need to. Conquest isn't cutting it, their "esports" relevance has already gone out the window ever since ESL pulled out pre-PoF in 2017 so whats the risk they take with trying to implement a GW2 appropriate GvG mode based off of GW1 GvG? Seeing as they are already trying to replace sPvP Ranked with ATs and other Tournament mechanics they could easily rework Ranked to be GvG, or have GvG be a completely separate mode from WvW and sPvP and simply turn sPvP Ranked into 2v2 only (they have a map for it) where the leaderboard is based off of teams rather than individuals...like any other sensible PvP ranked mode in many other games.

* PvE Content is probably the most focused upon content in the game yet it is still lacking. Its abundant, sure, but its not challenging. Open World PvE is some of the most boring, time gated and unsatisfying PvE content I have encountered, and this is coming from someone who *grinds* the same packs of mobs on a rotation for 3+ hours on Black Desert Online. GW2 Open World PvE is just...not terribly rewarding based on time invested with it. Fractals are a bit better, but even so they are still time gated due to the dailies associated with them and at the end of the day still not terribly challenging. Raids are better than Fractals, slightly more rewarding and a bit more challenging but we are talking about a *really low bar* for what is a challenge in GW2. How long does it even take to clear one of the new Raids once they release? Pretty sure the top raid guilds cleared the whole thing *on the same day* that it released. Even on WoW it takes the top tier raiding guilds weeks to maybe a month or more to clear the hardest difficulties in raids. There is also the problem with Dungeons having been completely abandoned, they aren't even useful for the cosmetics because you can just get them elsewhere and trying to find a group for them is almost impossible because barely anyone even bothers with them. Dungeons need a similar treatment that Campaign Missions in GW1 got; they need a Hard Mode, or a challenge mode. Something that makes them much more difficulty but also give more rewards.

* QoL changes need to be addressed. This is stuff that ranges from bugs that are still around to functions that just need fixing or tuning. Projectiles in combat, for instance, are horribly inconsistent as they will just randomly decide to be "Obstructed" or say "Out of Range" even though all range and line of sight requirements are being met. Yet we have Rangers with Longbow that can hit enemy targets (enemy mobs and players alike) at 1,750 units rather than 1,500 as their skills say. There are also several terrain glitches like getting knocked through walls that need to be addressed, as well as in WvW (specifically the Desert Borderlands) having Keep and Tower walls just not be where they are supposed to be which leaves little pockets of space that look weird and also provide people with places to hide. This also goes for some of the terrain exploits still in the Desert Borderlands that allows for people to get inside of Keeps without having broken a gate or wall.

* Balance. The dreaded B word. Anet has a problem with it...in that they don't know what they are doing. They might be okay at it with PvE...kind of, but in PvP its a nightmare. They try to address a problem with a class but either end up making the problem *worse* or the change they implement just doesn't affect it at all. And for some problem builds...they haven't bothered addressing *ever* despite the issue existing for years now. It just feels like they don't play their own game, or they do play their own game but not at a competent enough level to actually *see* why these things are issues. They also apparently balance around "theme" which makes things horribly inconsistent when it comes to class mechanics. Take Berserker and Soulbeast for example; Soulbeast has Beast Mode which gives them a stat boost when they enter it, they are able to stay in Beast Mode indefinitely until they *choose* to end it which when they do the skill goes onto a 10 second cooldown. Berserker has Berserk Mode which gives boons and a stat boost when they enter it but they have to build a full *3* bars of Adrenaline to do so, they remain in Berserk Mode for the duration (15-20 seconds depend on traits) and they cannot choose to leave it. Once it expires they yet again have to build 3 full bars of Adrenaline to enter Berserk Mode once again. Explain to me how this makes sense? This isn't a complaint about how strong or weak either of them are, its about the function of those skills. Berserker gets a stat boost mode, its on a duration so as to balance it out and not make Warriors excessively strong...yet here comes Anet with Soulbeast and gives them a similar mode and lets them stay in it however long they want. Makes no sense.

 

As much of a wall of text this was, which I apologize for, the point is that ArenaNet needs to figure this stuff out and address it. In regards to their communication problems, I understand the reluctance and the fear that people will take what they say as a promise and get angry when that promise isn't specifically delivered upon but if they just make a point to emphasize and detail "This is all a work in progress" and take a similar route as Warframe's Devs Digital Extremes and have a weekly devstream to talk about upcoming plans, ideas, content, and changes to the game both balance and otherwise and start to create a better rapport with us as a community then they may see a big upswing in positive and useful feedback on the game.

 

P.S Add a test server...seriously...

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

^I feel sure I've read this before. Perhaps, I'm just getting really old.

 

I think the ArenaNet does ok; I'd always like more, but getting and playing content is what is important.

[Ben K.6238]

Test servers may not always be a reasonable approach. The content has to be essentially finished before it can be available on a public test server, and that may not happen until very shortly before release.

[KryTiKaL.3125]

So then allow for additional time for those things to be tested... particularly balance changes.

 

In what way is it a bad idea for that to be the process they follow? Balance patch comes out later or slower? You mean slower than the 3 to 4 month span of time between their balance patches in the past? Pushing them in a semi-working state to a test server might actually speed up the process with more eyes, the players, on the changes and more people testing them out.

 

Thats how the development cycle should be, no one goes to a test server and expects everything to be working 100% or that it will be final, thats why those test servers typically come with a disclaimer about that sort of thing.

 

Also @"Inculpatus cedo.9234", I can understand that sentiment...I've felt similarly for a long time now. "They do okay, I'd like more but its fine." It really isn't because these problems compound more and more as time goes on and if there is no one around willing to call the developers out to make an effort to do better then nothing will improve and things may just get worse.

 

[Omernon.9762]

> @"Ashen.2907" said:

> > @"Zexanima.7851" said:

> > > @"Ashen.2907" said:

> > > When I buy a product I dont expect the company to spend a ton of time "communicating" with me after the fact. If there is a problem with the product I will open a line of communication with them, and perhaps expect them to make some sort of announcement about a fix at that time. As a result I consider any of the communication mentioned in passing by the OP to be a bonus.

> >

> > This makes sense if it was a single player game I buy once and play it through and thats it. This is more akin to a service than a single purchase product though. I continue to pay them money for continuous content. When that's the case I kind of expect to hear news and updates from them on a cadence about where the product is heading if they expect me to continue to invest time and money into it. It's not twisting their arm to expect this as many game companies do this. Even single player game companies will do this even though it's not strictly necessary in their case.

>

> I don't invest money in a game. Even an ongoing game such as an MMO. I buy a product or products. When I buy something in the gem store I am buying that thing, if, and only if, that thing is worth my money.

>

> Similarly, I do not invest time in a game. I play it. But only when it is enjoyable for me to do so. I don't when it is not.

>

> Of course each player makes such decisions for themselves.

 

The difference is that If you buy any other product, then you actually own it and you can do whatever you want with it. In case of Guild Wars 2, other MMOs and most DRM games - you buy a license to play it. It basically means that they can at any moment plug off all their servers and you won’t get refunded. All your gem store items, all your achievements and all of your progress will be permanently lost without compensation.

 

Anyway, I’m working in game development and communication between players and developers is a vital thing (regardless if the game is single- or multiplayer), especially nowadays where games are so expensive to make. It’s also important to remember that developers are in fact artists and they have their own vision of the game, which sometimes may not be in line with the expectations of players, but this makes the importance of communication even more crucial.

 

Being a hardcore MMORPG player for decades now, for me playing MMORPG is a time investment. It’s not always fun, because often you need to work hard (grind) to achieve something, but just like with jobs in real life - the outcome is what really matters and the sense of accomplishment that follows. Not only this, but the fact that you can share the fruit of your labor with others is what makes MMORPGs special - they are really a virtual world that you can sink into.

 

This is primary reason why I believe communication is especially important for MMORPGs, because like many other players, I want to know in what direction Guild Wars 2 is heading. It’s important for me now more than ever, because World of Warcraft Classic is on the horizon and if ANet won’t present us with any concrete informations regarding game’s future, then I will eventually have to say farewell to this once great game series (been here since Prophecies).

[Jski.6180]

> @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> ^I feel sure I've read this before. Perhaps, I'm just getting really old.

>

> I think the ArenaNet does ok; I'd always like more, but getting and playing content is what is important.

 

They keep getting said over and over so we just all played this game too long thinking any thing we say is getting though in a meaningful way (so game years old hehe).

 

Some of the content is more important to anet then other content. If you happen to play the "right" content in anet eyes you will not see the massive problems with the game and anet in-ability to deal with criticize.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

Not word for word, especially such a long post.

[Ashantara.8731]

There is only one thing I am curious about, and that is whether expansions are still a thing.

 

Apart from that, I think communications have been a lot better and am glad we got the information we received.

[Trise.2865]

It could be better.

 

On the other hand, with the way you people behave, I'm amazed they still *have* a Community team.

[Grim West.3194]

We all would like more communication. But that is not an easy sea to navigate. Players will tear apart and attack everything they say, while drawing false conclusions.

 

Besides, actions speak louder than words. And ANET has many promises that have not been acted on even after 7 years.

[Ashen.2907]

> @"Omernon.9762" said:

> > @"Ashen.2907" said:

> > > @"Zexanima.7851" said:

> > > > @"Ashen.2907" said:

> > > > When I buy a product I dont expect the company to spend a ton of time "communicating" with me after the fact. If there is a problem with the product I will open a line of communication with them, and perhaps expect them to make some sort of announcement about a fix at that time. As a result I consider any of the communication mentioned in passing by the OP to be a bonus.

> > >

> > > This makes sense if it was a single player game I buy once and play it through and thats it. This is more akin to a service than a single purchase product though. I continue to pay them money for continuous content. When that's the case I kind of expect to hear news and updates from them on a cadence about where the product is heading if they expect me to continue to invest time and money into it. It's not twisting their arm to expect this as many game companies do this. Even single player game companies will do this even though it's not strictly necessary in their case.

> >

> > I don't invest money in a game. Even an ongoing game such as an MMO. I buy a product or products. When I buy something in the gem store I am buying that thing, if, and only if, that thing is worth my money.

> >

> > Similarly, I do not invest time in a game. I play it. But only when it is enjoyable for me to do so. I don't when it is not.

> >

> > Of course each player makes such decisions for themselves.

>

> The difference is that If you buy any other product, then you actually own it and you can do whatever you want with it. In case of Guild Wars 2, other MMOs and most DRM games - you buy a license to play it. It basically means that they can at any moment plug off all their servers and you won’t get refunded. All your gem store items, all your achievements and all of your progress will be permanently lost without compensation.

>

>

Sure that is a difference, but not particularly relevant to my point or the topic at hand. Nor is it exclusive to mmos or computer games in general.

[maddoctor.2738]

> @"Trise.2865" said:

> It could be better.

>

> On the other hand, with the way you people behave, I'm amazed they still *have* a Community team.

 

Given how in some cases they not only fail to communicate, but do things against what they said before, without warning, it's not the behavior of the "people" that is a problem, but rather the disconnect between the development team and the community team.

 

Take a look at the recent LI->LD conversion removal, that went against what they said in the past (that it was going to be permanent) and at the same time happened without any kind of warning.

 

The developer response?

https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/comment/951759/#Comment_951759

or for those that don't want to click:

> After talking to the team, we want to make clear that we intended to communicate this change before the update so that the community is aware. Unfortunately this didn’t happen and we apologize for this miscommunication.

 

Lack of communication is one thing, but miscommunication is far worse. I mean they say they intended to communicate this change, but they didn't and went with it anyway. What does that tell us about their communication?

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

It tells us someone, someone human, made a mistake.

[Chasind.3128]

PVErs/ casuals >>>> People who want GvG & better PvP modes - that's how I feel about the game & the dev team, When people who have yet to play gw2 ask me about the PvP or the large open world fights, I just tell them to play something else.

There was some plan to encourage GvG but that was just to keep players in WvW, then the plan was secretly scrapped & we're all the John Travolta meme wondering where our GvG is -- but look guys! more mount and logging skins!

[Puma.3645]

honestly I play Lotro, and the community managers and devs are usually always letting people know what they plan next, or at least give a little hints.

I think that's why its hard to stay excited in gw2,(for me at least) theres never much contact with anet

[Zuldari.3940]

I have been playing mmo's for a long time and one thing i know is your playerbase needs to see a future in the game. If you dont propose to them that future they get restless. I dont think they communicate with the players esp when it comes to things they planned to do and didnt. I hear from people all the time that they were going to change wvw with alliances, no word and its been a while.

 

> @"Puma.3645" said:

> honestly I play Lotro, and the community managers and devs are usually always letting people know what they plan next, or at least give a little hints.

> I think that's why its hard to stay excited in gw2,(for me at least) theres never much contact with anet

 

This is the point , you have to let the players know some plans or otherwise it looks like maintenance mode with little coming out.

[Obtena.7952]

Honestly, other than the reasons for game changes and the future plans, everything else is just noise. The BEST think Anet can do IMO is just provide the factual information on those two things and avoid a conversation with people.

[mdee.5194]

Maybe there isnt any factual information available at this time because NCsoft hasnt decided as yet what the future for this game will be/.