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ezrasteel1
Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 109 Bounty Hunter
While I know that the game is a bit away from completion, there is one area that I would like to see some discussion on and that is the players role in the development of the game after release.
CCP, the producers of EVE, implemented a program in which there is an elected council that meets with the developers and discusses various aspects of the game. The discussions cover a wide range of topics, such as, bug fixes, improvements, future plans, etc. Obviously sensitive areas are covered by a NDA, but the other information is then released to the general gaming population.
This approach gives the player base a more substantial feel of ownership of the game and makes for a two way communication that is often missing in MMO's. While the exact approach used by CCP may or may not be the best method, I do believe implementing something of this nature at the very outset of the game will go a long way in showing the player base the developers commitment to producing the best game possible, one that takes into account player feedback and suggestions.
Well, that's all I have to say for the moment, thoughts?
My Best,
Ezra Steel
CCP, the producers of EVE, implemented a program in which there is an elected council that meets with the developers and discusses various aspects of the game. The discussions cover a wide range of topics, such as, bug fixes, improvements, future plans, etc. Obviously sensitive areas are covered by a NDA, but the other information is then released to the general gaming population.
This approach gives the player base a more substantial feel of ownership of the game and makes for a two way communication that is often missing in MMO's. While the exact approach used by CCP may or may not be the best method, I do believe implementing something of this nature at the very outset of the game will go a long way in showing the player base the developers commitment to producing the best game possible, one that takes into account player feedback and suggestions.
Well, that's all I have to say for the moment, thoughts?
My Best,
Ezra Steel
Post edited by ezrasteel1 on
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Comments
In themepark MMOs you don't really need people's contribution that much, as they only populate the world and their effect on it is minimal. It can possibly be good, in the form of UGC for example, but for the most part it's better to leave things up to the devs themselves. Players are not professionals - they may have some good ideas, but some things need to be left for the devs alone, both because players have proven to more often than not lacking the ability to think about the good of the game in the long run, and to maintain the creative vision of the devs. Especialy in a f2p MMO, where monetisation must be litteraly built in the game features, you do NOT want to involve your customers too much.
The forums are here, and the devs can easily get all the feedback they need. There is no reason for anything else in a themepark game.
However, I do agree with vindicon on this. Being that the majority of the content of the game will be user generated as it is, what purpose would the summit serve other than a role the forums already fill? I think good, player moderator's of the forums that have direct lines of communication should be enough to fill that void and they are already taking apps for that, so good on them.
You just say that cause you want to be one. :P
I will CRUSH ALL WHO OPPOSE...oh wait, that's for late 2013....
Yeah, that's right, I want to work with the community, build a rapport of love and harmony....and hear the lamentation of the wom...dang it, my timeline speeches are out of order!
Wouldn't mods be doing (volonteeeery) this already as side-job?
Mods look after the forum, while these kinds of volunteers mentioned before look after the whole of the player gamers. It's like a wiki editor versus an alderman.
Mods also are a sort of link between forum community and company. If there is an issue within the forums, that perhaps also extends to the game, the mods can bring it to the attention of the higher ups in hope of a solution.
It can be extended in a managerial kind of way. Mods can make a single thread for all questions and keep moving questions asked at various other places to single thread (they can move posts, right?). This way, devs won't have to go through irrelevant posts and can concentrate on a single thread with regular responses.
Mods at raiderz do bring important issues in forums to the attention of devs by sending PM to devs. Though it is limited to technical issues mostly. But I do agree that PWE mods are basically forum managers:-
So there you have it. They are forum managers and not decision makers. But still I do guess that they will have certain influence and weight (the devs will respond more favorably to them as they know that mod will only ask devs serious questions and not like "i can haz beta?")