I believe regular email would be better. Problem is, there is probably a great many who don't read email, in-game or otherwise. They could put links to "SUPER IMPORTANT NEWS!! MUST READ!!" in large font with blinking text on the launcher and people still wouldn't click on it.
I'm not saying Cryptic is perfect at getting important news out in a centralized way - far from it. However, this is also a situation where they are damned if they do, damned if they don't. The seem to reach quite a lot of people via Twitter and Reddit.
Regular email is out-of-game, however. If you want to reach the players of your game, send the message in-game. Any means of external communication doesn't cover it. I mean STO has a in-game mail system in theory. Way before PWE took over, forum private messages and in-game mail were even linked, so you could even communicate outside of the game with other people's forum accounts. The technology for having a really useful in-game mail system are there, they just have to use it.
^ Memory Alpha.org is not canon. It's a open wiki with arbitrary rules. Only what can be cited from an episode is. ^
"No. Men do not roar. Women roar. Then they hurl heavy objects... and claw at you." -Worf, son of Mogh
"A filthy, mangy beast, but in its bony breast beat the heart of a warrior" - "faithful" (...) "but ever-ready to follow the call of the wild." - Martok, about a Targ
"That pig smelled horrid. A sweet-sour, extremely pungent odor. I showered and showered, and it took me a week to get rid of it!" - Robert Justman, appreciating Emmy-Lou
They seem to do pretty well communicating new content/C-Store sales etc. using external email.
Sure. In-game mail would reach 100% of the players, though. Email doesn't.
^ Memory Alpha.org is not canon. It's a open wiki with arbitrary rules. Only what can be cited from an episode is. ^
"No. Men do not roar. Women roar. Then they hurl heavy objects... and claw at you." -Worf, son of Mogh
"A filthy, mangy beast, but in its bony breast beat the heart of a warrior" - "faithful" (...) "but ever-ready to follow the call of the wild." - Martok, about a Targ
"That pig smelled horrid. A sweet-sour, extremely pungent odor. I showered and showered, and it took me a week to get rid of it!" - Robert Justman, appreciating Emmy-Lou
Unless they removed it - they have the ability to auto popup a window with any Bulletin they care to advertise when a player first logs into the actual game (They used it back in LoR a couple of times).
^^^
They could post patch notes and major changes there. And if the player just quickly clicks it off - that's on the Player.
Formerly known as Armsman from June 2008 to June 20, 2012 PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
A normie goes "Oh, what's this?"
An otaku goes "UwU, what's this?"
A furry goes "OwO, what's this?"
A werewolf goes "Awoo, what's this?"
"It's nothing personal, I just don't feel like I've gotten to know a person until I've sniffed their crotch." "We said 'no' to Mr. Curiosity. We're not home. Curiosity is not welcome, it is not to be invited in. Curiosity...is bad. It gets you in trouble, it gets you killed, and more importantly...it makes you poor!"
Passion and Serenity are one.
I gain power by understanding both.
In the chaos of their battle, I bring order.
I am a shadow, darkness born from light.
The Force is united within me.
No MMO on Earth posts patch notes in- game, not a single one. So why should Cryptic have to do something nobody else in the industry does? Not even the big bad Blizzard does that.
Everquest used to in it''s very early days. And come on when they do make a MAJOR change that affects in game commodities or items that they are effectively making useless (IE Original STO Ground Kits) they AT LEAST will make an announcement of major stuff like that in game 99 times out of 100.
Formerly known as Armsman from June 2008 to June 20, 2012 PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
No MMO on Earth posts patch notes in- game, not a single one. So why should Cryptic have to do something nobody else in the industry does? Not even the big bad Blizzard does that.
This isn't really about putting the patch notes in game. More like a heads up that important changes are coming rather than just some glitch fixes. Something as basic as "Captain! It is imperative you read the patch notes at this link for vital information materially affecting you, and your crew!" with the link right there.
I know you are very happy with the change. It remains to be seen how this will affect everything, but it may be pretty OK. If so, then great. I have yet to be thrilled by it in actual practice, but I may gradually appreciate it more.
Meanwhile a lot of people were caught of guard. If a change is more than just making sure your palettes look right on your uniform, but is actually up front going to cost you gear, or time spent on something, it might be worth making a more significant announcement. At the bare minimum it would be more polite to draw extra attention to the situation, where it will be put in front of everyone.
So just make it clear to the player, that the changes are not small, but are rather serious, and they should go to the stupid link.
Check out EverQuest, EverQuest II, SWTOR, or LotRO for that matter. Plenty of in-game email from the game company. Usually from some in-game NPC or Consortium.
'But to be logical is not to be right', and 'nothing' on God's earth could ever 'make it' right!'
Judge Dan Haywood
'As l speak now, the words are forming in my head.
l don't know.
l really don't know what l'm about to say, except l have a feeling about it.
That l must repeat the words that come without my knowledge.'
No MMO on Earth posts patch notes in- game, not a single one. So why should Cryptic have to do something nobody else in the industry does? Not even the big bad Blizzard does that.
You are absolutely right. One should never be the first or try out new things, it could disrupt the monotony on the market
^ Memory Alpha.org is not canon. It's a open wiki with arbitrary rules. Only what can be cited from an episode is. ^
"No. Men do not roar. Women roar. Then they hurl heavy objects... and claw at you." -Worf, son of Mogh
"A filthy, mangy beast, but in its bony breast beat the heart of a warrior" - "faithful" (...) "but ever-ready to follow the call of the wild." - Martok, about a Targ
"That pig smelled horrid. A sweet-sour, extremely pungent odor. I showered and showered, and it took me a week to get rid of it!" - Robert Justman, appreciating Emmy-Lou
Why not an 'Important Notice' popup or something on the character select screen that a player has to close before they can actually select a character and start playing? Then, if they don't both reading it and thus know nothing about what's coming, it's on them...
"If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross; but it's not for the timid." -- Q, TNG: "Q-Who?"
^Words that every player should keep in mind, especially whenever there's a problem with the game...
Why not an 'Important Notice' popup or something on the character select screen that a player has to close before they can actually select a character and start playing? Then, if they don't both reading it and thus know nothing about what's coming, it's on them...
Yes I am quite unaffected by the change, & I wasn't the least bit surprised by it since I have read all patch notes since season 5. However, given my personal experience of linking the patch notes in chat for another player to see them only for that player to categorically refuse to read them just to see that player the next day bitching for several hours about the changes that I and others tried to inform him of, this has happened many times.
No matter how well ypu try to communicate some people will refuse to receive your message. There is nothing to be gained by worrying about such people. If you are not such a person then just read the patch notes & let the stupid fail like they so clearly want to.
I can see both sides. If it a simple improvement to put an announcement right in their face, I say why not? Anyway ... I have no problem with you @azrael605, or anyone else who is saying to leave it alone. I will still continue to hope for improvements in all things in life, including communication in STO.
Thanks to all on either side of this for having some passion about something.
My spire level II upgrade that finished two days after the change completed as normal.
Even though I did see the ec bar and I could donate credits if I wanted to, I figured if it was going to stall anyway I wouldn't bother with it and see what it did.
My spire level II upgrade that finished two days after the change completed as normal.
Even though I did see the ec bar and I could donate credits if I wanted to, I figured if it was going to stall anyway I wouldn't bother with it and see what it did.
Turned out that was the right thing to do.
I suddenly feel curious as to what would happen if you were to donate to a project that was counting down... would it restart the countdown if you recompleted it?
Comments
Regular email is out-of-game, however. If you want to reach the players of your game, send the message in-game. Any means of external communication doesn't cover it. I mean STO has a in-game mail system in theory. Way before PWE took over, forum private messages and in-game mail were even linked, so you could even communicate outside of the game with other people's forum accounts. The technology for having a really useful in-game mail system are there, they just have to use it.
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
Hope for a brighter future ...
Qapla!
Sure. In-game mail would reach 100% of the players, though. Email doesn't.
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
^^^
They could post patch notes and major changes there. And if the player just quickly clicks it off - that's on the Player.
PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
#LegalizeAwoo
A normie goes "Oh, what's this?"
An otaku goes "UwU, what's this?"
A furry goes "OwO, what's this?"
A werewolf goes "Awoo, what's this?"
"It's nothing personal, I just don't feel like I've gotten to know a person until I've sniffed their crotch."
"We said 'no' to Mr. Curiosity. We're not home. Curiosity is not welcome, it is not to be invited in. Curiosity...is bad. It gets you in trouble, it gets you killed, and more importantly...it makes you poor!"
PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
This isn't really about putting the patch notes in game. More like a heads up that important changes are coming rather than just some glitch fixes. Something as basic as "Captain! It is imperative you read the patch notes at this link for vital information materially affecting you, and your crew!" with the link right there.
I know you are very happy with the change. It remains to be seen how this will affect everything, but it may be pretty OK. If so, then great. I have yet to be thrilled by it in actual practice, but I may gradually appreciate it more.
Meanwhile a lot of people were caught of guard. If a change is more than just making sure your palettes look right on your uniform, but is actually up front going to cost you gear, or time spent on something, it might be worth making a more significant announcement. At the bare minimum it would be more polite to draw extra attention to the situation, where it will be put in front of everyone.
So just make it clear to the player, that the changes are not small, but are rather serious, and they should go to the stupid link.
Qapla!
Right !Why not take the lead in making the best MMO product/user communications?
you might see more customers ...
Qapla!
l don't know.
l really don't know what l'm about to say, except l have a feeling about it.
That l must repeat the words that come without my knowledge.'
You are absolutely right. One should never be the first or try out new things, it could disrupt the monotony on the market
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
Why not an 'Important Notice' popup or something on the character select screen that a player has to close before they can actually select a character and start playing? Then, if they don't both reading it and thus know nothing about what's coming, it's on them...
^Words that every player should keep in mind, especially whenever there's a problem with the game...
Can't get more 'in-game' than that!
Qapla!
My character Tsin'xing
Yes!
Qapla!
I can see both sides. If it a simple improvement to put an announcement right in their face, I say why not? Anyway ... I have no problem with you @azrael605, or anyone else who is saying to leave it alone. I will still continue to hope for improvements in all things in life, including communication in STO.
Thanks to all on either side of this for having some passion about something.
Qapla!
Even though I did see the ec bar and I could donate credits if I wanted to, I figured if it was going to stall anyway I wouldn't bother with it and see what it did.
Turned out that was the right thing to do.
My character Tsin'xing
My character Tsin'xing
I bet the Devs don't even know ... kind of scary if that is true.
Happy Halloween! Qapla!