Ask a Developer Series Information

Ultra_Violence · 08-04-2005 10:47 AM

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Get your question-asking caps on , for we look forward to seeing what inquiries you come up with based on the information thats made available!

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ALL QUESTIONS HAVE TO BE WITH CAPS ON? SEEMS KIND OF RUDE.

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You can't please everyone, so lets concentrate on me.

Rakeeb · 08-04-2005 10:49 AM

Poor, poor Geko.

We know who's really in charge there, man. He is IN for it.

Rakeeb · 08-04-2005 10:49 AM

Poor, poor Geko.

We know who's really in charge there, man. He is IN for it.

He'd better be able to save me 15% on car insurance!

Barata · 08-04-2005 10:53 AM

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I got a question...

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootise Roll pop?

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Three (and if you get that joke, you're old).

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I feel so old....

I'm so old, Deckard Cain couldn't identify me.

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Psoma · 08-04-2005 10:56 AM

And for those Tootsie Roll Fans:

How Many Licks?

Whatever It Is...

Make sure you have Quicktime or the plugin (configured to play movies automaticall).

LightSide · 08-04-2005 10:57 AM

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All I know is....

There is a reported history of Geko NOT liking answering questions from the forum.

But then again, it is only six questions, but since he is the powers guy....

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Well, considering that for the longest time this was the standard interaction:

...a month in the life of Geko...

Poster 1: ZOMG!! One of my powers missed last night!!!! Accuracy's been nerfed all to heck and back!!2!
Poster 2: Accuracy nerf!?! Oh the humanity of it! why Why WHY??
Geko: Accuracy wasn't nerfed. Didn't touch it. Actually, didn't make any updates to anything - everything is the same as it was yesterday and the day before
Poster 1: Well I missed some, so you did too
Geko: Nothing was changed anywhere
.
. :a week passes:
.
Poster 3: I missed a lot last night. I think accuracy's been stealth nerfed!
Poster 4/5/6: ARGH!! What's up with that Devs?!?
Geko: Accuracy wasn't nerfed. Really.
.
. :a week passes:
.
Poster 7: Was accuracy just nerfed?
Geko: No
.
. :a week passes:
.
Poster 8/9/10/11: Hmmm, think there was a nerf to accuracy?
Geko: <sigh>
.
. :a week passes:
.
and the cycle begins again...

The poor guy even had an anti-accuracy nerf disclaimer in his sig and there was a point where he had to be brought back from the brink by a cookie transfusion.

So while I don't know that he actively does not like answering posts, I could understand were that to be the case.

BTW, anyone hear anything about accuracy?

Greyhawke · 08-04-2005 11:00 AM

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If any answers are of the "soon", or "I can't say much" or "we haven't decided yet" variety.........I WILL shoot someone.

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Don't worry, he's only using Nerf Arrows

I do think that the developer *should* be able to answer a question in this manner, however, they should also answer an additional question for each vague answer given, so we get at least six answers with substance. I would prefer to see a 'I can't say much about that just now' rather than assume they avoided the question or did not think it worthy of answering.

Lady Athyna · 08-04-2005 11:04 AM

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Speaking of 80s commercials, here's a link to one that I think is appopriate:

Create a Villan Ad

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I'm still waiting for them to call me. Do you know if they have a website?

Fulmens · 08-04-2005 11:07 AM

I had the impression that, after the three thousandth extremely personal "Geko killed my plants/Geko should be killed and fed to my dogs" post, Geko got kinda. . .quiet. Don't blame him.

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@Boltcutter in game.

Gsquad · 08-04-2005 11:08 AM

Step in the right direction...5 STARS....

Greyhawke · 08-04-2005 11:13 AM

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And Recluse's thread will be tons dealing with ..
When is CoV coming out for beta yada yada yada

We already know poor States thread will be full of more I hate I5's and Why did you do this after a year and that after a year.

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I figure that is why those guys appear last on the list. CoV will be in beta and I5 will be live before it gets to those guys.

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Heh, well if I read that right it will be at least 9 weeks before we are on 'Ask Statesman' and 11 weeks before we are asking questions of Lord Recluse, so it may be 'What's up with the rumor that tanks and scrappers will be merged in I6' and 'Are beta testers going to get to reserve names when CoV goes live'

Xanatos · 08-04-2005 11:14 AM

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Each issue will begin with a...short bio of the developer that highlights their job function at Cryptic Studios.

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Aw maaan!

MaestroMavius · 08-04-2005 11:23 AM

That owl just pwned that kid! Took his pop and....
chomp!

Maestro Mavius - Infinity
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Keep Calm & Chive On!

Broomhilda · 08-04-2005 11:33 AM

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That makes you old? They were playing that in the 80s.

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no actully they first ran that whole comercial in the lat 60's early 70's as a plain black and white toon.

yep im that old

Broomhilda BS/Regen/BM Scrapper, Fiddle Faddle Shield/ElecM/BM Tank,
And many others..
Dev's With all the Great new content, Please!! dont forget to fix the bugs with the old content. There is a storm a brewing because they are not getting fixed. If its a problem that no one is reporting them? Well Maybe you need to look at your tech support then..

Ineffable_Bob · 08-04-2005 11:49 AM

I don't get it.

We have umpteen-million posts on a large variety of issues in the Dev Response threads right now. The vast majority of them are asking the same questions - things like 'Please explain how you think Defiance is any good past L20', 'How is an Invuln tank supposed to survive without a dedicated defender following him around', 'How am I supposed to play my regen scrapper in a team when I have no defense, resistance, or ability to regen', etc. Why do they need to ask us for questions? There's a ton of them out there already, with no developer responses.

(Note that I'm not saying there aren't answers to such questions. Many of them may already have answers. But no one has seen red-name answers yet.)

I think a regular Q&A is a great idea. I was a big fan of the Ask Statesman things done previously. But please, answer all the questions surrounding I5 before you go looking for more.

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Biscuit_Kin · 08-04-2005 11:53 AM

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I don't get it.

We have umpteen-million posts on a large variety of issues in the Dev Response threads right now. The vast majority of them are asking the same questions - things like 'Please explain how you think Defiance is any good past L20', 'How is an Invuln tank supposed to survive without a dedicated defender following him around', 'How am I supposed to play my regen scrapper in a team when I have no defense, resistance, or ability to regen', etc. Why do they need to ask us for questions? There's a ton of them out there already, with no developer responses.

(Note that I'm not saying there aren't answers to such questions. Many of them may already have answers. But no one has seen red-name answers yet.)

I think a regular Q&A is a great idea. I was a big fan of the Ask Statesman things done previously. But please, answer all the questions surrounding I5 before you go looking for more.

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I'd have to agree with Bob. The silence of you guys are scaring people. Just saying "Everything is being looked into" is better than saying nothing. Give us peace of mind and please respond to our concerns.

Arc_Salvo · 08-04-2005 12:01 PM

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If any answers are of the "soon", or "I can't say much" or "we haven't decided yet" variety.........I WILL shoot someone.

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Don't worry, he's only using Nerf Arrows

I do think that the developer *should* be able to answer a question in this manner, however, they should also answer an additional question for each vague answer given, so we get at least six answers with substance. I would prefer to see a 'I can't say much about that just now' rather than assume they avoided the question or did not think it worthy of answering.

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I agree. 6 Substantial answers would be nice. I've got some questions right now for the devs: why haven't they implemented some of my t3h aW3sum 1D34z, like l1ek "Leader Kick" (an emote that allows you to use a kick animation against any starred team leader o supergroup lieutenant/captain/founder - the higher the rank the more awesome the kick animation... as opposed to that useless suggestion to allow supergroups to kick their idle captains who are just taking space) or... or... the ability to pick up and wield/throw sticks in combat from glowie piles randomly spawned outside, huh?

Just kidding.

Anyhow, lots of people misunderstand Geko, calling him cruel or evil and such. That's just plainly not true. Like all mammals, Geko can be mean OR totally awesome.

I heard that once Geko was eating at a diner. And when some dude dropped a spoon Geko nerfed the whole town. My friend Mark said that he saw Geko totally uppercut-nerf some player just because the player opened a window.

And that's what I call REAL Ultimate Power!!!

If you don't believe that Geko has REAL Ultimate Power you better get a life right now or he will nerf-chop your head off!!! It's an easy choice, if you ask me.

Arc Salvo: Okay hold one sec guys, we can't just rush in blindly vs these Nemesis, they've got these ranged aoe's tha-
Teammate1(charging in): Shut up, Arc Salvo, you lame*$% Viewtiful Joe wannabe! What do you know?!
Teammate2(also charging): yeah, ST#& arc salvo u PWR RANGR U!
Arc Salvo: *sigh*

gSOLO · 08-04-2005 12:04 PM

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That makes you old? They were playing that in the 80s.

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no actully they first ran that whole comercial in the lat 60's early 70's as a plain black and white toon.

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Ya, they ran it in the 80s too. I'm just saying I remember it and that I'm not an old fogey like you all are

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Solo Space

Rajani Isa · 08-04-2005 12:17 PM

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I got a question...

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootise Roll pop?

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Three (and if you get that joke, you're old).

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Hardly. That commercial is a classic. I am surprised they have yet to bring it back on the air.

Orc&Pie No.53230 There is an orc, and somehow, he got a pie. And you are hungry.
www.repeat-offenders.net

Negaduck: I see you found the crumb. I knew you'd never notice the huge flag.

Rajani Isa · 08-04-2005 12:17 PM

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I dont know if its me, but this seems like a weak attempt at damage control (oh, lets throw something out there to take their mind off I5)...

Or perhaps its the fact that Im just fuming that they keep nerfing every AT accross the board every time they do an issue. I mean come on...

Just my angry two cents

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They hardly nerf every AT with each issue.

Regen is not the only scrapper type.

And defenders, blasters, and controllers are rarely nerfed. Even wtih this issue, defenders were pretty much left alone, and blasters got a buff or two

Orc&Pie No.53230 There is an orc, and somehow, he got a pie. And you are hungry.
www.repeat-offenders.net

Negaduck: I see you found the crumb. I knew you'd never notice the huge flag.

Blue_Daze · 08-04-2005 12:42 PM

[ QUOTE ]
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That makes you old? They were playing that in the 80s.

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no actully they first ran that whole comercial in the lat 60's early 70's as a plain black and white toon.

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Ya, they ran it in the 80s too. I'm just saying I remember it and that I'm not an old fogey like you all are

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I could swear I remember seeing that commercial a few weeks ago and I do remember them in the 80's.

BatKnight_NA · 08-04-2005 12:42 PM

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They hardly nerf every AT with each issue.

Regen is not the only scrapper type.

And defenders, blasters, and controllers are rarely nerfed. Even wtih this issue, defenders were pretty much left alone, and blasters got a buff or two

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I agree with most of that, except my force field defender takes a huge hit this time. She was so beautiful...but what team would want her now?

And the pool powers...supression...that's just unkind for everybody. But that's really a topic for another thread.

Eisregen_NA · 08-04-2005 12:43 PM

I like this Q&A format.

Also, I understand that all of these guys will have something substantial to say, assuming the right questions are selected (ie. those that can be answered with something other than 'soon' or 'maybe' or 'more information can be found in the upcoming novel 'The Web of Arachnos').

However, while the selection of people to Q&A is nice, it's very broad. At the danger of someone reading this, I'd like to suggest something along the lines of having 'AT Reps', ie. people from the Dev or Mod team who are dedicated to a single AT and specialize in that AT and the community, especially with regards to such questionnaires.

Why? Heh. Go to the AT forums. Personally, I mostly play Defenders, so these are the guys I understand. There are prevalent trends on these boards which I agree with, but which run completely counter to opinions gleaned from other AT boards.

More importantly though, each AT, in some cases even every possible combo of sets within an AT, offers a different playing experience, which is great but basically results in the fact that dedicated AT specialists seem to end up understanding their AT's workings better than some (generalist) Devs. While that is understandable -I don't expect Statesman or Geko or whomever to be omniscient- it often seems to create the feeling of the Devs not 'getting' a particular AT or its finer points.

Getting a dedicated POC per AT might make many interactions a whole lot smoother than they'd otherwise turn out to be. Especially if it can keep States from having to scramble to make a soothing post on no sleep and tossing out incomprehensible numbers for powers (as in the Ice Tanker thread where the statements from his two posts don't go together).

"If you're going through hell, keep going."
Winston Churchill

AngryRedHerring · 08-04-2005 12:43 PM

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I don't get it.

We have umpteen-million posts on a large variety of issues in the Dev Response threads right now. The vast majority of them are asking the same questions - things like 'Please explain how you think Defiance is any good past L20', 'How is an Invuln tank supposed to survive without a dedicated defender following him around', 'How am I supposed to play my regen scrapper in a team when I have no defense, resistance, or ability to regen', etc. Why do they need to ask us for questions? There's a ton of them out there already, with no developer responses.

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I may be going out on a limb here, but maaaaayyyyyybe it's because all those questions follow the same pattern and tone: "How am I supposed to be teh uber when you guys make me teh gimp? Answer me that, Mr. Dev-man!"

There are ways to address concerns in a mature manner, and then there's just plain whiny butt griping. I wouldn't bother responding to them either, because there IS no satisfactory answer when 'questions' are so phrased; they are nothing but rhetorical traps.

.
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bpphantom · 08-04-2005 12:57 PM

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Getting a dedicated POC per AT might make many interactions a whole lot smoother than they'd otherwise turn out to be. Especially if it can keep States from having to scramble to make a soothing post on no sleep and tossing out incomprehensible numbers for powers (as in the Ice Tanker thread where the statements from his two posts don't go together).

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I honestly feel that this was only thing SOE ever got right with SWG.
Each profession had a player corespondent selected by the dev team based on appropriate resume's. Each profession ALSO had a dedicated Staffer for "official responses".
Very good system. Often times, we as the players are better at filtering our own crap than a Dev would be. Thus only the relevant information, and proof/data about it gets to the Staffer, which in turn takes it to the Dev team, then takes the reponses back to the community after filtering through the corespondent for clarity and relevance.

@bpphantom
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