The Players Board

You know what they should do, they should make a new subforum just for suggestions. They could call it something like, "Things I Want To See In The Game". Or something else, I dunno, that seems kinda cumbersome.

So I've run these types of programs before.

They have benefits, and allow the developers to create a close relationship with a segment of the playerbase. If you're reasonable and responsible about it, you won't just get hardcore players. In the case of the groups I've organized, I always endeavored to assemble all types of playstyles, hardcore, RP, casual, PVP (although in my case everyone was a PVP'er by default).

The problem lies in what Arcanaville pointed out. It's very difficult for a small group of players to represent the interests of the entire game. In a larger way, the forums are a perfect example of this. Less than 9% of people who have ever played CoX have ever registered for a forums account. Of that 9%, 10% have ever even posted on the forums. This statement shouldn't be used as a disqualifying factor for forum interaction, however it should put into perspective how important it is for us to have a view of the big picture. Now take an even smaller segment of that...well, you get the picture.

People by nature are going to find it easiest to represent their own interests best. There's nothing wrong with that, as it's a daily exercise for us as developers to apply individual feedback to the shared experience, however when you place added pressure on individuals to represent the experience of thousands of other players...

This pressure does take its toll on players. Add to this the resentment factor that can be assigned to these "select few" and you're creating an environment for hostility.

We know that there's interest groups within the game that feel as though they don't receive due attention. It's understandable. As is the case with most things, assigning attention to these things are a matter of time, priority and resources.

We're working on something like this. The recent positive interaction we had with the Design a Costume Set Workshop at the Pummit has spurred us into scheduling more interactions like this at the next Pummit (Yes, you heard me correctly, I am currently working on the schedule for the next Pummit, more info to come after the New Year hopefully). Additionally, the success of the subsequent thread by Noble Savage discussing gender equality has given us thought behind how we can incorporate more of this type of interaction into the creative process.

Ultimately, we have final say on what does or does not go in the game, however we always want to be able to include the players in the creative and decision making process.

I had an idea similar to this once too, but that was after a 7 hour a flight and being stranded at a train station for another 5 hours waiting for a friend to pick me up (why didn't I call a taxi? I was f***ing broke.) I was delirious from exhaustion and a similar thought to this flitted across my mind.

So much so that I wrote a 12 page proposal to PS about it.

I was out of my mother loving gourd.

In retrospect: no; it wouldn't be a good idea.

The only person I'd actually trust on a player board would be Arcanaville, and she already has the devs' ears better than pretty much any other player, so this whole exercise is useless to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dispari I don't know why Dink thinks she's not as sexy as Jay was. In 5 posts she's already upstaged his entire career.

Absolutely not. A minority of the minority to possibly present something other than what I want and can present myself.

The other thing is that by the time any one of us is privy to anything that may be coming down the line; it is, in fact, already coming down the line; with the already invested resources to help propel it along and over a few voices of malcontent.

Little secret.

There already is a very small group that the devs listen to, and its not always a good thing.

In many cases, I wish people would read the whole thread before posting on it. Too many times, there are 3-10 (depending on number of responses) redundant posts.

I would be against any "player board" type of thing*. As Zwill points out, we are a small, small fraction of the player base so at best we can say, "10% of the userbase wants x."







*unless I'm in it