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Keep us informed, or focus on development?

badmojo
badmojo
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Would you rather the developers keep us extremely informed on all their plans for the development of this game. Which will inevitably delay the games development, because the developers have to either come here and explain it to us, or explain it to someone else in the team, who then comes and explains it all to us.

OR

Would you like them to focus all their time & effort on developing the game, and leave us in the dark for the time being.
Edited by badmojo on August 13, 2014 7:34PM
[DC/NA]

Keep us informed, or focus on development? 48 votes

Inform the customers, no matter the delays it causes
77% 37 votes
Spend the time working on development, no matter how uninformed that leaves us
22% 11 votes
  • The_Sadist
    The_Sadist
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    Um, I vote both?

    The two aren't mutually exclusive, hiring staff to inform customers while developers spend time developing isn't exactly unreasonable.
    "Each event is preceded by Prophecy. But without the hero, there is no Event." ― Zurin Arctus, the Underking.
    Tragrim - How do I work this thing?
    Casually stalking the forums
  • ThisOnePosts
    ThisOnePosts
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    Yeah what the heck. I vote both, I chose inform of course since it's good to let people know. But why is it one or the other? Since when are they at odds? Will it cause delays to let us know what's going on? Sure, maybe 30 minutes worth of delay, it shouldn't cause days, weeks, etc.. they aren't writing us novels ya know and they DO have a community management team.
  • BBSooner
    BBSooner
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    The_Sadist wrote: »
    Um, I vote both?

    The two aren't mutually exclusive, hiring staff to inform customers while developers spend time developing isn't exactly unreasonable.

    I tend to agree. As much fun as the game/updates are I'd really appreciate the updates. Mostly just saying this because I'm missing the road ahead for this month.
  • wookiefriseur
    wookiefriseur
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  • badmojo
    badmojo
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    The_Sadist wrote: »
    Um, I vote both?

    The two aren't mutually exclusive, hiring staff to inform customers while developers spend time developing isn't exactly unreasonable.

    Those hired staff have to get their information from someone. When that someone is spending their time explaining it, they could have been developing the game.

    This is the reason why we have ZOS people on the forums who will speak up sometimes, but most of the time they don't comment. They only speak up when they have been informed about the topic.

    Obviously, the poll is over simplifying the situation, there is a much more blurred line between the two alternatives, I'm just curious what people want from their game/developer. Is it better to have game updates quicker, or more frequent status updates.
    [DC/NA]
  • jelliedsoup
    jelliedsoup
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    badmojo wrote: »
    Would you rather the developers keep us extremely informed on all their plans for the development of this game. Which will inevitably delay the games development, because the developers have to either come here and explain it to us, or explain it to someone else in the team, who then comes and explains it all to us.

    OR

    Would you like them to focus all their time & effort on developing the game, and leave us in the dark for the time being.


    Separate departments.
    www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=Ks8_KGHqmO4
  • Blooddancer
    Blooddancer
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    Both - not hard to do,
  • The_Sadist
    The_Sadist
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    badmojo wrote: »
    The_Sadist wrote: »
    Um, I vote both?

    The two aren't mutually exclusive, hiring staff to inform customers while developers spend time developing isn't exactly unreasonable.

    Those hired staff have to get their information from someone. When that someone is spending their time explaining it, they could have been developing the game.

    This is the reason why we have ZOS people on the forums who will speak up sometimes, but most of the time they don't comment. They only speak up when they have been informed about the topic.

    Obviously, the poll is over simplifying the situation, there is a much more blurred line between the two alternatives, I'm just curious what people want from their game/developer. Is it better to have game updates quicker, or more frequent status updates.

    Indeed, but developers don't spend every waking hour developing, I'm sure there's going to be a bit of down time where conversation about future updates and content could occur. Furthermore, I'm under the assumption that ZeniMax has a whole list hidden somewhere explaining future updates / plans / content and whatnot, but who knows.

    I was under the impression that the community / forum leaders were non-existent, there is very little interaction between customer and staff member via forum compared with other games I've played. I'd like to see a more active presence for sure but that's a different topic altogether.

    I'd prefer more development if I had to pick, but like I said, they're not mutually exclusive. We know what's intended for the next few months, here's hoping they stick with it.
    Edited by The_Sadist on August 13, 2014 7:57PM
    "Each event is preceded by Prophecy. But without the hero, there is no Event." ― Zurin Arctus, the Underking.
    Tragrim - How do I work this thing?
    Casually stalking the forums
  • KhajitFurTrader
    KhajitFurTrader
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    Yeah, that's what CMRs are for, aren't they?

    But... there may be some truth to the OP's concern. Writing all those "The Road Ahead" articles surly must eat into the time of Game Director Matt Firor. Time he isn't, you know, actually directing the game. :P
  • LonePirate
    LonePirate
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    A modern software company employs people who do things besides write code or design artifacts for it, people like project managers or QA personnel (although I have my doubts about ZOS actually employing any QA staff). These other people who should be in the loop of what is happening are the people who should be communicating with players while the developers, designers, engineers and other people devote their time to creating and fixing the game.
    Edited by LonePirate on August 13, 2014 7:59PM
  • Woolenthreads
    Woolenthreads
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    In truth, everyone gets sick of doing the same thing, at work, all the time and need a break. Writing sections of "The Road Ahead" sounds like a good break especially if there's an intern/PA to clean it up.
    Oooh look, lot's of Butterflies! Wait! Butterflies? Get out of here Sheo, stop bugging me!

    Having issues with Provisioning Writs? A list of problem Writs and people willing to help in game can be found in this Thread
  • Kreetar
    Kreetar
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    there needs to be some sort of middle ground for this.
    dip me in the blood of mortals and throw me to the Dremora

  • Maverick827
    Maverick827
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    LonePirate wrote: »
    A modern software company employs people who do things besides write code or design artifacts for it, people like project managers or QA personnel (although I have my doubts about ZOS actually employing any QA staff). These other people who should be in the loop of what is happening are the people who should be communicating with players while the developers, designers, engineers and other people devote their time to creating and fixing the game.
    For any software project:
    • The Developers are busy writing code, probably poorly
    • The Architects are busy taking way too long to turn a simple process into an unreadable diagram for the developers to ultimately ignore anyway
    • The Database Admin team is busy explaining to developers why they can't have write access in the dev environment
    • The QA team is busy testing roughly 10% of the application, because that's all they were told about and thus all they wrote test cases for
    • The Systems Admin team is waiting for something somewhere to restart, just give them a minute
    • The Project Managers are busy in meetings planning things that were already planned months ago, but everyone forgot about
    • The Project Lead is busy getting distracted by shiny new tech buzz words and then shoehorning them into the project last minute
    • The Community Managers are busy answering all of the questions on the forums except for mine
  • Chuggernaut
    Chuggernaut
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    I'm a developer (not for this game), and I'm sure each week the team meets to some degree and talks about what everyone's working on. During this time some of the forum admins should sit in and then give feedback on confirmed updates.
    My comrades have returned. I erect the spine of gratitude. You are a hero today. - Bura-Natoo
  • Anvos
    Anvos
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    I say false dichotomy.

    It really shouldn't take that long for one or two people to go over what their doing and then make a post/site article or two on what is happening that is worth saying with a couple pictures.
    Edited by Anvos on August 14, 2014 1:49AM
  • nicholaspingasb16_ESO
    nicholaspingasb16_ESO
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    Patros wrote: »
    h5D7A63D2



    In other words:


    *** BOTH
    Sanguine's Beta Tester

  • Nazon_Katts
    Nazon_Katts
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    Patros wrote: »
    h5D7A63D2



    In other words:


    *** BOTH

    No no, SITH, it's Sith. What you may be referring to is BOTHans, the underdog spies of the universe.
    Sith_Legacy.jpg
    Sith

    image065.jpg
    Bothan

    Bpv-L-LCAAIA04Y.jpg
    Totally Unrelated
    "You've probably figured that out by now. Let's hope so. Or we're in real trouble... and out come the intestines. And I skip rope with them!"
  • UrQuan
    UrQuan
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    LonePirate wrote: »
    A modern software company employs people who do things besides write code or design artifacts for it, people like project managers or QA personnel (although I have my doubts about ZOS actually employing any QA staff). These other people who should be in the loop of what is happening are the people who should be communicating with players while the developers, designers, engineers and other people devote their time to creating and fixing the game.
    For any software project:
    • The Developers are busy writing code, probably poorly
    • The Architects are busy taking way too long to turn a simple process into an unreadable diagram for the developers to ultimately ignore anyway
    • The Database Admin team is busy explaining to developers why they can't have write access in the dev environment
    • The QA team is busy testing roughly 10% of the application, because that's all they were told about and thus all they wrote test cases for
    • The Systems Admin team is waiting for something somewhere to restart, just give them a minute
    • The Project Managers are busy in meetings planning things that were already planned months ago, but everyone forgot about
    • The Project Lead is busy getting distracted by shiny new tech buzz words and then shoehorning them into the project last minute
    • The Community Managers are busy answering all of the questions on the forums except for mine
    Oh man, this is so true... Of course the software projects I've been involved in have all been for software directly intended to support business processes, so you have to add in
    • The Business Analysts are busy incorrectly documenting what the business needs are that the software is supposed to support
    • The Subject Matter Experts are busy telling the Business Analysts all about the simple cosmetic things that they want, while glossing over the fundamentals of what they actually need
    Edited by UrQuan on August 14, 2014 6:20AM
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  • Woolenthreads
    Woolenthreads
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    UrQuan wrote: »
    • The Business Analysts are busy incorrectly documenting what the business needs are that the software is supposed to support
    • The Subject Matter Experts are busy telling the Business Analysts all about the simple cosmetic things that they want, while glossing over the fundamentals of what they actually need

    Those both sound totally used in Gaming Companies. The number of times I've looked at the manual and it didn't match things in the game or had to go searching carefully to find the written limit of what you could do ("Seadogs" had one annoying crew limit described after the cargo manifest data as a single sentence at the bottom of a page). New fluffy, pretties always trump the need to change the spark-plugs and oil the engine ;)
    Oooh look, lot's of Butterflies! Wait! Butterflies? Get out of here Sheo, stop bugging me!

    Having issues with Provisioning Writs? A list of problem Writs and people willing to help in game can be found in this Thread
  • nvsg
    nvsg
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    Honestly its like they don't exist I play the game im bored of it end of story
  • Bookwyrm
    Bookwyrm
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    Patros wrote: »
    h5D7A63D2

    Off topic moment to say: This made me LOL (for real) so much that I probably would have scared my husband / son if either of them were home right now. Thanks. I needed the laugh!

    Don't talk to me! I'm a shrub. - Frozen Man
    Bookwyrm - The Thread Killer
  • NakedSnake
    NakedSnake
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    This poll reinforces my lack of faith in humanity.
    "Brilliant! Why is it that the people with the most ridiculous ideas are always the ones who are most certain of them?"
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