"Improving Communication"

Suddwrath · May 2020

ZOS_Adrikoth wrote: »

Hey all,

We recognize that this was a sensitive topic during the PTS, as we did read all of your feedback. We should have offered you a more official answer on our stance, and we do apologize for failing to do so. That's on us.

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

Hi everyone. First of all, you aren't wrong. We agree we haven't been communicating as much as we should on this matter (among others) and for that, we apologize. There really is no excuse.

ZOS_RobGarrett wrote: »

While we do have a backlog of improvements identified for the game, it’s clear we could do a better job of answering those kinds of inquiries, both for the player community and ourselves.

If a company was genuinely working to "improve communication", these types of statements should not continue to be the norm. @ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_JessicaFolsom

John_Falstaff · May 2020

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

Hi everyone. First of all, you aren't wrong. We agree we haven't been communicating as much as we should on this matter (among others) and for that, we apologize. There really is no excuse.

ZOS_RobGarrett wrote: »

While we do have a backlog of improvements identified for the game, it’s clear we could do a better job of answering those kinds of inquiries, both for the player community and ourselves.

In time we’ll also want to share more about the vision and strategy that will drive future combat updates.

That was in 2018. Boy do a have deja vu feeling from this thread!

mairwen85 · May 2020

I have a feeling that this thread will very shortly be closed, but I will add to what you're saying here with a brief post of agreement. In my job, a large part of what I do is telling people (customers) that they are wrong and that they cannot always have what they want or in the form that they want. This means at the very least acknowledging their complaint or counterpoint (even if I disagree with the premise of it) and indicating that I understand where it stems from, providing justification for why an alternative, or the proposed methodology outweighs it. It also means being aware of contention before it arises, and being ready to manage it before it occurs -- having and entering into dialog, however brief, when it does. I don't believe ZOS are incompetent, but I do believe they need to polish their interactions and show they are open to the feedback they receive and will handle situations that nose dive; while they may believe they are adopting the higher ground by not responding, they are actually giving the impression that they do not care or that the complaints are not worthy of response. For the betterment of customer relations, I hope they take that on board.

Turelus · May 2020

Does anyone expect a change in how ZOS operates at this point without something drastic happening within the company?

ZOS has great people who do great things but come one, this has been the same since launch and people are still expecting a change? I mean, making one more thread is going to be the final required part required to change an entire companies way of operating right?

They've got better over the years, and it waxes and wanes in how much the communication comes, however ZOS is what ZOS is at this point.

Shantu · May 2020

Communication will NOT be improving. Get over it.

Elsonso · May 2020

Suddwrath wrote: »

If a company was genuinely working to "improve communication", these types of statements should not continue to be the norm. @ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_JessicaFolsom

They have a sustain issue.

Every so often they say that they are going to improve communications. They run around and do a lot of communicating. Then, they run out of Stamina, and that is the end of that. After they rest for a while, the cycle starts again.

Turelus wrote: »

Does anyone expect a change in how ZOS operates at this point without something drastic happening within the company?

ZOS has great people who do great things but come one, this has been the same since launch and people are still expecting a change? I mean, making one more thread is going to be the final required part required to change an entire companies way of operating right?

They've got better over the years, and it waxes and wanes in how much the communication comes, however ZOS is what ZOS is at this point.

No. They have to want to do this, and they don't want it enough to make it happen.

GrumpyDuckling · May 2020

When they do communicate, they open themselves up to further analysis/criticism of their decision-making, and sometimes they say wonky stuff that makes it difficult to defend themselves.

Sometimes their gameplay adjustment decisions contradict their statements:
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/527166/will-a-developer-please-contribute-to-dialogue-about-the-update-21-wood-elf-racial-change/p1

Sometimes it is clear that they just don't understand players or haven't thought enough about a topic:
Read the screenshot conversation that has been floating around that the Creative Director had with a player about Dragonstar/Maelstrom vet weapons.

Elsonso · May 2020

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

When they do communicate, they open themselves up to further analysis/criticism of their decision-making, and sometimes they say wonky stuff that makes it difficult to defend themselves.

People did not stop being critical of their decision making just because no one from ZOS was talking to them. There are going to be critical comments whether ZOS talks or not. When ZOS does not talk, we have to suffer through various guesses and theories. People correctly guessed why ZOS was doing this, but that does not help when it is not coming from an official source. It is just more speculation.

In this case, ZOS could have drafted a suitable release, gotten it reviewed, and published it way back in the middle of April, rather than waiting until a Discord conversation was revealed a month and a half later, in an offhand comment that was part of closing a thread.

rotaugen454 · May 2020

Stop trying to make Communication happen. Its not going to happen.

John_Falstaff · May 2020

Shantu wrote: »

Communication will NOT be improving. Get over it.

Amazon, you hear it? I'm ready to get over the lack of communication from ZOS. Repeating, I am ready.

Sanguinor2 · May 2020

Note how they Always say "we could" "we should" and never "we will", should tell you enough About how important improving communication is to them.

shaielzafine · May 2020

Improving communication? They banned multiple people and deleted tons of comments on their pre-Greymoor Twitch streams asking anything about "performance", "lag", "Cyrodiil", and even "vMA weapons". That's how they treat paying customers and subscribers when they ask questions on the product they bought & service they are paying for. Did you guys see the dev PM's on discord about vma weapons? Consistent as well with their "communication". They ignored us on their official forums then banned multiple comments asking the same questions when they go live. Here we are at Greymoor launch day and look at the giant banner announcing the servers are down. You have to go find some threads where another player explains the situation to you because they won't even communicate what the issue is on the announcement.

GrumpyDuckling · May 2020

Elsonso wrote: »

GrumpyDuckling wrote: »

When they do communicate, they open themselves up to further analysis/criticism of their decision-making, and sometimes they say wonky stuff that makes it difficult to defend themselves.

People did not stop being critical of their decision making just because no one from ZOS was talking to them.

I wasn't making this claim.

ZOS_ConnorG · May 2020

Greetings all,

After review we have closed this thread for multiple violations of the Community Rules and Code of Conduct.

You are welcome to review the Community Rules here, and the Code of Conduct here.