about the Q&A that was promised...

ForumBully · September 2022

[snip]
They'll never explain why no floors were raised in the floor raising efforts and they'll never explain how Maras passed even a simple once-over, nevermind a full PTS cycle with players describing and showing in detail the reasons it's a disaster of a set.

[edited for bashing]

Ragnarok0130 · September 2022

Aardappelboom wrote: »

Ragnarok0130 wrote: »

Aardappelboom wrote: »

Honestly, we know their rationale behind the update, do we need a Q&A for that?

The Q&A is needed specifically because ZoS’ stated rationale for the changes was diametrically opposed to what the changes actually did. As Ricky Riccardo use to say ZoS “You got some ‘splaining to do!”

What you're looking for is Mea Culpa, while I don't disagree with your statement. A Q&A won't fix anything and will dissapoint if that is what you're looking for. The only thing I want is to see what's next, short and long term.

Indeed I am, a mea culpa is required because they spectacularly failed in their accessibility goal with every conceivable metric in U35 while making the game a much worse experience for large sections of the player base - that must be addressed and a road map/plan issued on how they plan to course correct. Customer uncertainty is a poison to a product and business as is loss of customer confidence in the long term vision.

I also want an apology for breaking their promise about no more sweeping combat changes and for the unprofessional developer interaction on social media. As a businessman in corporate America for the past 17 years that interaction with one's paying customers is simply unacceptable and needs to be publicly addressed and prevented from recurring. Much of the "back and forth" as the mods here love to say between the devs and community was a direct result of that dev's tweets since he set the tone for developer/Community discourse for the rest of U35's PTS cycle. I have zero faith that we will get an apology for either issue but if they did follow the Final Fantasy Devs' best practices and actually issue one I think it would go a very long way in repairing the rift that has developed between the community and the dev team during the contentious U35 PTS cycle.

Jaraal · September 2022

ForumBully wrote: »

[snip]
They'll never explain why no floors were raised in the floor raising efforts and they'll never explain how Maras passed even a simple once-over, nevermind a full PTS cycle with players describing and showing in detail the reasons it's a disaster of a set.

There are three options, really.

[1] They can deliver the Q&A as promised.
[2] They can tell us there will be no Q&A, and explain why.
[3] They can pretend that promises were not made and continue giving the cold shoulder to their customers.

Now, if you were a business owner, what would your choice be, and why?

[edited to remove quote]

ForumBully · September 2022

Jaraal wrote: »

ForumBully wrote: »

[snip]
They'll never explain why no floors were raised in the floor raising efforts and they'll never explain how Maras passed even a simple once-over, nevermind a full PTS cycle with players describing and showing in detail the reasons it's a disaster of a set.

There are three options, really.

[1] They can deliver the Q&A as promised.
[2] They can tell us there will be no Q&A, and explain why.
[3] They can pretend that promises were not made and continue giving the cold shoulder to their customers.

Now, if you were a business owner, what would your choice be, and why?

I'd have done the Q&A at the start of PTS when it would be useful, but I'm funny that way. I definitely wouldn't be making the decisions they made in the first place because I actually play the game.

[edited to remove quote]

VaranisArano · September 2022

Update here: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/617413/eso-live-september-16-at-2-30pm-edt-firesong-update-36-preview

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

casparian The livestream will be about exactly what was mentioned in the article. It will specifically focus on U36 and Firesong.

As for the Q&A, no new updates beyond what we have shared during the PTS cycle and live patch notes. We'll update if there is any additional information to share regarding the Q&A.

Xuhora · September 2022

VaranisArano wrote: »

Update here: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/617413/eso-live-september-16-at-2-30pm-edt-firesong-update-36-preview

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

casparian The livestream will be about exactly what was mentioned in the article. It will specifically focus on U36 and Firesong.

As for the Q&A, no new updates beyond what we have shared during the PTS cycle and live patch notes. We'll update if there is any additional information to share regarding the Q&A.

sad news, not living up to ones own words is nothing new in the corporate world, but i hoped that they could do better. especially after telling us 1 year ago that they want to improve the communication side, that they listen to the playerbase, that they care about their costumers.

Ghaleb · September 2022

VaranisArano wrote: »

Update here: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/617413/eso-live-september-16-at-2-30pm-edt-firesong-update-36-preview

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

casparian The livestream will be about exactly what was mentioned in the article. It will specifically focus on U36 and Firesong.

As for the Q&A, no new updates beyond what we have shared during the PTS cycle and live patch notes. We'll update if there is any additional information to share regarding the Q&A.

So all the assumptions that there is no vision, plan, roadmap were accurate and they simply thought U35 to be a good idea and their customers would enjoy this update.

I think all the Lord-Protectors of ZoS here on the forum should now probably correct their stance, as the result is rather obvious.

And what I find clear as well: I consider this as another [snip] from ZoS unfortunately.

And last but not least: I find the development rather sad. My recommendation regarding ESO changed rather drastically. From universal recommendation due to quests, voice acting, music, chilled dungeon hopping to endgame opportunities. To, if you like quests and picking flowers and doing easy dungeons it’s a game for you. If you aspire to focus on endgame and regularly do the hardest content, find another game.

I think it will further limit the ability of this game to regrow lost customer base on short to maybe mid-term. Of course not due to me changing my recommendation but rather as I noticed that sentiment more broadly in the past weeks. And word of mouth works.

In both ways.

Hm. Sad day for this game.

[edited for profanity bypass]

Hämähäkki · September 2022

I asked the german Community Manager if they would actually take some changes back and redo U35 because of the negative backlash form the players and his answer was, that we don't see the bigger picture behind this yet. I'll be honest, I don't know if I want to see this so called "bigger picture".

Ghaleb · September 2022

Hämähäkki wrote: »

I asked the german Community Manager if they would actually take some changes back and redo U35 because of the negative backlash form the players and his answer was, that we don't see the bigger picture behind this yet. I'll be honest, I don't know if I want to see this so called "bigger picture".

As we have asked for that bigger picture for millions of times meanwhile and 8 weeks after the announcement of the combat changes we still have nothing I must assume that @ZOS_KaiSchober simply provides the statement he received about there being a grand vision.

But if I ask a consultant working on a topic, delivering seemingly really bad work, about the approach, background and aim and for weeks on end and either receive no or cloudy replies about “me not seeing the big picture”, I end that contract then and there.

Let’s assume ZoS didn’t expect the backlash they got for U35, which I think is accurate considering how it started and how it ended with being a total mess, even if not as bad of a mess as at the beginning of the PTS cycle. Why am I confident to say that? Because there were developer comments in between the weeks which tried to calm the flames left, right and center. This was not normal, as also commented on by multiple forum users.

I don’t believe that they enjoy the [snip] which unfolded on the forums, reddit, gaming sites with articles about players bring up in arms about the latest ESO update, etc. it remains bad press. Sentiments stay for a long time. If sometimes not forever, limiting your ability as a game provider to grow / retain your player base.

I therefore believe, as I can’t prove and we will never know I think, that there simply is no big picture. Period.

If I see things get as bad as the last weeks, I act to do damage mitigation and explain, communicate and create understanding. ZoS was sitting there, their house on fire and try to tell us, all is fine.

There is a forum post about disrespect of ZoS towards their players. I think this here currently is a good example of said disrespect…

[edited for profanity bypass]

spartaxoxo · September 2022

Hämähäkki wrote: »

I asked the german Community Manager if they would actually take some changes back and redo U35 because of the negative backlash form the players and his answer was, that we don't see the bigger picture behind this yet. I'll be honest, I don't know if I want to see this so called "bigger picture".

I hope they share this so called bigger picture with us come U36 and it actually makes the game better, because right now I don't see it. You know what could really help with that? A Q&A.

Hämähäkki · September 2022

spartaxoxo wrote: »

You know what could really help with that? A Q&A.

That my dear is an excellent idea. Why hasn't anyone thought of that yet?

Where is that suggestion box I wanted for the fourms?

ForumBully · September 2022

Hämähäkki wrote: »

I asked the german Community Manager if they would actually take some changes back and redo U35 because of the negative backlash form the players and his answer was, that we don't see the bigger picture behind this yet. I'll be honest, I don't know if I want to see this so called "bigger picture".

Even if thats true, we see the picture right now where a company leaves the game in a bad state for months with no communication about the future as they release piecemeal bad updates.

redlink1979 · September 2022

Since this Friday, the 16th, the stream is about U36 I guess this Q&A simply will never happen.