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Zenimax; you need to communicate better and more with your customers
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Maverick827✭✭✭✭✭
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So, how's this working out?
We can assure you we're hard at work fixing bugs - and these forums have been quite helpful in identifying and detailing these problems. Communication is also key, and we've been regularly updating the In-Progress Known Issues thread, and posting about ongoing problems in Developer Discussions. You can also view general staff posts with the Dev Tracker.You need to let your customers know what you are working on when it comes to fixes, bot bans/gold farmers, exploits, know bugs (without broadcasting how to exploit), coming plans etc.
We're working on revamping the forum layout to make our posts more visible, and accessible. The staff post signifier and ability to jump between staff posts was added recently, and we're working on several other improvements we hope to roll out soon.
I can think of about a dozen issues that the community is currently arguing over that would greatly benefit from the input of developers (class balance in both PvP and PvE, bank/inventory size/management, overly-punishing gold sinks, etc.). In a lot of cases, these are fundamental issues that cause people to leave games. It would be in your best interest to discuss them regardless of forum layout.
It was a lucky break that the Reddit AMA was happening right around the time this thread was started; it gave you a convenient stop-gap to this whole "no communication" issue. Surely no one could argue that you don't communicate with your customers when you're about to do an AMA!
But you can't just do a single Reddit AMA once a month and offer literally no other communication. You post patch notes without a single word of discussion and leave your customers to argue blindly. This is probably the worst thing a company can do with any product, let alone something as volatile as an MMORPG.2 -
Morbus2✭✭✭
We can assure you we're hard at work fixing bugs - and these forums have been quite helpful in identifying and detailing these problems. Communication is also key, and we've been regularly updating the In-Progress Known Issues thread, and posting about ongoing problems in Developer Discussions. You can also view general staff posts with the Dev Tracker.You need to let your customers know what you are working on when it comes to fixes, bot bans/gold farmers, exploits, know bugs (without broadcasting how to exploit), coming plans etc.
We're working on revamping the forum layout to make our posts more visible, and accessible. The staff post signifier and ability to jump between staff posts was added recently, and we're working on several other improvements we hope to roll out soon.
Awesome. Thanks for communicating with us and keeping us in the loop. These are all steps in the right direction and we appreciate all the hard work you guys are doing to fix the ongoing issues with the game.
However, please examine carefully complaints that are posted in these forums. Some complaints are legitimate and require immediate attention like cheats, exploits and game-breaking bugs.
Many complaints, however, are not. They are just a very vocal minority (usually pvp'ers) who want whatever class and/or skill tree "nerfed" that they are having trouble defeating. Once you start making changes to appease the pvp crowd you have started a vicious cycle of mostly unnecessary changes that further unbalance the game particularly for the pve crowd. In pvp, class A will always find a reason to complain about class B, who in turn will find a reason to complain about class C. It's the nature of the beast.
Again, thanks for all your hard work. You guys have made a pretty good game here.
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Lucardes✭✭✭I already unsubbed, the communication is the WORST ever. Last game I buy from ZOS let alone Zenimax.Lucefer
#1 Sorcerer in EP Dawnbreaker4 -
Jarnhand✭✭✭Yes, the timing of the original post was good
But yes, communication to the community when it comes to games like MMOs is paramount! Some of the long heated discussions on the boards could have been cut short, by more info from Zenimax. At the same time everyone know its impossible to comment on a lot of threads, neither is it needed.
But there can be a middle way, so to speak. Maybe a weekly post on the forums or the webpage about what they are working on in the long run (this basicly is there today), and a more short term focus; what are they working on now, what is the state of the game, what are they looking into when it comes to balancing etc.
The possible customers do not need to know about short term work log/problems (posted on forums), they are more concerned about long term plans (posted on web page).
I do not know, but I am guessing something like this would stop some for the worst heated discussions about balancing/nerfing/etc.
PS! Also, patch notes are lacking, several fixes/changes are not included. Please do not do stealth nerfs/changes that you do not tell us, this just pi** people off.0 -
AlexDougherty✭✭✭✭✭
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Zos = Zenimax Online StudiosI already unsubbed, the communication is the WORST ever. Last game I buy from ZOS let alone Zenimax.
People believe what they either want to be true or what they are afraid is true!
Wizard's first rule
Passion rules reason
Wizard's third rule
Mind what people Do, not what they say, for actions betray a lie.
Wizard's fifth rule
Willfully turning aside from the truth is treason to one's self
Wizard's tenth rule1 -
Maverick827✭✭✭✭✭
✭So I guess I should just give up on any sort of communication from developers about gameplay issues.0 -
Westcoast14_ESO✭✭✭...Communication is also key, and we've been regularly updating the In-Progress Known Issues thread...
Are you sure about the In-Progress Known Issues thread? It hasn't been updated since April 25th, which I think was two patches ago.
I can appreciate that CS can be a particularly difficult job since your dealing with the fallout from real and perceived failures of a companies product to deliver on its promises. But in this case, I think the OP has a point. When I went to the dev tracker, either its not showing most of the dev posts (which I suspect it isn't) or there really isn't much communication going on via these boards from ZoS to their consumer base via these forums.Edited by Westcoast14_ESO on May 12, 2014 2:27AM0 -
AryaWythers✭✭✭Their silence on so many issues should Communicate volumes on the state of the game and why it was released with so many problems...and ZERO answer on when they will fix game breaking bugs. I believe this is just a cash grab and they will never be able to fix many major issues!0 -
felixgamingx1✭✭✭✭AryaWythers wrote: »Their silence on so many issues should Communicate volumes on the state of the game and why it was released with so many problems...and ZERO answer on when they will fix game breaking bugs. I believe this is just a cash grab and they will never be able to fix many major issues!
Oh stop it! I'm VR2 already still yet to find these "game breaking bugs"0 -
Westcoast14_ESO✭✭✭MMO's are extremely complex software and hardware projects, probably by far the most complex game services currently offered. And yes the game was launched with some known major issues.
That said, I'm playing a second character now and the overall experience, with the exception of periodic encounters with bot infestations, is quite a bit smoother and noticeably more enjoyable than the experience at launch, primarily due to the extensive bug fixing that ZoS has done with regards to the quests.
ZoS has been aggressively fixing problems with the live game and preparing for a major release while attempting to deal with a phenomenally virulent RMT issue (apparently in part caused in part by the lack of security features in the code). That's a lot to do.
All that said, I still think OP post is highly pertinent, and I would not be surprised if it reflected the feelings of many forums current visitors.0 -
Jarnhand✭✭✭felixgamingx1 wrote: »AryaWythers wrote: »Their silence on so many issues should Communicate volumes on the state of the game and why it was released with so many problems...and ZERO answer on when they will fix game breaking bugs. I believe this is just a cash grab and they will never be able to fix many major issues!
Oh stop it! I'm VR2 already still yet to find these "game breaking bugs"
Gamebreaking bugs/problems:
- quests that are broken and make it impossible to continue
- vamp problem; exploits/broken
- abilities that are clearly OP, and not getting fixed, and no word from Zenimax if they even consider it a problem (the big one now, that will become screamingly big in a week or two; sorcs)
- Cyrodiil porting/loading problem
- Cyrodiil lag issues
To name a few.0 -
AryaWythers wrote: »They are to busy trying to rob their honest customer to actually care!
What? ... What?
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They can't, they have the same problem old republic did. The Developers are afraid any and everything they say will be quoted and used against them when they obviously fail to live up too the claims. The sad part is even TOR had a smoke screen CSR team to answer questions and respond too threads. These People can't even manage that.0
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KerinKor✭✭✭✭✭
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AryaWythers✭✭✭They HATE us plain and simple...just try to get a simple answer and they just don't respond! Or maybe they have their own list of supporters they respond too!
ESO support has been the worst of any MMO I have ever played from launch in over ten years!Edited by AryaWythers on May 12, 2014 10:08AM1 -
Attorneyatlawl✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭AryaWythers wrote: »They HATE us plain and simple...just try to get a simple answer and they just don't respond! Or maybe they have their own list of supporters they respond too!
ESO support has been the worst of any MMO I have ever played from launch in over ten years!
Your signature is hilariously ironic. "To hell with instigators", yet that's all you've been doing this entire night from when I logged in to when I logged out of the game and tabbed during load screens.
-First-Wave Closed Beta Tester of the Psijic Order, aka the 0.016 percent.
Exploits suck. Don't blame just the game, blame the players abusing them!
-Playing since July 2013, back when we had a killspam channel in Cyrodiil and the lands of Tamriel were roamed by dinosaurs.
________________
-In-game mains abound with "Nerf" in their name. As I am asked occasionally, I do not play on anything but the PC NA Megaserver at this time.1 -
AryaWythers✭✭✭Attorneyatlawl wrote: »AryaWythers wrote: »They HATE us plain and simple...just try to get a simple answer and they just don't respond! Or maybe they have their own list of supporters they respond too!
ESO support has been the worst of any MMO I have ever played from launch in over ten years!
Your signature is hilariously ironic. "To hell with instigators", yet that's all you've been doing this entire night from when I logged in to when I logged out of the game and tabbed during load screens.
Just a I-tunes song nothing more since i don't understand what it means....Still waiting for official response from ZoS
but fits perfect...to hell with instigators and Zenimax developers! And Long live Natalia Poklonskaya!!! Nyash Myash!
Thanks Anyway Man At Law!!!Edited by AryaWythers on May 12, 2014 11:11AM0 -
AlexDougherty✭✭✭✭✭
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Have seen some replies, but they take time, and remember it's only the Mods who post, who know barely anymore than us. Sometimes less, I have seen people telling the Mods what's happening, and the Mods thanking them for the info.AryaWythers wrote: »They HATE us plain and simple...just try to get a simple answer and they just don't respond! Or maybe they have their own list of supporters they respond too!
ESO support has been the worst of any MMO I have ever played from launch in over ten years!
As for the worst support, well it's not really any worse than Swtor's, take that as you wish.
People believe what they either want to be true or what they are afraid is true!
Wizard's first rule
Passion rules reason
Wizard's third rule
Mind what people Do, not what they say, for actions betray a lie.
Wizard's fifth rule
Willfully turning aside from the truth is treason to one's self
Wizard's tenth rule1 -
Dita✭✭✭AryaWythers wrote: »Their silence on so many issues should Communicate volumes on the state of the game and why it was released with so many problems...and ZERO answer on when they will fix game breaking bugs. I believe this is just a cash grab and they will never be able to fix many major issues!
Soon™."Begun the Bot Wars has"0 -
Shillen✭✭✭GossiTheDog wrote: »Yeah, the communication isn't great and the community is toxic. People post for help here and get ten incredibly rude replies.
This is directly because of the lack of a general discussion forum. They're idiots to think they can just not have that forum and all the complaints and toxicity will go away. The best thing they could do is put a general discussion forum in and just not pay much attention to it.
Please LOL my comments. I'm an aspiring comedian.1 -
Dayel✭✭✭I have made several CS requests and have yet to have to wait even one day for a response.
Bringing problems to their attention via the forums is a fine thing, but raving and ranting over and over without giving them time to fix problems is counterproductive. When your product has to run on a million different rigs with close to that levels of customer expertise, there is no way to start with a "finished" product, unlike in the console arena where rigs are for all practical purposes identical and user ability is little consequence.
Not to wish anyone a hard time playing this game, but if you are unwilling to exercise a bit of patience and understanding, perhaps you would at least for now be a lot happier playing a single player game or a MMO that has been around for years.
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theyancey✭✭✭✭✭
✭I just had an issue resolved. It took several days and more than several people from tech and customer support. I communicate with them via both e-mail and phone. I came away from this experience . . . wait for it . . . extraordinarily PLEASED. These were not uncaring people just putting in their time in a call center somewhere. They play the game too. They were helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable. Honestly this has been one of the best customer service experiences I have had since the days long ago when I could pick up the phone and call Sierra and speak directly to Al Lowe about an issue with running Leisure Suit Larry. Yeah, I am just that old. Blessing of Mara upon the support team!0 -
I just had an issue resolved. It took several days and more than several people from tech and customer support. I communicate with them via both e-mail and phone. I came away from this experience . . . wait for it . . . extraordinarily PLEASED. These were not uncaring people just putting in their time in a call center somewhere. They play the game too. They were helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable. Honestly this has been one of the best customer service experiences I have had since the days long ago when I could pick up the phone and call Sierra and speak directly to Al Lowe about an issue with running Leisure Suit Larry. Yeah, I am just that old. Blessing of Mara upon the support team!
I loved Leisure Suit Larry lol, what a funny game. I think today's day and age, online gaming is more about jockeying in the forums and online then actually playing the game. Everyone has to voice opinions (like I'm doing now). I think the real problem here is that everyone hope that the next big MMO hooks them. I took a long hiatus from MMOs/Raiding/Progression. Put things a bit more in perspective. I still game a lot, but I can't do a schedule raid time/progression thing anymore, and I think that has allowed me to enjoy MMOs a lot more.
There will never be another game that can compare to wow or any other historically great game. The MMO genre in itself is played out, just like any shooter/rpg/space/sim. Once you've played enough games, everything feels like everything else. Its the signs that you probably game way too much. Not a bad thing, just, you won't ever get that same high again, and yes, gaming is an addiction, you have the same sensations from gaming that you would with any other addiction. I see it played out in these forums/facebook page any time a maintenance window goes up, or their dealer is unresponsive.
Funny the parallels you see between drugs/dealers and gamers/game producers.
Realistically, these people who rage all day on the forums about not having feedback and communication, man, I'd just love to go back to the days where gamers didn't have this self entitlement, and just allowed developers to do what they do best, and make games. Everyone is a critic, everyone is a professional CSR, developer, programmer you name it.
Almost why I think MMOs in general, will soon die out, its just unrealistic to appeal to a mass amount of people with a set of ideals that everyone enjoys. Too many opinionated, self righteous jockeys out there who think they know best (but never actually worked in the game industry). The more the "online" community bashes developers and puts down their games, the less they will be likely to get investments to create the digital worlds we play in.Toktok - Vet8 Orc Templar - 2 Hand, Medium/Heavy Armor Grunt - Blacksmith/Clothier/Enchanter/Alchemist0 -
Tarokor✭least you can get thru, in 17 attempts i have never had the phone answered, have never recived the callback i asked for and the last one was the icing on the cake. Zeni i hope you enjoy the 6 months you gouged out of my double charge, since i cannot even get thru to complain to a person and since it is my ISP's fault that zenimax double charged my credit card according to my last email.
I am done with Zenimax customer service0 -
Fairydragon3✭✭✭✭@oxygen_boarderb16_ESO (SLOW CLAPS) yes long ago were the days were we spent over 14 hours sitting in front of a computer, now I prefer to get paid to do that, and then take care of my ***, then come home to a bit more computer time. I absolutely hate playing games now longer than 5 hours at a time, that even with breaks. might be just my chair though0
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Shillen✭✭✭Fairydragon3 wrote: »@oxygen_boarderb16_ESO (SLOW CLAPS) yes long ago were the days were we spent over 14 hours sitting in front of a computer, now I prefer to get paid to do that, and then take care of my ***, then come home to a bit more computer time. I absolutely hate playing games now longer than 5 hours at a time, that even with breaks. might be just my chair though
Interesting, I've been gaming for over 30 years and I still feel like there isn't enough time in the day to play games.Edited by Shillen on May 12, 2014 1:46PMPlease LOL my comments. I'm an aspiring comedian.0 -
Fairydragon3✭✭✭✭Fairydragon3 wrote: »@oxygen_boarderb16_ESO (SLOW CLAPS) yes long ago were the days were we spent over 14 hours sitting in front of a computer, now I prefer to get paid to do that, and then take care of my ***, then come home to a bit more computer time. I absolutely hate playing games now longer than 5 hours at a time, that even with breaks. might be just my chair though
Interesting, I've been gaming for over 30 years and I still feel like there isn't enough time in the day to play games.
There isnt, that why i dont feel comfortable wasting it all away on the games. got to go outside for an hour or so and relax away form it all.0
