MMO Forums (in general)...

[Sumelar]

The reality is only a small percentage of any community is ever vocal (online or offline for that matter) - often times, if the game is working as you expect it to, you won't feel compelled to let anyone know (we'd love you to!). It's only when something interrupts your ability to enjoy the experience that those who post, do.

Therefore - actual, regular forum users are an even smaller slice of the pie. That's why it's important that we don't listen purely to forum feedback, as it's much easier to manipulate the perception of the forum community vs. the actual opinion of the in-game community.

All that said - we're more than happy to hear anyone's concerns, as long as they're presented in a clear & constructive way. (i.e. Why are you upset and how can we help?)

Cheers,

For starters, the game overall is awesome. You guys do great work. There are things I don't like of course, but no game is perfect (except Half Life).

Second, I'm willing to bet it would cut down a bit on the spam and negativity if you made people read your second paragraph every time they log in. It's refreshing to see you spell it out.

[Carabas]

The reality is only a small percentage of any community is ever vocal (online or offline for that matter) - often times, if the game is working as you expect it to, you won't feel compelled to let anyone know (we'd love you to!). It's only when something interrupts your ability to enjoy the experience that those who post, do.

Therefore - actual, regular forum users are an even smaller slice of the pie. That's why it's important that we don't listen purely to forum feedback, as it's much easier to manipulate the perception of the forum community vs. the actual opinion of the in-game community.

I do agree that complaints on the forums can in no way give an accurate account of how unhappy the majority of the playerbase is. However when you have several complaints about several issues from a large amount of long time players who have helped to make Rift successful, I think it is certainly worth looking into. These players have supported the game for a long time. They know what works and what doesn't. So I do believe that their views and opinions should be taken into account. Possibly Devs visiting the shards and asking in general chat how people feel about these issues may give a little bit more of an accurate account of how the population feel about certain issues.

[ilex011]

What I don't get is why the people who are complaining don't use the in-game function. It says right there:


Found a Bug?

What do you Like?

What do you not Like?

Instead they come here and turn this forum into a redundancy of the same people OVER and OVER again with absolutely nothing to contribute in a constructive way (you know who you are).

[xanduin246]

What I don't get is why the people who are complaining don't use the in-game function. It says right there:


Found a Bug?

What do you Like?

What do you not Like?

Instead they come here and turn this forum into a redundancy of the same people OVER and OVER again with absolutely nothing to contribute in a constructive way (you know who you are).

The problem I have is that I have no freakin idea where my feedback is supposed to go. If I have a complaint about an achievement is it collections? Character? UI? World Environment? None of the above? What category does World Event go under? I don't want to waste my time submitting it to "other" when I have no idea where that goes. I'd like to know my feedback is going directly to the person who can do something about it, and I don't get that feeling from Other.

[merrier]

From the first moments I hopped into Rift in beta 2, I fell in love. It was fun, exhilarating, everything I'd missed in an MMO since my first MMO love that was UO. Back then, I didn't read forums. Thank god.

Over the years I've found that reading any forum, official or not, just kills my enjoyment of a game. Still, I read them. I must be a masochist. Nah, if I love a game, I want to read about it when I can't play it. It's a catch-22.

For me, a big issue is how people communicate their unhappiness. Seldom do you see a post along the lines of "The requirements to complete this task seem a bit extreme. It took me 10 hours to finish it. The reward was lackluster. Could you look at either upping the reward or reducing the requirements?"

Instead, you see "WTF? Whoever designed this should be fired. This is the reason this game is dying!! It'll be F2P in a week with this crap!!"

That sort of post makes me wary of everyone in the game. Are they one of those posters? Why would I want to play the game with them?

[Elrar]

The problem I have is that I have no freakin idea where my feedback is supposed to go. If I have a complaint about an achievement is it collections? Character? UI? World Environment? None of the above? What category does World Event go under? I don't want to waste my time submitting it to "other" when I have no idea where that goes. I'd like to know my feedback is going directly to the person who can do something about it, and I don't get that feeling from Other.

We keep things open & accessible, so no worries that your feedback finds its home - but thanks for bringing up the feedback on the categories, it might be possible to improve them. I'll talk to the team

Also, we know there will always be room for constant improvement. The entire team is dedicated to that while constantly expanding the game with new content & awesome features for you to enjoy!

Have a great weekend all,

[xanduin246]

We keep things open & accessible - but thanks for bringing up the feedback on the categories, it might be possible to improve them. I'll talk to the team

Also, we know there will always be room for constant improvement. The entire team is dedicated to that while constantly expanding the game with new content & awesome features for you to enjoy!

Have a great weekend all,

I admire your ability to remain professional when people are being poopy heads. I lack that ability. Examples of what should go where appearing in the text box at the top when you select a category would be great.

[Galibier]

Check the chat channels in game as well. Trust me it's more then a "smaller slice of pie" then you said it was.

The same dynamic he was talking about applies though. How often do people just spontaneously say irl, in game chat, on a forum...

OMG everything is just going so swimmingly, I am so content...

Answer... rarely if ever. He is not talking so much about a solid number... he is talking about that number as a % of the active population. Yes forum rangers are a minority BUT if you broke such public complaints down into ratios of each population they would probably be rather close.

It is simply human nature for people to be silent when happy and cry when pissed. So simply saying "look at all these complaints" without context is useless.

[Gyftov]

What I don't get is why the people who are complaining don't use the in-game function... Instead they come here and turn this forum into a redundancy of the same people OVER and OVER again with absolutely nothing to contribute in a constructive way (you know who you are).

I'd be far far more worried and concerned if the community wasn't able to talk about the game openly - good aspects, bad aspects, everything in between. Do you really want forums subjected to strict and rigid censorship where only positive reflections of the game are allowed? While the game has taken a direction I don't like just being able to have these candid (and mostly constructive) conversations at all, while it's something I take for granted is something to be treasured.

[Galibier]

No of course not...that said just complaining on a forum often boils down to just creating drama. PMs, in game reporting etc are the things that can and are regularly data mined. Raging on forums in the end creates a lot of drama with very little pay off. In your work place what usually effects a change?

1. Going to the boss with a concern and the evidence that you have to support it.
2. Sitting in your cubical and yelling at the top of your lungs with out showing the supporting evidence?

Number 2 rarely if ever effects a change AND if there is a new guy in the cubical next to you he is likely thinking "wth did I just get myself into?" I am all for constructive criticism, That said mindless rage usually does more harm than good.

[Valnak]

Do you really want forums subjected to strict and rigid censorship where only positive reflections of the game are allowed?

We have forums for free speech. See my sig. I also post some PvP guides there.

[Murderin]

Most of the positive conversation about a game takes place inside the game.

Sometimes a good rage filled post helps blow off steam from something that annoyed me in the game. No one cares but its like talking to a shrink. You get the illusion of help.

[Jebasiz]

The chat channels used to be really awesome. People were friendly, helpful..just all around nice folks.

Not so much now. I got called the "c word" in level 50 chat on Faeblight, because I asked about the carnival.

Chat is full of profanity, trolls, talk of sex, body parts, players abusing other players for asking for help or asking questions, etc.

It's like I'm playing WoW again.

When chat becomes a cesspool, I think it's a pretty good indicator of the health of the game.

Chat has gone down..a lot. I joke around a lot..in game(and here), but don't go as far as to call someone what you got called. I think the population of Rift has shifted..there's more 'young guys' here now that at launch. I know faeblight has gotten several/lots of ex-wow players..which may be the cause of some of that 'trashy' feel..that seems so pervasive lately. I ignore most chats..and have left them all for extended periods of time..but ultimately, I need the invasion notices..so w/e, I have to rejoin and put up with the 'cool kids' that think insulting people on the internet is fun. /sigh.

[Gyftov]

No of course not...that said just complaining on a forum often boils down to just creating drama. PMs, in game reporting etc are the things that can and are regularly data mined. Raging on forums in the end creates a lot of drama with very little pay off. In your work place what usually effects a change?

1. Going to the boss with a concern and the evidence that you have to support it.
2. Sitting in your cubical and yelling at the top of your lungs with out showing the supporting evidence?

Number 2 rarely if ever effects a change AND if there is a new guy in the cubical next to you he is likely thinking "wth did I just get myself into?" I am all for constructive criticism, That said mindless rage usually does more harm than good.

You are comparing apples to oranges. Concerns voiced on the forums here have in the past elicited changes, whether in conjunction with ingame feedback we don't know (eg. twinks, some class balancing discussions etc). I'd hate to see a valuable and open medium for players who may or may not know each other essentially turned into a propoganda board.

[darkchicken]

You would have to be here for the golden age of rift. Chocolate rift is sorely missed.

Currently, the new direction for rift is quickly becoming it's down fall. I would love to see the subscription base for active players. Minus the ones like me who payed a year for the free expansion.

I bet there is a sharp decline.

In fact i like Storm Legion better then old rift, its what made me come back.

I never stayed on a mmo for 3 months straight without hopping, only rift : SL was strong enough to keep me