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Field Report - PoP

Discussion in 'EverQuest II General Discussion' started by Nolus, Nov 29, 2017.

  1. Fuli

    Fuli Well-Known Member

    Agree, not a metric, but as an indicator, it's fine.

    The toxicity is simply an indicator of sentiment. If one contrasts eq2 forums with other games, there are complainers, there are trolls, and there are people who argue just for the sake of arguing just like there are with eq2. But, the mixture is dramatically different.

    In any case, DBG is so active in scrubbing out complaints and criticisms through post deletions and poster bans that what is being displayed is biased-positive. Because of this, Tekka us right. There is actually far less negative sentiment on eq2 forums than others, and as a result, I'm inclined to believe the utility of forum chatter is still fine.

    Take a look at the eso forums and you'll see what I mean by that.

    In any case, I'm looking for chatter. Happy players, and especially new players are on the forums, asking questions, talking about the game, reporting bugs, etc.

    It's just not there. Leads me to believe the interest in the game is at best, mild. Once the novelty wears off, who knows.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2017
    • Agree Agree x 2
  2. Mecah

    Mecah New Member

    It's a matter of perspective and play goals. I like to get my main through as fast as I can. I want to hit heroics and get running. I have 4 main toons I play and a few alts, plus all the tradeskills.

    I have been playing since release, for the most part, there is always something to do. Unless its the KA expansion, which I hate, and rarely logged in for.

    Different play styles and all that jazz. :)
     
  3. CoLDMeTaL

    CoLDMeTaL Active Member

    To quote Kander, "If you don't like it, don't play."
     
    • Winner Winner x 1
    • Lock It! Lock It! x 1
  4. Feldon

    Feldon Administrator Staff Member

    I'm inclined to believe that the utility of the official forums is minimal. Because anything but glowing praise is deleted, yet bullying players who dare to ask questions seems to get a free pass, and because the developers have entirely retreated to a venue where they can kick anyone they don't like, I think the official forums are actually creating a false image that things are in any way in an acceptable state.
     
    • Agree Agree x 9
  5. Irgia

    Irgia New Member

    Until very recently, I was pretty much in the dark about what went on on the official forums. After a major reality check, getting a blanket warning that held no specifics, nor pointed out which posts that were in conflict with TOU and including a not so subtle threat that I was basically headed towards a suspension or ban if I continued (no clue what it is I'm not allowed to "continue" with), I have talked to a good handful of people.

    DBG has doled out at least 3 warnings based on the thread Pack ponies won't be able to collect new tier?, DBG has deleted a number of posts in the thread, edited others, and it seems to be done at random and on very questionable backgrounds of players raising points with wellfounded critique that DBG could choose to learn from. Instead, the bullying tactics with doling out warnings like candy, threatening suspensions and bans, efficiently achieves silencing people and making them a lot more hesitant to write anything that could be perceived as controversial even if the points are valid. If you take a closer look, former vocal, dedicated and passionate EQII gamers are now posting a lot less and a lot more carefully, censoring themselves to not risk an out-of-the-blue warning that was hard to predict even if you know the TOU by heart and strive to adhere to it.

    Up until now I wasn't aware how heavily moderated and censored DBG's forum is, it's definitely not reflecting the reality, not even with the posts that do slip through the censorship.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
  6. Fuli

    Fuli Well-Known Member

    Oh yeah, totally agree. I was referring to its utility as a sentiment, interest, and activity indicator.

    Basically, the trick here is not to look at what is there, but consider what is NOT there.
     
    • Winner Winner x 3
  7. Mermut

    Mermut Well-Known Member

    I do pakiat first...so the x2 sphinix there don't try to eat my face while I'm doing other quests (including one of the sig line quests).
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  8. Tekka

    Tekka That Village Idiot


    I don't think I worded my post clearly enough.

    While I tend to meander with PvE content, I can go toe to toe with the most 'hard core' raider when it comes to time spent and dedication to crafting and decorating, some of which includes PvE (it's the quickest way to entice me into PvE content, actually).

    What I mean is the volume of content, or in this case, the lack of it. With the quests wrapped up in a couple of days, and a gear grind cycle of 2-4 months (based on friends' experience), what do you do for the rest of the year?

    There are less fixed time gates to stretch it out this go around AND less content.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  9. Fuli

    Fuli Well-Known Member

    I'm guessing a similar design to ToT:

    1st qtr - gear grinding
    2nd qtr - some kind if token grind scheme
    3rd qtr - ethereal style rng drop event
    4th qtr - you can buy the beta now!

    End of 4th quarter - thanks for buying the expac, sunsetting the game!?????....or....
    Rinse and repeat....
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Dislike Dislike x 1
  10. Nolus

    Nolus Member

    The games been quite laggy getting close to finishing the pakiat line @ lvl 106. So far it just feels a bit sparse and really just a means to an end so I can group with my guild. Trying to get as much harvesting done as I can while doing the lines makes an ok break from the repeatables.
     
  11. Occam

    Occam New Member

    There are new posts almost every day from new or returning players saying hi and asking questions. While many people reply welcomingly, others respond by talking about how the game sucks now. That pretty much kills any "happy chatter".

    Mind you I'm not being a fanboi, just saying that the forums are a horrible metric of the community. In game people are mostly nice, but the forums are dominated by the disgruntled and dissatisfied.

    And yes, I agree that DBG is fully responsible for the atmosphere of the forums. It's been a long time since they had a community manager who didn't act distainfully towards the community.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
  12. Mecah

    Mecah New Member


    I actually will continue to run zones, I find it fun. Doesn't matter if I need gear, and it's a good way to help gear up and help those people that join the guild and need help, or that are returning players.

    While my main is my Conj, I also play a bruiser, defiler, and swash. Those three will be done with all the lines by the end of december. Plus I have all 9 tradeskillers that have to be leveled, and then my 9 other alts that I play when bored. I also decorate houses, and log in and stare at my screen at times, lol.

    As long as I am in good company, I am good.

    But I like to get my main through as fast as possible, because that is just how I am. :)
     
    • Like Like x 1
  13. Cindrax

    Cindrax Active Member

    The prepaid beta seems like it was more like a pre-alpha. The live version contains so many bugs I get the feeling that the game is now in its alpha testing stage. Maybe in mars it will be like a true beta?
     
  14. Mermut

    Mermut Well-Known Member

    Some of that seems to stem from poor version control on the software.
    The problem of experts not working, for instance, existed in beta and was fixed. The broken code, not the fixed, however, is what was pushed to live.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  15. Dizzy

    Dizzy Active Member

    Code splits/forks and merges are a real art. Very hard to get right at the best of times and often something gets lost in the process, usually maintenance patches :(

    In effect you get 2 divergent versions of the game and the more time that passes the more divergent they become. The live code is still running and it accumulates lots of much needed patches to keep the game running. After often months, sometime years, the two versions of the code have to be merged back in some fashion and often there are significant differences in sections of the code plus 1000's of new lines of code. When you try to merge a maintenance patch back in you find it changes code that no longer exists or at least not in the same fashion/location etc.

    I don't even want to talk about trying to get a build to compile/assemble or link or even run. Nor do I want to mention data/database changes etc as I have retired from all that and don't want to increase my blood pressure :).

    Good QA/regression testing is the only thing that can save you in this situation. One company I worked for required that for every patch there was a regression test(s) created by the developer for QA. Regression testing was all automated where possible there as well. Not sure you can do this for online games.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  16. Mermut

    Mermut Well-Known Member

    I know.. I've worked on the QA aside for years :p
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Winner Winner x 1
  17. Feldon

    Feldon Administrator Staff Member

    A Community Manager can only do so much. When developers foster an "us vs. players" mentality and double down on design ideas that alienate their most passionate customers, no amount of lipstick will fix that pig.

    Also I didn't realize being "nice" is mutually exclusive with forewarning people that EQ2 has serious problems right now that are being compounded every year. Telling people to have their eyes wide open and realize what they're getting into is neither negative nor positive. It's prudent in all circumstances.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
  18. Fuli

    Fuli Well-Known Member

    Well on the upside, Mermut reported Kander said the ts sig line would probably be published in January. That gives peeps at least 2 months to grind writs.

    Also, looks like the players are doing a really good job finding bugs. And when the new ts line hits, peeps will have a blast navigating the bugs on that thing.

    I suspect the reward for completing that Sig line will be a Windstalker goblin that takes your money and gives you the finger.

    A Kander Goblin would be better though. A definite upgrade to the Windstalker.
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2017
    • Winner Winner x 2
  19. Errrorr

    Errrorr Active Member

    [​IMG]

    Holly doesn't give a toss about EQ2 any more that'd obvious by the way she lets the team speak to people.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Appreciation Appreciation x 1
  20. Fuli

    Fuli Well-Known Member

    Exactly.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Appreciation Appreciation x 1

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