Lore Sj\’c3\’b6berg has posted one of the best analyses of MMO message boards. Ever. I mean, I’m done now, he nailed it.
If you play an online game that you enjoy, there’s one surefire way to spoil the experience: read the forums on the official site. There you will find a vast underworld of lost souls keening their misery onto your screen. A game you thought was entertaining, well-balanced and attractive will be torn apart before your very eyes and pronounced lacking in every conceivable way.
It doesn’t matter that the complainers spend as much time on the game as you do, and probably more. While they may disagree on the nature of the flaws, they are united in agreement that whatever those flaws may be, they are unforgivable.
#1 by Aufero on November 15th, 2006
And once again Lore Sj\’c3\’b6berg is responsible for my screen being covered with coffee. Nerf Lore!
#2 by Jessica Mulligan on November 15th, 2006
Amen. As a perhaps unintended consequence, he captured the misery of your avergae MMO customer service rep perfectly.
#3 by Abalieno on November 15th, 2006
It is unforgivable the lack of true confrontation on those flaws.
Ranting implies that you aren’t being heard and that things cannot get better.
#4 by Andrew Crystall on November 16th, 2006
Sure.
But bluntly, when a LARGE portion of your userbase is hacked off with you (est. 40% of Eve’s players used a font replacement because it’s TERRIBLE on many CRT’s, before they blocked that), you really SHOULD listen.
And there are sometimes “higher” areguments over issues which are worthwhile, you just ignore everyone except the few deacent posters.
#5 by xzzy on November 16th, 2006
He forgot one important demographic, the ones that know that useful discussion is impossible, but try to encourage it anyways. I don’t know that they deserve punishment, they’re getting it already even though it’s self-inflicted. But they can be pretty annoying.
As the community ages, they turn into meme-quoting trolls that quickly destroy any thread that pops up, useful or not.
#6 by Bob on November 16th, 2006
He also forgot the Communist Demagogue – “If we all complain about the same thing, they’ll HAVE to change it. Let’s start by sending email and posting here!”
Punishment? To actually organize a real-life activist event to implement real-life change.
BTW- since when did we have to discern the difference between “Life” and “Real Life” vs. “Fantasy Life”?
#7 by D Lacey on November 16th, 2006
Every place I’ve worked, or gone to school, had people who complained about it. People just like to complain.
On the other hand, I don’t find that makes forums useless. I also find that for various games, the easiest place to find handy information is official forums. Just as I found that the workplaces got work done and I learned stuff at the schools.
Don’t let complaining ruin things for you. Complaining about complaining is amusing, true, but ignoring it may be more constructive a use of your time.
xzzy: I’ve never played world of warcraft, but the official forums of many games have the possibility for useful discussion. It may not be the norm, but it’s definitely there if you search for it.
#8 by IanB on November 16th, 2006
As bad as MMO forums are, I’ve never believed they’re useless. There is still some information you can only typically find from other players, and in-game that just doesn’t work.
Especially in under-documented games (hi2u DAOC), they’re essential.
#9 by Rich on November 16th, 2006
MMO forums:
Come for the data.
Stay for the angst.
#10 by Moorgard on November 16th, 2006
Perfect. Simply perfect.
#11 by Matthew on November 17th, 2006
He stole my gig: http://www.whatwouldmattdo.com/2006/06/30/having-fun-with-your-mmorpg-then-dont-read-the-official-forums/#comment-12232
I’m going to sue!
Though I didn’t break down each forum poster type. That’s pretty funny stuff.
#12 by ruclikrulit on October 18th, 2007
Hi,
техника миньета