Guild Wars 2

As a long-time gamer, I share some of the concerns my of the other players of GW2 do. However, I’m not going to continue the griping about specific play issues. I do want to say this, though…

After laying down the money for not one, but two, copies of GW2, I’m taken aback by the lack of communication (or should I say, thorough communication) by the GW2 developers. Especially telling was the head of global community’s comment about people griping and the inevitable curtaining of specific forum topics. Couple this with the “everything’s sunny here at GW2” attitude being regurgitated in light of the numerous complaints of players (who BOUGHT your game), and this is a PR nightmare.

Professionally, I’ve done public relations and marketing. And right now, you’ve got a crisis on your hands. If you keep telling your BUYERS that you’re going to shut down their ways of expressing their concerns and by NOT forthrightly and immediately answering your many player’s concerns, you might as well say “no comment” and “kiss our *,” as well as saying goodbye to any further cache in the online gaming market. You are pissing people off right and left by ignoring the concerns. Either get out here and give the players (like me) some detail, or we go to another game for good.

Did you miss

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/chris-whiteside-on-the-lost-shores-and-beyond/

Seems timely, and as informative as any I’ve seen by mmo folks.

There’s detail, yes, but refer back to my “everything’s sunny here at GW2.” Nowhere in that message do they address the problems.

What problems ?

scabies.3246:

What problems ?

These forums have been alive with numerous threads regarding not just bugs but other issues stemming from the shift (apparently) from statements regarding no need for gear grinds or stat creep in GW2. This is entirely separate from bugs or overstatements toward planned fixes for classes (namely rangers and engineers) that were “promised” in this patch that really didn’t manifest themselves. You can now swap kits on your engineer in mid-air, for example, were not bugs that were reported as game-breaking by players. Yet, this recieved a line item fix.

The reference to “everything is sunny here at GW2” is accurate. Whiteside clearly gives the impression that everything is rosy and all players (in general) are joined in harmonious elation at how great the patch was and that there is really nothing wrong at all. All evidence to the contrary by sheer response on the forums.

Those are the problems that I felt the OP referred to that have yet to be addressed.

LadyAfeawen.7409:

There’s detail, yes, but refer back to my “everything’s sunny here at GW2.” Nowhere in that message do they address the problems.

There’s a whole paragraph on it:
“Having said that, we’re also aware that there were certain aspects of the event that could have worked better than they did, and thanks to your excellent feedback we’ll be working toward strengthening this type of content moving forward. At ArenaNet, we always try to push the boundaries of how we build online worlds, and we thank you for your patience and collaboration as we pioneer into unknown territories. We’ve seen people saying that they really liked the principle of using events to unveil new content, but we need to tighten up the methods by which they are deployed. We take these comments to heart, as it is our goal to always deliver content of the highest quality.”

That’s as direct as you can get from someone who uses phrases like “tighten up the methods by which they are deployed.”

mulch.2586:

LadyAfeawen.7409:

There’s detail, yes, but refer back to my “everything’s sunny here at GW2.” Nowhere in that message do they address the problems.

There’s a whole paragraph on it:
“Having said that, we’re also aware that there were certain aspects of the event that could have worked better than they did, and thanks to your excellent feedback we’ll be working toward strengthening this type of content moving forward. At ArenaNet, we always try to push the boundaries of how we build online worlds, and we thank you for your patience and collaboration as we pioneer into unknown territories. We’ve seen people saying that they really liked the principle of using events to unveil new content, but we need to tighten up the methods by which they are deployed. We take these comments to heart, as it is our goal to always deliver content of the highest quality.”

That’s as direct as you can get from someone who uses phrases like “tighten up the methods by which they are deployed.”

That paragraph is about as generic as one can get. Try this instead:

“We’re really excited how all of you have happily responded to this bombing. Now, we could have handled some of the operation better, and we’ll take your feedback into account on future bombing raids. Please be patient as we try to reduce the number of casualties until the war is completed, but know that we strive to do the best job bombing targets as possible. We know that many of you truly like our current bombing raid actions and we will work to improve our targeting methodology moving forward.”

In essence, it is a lot of text that says, basically, nothing. Thanks for telling us we could have deployed the broken content better, and we’ll work on it in the future, but please be patient and continue buying from us while we do so. As a professional writer, that paragraph tells me nothing. Try again.

Wow. One paragraph after the PAGES of issues players have brought up.

Not terribly effective in my book.

LadyAfeawen.7409:

As a long-time gamer, I share some of the concerns my of the other players of GW2 do. However, I’m not going to continue the griping about specific play issues. I do want to say this, though…

After laying down the money for not one, but two, copies of GW2, I’m taken aback by the lack of communication (or should I say, thorough communication) by the GW2 developers. Especially telling was the head of global community’s comment about people griping and the inevitable curtaining of specific forum topics. Couple this with the “everything’s sunny here at GW2” attitude being regurgitated in light of the numerous complaints of players (who BOUGHT your game), and this is a PR nightmare.

Professionally, I’ve done public relations and marketing. And right now, you’ve got a crisis on your hands. If you keep telling your BUYERS that you’re going to shut down their ways of expressing their concerns and by NOT forthrightly and immediately answering your many player’s concerns, you might as well say “no comment” and “kiss our *,” as well as saying goodbye to any further cache in the online gaming market. You are pissing people off right and left by ignoring the concerns. Either get out here and give the players (like me) some detail, or we go to another game for good.

I agree as another fellow professional in Marketing & Brand Development. Not at an attempt to plug my own thread but this is something I started earlier that has been dwelling on this.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Formal-statement-from-ANet/824530

But yes, if they keep down this trodden path its going to severely affect them. Regardless of the fact if I’m a happy consumer that likes the changes or an upset consumer that feels betrayed. Lack of communication, especially in this day and age with businesses (Read: lack of communication to the pertinent problems, not just empty/circular messages) doesn’t lend itself to a company’s survival.

The paragraph was written to ignore complaints and to evade responsibility. We demand clear and direct answers, not PR hand waving.

The forums here are rampant with other agendas. Take everything you read here with a grain of salt, add some common sense and go back and enjoy the game…however you choose to play it.

Sumii, you went into even more detail…but I agree.

This situation harkens to the Mass Effect 3 last scene screw-up…and that situation blew up in BioWare’s face all over the MMO publications. I guess those that forget (recent) history are doomed to repeat it.

The community team need to spend less time on PR infodumps and more time interacting with the playerbase.

I agree address the issues and put it to rest.
But there is no issue to anet so there is nothing to address or say.

Yep, OP’s on point. I just poured my heart out making a thread with my complaints and wishes and it was deleted pretty much instantly, makes me feel warm and fuzzy and valued as a customer who’s given this company almost $400. Branding, you’re doing it really really wrong.

Dunno what you can expect from a company’s PR if it’s not PR…

lesteel.7314:

Yep, OP’s on point. I just poured my heart out making a thread with my complaints and wishes and it was deleted pretty much instantly, makes me feel warm and fuzzy and valued as a customer who’s given this company almost $400. Branding, you’re doing it really really wrong.

Oh, I’m sure your heartfelt post was deemed “unconstructive.”

There are plenty of good unofficial GW2 forums out there (guildwars2guru.com is my favorite). ArenaNet is probably paying attention to other forums so there’s a chance your words could be seen by them.

Raf.1078:

The forums here are rampant with other agendas. .

Other agendas like wanting to play the game anet promised with max stat gear being easy to obtain and limiting grinding to cosmetics you mean.

morrolan.9608:

Raf.1078:

The forums here are rampant with other agendas. .

Other agends like wanting to play the game anet promised with max stat gear being easy to obtain and limiting grinding to cosmetics you mean.

Well put.

If there is a hidden agenda, it was not by those of us who bought this game for its original design.

Notice what the big change is. The removal of one of the core features that made this game distinct from WOW and its clones. That attracted admitted MMO first-timers and former WOW players.

Could it be that the successful financial launch scared some people?

Posted this in the other thread, but it applies here too!

Martin Kerstein.3071:

Hi All,
Thanks for your feedback we really appreciate it. I would like to take the opportunity to answer your questions in an AMA on Reddit on Monday 26th (12pm PST- More details to follow) to talk about recent updates to the game and our philosophy for Guild Wars 2 moving forward.
Please keep in mind that there we are about to begin the Thanksgiving holiday in the US and are out of the office (and likely in game) until Monday. Happy Holidays everyone!
Chris

Original thread is here: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/info/news/AMA-with-Chris-Whiteside-on-Monday-November-26/827481

Now THAT looks extremely promising. I will keep my fingers crossed and hope that Monday provides some insight and answers. Good job ArenaNet!

Sure they just did a Q&A with a German site earlier and we all knew how that went.

Spoiler: don’t get your hopes up.

I’m not getting my hopes up. I’m betting that any questions about “item progression” are getting swept under the carpet.