Midjis
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Posted - 2005.04.27 07:45:00 -
[1]
I have to agree with Dezzereth. My Everquest II cancellation has just kicked in and I've finally been locked out of their forums.
I read the forums that go with any MMOG primarily because they're a useful source of support when things go wrong, as they inevitably will. In addition, they often allow for an early glimpse into the community I'm joining and provide a little bit of background against my own play experience.
I confess, though, that I am one of those people who finds it very difficult not to respond to whiners. The "it's not fair"/"this 5uxx" brigade frankly wind me right up, for reasons Dezz has already stated quite eloquently. And on the EQ2 boards there seems to be little more than whining and bickering over this and that, and very little to do with the game. What game conversation there is seems to be between high-level players and takes place in a language I can barely understand.
But I must agree with what I saw as Dezz's main point. The more a games company listen to the whiners on the forum, the worse the game will get. During the heady days of Everquest I, while Verant were running the show, I seem to recall that they did things more or less how they wanted to do them. Now Sony are bending over backwards to please everyone - which surely a moment's thought should tell them is impossible. As a result, their game is getting increasingly screwed up.
I don't want anyone to think I'm here EQ bashing on an Eve forum - I know it looks like that but it's just the best example of where Eve might go if its community and its developers take it down the same road. CCP need to be careful that they don't try to accommodate every whim, every whine, every demand. I don't know if they ever read these posts, but if so I'd appeal to them to resist the temptation to try to please everyone. CCP, make the game you want to make - make Eve what you believe it should be. At the moment it's excellent and has a lot of potential. But it has a lot of potential to go downhill as well if the company allow the game's development to become confused by trying to go in too many directions at once.
There are people here - usually who've been on the receiving end of some in-game nastiness - demanding that sa***uards be introduced to prevent certain activites. That PvP combat, thefts, scams and so on be locked out of the game and that we all live by a set of play nice rules. Well, as I've said elsewhere, I've played games that put me in those kindergarten conditions and I pray that Eve doesn't go the same way.
CCP - please listen to what Dezz sezz (sorry). The forums do not represent the general community of Eve. If you want an opinion from the community about a proposed change, why not add a voting screen to the login process or somesuch? Better still, just make the game as you want it. Those who like it will play and those who don't can go off to WoW or similar. Don't allow the "wah I wanna" lobby to ruin what is the best multiplayer game I've seen. |