Kioma Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) The cynicism is largely because when we have finally started to see the Community Team (as in: holy crap, they're still alive?) all that has been given to us so far is vague, hand-waving gestures - or at least that's what it seems like. The cynicism is certainly not directed at us and I do have the feeling that some (if there are any) attacks on SGRA's as being "unwarranted, non-crucial content" (as in not Ops, Flashpoints, Warzones etc.) will be because of Bioware's inability to discuss anything with us and the frustration that creates. If Bioware gave more than just vague hand-waving responses to questions about the above, I'd like to think that people would be more relaxed to allowing the idea of non-end-game content. This is largely because with the lack of communication it gives us (or at least me) the sense that Bioware has extremely limited development resources and everyone is going to be clamouring to have the biggest portion of the development cycle, meaning they'd attack what they would consider "threats". See the PvE vs. PvP development debates - we're slightly smaller than either of those camps, so we make an easy target. Oh, I understand where the cynicism is coming from. I get the reasons behind it, I comprehend people's ongoing frustration and I can see how Mr Gonzales's words - very obviously, to my mind, illustrating that he's in a very awkward position caught between developers who won't tell him much of anything and a player base that's sick of not hearing more - might not inspire much confidence in some. But do I think the cynicism, derision, ridicule and outright hostility levelled at the Community Manager actually helps? Most certainly, I do not believe it helps in the slightest. Considering his position Mr Gonzales is, in my opinion, a damn brave man. He's contacted the community knowing he's going to cop it in the face for matters that he has limited control over and he hasn't flinched. There was no way that announcement wouldn't raise ire and yet he's in there talking, trying to reason, giving us what he can even though he knows the majority of people won't be satisfied with it. Cut him - and all the community team - some damn slack. It's not their fault the developers are giving them breadcrumbs at best. Having us howling for blood sure isn't going to help anyone's case. Edited August 11, 2012 by Kioma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatile Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Cut him - and all the community team - some damn slack. It's not their fault the developers are giving them breadcrumbs at best. Having us howling for blood sure isn't going to help anyone's case. It doesn't, but that's not going to stop anyone from trying to get all the cake. We (the community in general) want to be treated like adults, but I think first we need to be slapped on the back of the hand with a spoon and told to wait our turn. Obviously that's never going to happen. I'll try to stop being so sarcastic when I ask questions of the Community team, which probably means I'll stop asking them questions entirely, as I've stopped expecting any answers beyond the vagueness they can give us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollowAngel Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Not meaning to sound disrespectful, but I wonder how many times this thread is going to have to "cap out" and be recreated before this feature is given some priority... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatile Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I believe this may be the sixth incarnation? I'm not sure of the exact number, but it is something ludicrous like that. As to how long? How long is a piece of string :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raiellyn Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Not meaning to sound disrespectful, but I wonder how many times this thread is going to have to "cap out" and be recreated before this feature is given some priority... I'll put $30 down on the 15th incarnation. Half-way there, ladies and gents! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayla_Felana Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I believe this may be the sixth incarnation? I'm not sure of the exact number, but it is something ludicrous like that. As to how long? How long is a piece of string :/ Double that, not for this specific edition, but both of the threads that were asking about SGRA content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatile Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Double that, not for this specific edition, but both of the threads that were asking about SGRA content. We're on twelve? Bloody hell. Where's Stephen Fry when you need him? (Even though he's more of a Trekkie). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uluain Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I am having a moment of deep disillusionment. I want to believe same-gender content is on its way, but what I am playing now is a totally heterosexist game, that shows no recognition of any other possibility. Perhaps exacerbated because I am re-levelling my Smuggler with all the [Flirt] options that brings... with the ladies, natch. This is really feeling like an afterthought, at this point. So I am going to ask - at this stage of the game, would SGRs make you happy? Or just feel like being thrown a bone? I have to say that, today at least, it would feel like the latter to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatile Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 "Here's your gay, now stop whining?" I suppose it depends on how it's handled, but I can see where you're coming from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kioma Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I am having a moment of deep disillusionment. I totally heard that in Darth Baras's voice. Maybe because I'm doing the Sith Warrior quests. This is really feeling like an afterthought, at this point. So I am going to ask - at this stage of the game, would SGRs make you happy? Or just feel like being thrown a bone? I have to say that, today at least, it would feel like the latter to me. It would please me to no end. Even after all this time, even after all this silence, yes. Yes, it would please me. Particularly because, bone or not, it's a lot easier to request improvements to an implemented feature than it is to try and convince a team to put in a feature that doesn't currently exist. Uluain, I respect you enormously but I feel the need to ask if this feels personal to you? I have faith that it's not. Perhaps that's pointlessly optimistic of me but it's true. Hang in there and have patience - more patience, rather, as so many of us have shown enormous patience in the face of complete silence already. I have faith this feature is coming. Only time will tell if that faith is misplaced; I recognise that it might be but I do so very much hope that it's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebram Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) I totally agree, I want to see it added in some way regardless, preferably in a well put way, but just to get the foot in the door so to speak would be a giant leap forward.. I mean after all they are still making alterations to things that were in game before launch. Given the time we have had to wait we "deserve" a well polished product but at this point just to see something would be a relief. As a side note I agree that it is kind of ridiculous how many times the thread has been extended yet we've seen no new information since perhaps the second time. There is no way they can claim that they weren't aware it was such a big issue. I guess it comes down to the devs communicating to the PR team, we can hem and haw all we want but the mods cant do anything unless the devs give them something Edited August 11, 2012 by Tenebram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kemmer Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 It's too bad that we're still twiddling our thumbs and waiting for this... but at least same gender relationships can't be blamed for the server merges or the upcoming shift to F2P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnufThree Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 As far as I understand the Summit is the last official word on it. Whether it's being worked on or not is a matter of some speculation; I guess it's a matter of whether we individually trust Bioware is still putting it in or not. I've decided to trust them. I think at one point they were working on it. But after losing subs they turned their heads to some other things in hope of bringing the numbers back up. Waiting for SGRAs has been terribly annoying. I know of people in the game that refuse to create a new character until SGRA are in. It's frustrating and I hope they give us something soon. I'd at least like for them to comment on it. It's been a while and things have changed, so I would really like for them to reassure us that it's still in the works. Not sure why that is too much to ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatile Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I'd at least like for them to comment on it. It's been a while and things have changed, so I would really like for them to reassure us that it's still in the works. Not sure why that is too much to ask. We've been asking but after giving the "we can't talk about future content" response a few times, it seems the Community guys are finding it easier to ignore us. It's likely that they don't have any information and realise that the "soon" answer is getting aggravating beyond words, but still... meh :/ They could at least have the decency to say "it's been worked on, but low priority" or "it's not being worked on". I've also heard that they might be scrapping the Q&A? Is that true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebram Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 (edited) I've also heard that they might be scrapping the Q&A? Is that true? I think they mentioned something like that but only in hopes of them making something better and more satisfying to all people instead of just answering super easy or even common sense questions, but they said they are trying to figure out how to do it. Edited August 12, 2012 by Tenebram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatile Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 ...they're trying to figure out how to not answer super-easy and common sense questions? That... does not bode well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuscad Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 I find it appauling that we don't have any clairification yet. Hasn't this been brought back 14 times already? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zandilar Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 ...they're trying to figure out how to not answer super-easy and common sense questions? That... does not bode well. I think it would be more along the lines of they're trying to find ways of making the thread useful, rather than them being asked and answering the same few questions over and over again. Really, given the fact that they seem to be restricted in what they can or cannot talk about, I am surprised the thread exists at all. (I can understand why they don't want to talk about features that are in development, because we are talking about an industry where slippage is very common.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnufThree Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I don't really care much about the Q&A anyway. Most of the questions are kinda crappy. They clearly dodge the bigger questions, so... who cares if it goes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kioma Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I don't really care much about the Q&A anyway. Most of the questions are kinda crappy. They clearly dodge the bigger questions, so... who cares if it goes? To be honest I think shutting down yet another avenue of contact - even a flawed one - is a bad thing. I'd far prefer to see the quality of responses improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uluain Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 To be honest I think shutting down yet another avenue of contact - even a flawed one - is a bad thing. I'd far prefer to see the quality of responses improve. Yes. If nothing else, the option to ask questions where we could be confident the Dev Team would see them was a good thing, a necessary thing for making sure this issue (among others) could not be conveniently overlooked - as I fear that now, away on Story and Lore and only here, it will be. It would be nice to hear from the Community Team, at the very least, that our continued interest and concern has been, and will continue to be, relayed to the Dev Team. In absence of any assurance of the sort, however, I cannot feel that is likely to be the case. A PM, as invited, to the Community Manager, has receive no reply of any kind. Not an auspicious sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRVNQSR Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Has the community team replied to any issue they weren't ready to make a public statement on? I think this is likely EA PR department keeping anyone from saying anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatile Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Has the community team replied to any issue they weren't ready to make a public statement on? I think this is likely EA PR department keeping anyone from saying anything. I think it's the EA suits getting all flustered over whatever is happening in the US (apparently chickens are at war?) and forgetting about the rest of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJedi Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Has the community team replied to any issue they weren't ready to make a public statement on? I think this is likely EA PR department keeping anyone from saying anything. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_themes_in_video_games#Entertainment_Software_Rating_Board_.28ESRB.29 Unless that has changed, or is inaccurate, SWTOR would need to be bumped up to a Mature rating to get same-gender romantic content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kioma Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_themes_in_video_games#Entertainment_Software_Rating_Board_.28ESRB.29 Unless that has changed, or is inaccurate, SWTOR would need to be bumped up to a Mature rating to get same-gender romantic content. Hmmm. That's interesting. I wonder how accurate it actually is, and also what Bioware's opinion of it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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