Bioware, we find your lack of imformation disturbing..

[Avengerfx]

So..I'm very tired of hearing, we can't talk about that right now, or we have no information we can give you about this etc. I firmly believe Bioware/EA whoever is making these decisions, to keep us completely in the dark when it comes to new announcements is seriously hurting the game in the long run. I'm not going to speculate on the status of the game as of right now, but I am finding a huge problem is the lack of information coming out for this game lately. And the fact that I, and many other people don't know if this game is doing well is a testament in itself. Please start telling us what is going on in future plans, tell us something exciting you are working on to give people hope that this game will last, and that you are listening to the fans.

 

So many people who are leaving or have left could have been easily persuaded to stay just by simply letting us know whats going on, or whats being worked on. We don't need a release date.. These people are unhappy with the state of the game, not getting the changes we want, being led to think by the lack of information that nothing we are asking for is going to be released even remotely soon, and for all we know Bioware is working on some serious problems or adding content we all want. But they allow us to continually feel this game is in decline and making many feel they really aren't listening. And sure, they will release information a few weeks before that content is actually released, in the meantime maybe a few thousand people thinking this game is going no where unsubbed, or people like me play on, blinding hoping Bioware is progressing this game in a positive direction. And in my opinion, that isn't winning over the favor of a large player base thus far.

 

Bioware treats this game as if it has such a strong fallowing, and people will continue to play no matter what, and they tell us something huge is coming out soon but won't talk about it, thinking people will stick around to find out. Stop it, seriously, just tell us a few important parts of something important to look forward to. makeb for example, we get a new planet, we've known that since it was announced that's great, but this is an expansion and all they could give us was info on one of two things they've already told us about months ago? What else is going to be in it actually worth sticking this game out for? There are so many posts about this expansion not being worth it, because we have no idea what the heck is going to be in it. I'm sure the expansion will be awesome, so get us hyped about it! Trust me, it won't ruin the game or make people not buy it. And what else do we know about the game, besides a super secret space development? Or the information on redoing Ilum early next year. They tell us they're adding new quest guys, and a new event, then they say they can't go into it any further..?? Just tell us you're adding some kick *** pvp area, or somethings. Its stuff like this that they refuse to give us information on and I just don't understand it, and I want this game to succeed so badly. I feel like I know nothing about the status of the game, where it's headed, when are we getting things we've been asking for for months?

 

And to the people who will try to fight against this saying what? People will complain when they don't get something that's been promised? Well you know what, I would rather know that Bioware is working on something awesome like a new race, or mini games and not know when it will be released, then sitting on my bum every day playing on hoping they are coming out with something to make me want to stick with it.

 

So please stop with the super secret plans every time you are asked any questions in interviews or Q&As open up and give us the information we are looking for, at least enough to give us hope for the future.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Avengerfx

[Bounty_]

First id like to say that this is somewhat very thought out, and second that i mean you and many others feel that the lack of info is bad, but its a EA policy and many other publishers policy, it may not be a Bioware one at all. Third they dont owe you anything at all, its their game and can do what they wish. if the public views that as bad i mean its your opinion.

[opriv]

First id like to say that this is somewhat very thought out, and second that i mean you and many others feel that the lack of info is bad, but its a EA policy and many other publishers policy, it may not be a Bioware one at all. Third they dont owe you anything at all, its their game and can do what they wish. if the public views that as bad i mean its your opinion.

 

Yep, they can do what they want as long as they have customers willing to pay. Canceled my sub in fairly close relation to what the OP was talking about. Obviously, bioware has been in free fall for the past several months. Bet the stock holders are thrilled.

[Samy_Merchi]

Welcome to what same gender advocates have been feeling the whole year.

[Bounty_]

Yep, they can do what they want as long as they have customers willing to pay. Canceled my sub in fairly close relation to what the OP was talking about. Obviously, bioware has been in free fall for the past several months. Bet the stock holders are thrilled.

 

You mean EA, bioware is privately traded. On that note EA was on the rise but have droped $2 since the 19th.

[opriv]

You mean EA, bioware is privately traded. On that note EA was on the rise but have droped $2 since the 19th.

 

EA owns Bioware. Bioware's failing impacts EA's stock.

[-ThEoNe-]

First id like to say that this is somewhat very thought out, and second that i mean you and many others feel that the lack of info is bad, but its a EA policy and many other publishers policy, it may not be a Bioware one at all. Third they dont owe you anything at all, its their game and can do what they wish. if the public views that as bad i mean its your opinion.

 

I never got a sense of entitlement approach from the OP at all. I think he/she wants more information on the game and believes that the game will be the better for it. The OP didn't give the whole "I'm paying for it, so you better tell me what is going on or else" argument, but more of a concern for the future of the game if the revealing of information is not better conveyed. And i totally agree.

 

I have defended this game every since I got into early beta, but the problem wasn't getting people to play, it was getting people to stay from my lack of future information. Case in point my two brothers. We all three played since day 1 of early access. Come Feb., one drops off because he didn't know about any sort of open world PvP plans b/c of the Ilum being stale and underdeveloped. The other brother dropped out because he didn't have any reason to stay around, mostly from the lack of enthusiasm and lack of general future game plans. One of my brothers just recently came back to the game after being gone months b/c of the revealing of revisiting Ilum and the pre-order of the expansion.

 

I am in total agreement with the OP, and while I understand that it may not be Bioware's fault, the communication and handling of future game plans should be made a little more clear for the sake of the future of the game.

[Bounty_]

Its owned doesnt mean it effects it, i also never said it didnt, just corrected your mistake saying it was Biowares stock. Also this recent dip is being connected to Dead Space 3 (for some odd reason)

[opriv]

Its owned doesnt mean it effects it, i also never said it didnt, just corrected your mistake saying it was Biowares stock. Also this recent dip is being connected to Dead Space 3 (for some odd reason)

 

Reread my post, I never identify it as bioware's stock. I will give you that I did not explicitly imply EA's ownership of said stock, but I was assuming that everyone here would understand the inference.

[arunav]

I never got a sense of entitlement approach from the OP at all. I think he/she wants more information on the game and believes that the game will be the better for it. The OP didn't give the whole "I'm paying for it, so you better tell me what is going on or else" argument, but more of a concern for the future of the game if the revealing of information is not better conveyed. And i totally agree.

 

I have defended this game every since I got into early beta, but the problem wasn't getting people to play, it was getting people to stay from my lack of future information. Case in point my two brothers. We all three played since day 1 of early access. Come Feb., one drops off because he didn't know about any sort of open world PvP plans b/c of the Ilum being stale and underdeveloped. The other brother dropped out because he didn't have any reason to stay around, mostly from the lack of enthusiasm and lack of general future game plans. One of my brothers just recently came back to the game after being gone months b/c of the revealing of revisiting Ilum and the pre-order of the expansion.

 

I am in total agreement with the OP, and while I understand that it may not be Bioware's fault, the communication and handling of future game plans should be made a little more clear for the sake of the future of the game.

 

Yeah, I agree. I really like the game, but decided to cancel today, largely due to some of the OPs concerns. Aside from the Cartel Shop, there is little information on plans for the game and upcoming content. As a player, it feels as though BW is deciding things as they go along, without a firm plan in place, and without a lot of content to release. This doesn't give me the confidence that EA is behind the game, rather it just wants more of its expected returns back.

 

I had a really fun time playing this year, but there doesn't seem to be a lot to do or look forward to now. The new WZ is pretty cool, 90s arcade sound effects aside, but after grinding out WH earlier this year, it's not worth sticking around for one zone every now and again. And I've leveled the classes/stories I was interested in, 4 50s, 2 on each faction.

 

If I'm wrong and the game is in good shape this time next year, I'd consider returning. I don't really see that happening with the current leadership and its priorities.

Edited December 24, 2012 by arunav

[opriv]

Just look at the "new" announcement of the expansion. It's old news. I am pretty sure they were talking about Makeb as far back as last spring or early summer at the latest.

[MyPetMonkey]

Welcome to what same gender advocates have been feeling the whole year.

Yep... biggest problem with the game.................... really....... bad............awful....... really..........

[Darka]

Silence is deadly.

They need to win back their fan base, and they need to do it soon.

They do not need to promise the world, they just need to get involved more.

Work out what they want, where the games going, and start showing some faith in the game.

Giving up has a flow on effect

[Laris_Rai]

Welcome to what same gender advocates have been feeling the whole year.

 

Yeah, because the forums are where they're going to break news on new characters or big changes to old ones.

[Tatile]

Yep... biggest problem with the game.................... really....... bad............awful....... really..........

 

The lack of meaningful interaction from the Community and Development teams is a big problem with this game, as it gives the impression that Bioware do not care about the player base or the game.

[Fornix]

This is just the way business works....

 

It's as if you people come crawling from under a rock and only just realize that publicly traded companies don't just throw about their ideas, their ideals, their plans and their stages of development. It's simply not the thing the market accepts, as every company has hundreds if not thousands of ideas they come up with. However, over 90% of them getting shot down as eventually it doesn't work out, will for people who do not see competitors announcing this be reason to pull their stock as it is interpreted as a sign of weakness.

 

This all is not going to change people. All announcements coming from publicly traded companies are carefully picked, carefully worded and therefore will often include a lot of repetition on details most of us already know.

 

No matter which of the major publishers you look at, whether it's THQ, EA, Activision/Blizzard, etc. It's all the same. When it comes to development of their games, they're all going to be tight lipped, and information released, is hardly shocking.

 

Moreover, there are also other reasons you do not want to release information too soon on gameplay mechanics in this genre. As sometimes it may be very easy for another MMO to copy a certain feature. And hence if you have it planned as mechanic along the release of something different, the other company may just as well beat you to it, quickly introducing it into a patch.

 

 

TL;DR This ain't going to change. This is simply the way publicly traded companies work.

[GrimInc]

This is just the way business works....

 

It's as if you people come crawling from under a rock and only just realize that publicly traded companies don't just throw about their ideas, their ideals, their plans and their stages of development. It's simply not the thing the market accepts, as every company has hundreds if not thousands of ideas they come up with. However, over 90% of them getting shot down as eventually it doesn't work out, will for people who do not see competitors announcing this be reason to pull their stock as it is interpreted as a sign of weakness.

 

This all is not going to change people. All announcements coming from publicly traded companies are carefully picked, carefully worded and therefore will often include a lot of repetition on details most of us already know.

 

No matter which of the major publishers you look at, whether it's THQ, EA, Activision/Blizzard, etc. It's all the same. When it comes to development of their games, they're all going to be tight lipped, and information released, is hardly shocking.

 

Moreover, there are also other reasons you do not want to release information too soon on gameplay mechanics in this genre. As sometimes it may be very easy for another MMO to copy a certain feature. And hence if you have it planned as mechanic along the release of something different, the other company may just as well beat you to it, quickly introducing it into a patch.

 

 

TL;DR This ain't going to change. This is simply the way publicly traded companies work.

 

If you feel EA's comunication is on the same level as other mmo's i suggest you go have a look around.

[darklordpotter]

The lack of meaningful interaction from the Community and Development teams is a big problem with this game, as it gives the impression that Bioware do not care about the player base or the game.

 

I would certainly agree with this the C&P responses get very wearing after a while.

[Alec_Fortescue]

In the past they were saying too much and everyone now is pointing fingers at those promises. So I completely understand why they are so vague and careful with their answers now.

 

However the lack of communiation on certain issues (hood toggle and, well, sgr which told to come or being worked on) is just unnaceptable. There is no ETA, no work-in-progress report or even confirmation if it's still gonna make it or not. This is what is wrong.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Alec_Fortescue

[Laris_Rai]

However the lack of communiation on certain issues (hood toggle and, well, sgr which told to come or being worked on) is just unnaceptable. There is no ETA, no work-in-progress report or even confirmation if it's still gonna make it or not. This is what is wrong.

 

Maybe there's no ETA because...there's no ETA and if they give one and end up missing it people will howl. BioWare got burned on this before so I can see why they'd not what to say ANYTHING until something is a done deal. Live with it.

[Tatile]

Maybe there's no ETA because...there's no ETA and if they give one and end up missing it people will howl. BioWare got burned on this before so I can see why they'd not what to say ANYTHING until something is a done deal. Live with it.

 

I can see why they decided to go with no communication rather than better communication, but that doesn't mean I agree with it.

 

Upcoming deadline is probably going to be missed? At a reasonable time, before the actual deadline of course, say that is likely the deadline is going to be missed because of "in-house problems" or "bug fixing took precedence". Or you can just say nothing at all.

 

As was demonstrated by the short-lived (lasted, what, a week, maybe two?) attempt at increasing communication back in July-ish, it is far too late to expect Bioware to start engaging with the community or even be honest with it*. At this point we might well be discussing a dead thing in the hope of that future, living things will act and behave differently - if we pull said living things into the discussion they might be able to learn from it.

 

*Who loves that Life Day speeder?

[Kalfear]

In the past they were saying too much and everyone now is pointing fingers at those promises. So I completely understand why they are so vague and careful with their answers now.

 

However the lack of communiation on certain issues (hood toggle and, well, sgr which told to come or being worked on) is just unnaceptable. There is no ETA, no work-in-progress report or even confirmation if it's still gonna make it or not. This is what is wrong.

 

?????

 

I been here since day 1 of web site opening in Oct of 08 and I have no clue what you are speaking about?

 

LACK of communication has been a issue since the day this site opened and the game was officially announced.

 

I dont recall a single period in time where they were saying to much?

[Cretinus]

Bioware, we find your lack of imformation disturbing..

 

I don't think that BW is acting much differently than any other company. But you're entitled to your own opinion, of course. And not only you, actually everybody is entitled to his own opinion. This is why it would be highly appreciated if you'd draft your posts accordingly, i.e. that you (and not 'we') find the lack of information disturbing.

[A_nonymous]

This is just the way business works....

 

It's as if you people come crawling from under a rock and only just realize that publicly traded companies don't just throw about their ideas, their ideals, their plans and their stages of development. It's simply not the thing the market accepts, as every company has hundreds if not thousands of ideas they come up with. However, over 90% of them getting shot down as eventually it doesn't work out, will for people who do not see competitors announcing this be reason to pull their stock as it is interpreted as a sign of weakness.

 

This all is not going to change people. All announcements coming from publicly traded companies are carefully picked, carefully worded and therefore will often include a lot of repetition on details most of us already know.

 

No matter which of the major publishers you look at, whether it's THQ, EA, Activision/Blizzard, etc. It's all the same. When it comes to development of their games, they're all going to be tight lipped, and information released, is hardly shocking.

 

Moreover, there are also other reasons you do not want to release information too soon on gameplay mechanics in this genre. As sometimes it may be very easy for another MMO to copy a certain feature. And hence if you have it planned as mechanic along the release of something different, the other company may just as well beat you to it, quickly introducing it into a patch.

 

 

TL;DR This ain't going to change. This is simply the way publicly traded companies work.

 

I'm sorry, but this is completely and totally dead wrong. The OP's concerns are completely legit. Any company that wants to provide good customer support has to actually engage with it's customer's not ignore them completely. That doesn't mean they have to publicly announce every single idea they are floating around in the backroom. It does mean that if your customers are voicing concerns you can't just ignore them. Customers who are ignored become non-customers.

 

Look at the same gender romance thing. If BW has decided they are not going to implement it for whatever reason all they have to do is say that they couldn't implement it for (pick one or multiples) technical/creative/coding/story reasons. Instead they say nothing. People complain about the bugs. BW does not address the bugs and says nothing. People complain about the Cartel Market when it comes out and how they feel the game is moving towards pay to win and that the prices in the market are too high. BW ignores them. The expansion pack comes out. People complain that it's not enough content to justify being called an expansion much less charge $10-20 for it. Again, BW remains silent. A lot of subs (myself included) now feel that we are being flat out ignored and that BW couldn't care less about what we think. Thus we (including myself) are becoming non-subs. All it would take to get some of us back is to simply make some statements about what is going on. Just a BS, "Yes we are aware of the bugs. We're working on them. We are prioritizing bugs that cause this behavior but are trying to fix bugs that cause that behahior as well. Due to the nature of programming we can't guarantee a time frame when some of these bugs will be fixed." That right there is essentially BS, but it's better than the crickets we're hearing from BW.

 

Also, other MMOs do indeed engage their customers. I use DCUO as an example as it's the other game I actively play. There is a user who uses the name Mepps who actively engages customers in what is going on both on the Facebook page as well as the forums. Sometimes the explanations he gives are typical BS, but it's still engagement.

[CTFoxhound]

I was gonna make a similar post but yours is what I was pretty much gonna say. If they want people to buy this expansion. (Which honestly with the lack of info given I think it's like a mini-expansion), they need to not be silent and tell people what's coming.

 

When companies are silent about updates that's when players stop playing. If they have nothing to look forward to then the motivation to stay dwindles. Just like this super duper sekret space project expansion that is supposedly in the works.

 

Give us a teaser of it even if it's 6+ months away. That way peoples interest get sparked and the drive to play comes back. I'm just being honest here, why would I pay for a expansion right now if I know nothing about it? Makes no sense.

 

I'll pre-order if we get some new info. Till then, I'm holding my money Bioware.