Keith - As the new producer........

[ExarSun]

You know it's amazing to me that this little insular group of folks that more or less control the forums that can call people out, pile on and shame post others with Zero consequence, and if you say anything to the contrary, you're a white knight or are trying to play forum mod...It's why we have a toxic community that rivals league of Legends and why so many people either don't post here or have left the game altogether.

 

Anyway hopefully Keith won't be afraid to deal with some long standing community issues, but I won't hold my breath.

 

Pretty spot on. I play the game over year and a half now and my forum visits have become rarer by the day all because of such doomsayers and negativity trolls attacking everyone and downplaying everything. Its laughable those trolls spend their day on the forums bashing the game instead of just moving on or actually playing and having a real clue what they're talking about.

Anyway congrats to Keith, fingers crossed he manages to deal with all issues - game and forum-like. I too am hopeful with him at the helm of SWTOR many things will improve.

Edited April 19, 2017 by ExarSun

[Andryah]

Excellent vetting

Sometimes I really like you.

 

I call things the way I see them. No statement or claim, by anyone in the forum, is immune from observation and comment.

 

/HOPING Keith does not simply do a "full-Lucy on poor Charlie Brown" here... because history with Austin suggests that is exactly where we will be in 60 days. I really wish I could be more optimistic about this. So I really hope he steps up, but I certainly am not going to stake my game play and enjoyment on unsubstantiated promises.

Edited April 19, 2017 by Andryah

[GalacticKegger]

OK Keith, please get your catchers mitt ready....

 

 

I agree with you here, but let's be honest... this has been stated and promised multiple times over the years, by multiple producers and Community Support.. and has failed every single time.

 

Sincere question: What makes this time around different? I ask because you were Eric's boss for the last year or two, and hence responsible for community outreach and communications....and guess what.. communications have gotten worse over time, not better.

 

Personally, I want what you are selling here.... but the credibility rests on "the walk" not "the talk". I hate to have to express this and throw dust on your new role .. but it happens to be true.

 

 

 

Please define roadmap..... because it means a lot of different things to different people. Not a detailed definition, but at least a set of bullet points, from your point of view, as to what a roadmap IS and IS-NOT. It will save a lot of grief for everyone when you actually publish one.

 

I get that you cannot disclose everything..... but honestly.. roadmaps, infrequent though they may be, are weak sauce from the studio so far.

 

 

 

 

/fingers-crossed. You are not the first to make such promises in Austin, and then lapse back behind the curtain after a few weeks or months.

 

Do what you say, and say what you do.. and we will all be better off for it. Rinse and repeat lost promises and nothing has really changed except the name on the producers credits.

 

net net: you have inherited a pretty good mess, yet you were an incumbent manager responsible for community outreach and live services during the messy downslope of the last couple years, and both the players and the studio have been negatively impacted by the trend. Walk the talk THIS TIME please.

As much as we've had our differences here your post is spot on. For folks who are on the fence (like me) his roadmap really needs to indicate how far in the right direction he is taking our game with (as you suggested) a concise and hard-hitting bullet list we can all sink our teeth into:

 

• Are any of the current systems being diminished? If so which one(s) and to what degree?
  
• Are any of the current systems being enhanced? If so which one(s) and to what degree?
  
• Are any of the old systems being brought back? If so which one(s) and to what degree?
  
• What is being added?
  
• What is being removed?
  

 

Mr. Kanneg,

 

By your own account you are a real SWTOR player. So for the love of genuine Star Wars MMORPG gaming, PLEASE communicate with us on THAT level. Be a straight shooter. Treat us like you are leading an Op ... be brutally honest, thorough, clear and succint. No more deflective spin doctoring. No more smoke and mirrors sales pitches. No more tap dancing.

 

And please don't tell us what we want. Add important game play options we request (like solo mode on/off, level sync on/off, bolster on/off, PvP flag on/off) so our in-game choices can provide true game play metrics and show you what we want. Lay it all out there for us to absorb (we can take it) before the fact then embrace our feedback.

 

Thank you for stepping forward.

 

Cheers!

 

Keg

Edited April 19, 2017 by GalacticKegger

[kodrac]

Holy ****! A gold post! Perfect time for the crazies to come out of the woodwork with their nutty requests LOL. See what happens when there's communication? The forums come alive.

[Soljin]

OK Keith, please get your catchers mitt ready....

 

 

I agree with you here, but let's be honest... this has been stated and promised multiple times over the years, by multiple producers and Community Support.. and has failed every single time.

 

Sincere question: What makes this time around different? I ask because you were Eric's boss for the last year or two, and hence responsible for community outreach and communications....and guess what.. communications have gotten worse over time, not better.

 

Personally, I want what you are selling here.... but the credibility rests on "the walk" not "the talk". I hate to have to express this and throw dust on your new role .. but it happens to be true.

 

 

 

Please define roadmap..... because it means a lot of different things to different people. Not a detailed definition, but at least a set of bullet points, from your point of view, as to what a roadmap IS and IS-NOT. It will save a lot of grief for everyone when you actually publish one.

 

I get that you cannot disclose everything..... but honestly.. roadmaps, infrequent though they may be, are weak sauce from the studio so far.

 

 

 

 

/fingers-crossed. You are not the first to make such promises in Austin, and then lapse back behind the curtain after a few weeks or months.

 

Do what you say, and say what you do.. and we will all be better off for it. Rinse and repeat lost promises and nothing has really changed except the name on the producers credits.

 

net net: you have inherited a pretty good mess, yet you were an incumbent manager responsible for community outreach and live services during the messy downslope of the last couple years, and both the players and the studio have been negatively impacted by the trend. Walk the talk THIS TIME please.

 

Well stated, I support this post 100%.

Edited April 19, 2017 by Soljin

[TUXs]

Holy ****! A gold post! Perfect time for the crazies to come out of the woodwork with their nutty requests LOL. See what happens when there's communication? The forums come alive.

The forums are a direct reflection of their interaction. Positivity and hope flourish when they're interacting...hope springs eternal!

[ZeroTypeR]

.....I'd like to congratulate you on the promotion! I'm glad to see a new face in such a pivotal role. I'm personally going to hold back my more recent vitriol and extend to you an olive branch in the form of the benefit of the doubt. .

 

This^. I'm willing to sub for a month to see where this goes, and the direction will determine whether I continue subbing or not.

 

The one thing in Keith's introduction that grabbed my attention is: Gamer. He 'plays' the game, good enough for me.

Edited April 19, 2017 by ZeroTypeR

[Nireesh]

Excellent, looking forward to a roadmap. Can you give us any hints about what we can expect in 2018 and beyond too?

[CaptJames]

Hi Keith,

 

Welcome! I think it's important to get feedback on game trajectory. A lot of players who left said that lack of multiplayer content forced them into a corner...a solo corner. The stories were no longer class specific as well and the loot being removed form operations was the final straw.

 

Started the thread below to get people's opinions on what future ideas they might want. Please have a read or quiz the community. No more us and them please. Thanks.

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=919056

[lightningseven]

Keith,

YOU WILL have my support if you truly mean it about producing a ROADMAP !!!!!!

REGULAR **ANNUAL** (future plans) ROADMAPS are CRUCIAL to keeping us INTERESTED in this game!!!!!!

 

WOO HOOOO!!!!

 

 

Hey all,

 

I’m just back from Orlando and have been focused all day ensuring Game Update 5.2 was available for everyone. But, thank you for the congrats and the warm welcome. I’m trying to figure out how to respond to everything so I can have fun with you guys, but also be able to put on my Producer hat and sometimes be serious, too.

 

The foundation between us has to be based on communication and feedback. I won’t promise you something we can’t deliver, nor will I purposely hide things you need to know.

 

As I mentioned in my introduction, I’ll be providing a SWTOR 2017 Roadmap in the next few weeks. In the meantime, look for responses from me on the Forums throughout this week and beyond. I’ll do my very best to be available.

 

---Keith

[HiltoftheDragon]

This^. I'm willing to sub for a month to see where this goes, and the direction will determine whether I continue subbing or not.

 

The one thing in Keith's introduction that grabbed my attention is: Gamer. He 'plays' the game, good enough for me.

 

Youll need to sub for much longer than that. Im almost positive that you wont see anything with Keith's name on it for a long time....im predicting at least a year.

 

Im willing to stick around for a long while myself just to see what things to look forward to on the future roadmaps and onward.

[Nightblazer]

This^. I'm willing to sub for a month to see where this goes, and the direction will determine whether I continue subbing or not.

 

The one thing in Keith's introduction that grabbed my attention is: Gamer. He 'plays' the game, good enough for me.

 

You'll need to give him a minimum of 6 months to a year before you'll see anything from him.

[ZeroTypeR]

Good point to both of you. Well I certainly don't mind subbing, but I'll have to see a road map first, as another said.

[KeithKanneg]

One of the comments I’ve often seen is my reference to a Roadmap. I intend to include what’s specifically coming in the next 90-120 days along with an overview of our plans for the remainder of the year. But, I’ll provide quarterly updates and keep you apprised of any schedule changes.

[LtGeneralGezlin]

One of the comments I’ve often seen is my reference to a Roadmap. I intend to include what’s specifically coming in the next 90-120 days along with an overview of our plans for the remainder of the year. But, I’ll provide quarterly updates and keep you apprised of any schedule changes.

 

Great to read, Keith! I'm looking forward with to the roadmap! And hoping that we'll see more tweaks to the 1-50 story cutscenes, similar to what we saw in 5.2 mentioned.

[Andryah]

One of the comments I’ve often seen is my reference to a Roadmap. I intend to include what’s specifically coming in the next 90-120 days along with an overview of our plans for the remainder of the year. But, I’ll provide quarterly updates and keep you apprised of any schedule changes.

 

Everyone bookmark this post. I have a feeling we will be referring back to it in the future, particularly the last sentence.

[Thessal]

include what’s specifically coming in the next 90-120 days along with an overview of our plans for the remainder of the year.

 

Hate to say it, but that right there sounds like we won't see another chapter or flashpoint or ops boss or PvP map in at least 3 months. So, PvE gets to grind one boss for 3 months, PvP balance won't get touched and our very short new content will be grinding new dailies for worthless rep rewards? Sorry Keith, but I hope I am very wrong with how soon new content will be coming our way.

Edited April 19, 2017 by Thessal

[Soljin]

I had my mean face on...I retract my discontent. Edited April 20, 2017 by Soljin

[Hebruixe]

Hey all,

 

I’m just back from Orlando and have been focused all day ensuring Game Update 5.2 was available for everyone. But, thank you for the congrats and the warm welcome. I’m trying to figure out how to respond to everything so I can have fun with you guys, but also be able to put on my Producer hat and sometimes be serious, too.

 

The foundation between us has to be based on communication and feedback. I won’t promise you something we can’t deliver, nor will I purposely hide things you need to know.

 

As I mentioned in my introduction, I’ll be providing a SWTOR 2017 Roadmap in the next few weeks. In the meantime, look for responses from me on the Forums throughout this week and beyond. I’ll do my very best to be available.

 

---Keith

 

Thank you for this. A little communication fosters a lot of goodwill. There will still be inconsolable forum trolls but the people who actually care about TOR really appreciate hearing from you guys. Tyvm.

[Darkside]

I had my mean face on...I retract my discontent.

 

So is that a "win" for communication?

[HiltoftheDragon]

Ive bookmarked this post. I have a feeling I will be referring back to it in the future, particularly the last sentence.

 

Fixed that for you.

Edited April 20, 2017 by HiltoftheDragon

[Darkside]

One of the comments I’ve often seen is my reference to a Roadmap. I intend to include what’s specifically coming in the next 90-120 days along with an overview of our plans for the remainder of the year. But, I’ll provide quarterly updates and keep you apprised of any schedule changes.

 

Keith, thank you for the update, much appreciated! I know it came up a lot during this thread, the constant debating on whether you can turn things around or not, and if people should or shouldn't be patient with your role etc. I'm in the camp of hoping you can turn things around, and I'm willing to give you the time to do it in.

 

However, If I might be so bold as to ask you, honestly what sort of time frame should we loosely expect for things to go fully in the direction that you envision? ie. - How much of a role do you play in the game's decisions, and what do you feel is the time line for which you can change some of the past controversial design choices to more closely mirror your goals?

[Ciarayn]

One of the comments I’ve often seen is my reference to a Roadmap. I intend to include what’s specifically coming in the next 90-120 days along with an overview of our plans for the remainder of the year. But, I’ll provide quarterly updates and keep you apprised of any schedule changes.

Great! In the roadmap or elsewhere would you also be able to let us know how frequently we will be getting story updates? Thanks!

[HiltoftheDragon]

One of the comments I’ve often seen is my reference to a Roadmap. I intend to include what’s specifically coming in the next 90-120 days along with an overview of our plans for the remainder of the year. But, I’ll provide quarterly updates and keep you apprised of any schedule changes.

 

Ignore the haters...and congrats on the promotion. Im pretty excited to see where this game will be heading. Just the staff change happening alone is enough for me to stay subbed a bit longer.

 

Good luck to whats going to be a bumpy, but rewarding job for you.

[ZeroTypeR]

One of the comments I’ve often seen is my reference to a Roadmap. I intend to include what’s specifically coming in the next 90-120 days along with an overview of our plans for the remainder of the year. But, I’ll provide quarterly updates and keep you apprised of any schedule changes.

 

Then I have no reason not to continue subbing, much appreciated.