You need to start to take feedback more serious!

[Colyx]

Dear BB devs,

For every small step you go forward and add new shiny things ppl can spend their money on and change this and that, you make 3 steps backward when it comes to real basic things like map design, especially on home island.

1. Map elements cannot be removed anymore (http://forum.tsotesting.com/threads/21775-Protest-against-quot-Map-elements-cannot-be-removed-anymore-by-placing-decorations-quot?p=40186)

2. Literally thin air blocking building space (http://forum.thesettlersonline.com/threads/32655-Please-improve-building-placement-in-certain-areas)

These issues (especially #2, older posts about the same issue dating back several months from now) have been adressed a few times now. People have been asking for a workaround. The current decisions for building placement are everything else but smart. We need more building space, many players are willing to buy more licences to build more things - yet you decide to take building space away bit by bit! That doesn't even make sense! I'd really like to know why these changes are going live, respectively are not being fixed properly.


In general, I'm really disappointed how feedback is handled and that there is hardly any dev comment on this or other issues either. We get the occasional response - supposedly due to limited resources - other than that we are left in the dark and/or have to wait for patch notes to find out.

I have been in hundreds of alpha and beta stages, as well as early access for almost 20 years now, (stress) testing different games from different developers, small and huge studios, helping out to improve things, to discuss things, etc. What I have experienced here so far is not an isolated case - there are quite a bunch of studios who acted the same in the past. Changing things despite negative feedback, despite what players wanted, turning away from communication channels, neglecting suggestions/feedback forums, etc.

There is nothing wrong with keeping information locked away until patches hit the test server, there is nothing wrong with being shy and cautious about what is shared with the community. But it is not ok to treat those with silence who spend their free time to test your stuff and make suggestions - you do realize those players are the very dedicated core of this community?

You disagree with certain feedback? Explain why. You want to change things despite players not agreeing with you? Explain why. You are not happy with feedback? Let us know what is bothering you. Do you even want the community to be part of this process? If yes, show that you are willing to listen - if not, just shut down the test servers and do whatever you feel like. But please stop getting our hopes up and lure us into this "maybe someone reads this and it will be fixed someday" [rubbish] because it really is not cool to be at the receiving end.

You need to start communicating more frequently and more honest with the player base or you will have to shut down the servers in a few years because no one is willing to put up with this any longer. People will get impatient and stop giving feedback (sadly some already did), until they reach the point where they simply leave. If this is what you want, please continue your current course.

Please keep your language PEGI-7 appropriate.

[Goafer]

+1

[Mortallicus]

+1

I agree with much of what you say Colyx and I also feel frustration. When guild members used to ask 'why is this change coming' I could usually answer pretty well just by thinking logically. But more and more recently i am answering 'there is no logical reason just BB'.

My vibe is that they are thinking of gem sales more than ever now. For example it is not in their interests for guilds to help lower levels as it stops them buying gems and they want us to buy items that create space with gems. The guild bank worked very well on test but despite a video from BB about Guild changes it did not come to the live servers. It was huge and that might have been a problem but suggestions were made to reduce the size to hold just currency including event currency. But no reaction at all.

Other servers i.e. the American have more interaction with BB and i frequently check out what they are being told. I also visit the french and german servers.

I do think this Server is hard for them to deal with. We are generally very strong in our opinions, I think we notice the small stuff that could become larger and more of a problem later. Maybe BB would rather we ignore that small stuff :D The Americans do seem to ignore the little stuff and seem more laid back and they are more open to the big changes and therefore might they be easier to deal with?

I think they need to sort out the Test Server first and foremost. I dont think its working that well and its difficult to understand why feedback there is ignored. Why bring bugs over from test ?

Anyway to any that read this post earlier - yes i have changed it :D I still believe my earlier comments but maybe should not be so open with my thoughts.

[Urd123]

+1

[lordloocan]

Totally agree

[SmurfAsH]

I think they need to sort out the Test Server first and foremost. I dont think its working that well and its difficult to understand why feedback there is ignored. Why bring bugs over from test ?

Since Slash left test server dev team (Dec'13), the pile of bull stuff has risen to the sky (first because of incompetence and then also ignorance).

[TheVictorious]

+1

I really can't understand the BB logic about this, totally I agree with the world you said "everything else but smart", you can remove rocks and mountains and you cant remove small bush or even build simply on free space! OK I can agree with BB about "bug" of remove map elements but why you just make that space occupied from bush build-able !
What the point from make bush use 2x2 space while many decorations use 1x1 !

The map need to big review and big enhancements.

Or at least we need some explanation from BB about why is this? maybe we so stupid to understand their brilliant idea!

[Urd123]

I can uderstand that the BB staff has a lot to do and I can respect that. But when we get very little feedback, it is very hard to understand the motivation behind what is being done.

Resources are being used to make it impossible to remove little insignificant scrubs. But it does not seem to be important to do something about the long list of improvements and suggestions made by players. Bad design and technical issues that many players find annoying.

That can be wrong, maybe it is all on the to do list,- but we have no clue, as we dont get much feedback.

We get the impression that much is done to nerf and block any short-cut that is found, and nothing is done to remove annoying stuff. Mainly because of lack of information and very little feedback

[Sharpielein]

+9001

[Sharpielein]

Regarding the specific issue:
Don't I undestand it correctly that the Archipelago was created to solve players' demand for more island space?
Why then, in the next breath, backstab them by reducing available island space?

Does A even know what B is doing in your company?

[Dorotheus]

.

[joe1969]

obviously u all cant see what bb are really upto,theyre out of ideas and want to fill their pockets as fast as they can,cos they know its a dying game,also bb wont fix anythign unless it benefits them,and yes they are pushing gems too hard now,its pure greed.