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The Mog Log: The two-way community street in Final Fantasy XIV
If there's one thing that hit me after the live letter this weekend, it's that the Final Fantasy XIV community is kind of a mess. I've been working around this game since before it launched, and there have always been weird issues going on with the way the community has worked. Part of this is because the game's community has a weird sort of isolationist streak, as if the online installments of this particular series are the only online games in existence, but part of this is also a matter of dealing with a community team that reports to bosses who aren't speaking the same language as the US playerbase. Community management is a two-way street, and this weekend's antics served to remind me of how many elements of this really need to be addressed. So let's talk about how both the players and the community team can improve our overall culture from both sides.
Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR and the transparency dilemma
This past week on The Republic, I talked to prominent community members about transparency and broken promises in regard to Star Wars: The Old Republic. Both Heather from Corellian Run Radio and Redna from Ootinicast agreed that BioWare's community team has communicated too little and too infrequently with the players and has actually driven people away from the game because of that lack of dialogue. Also this past week, former Operative Class Representative Snave interviewed Community Manager Eric Musco, asking why the community team has been so quiet as of late and why it promised to deliver information by the end of September but it didn't. Snave also asked why there hasn't been more transparency from community team, especially when Musco specifically said that one of the things that he wanted from the community team was more transparency. Snave accused Musco of speaking out of both sides of his mouth when he said that he wanted more transparency but then wouldn't reveal what was going on with the announcement. Compounding recent events was a kerfuffle over the ongoing Cantina Tours. Players became upset when the Cantina Tour date for Las Vegas was moved from November 7th to November 15th, even though back in February, Community Coordinator Courtney Woods posted the planned dates of the Community Cantina Tour with the caveat that they were "subject to change." As a community, SWTOR players don't seem to be happy with or without transparency. The SWTOR community team cannot, as the saying goes, win for losing. What is the solution here? Let's discuss the details and maybe a solution or two.
Gaile Gray returns to the community team for Guild Wars 2
If you played Guild Wars when it launched, you remember Gaile Gray. Heck, odds are you remember her if you've been at all active in the community for Guild Wars or Guild Wars 2 over the past decade; she's worn many community-facing hats over the years. She's donning a new one now, or perhaps more accurately re-donning an old favorite, as game support lead Michael Henniger recently took to the forums announcing that Gray has moved from customer support to the community team. Community interactions were a large part of Gray's role when the original Guild Wars launched, and long-time fans in the thread are happy to see her making the move. If you had a sudden sweep of nostalgia, you're not alone.
Tamriel Infinium: The Elder Scrolls Online's community focus
When interviewing developers for Massively over the last three years, I've taken many opportunities to chat up multiple community managers. And when I was running my own community, I read article after article about how to gauge the health of a community. Although I don't remember who said it or where I might have read it, I learned that one of the best ways to measure a healthy community is the amount of artwork that players make about your particular theme, or in the case of The Elder Scrolls Online, the game. Of course, all game creators like to see players having fun and being inspired by what they are doing. The Elder Scrolls brings with it an existing community inspired by games like Skyrim and Morrowind. The community has already fallen in love with ESO and has drawn inspiration from everything that ZeniMax has released about the game so far. One of these inspired individuals is Lisa Green, known as Aloucia on TESO-RP.com. She told me a bit about herself and the inspiration behind her painting that was featured in the latest Tamriel Chronicle.
The Daily Grind: What game has your favorite community team?
Let's be honest with ourselves for a moment: We MMO players are not the easiest bunch to manage in terms of community. We're moody, we're cantankerous, and we often want the game to be developed in seven different exclusive directions at once. So a member of a game's community team already has a hard road to walk. It's understandable that every so often a member of the team might just decide to snap and go out in a blaze of glory. But that's not to diminish the fine people who elevate community management to an art form. Final Fantasy XIV has built a well-loved community team where none existed before, World of Warcraft's community managers are viewed with a genial fondness by players, and both Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 have always banked partly on the strength of their community involvement. So what game's community team is your personal favorite? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Soapbox: Game developers are not rock stars
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Take a moment to think of your single favorite game developer. Is this person your favorite because of his talent? Maybe he made a game that influenced you growing up, or he has a charming personality for interviews. Whatever the reason, we probably all have our favorite game developers whom we hold on a pedestal of greatness. But did this one person make the game entirely by himself? Did Sid Meier write every line of code for the Civilization games? Did Richard Garriott draw every texture in Tabula Rasa? No, of course they didn't, but their names are right there on the box, showing ownership. Despite my own fanboy appreciation of certain devs, the title of this article says it all. With a few notable exceptions, those who make our favorite games make up a collective group of talented people who come together under proper leadership and design guidelines to create something that keeps us entertained for hours/weeks/months/years. So why do we pick out one or two and treat them like rock stars?
EverQuest giving away 12 one-year subscriptions for its 12th anniversary
Twelve years ago, several brave adventurers took their first steps into the world of EverQuest and helped to shape the MMO genre. Now, Sony Online Entertainment is gearing up to celebrate all the myriad achievements between that first day and now -- and the company is kicking everything off with a huge giveaway just perfect for dedicated Norrathians! Earlier today SOE announced a Facebook contest that will hook a dozen lucky winners up with a full year of EverQuest game time. However, much like the game it honors, this giveaway quest is only for those adventurers who savor a challenge. Starting today, the SOE community team will post a daily image on Facebook that has a trivia question on it. All you have to do is drop by the EverQuest Facebook page, look at the image, and mail your answer in to the company's contest email address. From there, one winner will be picked from all the correct answers received each day until all 12 days' worth of giveaways are done. So, if you're up on your Norrathian trivia and would like to land some free game time, then point your browser at the SOE Facebook page and check out all the details!
Meghan "Patience" Jenks leaves Turbine, Andy Belford departs Mythic
Today, Turbine lost its Patience -- but not in the way you're thinking. Over Twitter, Meghan "Patience" Jenks announced that after six years, she is leaving the studio to move back to California: "I guess it's time to break the news -- Friday is my last day at Turbine. I'm heading back home to CA. It's been an AMAZING 6 years working on amazing games, but I need to be closer to my family." Jenks has been the online community manager for Turbine since 2004; she was one of the studio's most vocal personalities and the face that the community most often saw in interviews and on convention panels. She indicated that she does indeed have a new job lined up, although she called her stint overseeing Lord of the Rings Online's community "THE highlight of my career." If this news upsets you, then Jenks has a few words to cheer you up: "Don't be sad -- if you play Turbine games, you're still in excellent hands with the awesomeness of the Community Team! And no -- YOU CAN'T HAVE MY STUFF. :)" Update: Meghan's not the only one going to California. BioWare Mythic Community Manager Andy Belford also made his farewells on Twitter earlier today. "Jumping on the go west mentality... I'm no longer with BioWare Mythic. I'm moving closer to the family and have a great new opportunity. [... ] Thanks to the WAR and DAOC communities for the last 2+ years. Thank[s] to Mythic for all of the amazing opportunities. I'll forever be grateful." The west coast (and, no doubt, the gaming companies therein) is certainly about to become much richer! Best of luck to the both of you!
Massively's in-depth interview with SWTOR Community Manager Stephen Reid
Last Friday, Star Wars: The Old Republic finally revealed the Crew Skills crafting system. In a slightly less important announcement, BioWare also announced its new Community Manager, Stephen Reid. OK, I'm teasing. It is very important announcement. Since Sean Dahlberg stepped down, the community team has been without a face and voice to the community. Those left behind had to put in extra effort into providing the fans with the latest releases from the SWTOR news room, and for a while, the community was unsure who, if anyone, would be able to fill the shoes. Now, Stephen Reid has taken the helm of the massive community starship. Now since we have a new voice of the SWTOR community team, Massively thought it would be interesting to get his thoughts on the game, on the community, and on how we, the fans, could best make Star Wars: The Old Republic the game it should be. Massively Senior Editor Brianna Royce sat down with Stephen at a recent LucasArts event for an in-depth interview -- join us past the break to see what he had to say!
New Ryzom patch enhancing PvP and other social functions
PvP is a tricky matter to balance in a game with players in all sorts of different gear levels, not to mention accounting for different player skills. Ryzom has tackled the age-old bugbear with its latest patch, attempting to extend and expand the PvP system in the game to everyone. The system has modified the rules for attacking, flagging, and supporting other players, with a small chart in the patch notes explaining who is allowed to do what to whom and when. In case skewering other players isn't your thing, however, you can invite them into your personal apartment now as well as take advantage of the newly added variable tags for the chat system. There are also enhancements to the apartment customization focusing on getting involved with the community team and as usual a smattering of bugfixes and general performance improvements. If you're part of Ryzom's dedicated audience, take a look at the patch notes to see what 1.10 brings to the game.
NYCC 2010: Our interview with FFXIV's Sage Sundi and Yasu Kurosawa
If there were an award for the most controversial game on Massively, that award would probably have to go to Final Fantasy XIV. It's a game with a very different approach to many of the elements that are considered de rigueur for MMOs, which has produced a great deal of affection from some players, a great deal of enmity from others, and a flamewar that burgeons in nearly any thread about even the most innocuous news. I had a chance to sit down at New York Comic Con with Sage Sundi, FFXIV's global online producer, and Yasu Kurosawa, FFXIV's North American online producer. It was certainly an interesting experience to chat with two of the people responsible in no small part for one of my personal favorite games, but both gentlemen were very polite to discuss the game, its worldwide community, and what lessons had been learned already from launch.
Eyonix leaving Blizzard
It's sad news for the World of Warcraft community today as longtime Blizzard community manager Eyonix has announced that he's leaving the company. He announced his departure in a simple and direct post on the official forums: "For nearly six years, we've shared our thoughts with one and other, we've laughed, we've argued, and we've cried -- the crying part was just me wasn't it? Those times, I'm afraid must come to an end as I've made the decision to explore opportunities outside of Blizzard. It has very honestly been a huge pleasure, and I thank you all for allowing 'Eyonix' to always remain a very fond memory as I move on." My perspective might be a little different than some readers' due to my employment history, but I've always felt for the plight of the community manager, especially at Blizzard. Become emotionally detached, they say you're not passionate. Become emotionally invested, they say you take it too personally. Eyonix has generally managed to strike that particular balance -- no mean feat for a community manager, especially one for a community so inherently unmanageable. He was one of the good guys. We'll likely never know what caused his departure, especially given that there was definitely no horrible public meltdown accompanying this particular exit, but I hope that the move is a positive and fortuitous one for him. Even when I might've disagreed with the Community team at large, I always supported Eyonix. Godspeed, little whelp.
SOE is sending you a streaming video of love
The holiday of love is rapidly approaching, and SOE is doing something a little different this year. In addition to your standard Valentine's Day events, like EverQuest II's Erollisi Day, they're also putting together a streaming video Valentine's Day party. The party will commence on Friday, February 12th, at 1 PM PT (4 PM ET) on SOE's Ustream channel. The community team will be gathered to make paper hearts and answer your questions live in the Ustream chat room while they deliver player submitted Valentine's Day greetings and announcements. SOE developers will also be dropping by the party to talk with players, so you never know what will happen! Today, however, is the last day to submit your own personal greetings to the party! The full instructions are available at the official announcement on any of the SOE sites, but you can be lazy and click this link to go straight to them on the EverQuest II site.
Final Fantasy XI's community team goes on a podcast tour
The Final Fantasy XI community team members are going on a virtual tour, stopping by each of the major podcasts to answer some questions and get in-depth with what they do on the long running fantasy MMO.Pet Food Alpha, Limit Break Radio, and He Says She Says will each be playing host to various members of the community team, with Pet Food Alpha leading the way on the first show. PFA will be covering topics on global support, as well as the premier and community websites with special guest Robert Peeler. He Says She Says will be all about the many in-game seasonal events with special guest Matt Hilton, and Limit Break Radio will be covering the topic of live events with both Matt Hilton and Robert Peeler.Pet Food Alpha has already posted the first show, with the He Says She Says show coming only two days away from now on May 6th. Lastly, Limit Break Radio will be posting their podcast on May 13th, next Wednesday.
Aion's European community team makes the leap across the pond
Going along with the continuous restructuring of NCsoft West, the European Aion community team has recently been invited to take the long swim across the Atlantic Ocean and join US community manager Liv in Seattle, forming a unified Aion community team.Sebastian "Ayase" Streiffert, the United Kingdom community manager, and Martin "Amboss" Rabl, the German community manager will be flying to the United States, while Loic "Atreid" Claveau, the French community manager, has declined the position in favor of moving to the marketing department in Brighton.Ayase, Amboss, and Atreid have all written blog posts reflecting on their individual decisions, and they can be read over at the Aion Europe community site. Amboss's and Atreid's posts have been written in their native languages, but it's nothing that a web translator can't handle. (And by handle I mean rip to shreds, but at least give you the general idea.)Welcome to the United States, Ayase and Amboss!
Tabula Rasa to get emote-tional at Comic-Con
With all the flaws we've seen in Tabula Rasa over the last eight months, one thing we'd never criticize the game for is a lack of creativity from the community team. They've consistently done their best to keep their community engaged, despite the fact that said community is disbursed around the internet due to the lack of an official forum. Their support team has pulled in similar praise in the past as well.Continuing their reign of awesomeness, the Tabula Rasa community team is going to be spear-heading a new event at this year's Comic-Con. Critters and co. will be setting up a booth giving away free Tabula Rasa goodies, an exclusive Lumin pet, and filming fans performing their best real-world emotes. They'll take the footage back to their Austin offices and vote on which one is the best, and actually recreate it in-game. It's a pretty neat contest, and we recommend you check it out (booth #5209) if you're headed to Comic-Con this year.
Tell the LotRO Community Team (tenth in a forum series)
Massively sees what the sneaky community specialist Tolero is up to with this running feature over on the official Lord of the Rings Online forums. Every week questions are posed to the players, when it's all said and done the information is data-mined by the developers with the help of some Hobbits. All of this is then used to make the game a shinier/happier place. This week the following questions are: When playing any multi-player game, which of the following best describes you? When you visit community forums, what is your primary interest in doing so? (examples: news from developers, socializing with server mates, at work and can't log in, etc) What is your most happy and/or memorable in-game moment? Feel free to join in on the discussion over on the official forums. We really like this; it's a feature is a great way to foster community and collect feedback from the playerbase.
Give the LotRO community team a piece of your mind, part IX
The community team for Lord of the Rings Online once again wants to ask you (their players) some questions so they can hear your answers. There's an ongoing thread on the official forums where your answers can be posted. Think of this as both a way to give the community team your feedback and any express thanks you may have for them. There isn't a more auspicious community space than this to make writ your words.Congratulations are due to the Lord of the Rings Online community team for these threads, as they are a wonderful way to speak directly to the entire community team. There's a question in the thread that we felt was worth answering ourselves and that question is, "If you could thank a Turbine representative for something, what would that something be?" Our answer to that is: For being awesome.
Week 5 of the "Tell the LotRO Community Team" series
A fresh batch of questions has been cooked up by the Lord of the Rings Online Community Team, and players wishing to contribute to the growing feedback repository can visit this week's thread. The new questions are: Of your characters that you enjoy playing the most, or the most often, what is the highest character level you've achieved? (Example: You currently have a level 45 Minstrel, a level 20 Lore Master, and a level 12 Champion, but these days you find yourself playing your Champion more consistently than your Lore Master or Minstrel. The response to this question would be "level 12".) What was your favorite in-game event you've attended from any game, LotRO or otherwise? When talking with friends/acquaintances about LotRO, what's the first thing you mention to them? You're free to comment on last week's questions along with this week's answers, and they can be found here.
"Tell the LotRO Community Team" is back for Round 4
Lord of the Rings Online community specialist Tolero has returned with some more questions for the fans to answer, in the fourth week of the "Tell the LotRO Community Team" series. Another three new questions are posed: What is your favorite LotRO creature and why? How often do you play LotRO? What was the most difficult aspect about LotRO when you were a new player? Go through to the forum thread to join the discussion and give your answers -- it looks like there are already lots of varying and interesting answers out there, especially for the third of these questions, which should provide very helpful feedback for future improvements. Like in previous weeks, you still have the option of answering Round 3's questions in this week's thread too.
