I’ll say I’ve never visited the CoX boards, but I definitely agree with your theory on the developers posts (i.e. - they enhance communication). I’m a big fan of developers posting factual information for the players. I think they can definitely foster an environment of exchange of ideas and to as you said, “release of social tensions”. It makes people feel better if they feel the developers of the game they are playing actually care about them. On the flip side of that, the developers need to be very aware of their role and argue with posters, fan flame wars or respond to flames at all. It’s a matter of presenting a unified, knowledgeable company to the outside user.

-Matt

Now I’m not saying the CoX boards are perfect by any means. There is very strong tendency to immediately take apart, word-for-word, every message from a Red-Name (Developers on the CoX boards are distinguished by a red name). The Dev posts do cause problems. They cause all sorts of arguments about what is best for the games, and whether there is a nerf coming down the pipeline. Conversely, the added information also allows for greater speculation on, subsequent build up of, new features. The added dialogue at least allows the Developers to explain their motives more directly, which in turns allows for some release of social tensions. People as a whole like to know why they are being nerfed. Probably the most important thing about the direct communication between Devs and players is that its the fastest most efficient way for the player to tell the Dev what would make the game better. CoX only gets better because of exchange of information.

With communities as large as CoX, WoW, and many other MMOs there are simply too many smart people with too many differing opinions. Flame wars, argument, and general critical attitude are undeniably inevitable. There are flame wars, over critical idiocy, and a general meanness on the CoX boards just like every where else. What I find is that the CoX boards just have less of it, and the variety that is there is generally civil. The main difference between the CoX, from other boards, is the that dialogue from the Developers. I also don’t want to discount the fact the average CoXer (many are fans of comics and the superhero genre) is older which is better for a better community.

As a side note, the most bitter arguments/flame on the CoX were about nerfs. There were some very serious nerfs earlier in CoH history, which still leaves a bad taste in many peoples mouths, but as a whole even these nerfs were accepted and understood as necessary.(i.e. Enhancement Diversification)

-Connor

Yeah, people in MMORPG forums aren’t fun to deal, but you can’t just ignore them. They have a purpose and the represent a sizable enough portion of your user base to be something you should at least hear, maybe not follow through on their suggestions.

It seems like maybe you were replying to this post: http://www.whatwouldmattdo.com/2006/10/11/mmorpg-developers-still-havent-figured-out-that-crazy-beast-the-customer/

Also, I think you’re being a bit harsh on your average forum goer. Sure, they ain’t all roses and happy things, but to describe a entire group of people as “a massive collection of neuroses and anger” seems a harsher than need be and pretty misrepresentative of the forum population as a whole.

-Matt

I couldn’t disagree more. Gamers are, by and large, an assemblage of intelligent, snarky nerds whose insecurities are only matched by the size of their egos. Some of them are just there to listen and get info, sure, but most are there to assert their own intelligence and deliver their opinion to a captive audience of like-minded individuals. Flame wars aren’t the result of frustrated gamers: they’re the result of gamers doing exactly what they want to do - have a battle of wits.

Look at the CoX forums (City of Heroes/Villains) - it is common for actual developers as well as the creator of the game himself to stop off and answer questions or deliver a “state of the game” address - does it keep people from telling them they are full of it and have no ideas what they are doing? Oh heck no. Most gamers *jump* at the chance to try and assert their views over that of an actual game developer.

It’s the nature of gamers; they all think they know best. They’ll be angry they can’t have all the information they want and, once you give in and give them all the information, they’ll switch that anger to “well this information is horrible you have no idea what you’re doing”.

If anything, Blizzard is smart for keeping a “moderately informed” middle man between them and their players - giving gamers an inside look at the ongoing design of a game is an invitation for disaster, as any change in a course of action they already know about is seen as a “betrayal of the community” and becomes a supposed hallmark of the incompetent nature of the development house ever after, and we all know that game development is an ever-changing course of action.

Trust me: gamers aren’t the “underserved product buyers” you style them to be - they are a massive collection of neuroses and anger and constant updates on every possible upcoming change to a product is a priviledge few customer bases receive - for some reason gamers in particular have decided they should be catered to beyond “This is the product - a new issue will be coming out within the next year. You’ll know more details when you play it.”

We are talking about a demographic which is still primarily composed of people in their teens and early twenties. Honestly, most dev houses treat them with more respect than their on-line behavior merits.