The Weekly Development Activities

[Borror0]

If the Devs are too busy to post weekly, then that should be an excellent sign of great things to come.

Uno, developers aren't the ones posting the WDAs. That's Tolero's and Patience's job.

Dos, if we're not getting any WDAs it's a bad sign, either they're running low on manpower to fill Quarion's post. Or, their production rate has slowed down, thus they have less content.

I'm not saying I agree with the last point, but if you want to draw a conclusion of what is happenning, that is what I would conclude. I personally think that this has nothing with manpower. In one case, they would have let us know. In the other, there wouldn't be so many new developers. Eladrin told me in a PM recently that he was busy training a new one, I assume it has been the same of Keeper with Django. So that's not it.

It's simply a stupid decision from someone at Turbine.

[Calmwaters]

Acting pleased and happy at the bright yellow sweater with the purple sequined flower. Suprise!! Don't you just love what we did with your casters spells? AND we decided that your Dwarf was way way overpowered, yes we know you were just playing him yesterday, but now he has a third of the hit points and no more dwarvern armor mastery, isn't that just GREAT?

[Ustice]

5. Those that tell themselves they'll have to do Turbine's job once more and inform people about stuff that Turbine should be informing them about.

Count me in camp 5. You won't be alone at least.

Speaking of which, I am going to see about making a few things to help out in-game (clock/timer features) with AutoHotkey. I hate it that in DDO, there is no way to tell what time it is. I'm tired of waiting for a command to do that, and so like the favicon, I'm going to solve the problem myself. I'll post a link when I get them all set up.

[DrAwkward]

I can understand this decision -- as far as press goes, it's good to have something you can suprise everyone with at a convention, trade show, or interview.

Better to say "Taa-daa! Check this out!" than to say "So, this thing here is finally ready"

[Ustice]

I can understand this decision -- as far as press goes, it's good to have something you can suprise everyone with at a convention, trade show, or interview.

Better to say "Taa-daa! Check this out!" than to say "So, this thing here is finally ready"

Holding things back is fine, and they have done that in the past. I just hope that we continue to receive DETAILED info once it is released to the press.

[barabel]

I've read a lot of the posts in this thread and wanted to toss my hat into the camp that is very disappointed by this decision.

Listing out upcoming fixes, enhancements to game mechanics, etc. was a very good way for me to understand where the game was headed. It helped me plan for future characters to play around with and test out. It also got me excited about upcoming content and helped keep my interest in playing this game. Loosing that, well, I can only see my interest waning between modules.

I don't see how the simple list of changes posted in a forum message compares to screenshots, hands-on reviews, exclusive videos, etc. that these websites would be likely to publish. I mean, for example do you think Tentonhammer would have been satisfied getting the final WDA for Module 7 as the content they were to publish? I just don't see it.

I've been growing more and more disappointed in the communication coming out of Turbine for some time. This is yet another example of poor handling of customer relations in my opinion.

[ArkoHighStar]

Uno, developers aren't the ones posting the WDAs. That's Tolero's and Patience's job.

Dos, if we're not getting any WDAs it's a bad sign, either they're running low on manpower to fill Quarion's post. Or, their production rate has slowed down, thus they have less content.

I'm not saying I agree with the last point, but if you want to draw a conclusion of what is happenning, that is what I would conclude. I personally think that this has nothing with manpower. In one case, they would have let us know. In the other, there wouldn't be so many new developers. Eladrin told me in a PM recently that he was busy training a new one, I assume it has been the same of Keeper with Django. So that's not it.

It's simply a stupid decision from someone at Turbine.

True they may be the ones posting it, but all the info comes from the devs, it was just organized and published by Q.

Don't get me wrong as I said I am going to miss them as well. I mean they can still give exclusives to web sites nad then 2 weeks later publish the nitty gritty WDA details, after the sparkly feeling of the exclusive has worn off.

Do it like this

MMORPG gets exclusive interview on crafting for mod 8 on Monday of week 1, they publish the various generic details etc

something like this example from Warcry for LOTRO
http://www.warcry.com/articles/view/...erview-Book-13

You read it and you learn that there will be a new area, fishing, and some changes for monster players.But its all 40000 foot view stuff just enough to get you interested.
Week 3 WDA you publish the nitty gritty details of the exclusive items covered 2 weeks before, giving the web site 2 weeks of exclusive info

[Borror0]

True they may be the ones posting it, but all the info comes from the devs, it was just organized and published by Q.

They have meeting everyday. Q's duty is to tell them what he has seen on the forums, bring the players fear, or suggestions. Theirs is to tell Q where they are at. What is ready, what's a bug, or an exploit, etc.

You read it and you learn that there will be a new area, fishing, and some changes for monster players.But its all 40000 foot view stuff just enough to get you interested.
Week 3 WDA you publish the nitty gritty details of the exclusive items covered 2 weeks before, giving the web site 2 weeks of exclusive info

That's exactly why I say that WDA doesn't prevent exclusive inteviews with the medias.

[smatt]

Well, I guess I might travel down a dangerous road and say..... This whole plan sounds a lot like how particular world leader took hold of the flow of information down the pipeline to the masses over the last 7 1/2 years..... And we can clearly see THAT turned out just peachy

I think the situation here lies in that PERHAPS, there are some BIG changes coming to DDO. Maybe the rumblings I've heard from people outside of DDO, people close to WOTC, that ALL licensed products are to be updated to 4.0 is true. Just a rumour mind you, I found it rather hard to believe that such a big change would be possible really. But it this were the case then I could see how Turbine would want to keep it under wraps, it would be pretty sweeping and would likely lead to a player base upheaval of epic proportions.

Or maybe they're just sick of discussing the details of the game with the player base, and then refereeing the online melee...... Or maybe they're just trying to keep their most loyal players in the dark, as to how to prepare their characters for upcoming changes....... But this idea that a good portion of the information provided within the WDA's was soemthing that some MMO review site would be even remotely interested in posting is just plain crazy

OR MAYBE ARLOS WIL FINALYL BE FOUND ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kisaragi]

My only concern with you guys doing this as we get closer to the release of level cap (level 20) is that there's no weighing in of our community. This means that you basically get to surprise us with something really unpopular and when it's released, if the player base isn't fond of it, tough cookies.


Imagine the enhancement change if it only got discussed with media sources or not at all. I imagine a great many players would have been terribly upset. Especially given that when it was announced, many people helped make it more bearable for players by asking point costs to be reduced, levels changed, etc.


It comes across more of a line in a sand then open communication. Once something is in game it is near impossible to get it changed and this change encourages that. Instead of having an entire few months to discuss elements with players about how something works, or what it changes, you're springing it on us.

Now I admit surprises are nice, when they're fun. I would ask however that you consider this; If you're changing any in game stats, monster AI, quests, items, enhancements, feats, or favor that you do put them in the WDA.

I really would be upset if you guys work on things you like and the rest of the community be damned. A case in point would be something like;

If a guild housing came along. You guys decide that only one person should be able to design it, and there aren't any living quarters, decorating, or trophy areas, and it's incredibly expensive to maintain. With new costs that must be farmed and grinded to keep in operation (I use this example because I've seen it happen to a MMO). Without us weighing in you have no one to report to, and thus, you think it's a great thing.

I have enjoyed the community here for the most part, since we were able to make things better. You want to run it like the American Government though, where everything is a secret and we're still paying for it. Even if what we're paying for is bad, wrong, or just plain dumb it's still a secret. You don't have to answer why you thought it was needed, or feel bad. It's the route a lot of dictators take.

I for one am not pleased with this development, and I suggest others weigh it very very carefully.

[ahpook]

No offense Patience, but the announcement that the WDA was going away had the sound of marketing platitudes and spin. If you really want us to believe that we will continue to get timely information, keep the WDA around until the other sources of information come online. Then take it away citing it as redundant. Taking it away now with the statement that there will be other sources of information is a hollow promise especially in light of the constant complaints about adequate feedback.

For the readers of this forum, the WDA was part of the enjoyment we got with this game. The simple truth is that taking it away is taking away content for us. Not that we were promised WDA as part of the content but nevertheless, content we have come to expect. Its loss will impact our involvement in the game.

[ahpook]

If the Devs are too busy to post weekly, then that should be an excellent sign of great things to come.

True they may be the ones posting it, but all the info comes from the devs, it was just organized and published by Q.

The info is posted by a Customer Relations person gathered through interaction with the dev TEAM - predominantly a project manager I assume.

Not posting the WDA has little impact on that workload. The PM is still going to have know what is being worked on and what is being completed. The CR person will have to gather this information from the Dev team so they can put together information for publication. They have to have access to all the info in order to figure out what to publish so there is no saving of effort there.

UNLESS the the CR person is not going to interface with the dev team and instead just promote articles based on high level understandings of changes. Which if true would mean that we do not have the information coming from a third party because they do not have that information themselves (and our complaints here are justified).

In fact, I think from Mod 7 we already can see how this plays out. The WDA for Mod 7 did not include any info on the monk enhancements or feats either because they were part of the publicity package given to other sites (exclusive!) or not given out at all. That level of detailed information never appeared in print. That is what we can look forward to.

[moorewr]

Two very good posts, ahpook. I was trying to think how to lay out my concerns, but you have put them very well.

[ArkoHighStar]

The info is posted by a Customer Relations person gathered through interaction with the dev TEAM - predominantly a project manager I assume.

Not posting the WDA has little impact on that workload. The PM is still going to have know what is being worked on and what is being completed. The CR person will have to gather this information from the Dev team so they can put together information for publication. They have to have access to all the info in order to figure out what to publish so there is no saving of effort there.

UNLESS the the CR person is not going to interface with the dev team and instead just promote articles based on high level understandings of changes. Which if true would mean that we do not have the information coming from a third party because they do not have that information themselves (and our complaints here are justified).

In fact, I think from Mod 7 we already can see how this plays out. The WDA for Mod 7 did not include any info on the monk enhancements or feats either because they were part of the publicity package given to other sites (exclusive!) or not given out at all. That level of detailed information never appeared in print. That is what we can look forward to.

We are also confusing CR with PR. Marketroid is the PR person, Tolero is the CR person, and Marketroid hasn't weighed in on any of this yet. It woudl be nice to hear from him about the basics of the plan. without obviously releasing any of the super secret details

[Iceleck]

WDA was the only thing worth while reading on these forums.

[samagee]

I don't understand why we can't just shoot the media outlets. If they are worried about having content for them, give them anything. They don't know what it is they splash about their pages, they spin it how they want it in order to sell papers and ad space anyway.

[Solmage]

While I can see the point about needing exclusive news for publicity and all that...

This one ranks in the top 10 worst changes, ever. What we needed was even MORE communication, not less. Most (all?) of us have been asking to learn about stuff when it's in the IDEA stage, rather than when it's half coded/already a done deal stage.

I also think you underestimate the amount of people who rely on the WDAs simply because only a percentage of the players read the forums. I am confident that almost everyone inside a guild does get informed quite thoroughly about them, since there's usually at least one person who is the 'mechanics-go-to guy' in most guilds.

I don't have a great solution to accommodate your needs and keep the WDA, aside from perhaps just changing the WDA to something like "Development Ideas", with none of them ever being guaranteed to be implemented, and we learning which ones will be done (and in which mod) through said exclusive press releases.

I urge you to look for a solution that allows you to increase the level of communication about things that may come, not reduce it. I applaud new marketing efforts, but not at the expense of your existing customer base.

~ Current Customer

[gpk]

These are all quotes right out of the last WDA. This is the kind of information the playerbase needs in order to give informed opinions on upcoming changes to the game *before* they happen and are set in stone. And, as has been pointed out several times, having that information available from the WDAs has directly lead to improvements in the game.

Yes this is true and I've said the same further up; however I have to wonder now.
Look at how just some important issues they haven't consulted the tons player feedback on (just off the top of my head):
-BAB 15 attack rate slow down
-Abbot raid
-Mod 7 Pally changes (other than an 8+month old Holy Sword suggestions and universal 1 AP per tier)
-Class balance issues (metas, enhancements etc)
-Crafting deconstruction to accomodate new weapon types
-Splintered Horn issues
-no new character slots for monks


There have been a number of vocal and critical posts on these subjects; if one were more paranoid one could conclude:
No WDA=no posts discussing obviously bad changes..
The WDA lets us see if some issues being addresses and in what way or if they're being worked on at all rather than being ignored.

Are we likely to get detailed information from other sites?
Worst case scenario, information blackout means there is a lot less forum discussion on important issues and all you can do is wait for the next mod to be on Risia, and by then it is too late to fix anything.

Of course the game will suffer accordingly though I'm sure a certain type of forum poster will be happy.

[GlassCannon]

This is not a wall of silence....

I am 100% sure anything we are told will come only after days and days of asking in various threads.

Another day at the office I suppose...

Not much else is expected.

Back to the game.

I was informed that the WDA will come in a different format, from an exclusive source instead of it being posted on the forums. That way, these "Gaming news" websites will get visitations, and we will still find out what's going on in DDO on a regular and prompt basis. Nothing is really changing except where we see the news.

[gpk]

I was informed that the WDA will come in a different format, from an exclusive source instead of it being posted on the forums. That way, these "Gaming news" websites will get visitations, and we will still find out what's going on in DDO on a regular and prompt basis. Nothing is really changing except where we see the news.

It's the "different format" that is worrysome; what does that mean exactly? If we don't get stuff like Class X enhancement is blah blah +1 crit blah blah 4 AP then we can't comment on it and hope to get it fixed before it goes live.

Sure 95% of our comments are disregarded by the devs but at least our concerns are voiced well ahead of time and maybe, just maybe that 5% we help fix has a positive impact on the game.

What a lot of people don't want to see is watered down marketing style "information" being released rather than detailed, informative and helpful posts.