Developer lack of communication

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Originally Posted by RukiaFae

I think it would be better next time if they don't tell us anything until the game is released since people can't handle it. They kept saying things are under development and may change. Why would they go back and change broadcasted stuff when they are very busy and things may change again? We are luck we got as much informantion as we did but some people are still ungrateful. This is why everyone kept saying just wait until release. I'm really starting to feel bad for the developers.

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I bet they've been working under crunch for 6+ months to boot. And if anyone doesn't know what crunch means in the game industry... https://kotaku.com/crunch-time-why-g...urs-1704744577

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Originally Posted by Deceptus

Everyone know that the community is pretty frazzled currently. A lot of it has to do with the change to the battle system. One of the more contentious topics is the state of the White Mage job.

According to:

http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv299...op_onair&row=2
https://freshlive.tv/ngc

Cure II spawns a lily 100% of the time.

Per Yoshida:

Interesting side note: Yoshida said that the build shown at the media tour is from late April, so around a whole month old by the time the info was released, and he also said a lot of other things have changed since. "Please look at the patch notes."

This brings up a very important topic. Developer communication. During the Live Letter XXXVI the developers stressed that the numbers discussed "Weren't the final numbers". They KNEW during the live letter that everything discussed wasn't accurate and they had known it for at least 3 weeks. Why did they continue to broadcast information they KNEW was inaccurate?

THIS. NEEDS. TO. STOP.

We can only go forth trusting that the information the developers give us is accurate. If we can't trust that information, what is the point of the Live Letters? All they had to do is call up the Battle Design team a day or two before the presentation and get the proper numbers and abilities. I understand presentations are made ahead of time, and a quick correction to the presentation would be all that is needed.

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They said the changes are not final and subject to change. However that does not mean we are going to sit here and say nothing. Commenting on the lilies with what we are currently shown gives them something to think about so it is hopefully better on release. They are doing fine, in regards of your complaint.

I find there is simultaneously both great and horrid developer communication. The frequent live letters are great for information, but the complete lack of two-way communication is unfortunate. I'd love to see more community reps interacting with forum threads and passing our thoughts to the devs, and the devs responses back towards us.

People want info,then complain about the info given. This is why we dont have nice things.

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Originally Posted by Kaurie

I find there is simultaneously both great and horrid developer communication. The frequent live letters are great for information, but the complete lack of two-way communication is unfortunate. I'd love to see more community reps interacting with forum threads and passing our thoughts to the devs, and the devs responses back towards us.

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This is also true, where are they anyway? You think they say SOMETHING about ping issues (and extension the coding issues that are attached to that), the large inventory thread.. and maybe.. comment on concerns people have for SB job balance? SCH AoE DPS? is it intended to see overall DPS decrease of jobs from these changes at 50 and 60 caps? the lily and healer issue? and lastly even maybe comment on the mog station prices or at least put all those threads in one?

Was that all the major things as of late?

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Originally Posted by Deceptus

We can only go forth trusting that the information the developers give us is accurate. If we can't trust that information, what is the point of the Live Letters?

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It's a marketing piece to generate hype which it did. It's not an instructional manual to be dissected and scrutinized.

There are some obvious issues, most specifically with WHM, but if you are trusting them why do you not trust that it's accurate that what's shown is subject to change. Seems so strange to hold them to their every word except the words where they say please don't hold us to every word. That's a terrible way to be in any relationship.

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Originally Posted by Serret

If they are showing something, no matter how many disclaimers they add to it, it has to be somewhat representative of the final product. Otherwise their credibility comes into question.
They kept pointing out that the potencies were not final, but the mechanics were supposedly representative. If this was not the case then every skill that was shown for every class might as well not even be there 2 weeks from now. After all "it's not the final version".

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They did this so they could show of the basic design and play style to get community feedback, White Mage, before the actually product is launched.

Here is something to think about. DRK in 3.0 Darkside was shown in the job action video but change right before launch. Nothing is set in stone.

It's a game.

Stop being so dramatic.

Clearly, OP has no idea how video game development and PR works. Anything shown off on the trailer, live letter etc, was tagged with or mentioned to be "DEVELOPMENT FOOTAGE. SUBJECT TO CHANGE."

If they didn't bring anything to the table, we'd all be bitching why there was NO INFO...
This isnt just SE who does this either. ALL video game developers do this to atleast some degree. Nothing here needs to change except you, OP.

So far, SE has been one of the developers most forthcoming with info and they definitely listen to their fans, but they almost always collect feedback and deliberate on it before acting.

I think the biggest mistake SE has made so far with this expansion was the way the media tour was handled. They really should not have allowed video or pictures to be taken. (At least not in the way that it did.) I can say that the only video I've seen from the Media Tour was Mr Happys general video about his visit. And I seem to be hearing more and more rumors from people who watched all the other vids complaining about stuff. I don't go out of my way to look for that info, but you end up hearing it everywhere (i.e. Twitch, in game, forums). I've never seen such craziness where SMNs go from hype of Bahamut in the Live Letter to wanting to change classes the next week.

What I'd love to see happen is that everything that was seen from the media tour be just complete bogus data and people be pleasantly surprised when the game actually comes out.