Complaints are ruining this game.

[Shika]

SE introduced the forums as a way for players to give constructive feedback regarding the situation of the game, considering that on release the game has definately been a huge disaster in meeting people's expectations (including my own)- hence why it is F2P and why we are in Beta stage 3.
However, I agree that game forums tend to be full of just complaints with no real solution to a problem that someone perceives as being a huge issue. It is human nature I guess to complain and demand change for something you don't like, and being the wide range of diverse personalities that we are there will be agreement and disagreement (which often ends up quite heated).

I don't see the forums as necessarily a bad thing, but do get annoyed by the "this is sh*t- change it now!" threads that constantly pop up where no-one can agree on a compromise or offer some kind of intellectual discussion... mud slinging tends to follow

It's a double edged sword, and I agree with Brucey that once they start charging and the people simply hanging around because it is free (and it evens out so that the constant complainers just leave because it is not good enough in their eyes) then maybe it will settle down a bit. Complaint brings change, and SE wants to know what the playerbase wants changed... doesn't mean we will all necessarily agree with it though. But I would rather the forums are here than not.

[AngryNixon]

Plenty of "real solutions" have been offered throughout these forums by well meaning people who've spent a good amount of time trying to flesh out their ideas over and above simply expressing a dislike with a particular feature in the game. Plenty of people have put forward ideas for new things not currently in the game to improve it, some of which were/are pretty good ideas. What else can the community do for SE short of programming the game for them...

There is nothing wrong with being dissatisfied with an element in the game and not suggesting a solution. If you do suggest a solution, not spending weeks designing a fully mapped out plan isn't some grave shortcoming on your part. The community shouldn't have to do all of the planning leg work for them. As a customer of a company, knowing that a product they make is poorly designed and not being able to come with some brilliant solution to improve that product (as a mere customer) does not make the product any less poorly designed. That's what they're supposed to be there for, they're paid to make that product and to keep it making money by any means necessary (improving it so more people want it is a good way to do that apparently).

Already this post is longer than I wanted it to be... oh well. SE wanted feedback, they're getting it. Whether it's a simple 'this sucks' or a 10-page tour de force with chapters and colourful bolded headings, it's all feedback.

If a large segment of your customer base can only or chooses only to express their dislike of a portion of the game with a 'yay' or 'nay' sentiment, so be it, it's better than them having left the game entirely and said nothing at all. The worst thing is for someone to say nothing, stand up, walk away, and simply never return not giving you the chance to keep their business or improve. If someone cares enough to say "this sucks" (in the case of FFXIV fans apparently 'this sucks' means 'I'm waiting for you to fix it' not 'I'm walking away from the table now') SE is being given the chance to go back to the drawing board and reconsider THEIR idea using THEIR paid employees (their time) to come up with a better solution. Faulting people for not doing the ground work for them removes their (SE's) responsibility to determine the best way to improve their own lot in this game. It is not the community's duty to lay out a framework for them, it's theirs. Anyone who spends the time thinking up these great ideas I've seen is a good and helpful Samaritan going over and above for something they care about, and they should most definitely be encouraged.

Frankly though, the seas of 'yay' or 'nay' sentiments and the long drawn out great ideas all seem to be met with the same of two outcomes. "Hey guys, great suggestions, I've informed the dev team, they're looking into it" or no comment at all.

[_C-a-e-r-i-t-h_]

I don't see how complaints are ruining anything when the mods are really quick to delete entire threads that are critical of S-E. "Comparing FFXIV to Rift" lasted all of, what, an hour?

[ShinChuck]

I don't see how complaints are ruining anything when the mods are really quick to delete entire threads that are critical of S-E. "Comparing FFXIV to Rift" lasted all of, what, an hour?

Hehehe, pretty much. It took me longer to put together than it did for them to close it - and I didn't do anything besides post update timetables between the two games.

[Morticous]

this is a never ending fest of silly talk.

[Zangetsu]

I'M SO MAD RIGHT NOW. WHY CANT SE GET IT RIGHT. THEY FINALLY GIVE US CHOCOBOS AND THEY ARE BIG BIRD YELLOW!!! NOT CHOCOBO YELLOW!!! AND........... ITS SCALE IS .0005% TOO SMALL. /TROLLRAGE!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rinsui]

@Zangetsu
Stop being so childish.

[Alhanelem]

Theads complaining about complainers are ruining this game.

[Zangetsu]

Oh, everyone else can complain about things that haven't even been implemented yet but i'm excluded? I think not sir.

[Rowyne]

I like your Rowyne Moonsong quote.

So do I!

*gasp* I got quoted. =D