How do you restore trust?

[Fiosha_Maureiba]

You put a subligar on top of that persons head and give them a big hug, and they will magically want to return to the game.

Reinhart is also correct. If I saw Yoshida, Uematsu, Tanaka, and Wada holding hands, skipping in a meadow in La Noscea in multi colored subligar, I would have bought the game right then and there. Alas, I didn't wait for that to happen.

[GhostInfinity]

You rebuild trust in your fanbase by listening to it and making the improvements the majority asks for imho.

[Ferth]

I've actually been wondering this very thing... the one thing SE has going for them is that the game can effectively be relaunched to a new audience on the PS3. But I'm curious what plans SE has in terms of reconnecting with the lost PC player base.

Almost every MMO now has a pseudo pyramid scheme referral program, and I think that would be a good place to start. Allowing current players to send trials to friends, providing perks to both the friends referred and the players who do the referring.

Also a welcome back campaign after the game has officially re-launched giving players who quit during this restructuring period but never came back a chance to try the game again before they start paying. Basically allowing them to have their trial period upon returning, rather than giving a static period after they announce the free trial will end.

Too often I see people with the attitude of "If you don't like it, go away." On the one hand I can certainly understand their point of view, the game isn't great but no one is twisting your arm, and after so long of hearing everyone complain about the same things in varying degrees of vehemence it can be wearisome.

But given it's current position, the attitude shouldn't be "Go away," it should be "Please, be less vehement."

We are all aware of the time it's taken for the the big ticket fixes to be implemented... we are all impatient and frustrated... If you have a suggestion, make it. If you disagree with someone's suggestion be gracious and supportive in your critique rather than snide and abrupt.

Sadly, humans are humans. We can't enforce decency, and furthermore on any given day even the most stoic, hopeful fan can turn into a rude, savage troll.

[Train88]

SE just needs to keep coming out with awesome content and continue to learn from their mistakes rather than repeat them. Once the game goes Pay-to-Play and PS3 version hits, we'll see even more people log into the game (even with caution) and start to see a rebuilt Eorzea right before their very eyes. Once the player base is strengthened, we may start to see a few expansions to help make the game that much more enjoyable.

The potential is there, and it's make or break time for SE...all we can do is wait tirelessly for the next few patches until we start to see a rebuilt Eorzea unfold right before our very eyes.

Thing is i thought of the pay to play change and the PS3 release. It's actually the PS3 version i'm worried about. It says, on wiki, the game recieved a unfavorable reaction from the players and that the average review gives 4.9 out of 10.

Those evaluations are not helping and i was actually wondering of a way to make then move into the better. Personnally i think a free trial woudn't hurt. Do you have any good idea to tip the scale?

EDIT: Little bit of clarification here. Free trial as in lvl 10 cap, 7-14 day, no chat free accounts. Buy the game to remove the limitations. and continue into the extended free 30 days.

[Mikita]

Assuming they make a game better than everything out there and nobody knows but us. How would they get around that?

This game has a terrible reputation. Not only do they need to fix the cause of that. They also need to fix the effects of it.

Mass market advertising can help build interest quite a bit because even in this day and age, not everyone checks (or believes, thankfully!) online reviews and message boards. ^^

The sad truth is that people who are unhappy about something tend to be a lot more vocal.
People who are happy tend to be quietly so.

If you enjoy this game, it could help if you put on your flameproof suit and share your positive experiences online. It can feel like fighting a tidal wave of hate, but there are people who appreciate hearing "the other side" of the story.

[VydarrTyr]

I'll miss you after August 17th.

Actually, Train88 just started playing.

[Antanias]

Thing is i thought of the pay to play change and the PS3 release. It's actually the PS3 version i'm worried about. It says, on wiki, the game recieved a unfavorable reaction from the players and that the average review gives 4.9 out of 10.

Those evaluations are not helping and i was actually wondering of a way to make then move into the better. Personnally i think a free trial woudn't hurt. Do you have any good idea to tip the scale?

EDIT: Little bit of clarification here. Free trial as in lvl 10 cap, 7-14 day, no chat free accounts. Buy the game to remove the limitations. and continue into the extended free 30 days.

Only the PC version of the game was reviewed, and there will likely be a re-review of the game once the relaunch happens. I DO think that a "free trial" (knowing SE, probably first month free to play) is a great incentive for new players and maybe new critics alike to test out some of the updates SE has applied since launch. It is only at that point will everyone see if SE has succeeded in rebuilding the game or if everything up to this point has been in vain. No one can really predict what each and every individual player will experience

[Picoman]

Actually, i think the Chinese servers may provide enough income for the game to survive.
Isn't it the case that 6mil of the 12mil WoW subs come from their Chinese version?

For JP, NA and EU we got PS3 launch and maybe Steam?
Hopefully that will boost our servers up enough to actually fill the three starter cities.

[BoltNixter]

You put a subligar on top of that persons head and give them a big hug, and they will magically want to return to the game.

That is abs true! Even if it dosent make you magically come back. We on the other hand will have a blast laughing!

[Akashi]

The only way they are going to restore trust is by making a better product. Once that product exists the PS3 release will be the "second chance" and all the advertising that will go with it. If it reviews well by the community then trust will slowly recover over time, but none of this is remotely possible if they don't make serious improvements.