Yoshi-P Statement on Player Feedback

[Halivel]

Yes, well part of the issue here is that he is being a bit vague, IMO. Personally, I have my doubts that it's anything to do with the forum, as such. They set the TOS here, it is their (SE's) responsibility to enforce them and by and large I've seen very little here directly insulting the devs. Criticising some of their work, e.g. healers who are not satisfied with the design of the job? Sure, but I can't think of many occasions where it turns into insults and the like.

You don't need to insult developers directly to make them upset.
There were plenty of cases when people absolutely didn't check on their tone while venting about whatever they disliked about the game. It's not any better than cursing at staff directly.

[Lauront]

You don't need to insult developers directly to make them upset.
There were plenty of cases when people absolutely didn't check on their tone while venting about whatever they disliked about the game. It's not any better than cursing at staff directly.

And if the individual is sensitive to any criticism whatsoever? This is a rather subjective sort of thing. I'm curious - if a developer can't handle reading feedback even when it's bereft of insults and simply because it wasn't phrased a particular way (which?), should they be reading feedback in the first place? How is this now not a matter of tone policing? It can be easier to disregard someone who is just venting, for some people, than someone who is actually pointing out flaws in their work.

[Kaurhz]

And if the individual is sensitive to any criticism whatsoever? This is a rather subjective sort of thing. I'm curious - if a developer can't handle reading feedback even when it's bereft of insults and simply because they weren't phrased a particular way (which?), should they be reading feedback in the first place? How is this now not a matter of tone policing? It can be easier to disregard someone who is just venting, for some people, than someone who is actually pointing out flaws in their work.

Don't know about you but I wouldn't appreciate being called lazy by folk that don't understand the field I work in, or the challenges presented during WIP by people that only see an end produce. Nor would I appreciate being accused of not playing my own game simply because the expectations aren't met. Nor would I appreciate my work being called sloppy by people when said work is still arguably in development. Just to name a few examples.

On one side of the coin should people read feedback because they can't handle criticism, but on the other hand should people be issuing criticism if their only criticism is tossing around nonsense like lazy, sloppy, and baseless accusations? Need to understand that their work is already subjected to criticism from early as design, prior to the launch and quality checks

People have a very loose understanding of what criticism or feedback actually is

[Halivel]

And if the individual is sensitive to any criticism whatsoever? This is a rather subjective sort of thing. I'm curious - if a developer can't handle reading feedback even when it's bereft of insults and simply because they weren't phrased a particular way (which?), should they be reading feedback in the first place? How is this now not a matter of tone policing? It can be easier to disregard someone who is just venting, for some people, than someone who is actually pointing out flaws in their work.

What I can't understand is why people here always fall from one extreme to another with no middle ground inbetween.

Yoshida never said that criticism is unwelcome. However, there's a huge distance between a criticism and suggestion written in a polite manner and a tantrum full of poorly hidden aggression, if hidden at all. Even if you aren't particularly happy about given feedback, it's much easier to accept it when those who wrote it treat you like a person with emotions rather than a soulless punching bag.

I doubt any of these people who are rude at Forum write letters to their boss or customers in such a manner. What makes people think that game developers should be okay with it? They're people, not robots. You don't need to sugarcoat your words to insanity, but common, basic level of decency isn't that hard to grasp.

[Senn]

And if the individual is sensitive to any criticism whatsoever? This is a rather subjective sort of thing. I'm curious - if a developer can't handle reading feedback even when it's bereft of insults and simply because they weren't phrased a particular way (which?), should they be reading feedback in the first place? How is this now not a matter of tone policing? It can be easier to disregard someone who is just venting, for some people, than someone who is actually pointing out flaws in their work.

I remember when there was a bunch of people accusing the devs of sexism and homophobia when female viera and male hrothgar were first announced.
Some would argue that the lack of male viera and female hrothgar was a flaw, and some genuienly believed it was sexist (not that I would agree). So naturally, these people left feedback... but it was laced with vitriol towards the devs.
I don't think the feedback in regards to adding male veira/female hrothgar was unjustified, but the attacks and accusations towards the devs were. And some of those posts flew under the radar because they were disguised enough to the point where it wasn't technically against the ToS, but it was still rude and uncalled for.

Yoshi P is just asking people to be polite when leaving feedback. Negative feedback is ok, but there's no need to attack the devs. That's all there is to it.