Public Discussion: Community Feedback - Is it being heard?

[Avenger]

While I do know they have listened but also implemented players suggestion in the past, I also feel success can lead to arrogance. Perhaps it's not arrogance but ignorance though. When healers say they want to DPS, it's more along the lines they are bored and want to do something else than cast Heal 1 and Heal 2.

If they would just communicate with the players either with direct contact or through survey, it would mean they could get the heart of many issues. Instead we get half arse attempts at trying to make players happy and ends up making matters worse.

Off the top of my head I can think of many interactions where players requested things and SE responded in some way. This may not be 100% correct but I think it captures the flavor of what I am trying to say:

Players asked for DPS meter. Yoshi-p initially said it would be doable via an eventual client-side add-on mechanism, but ultimately decided in favor of no DPS meters ever, citing bullying concerns.
Players asked for BLU. SE delivered limited job (showing their vision for BLU is very different from FFXI's.)
Players asked for full BLU job like FFXI. SE said nope, limited job. (They liked a BLU that could learn tons of skills and become unbalanced vs. standard jobs.)
Players asked for viera. SE delivered limited races of f viera and m hrothgar and said "no more races" citing ongoing/multiplicative resource development cost/effort.
Players asked for viera and hrothgar headgear. SE said no but then delivered some headgear, apparently via an internal skunkworks project.
[... many additional examples deleted for brevity]

The examples indicate (to me at least) that SE often seems to hear player requests, but doesn't necessarily respond with the exact action that players are requesting (or demanding), and they usually have some rationale for doing so. That doesn't seem unreasonable. It also doesn't seem unreasonable for some players to comment if the response isn't what they wanted (even if it is what they are getting for now) or if they do not find the rationale compelling. However, I think they could perhaps publish a FAQ on some of these issues explaining the rationale for each decision. And as I mentioned I like the idea of periodic/monthly Q&A managed by the regional community teams to augment the limited number of questions which can fit into a producer live letter.

[Dyvid]

Off the top of my head I can think of many interactions where players requested things and SE responded in some way. This may not be 100% correct but I think it captures the flavor of what I am trying to say:

Players asked for DPS meter. Yoshi-p initially said it would be doable via an eventual client-side add-on mechanism, but ultimately decided in favor of no DPS meters ever, citing bullying concerns.
Players asked for BLU. SE delivered limited job (showing their vision for BLU is very different from FFXI's.)
Players asked for full BLU job like FFXI. SE said nope, limited job. (They liked a BLU that could learn tons of skills and become unbalanced vs. standard jobs.)
Players asked for viera. SE delivered limited races of f viera and m hrothgar and said "no more races" citing ongoing/multiplicative resource development cost/effort.
Players asked for viera and hrothgar headgear. SE said no but then delivered some headgear, apparently via an internal skunkworks project.
[... many additional examples deleted for brevity]

The examples indicate (to me at least) that SE often seems to hear player requests, but doesn't necessarily respond with the exact action that players are requesting (or demanding), and they usually have some rationale for doing so. That doesn't seem unreasonable. It also doesn't seem unreasonable for some players to comment if the response isn't what they wanted (even if it is what they are getting for now) or if they do not find the rationale compelling. However, I think they could perhaps publish a FAQ on some of these issues explaining the rationale for each decision. And as I mentioned I like the idea of periodic/monthly Q&A managed by the regional community teams to augment the limited number of questions which can fit into a producer live letter.

Well as an example to what I'm talk about let take the Viera Hrothgar headgear issue. If SE came and talk to us we could discuss our issues and maybe come to a compromise like job gear and raid headwear. But were aren't even close because as you said; SE is no and we are yes.

Like you, I feel we need some quarterly feedback and maybe end of patch survey to the Devs can gauge what their player base is feeling in terms of current issues. That's not a lot to ask considering we (The FFXIV Customers) are the ones keeping Square Enix profit margins up.

[Rolder50]

Well as an example to what I'm talk about let take the Viera Hrothgar headgear issue. If SE came and talk to us we could discuss our issues and maybe come to a compromise like job gear and raid headwear. But were aren't even close because as you said; SE is no and we are yes.

Like you, I feel we need some quarterly feedback and maybe end of patch survey to the Devs can gauge what their player base is feeling in terms of current issues. That's not a lot to ask considering we (The FFXIV Customers) are the ones keeping Square Enix profit margins up.

For viera/hroth headgear, the truly astonishing thing is that they release brand new head pieces that STILL don't work on them. I can understand, begrudgingly, the issue fixing old gear, but brand new stuff made after viera were put in? Come on now.

[RokkuEkkusu]

And now people feel my pain of when I am also often being ignored or outspoken of my opinions and qualities of life that may help the game.

[Iscah]

For viera/hroth headgear, the truly astonishing thing is that they release brand new head pieces that STILL don't work on them. I can understand, begrudgingly, the issue fixing old gear, but brand new stuff made after viera were put in? Come on now.

Because it's to do with the design of the item, not whether it's new or old.

Hats never work unless they fully cover the head and hide the hair, like hoods and the Reaper hat (possibly with some dependence on the shape of the top). Circlets and hair decorations that don't affect the model almost always work.

There are some older hoods that could probably be adapted but currently aren't, but overall the pattern is clear.

With the current approach at least, the only way to not create anything incompatible with them would be to never give anyone hats ever again.

[Rolder50]

Because it's to do with the design of the item, not whether it's new or old.

Hats never work unless they fully cover the head and hide the hair, like hoods and the Reaper hat (possibly with some dependence on the shape of the top). Circlets and hair decorations that don't affect the model almost always work.

There are some older hoods that could probably be adapted but currently aren't, but overall the pattern is clear.

With the current approach at least, the only way to not create anything incompatible with them would be to never give anyone hats ever again.

I would money bet that the majority of viera players would be okay with hats that look a little goofy (either because ears clip through, or because the ears are hidden) if it meant having more hat options. There's also the fact that hat hiding is already a UI option.

[Avenger]

I would money bet that the majority of viera players would be okay with hats that look a little goofy (either because ears clip through, or because the ears are hidden) if it meant having more hat options. There's also the fact that hat hiding is already a UI option.

I just noticed that the DRK weapon clips through my head. Matoya's Hat also has clipping issues, but I like it anyway. So far I haven't created any forum threads berating the devs for being incompetent/lazy/malicious/etc. but I imagine other players might.

Regarding hiding ears, well... look at the threads/posts on hrothgar hairstyles to see what kind of reaction you might expect.

(My personal inspired idea that would probably enrage the largest number of players – but might address the resource constraints and reduce future expectations – is to release a couple of new viera and hrothgar-exclusive headgear items each patch ... on mog station only.)

[HyperiusUltima]

My personal inspired idea that would probably enrage the largest number of players but might address the resource constraints and reduce future expectations is to release a half dozen viera and hrothgar-exclusive headgear items on mog station only.

That's definitely one way to have people frothing at the mouth. Probably the worst way as monetization practices have a high tendency to make a player base angry.

A better way is to simply allow the clipping; and if need be, take the resources to create Hrothgar/Viera headgear based on all current sets in the game for like a small patch, not a big patch like 6.2 will be.

[Rolder50]

I just notice that the DRK weapon clips through my head. Matoya's hat also has clipping issues, but I like it anyway. I'm also not one to create forum threads about how incompetent/lazy/malicious the developers are.

Regarding hiding ears, well... look at the threads/posts on hrothgar hairstyles to see what kind of reaction you might expect.

My personal inspired idea that would probably enrage the largest number of players but might address the resource constraints and reduce future expectations is to release a half dozen viera and hrothgar-exclusive headgear items on mog station only.

I'd argue that there is a world of difference between a hairstyle hiding your ears when it has no right to, and a hat doing the same.