To the Devs: Communication is failing!

[Coglin]

They tittle themselves community reps, and community relations managers. Thus, they are our only link to information. Either way, said information, should be "informative", and not leave the amount of room for confussion that has occured lately.

That being said, I think this has been an one of the few times it is an issue. They have done well for the most part in communicating information to and from us. They may not be perfect, but they are a far shot better then most MMO forums reps.

[OMEGA_HACK]

After reading the entire thread and everyone's thoughts who has posted thus far, I think I would finally like to add my thoughts.

First and foremost, I am a man of logic and science, and usually do my research before posting (I know, I'm such a nerd :/ ), but I would like to post this image. Most people will probably be familiar with it if they have taken any kind of voice/speech class in school.

The Break Down
Source: Square-Enix Rep
Encoding: typing the message to be given (in our cases)
Channel: The Lodestone Forums
Decoding: Receiver reading the message
Receiver: The Reader (us, the players)
Feedback: The Receiver's reaction to the information sent back to the Source
Context: In which light the information is being delivered (the status so to speak)

That is how most people see it, however, you forget this is the actual path the information travels.

Source: Square-Enix Development Team
Encoding: Telling the message to the Square-Enix Reps
Channel: verbal face to face or email (not sure which of the two)
Decoding/Encoding: Square-Enix reps taking the notes given and translating it to us
Channel: Lodestone Forums
Decoding: Receiver reading the message
Receiver: The Reader (us, the players)
Feedback: The Receiver's reaction to the message sent to the Source
Context: The "status" in which the atmosphere is in when the message is created and received

That is the true path of the message. Confusion happens ONLY in the encoding and decoding aspects of the message, the problem is, who is at fault? Well if you want to look at the percentages and nothing else, you will see you have:

Encoding from the 1st Source (Square-Enix Devs)
Decoding from the 1st Receivers (Square-Enix Reps)
Encoding from the 2nd Source (Square-Enix Reps)
Decoding from the 2nd Receivers (The players/Readers)

Statistically there is a 3:1 ratio that Square-Enix [the company] is causing the Confusion, as statistically shown above they have three times more likely to jumble the message (on accident or not it matters not). That is just the statistics, this is fact (I will provide links at the end).

Now since we know there that is just basic we have to look a little deeper at what might be happening and who is to blame for this mess of a forum some claim to see. First, and most importantly, the lack of concise information that gets handed down from the very beginning of the message (Square-Enix Development Team), that first encoding portion of the message seems like a hot spot for this error to me personally. Look at what the Development Team gives us (assuming that the Square-Enix Representatives are not accidentally leaving out any information, which I don't think they are) to use as information. They are very vague with that which they give. Ability 1, Ability 2 and a small description that could possibly be 1 or 2 different abilities or hell a new ability altogether, but we don't know because we don't have a name to associate it with.

Also the lack of details given: MP costs, Recast Timers, COMPLETE INFORMATION, will always lead to confusion, there is no if, and or but about it it will lead to confusion. And we shouldn't confuse this with people whining or acting like the information is entitled to us (the players). The point is, if Square-Enix Development Team, wants to share information it needs to be complete information to prevent confusion. Why would you not do this is beyond me, the game is in a state where it needs any and all praise to attract new players (don't confuse this with its not fun, because the game is fun, but new people to the game saw the old reviews and it gave them a bad taste in their mouths, we have to remember that).

That being said, its also the fault of some of the Receivers (Players) lack of comprehension skills on some of the information given, but this last batch of information is far from being concise, to prove the point there has been no mention of the 11 Traits we will get and what they might entail, that might answer some of the confusion roaming the forums.

In closing, I stick with the statistics on that its a 3:1 ratio that Square-Enix is the one providing the confusion. One cannot comprehend what is not known. Sorry for the long post but I hope this helps.

LINK
Communication Skills

[Answa]

Lot of stuff.

No. The reps basically have no say in what gets relayed to us except in how they translate/communicate it. The devs control what information is released and when. We also have no say in the matter.

Regarding this particular gem:

Also the lack of details given: MP costs, Recast Timers, COMPLETE INFORMATION, will always lead to confusion, there is no if, and or but about it it will lead to confusion. And we shouldn't confuse this with people whining or acting like the information is entitled to us (the players). The point is, if Square-Enix Development Team, wants to share information it needs to be complete information to prevent confusion. Why would you not do this is beyond me, the game is in a state where it needs any and all praise to attract new players (don't confuse this with its not fun, because the game is fun, but new people to the game saw the old reviews and it gave them a bad taste in their mouths, we have to remember that).

I seem to recall a total of... no patch notes ever coming from SE telling us recast or cast timers, MP/HP/TP costs or anything of this ilk. They've rarely ever been explicit about these things. Mostly because it's trivial but also because if they do release this info and later decide on changing any of these values, guess what'll happen? More bitching.

If you want the complete version of something, you'd have to wait more. Waiting more equals more whining from the forums. It would never stop. Actually, I take that back. It will never stop.

[Geesus]

If you want the complete version of something, you'd have to wait more. Waiting more equals more whining from the forums. It would never stop. Actually, I take that back. It will never stop.

Which leads you right back to this ...

No it's entirely the fault of the community. If they can't resist pointless speculation and whining then how is it anyone's fault but their own?
If this community had proven itself mature and capable I could understand blaming SE for being needlessly opaque but I've been here since day 1 and this community has done nothing but whine and moan even when they got their way.
This community is like a spoiled, petulant child upset that their new toy isn't three new toys.
I can't believe SE even bothers to post because it's not like anything constructive is coming out of this forum.

This ^ and ...

Pretty much this.

This ^

[Starlord]

Communication or Getting Work done.. Would you want them to blab all day long about what they are going to do and barely get anything done ( in 4 different Langauges mind you) or Get stuff done first THEN post stuff on the lodestone? I think the answer is quite Obvious.. Stuff is not posted because... wait for it.. THEY ARE WORKING! -.-

[Viridiana]

Communication or Getting Work done.. Would you want them to blab all day long about what they are going to do and barely get anything done ( in 4 different Langauges mind you) or Get stuff done first THEN post stuff on the lodestone? I think the answer is quite Obvious.. Stuff is not posted because... wait for it.. THEY ARE WORKING! -.-

*Insert comment about there being multiple teams working on different things*

[Starlord]

*Insert comment about there being multiple teams working on different things*

More a reason to make sure things get done.. more time that's spent on talking to us, less work will get done ( thus delays occur). But Im REALLY tired.. and I just dont have the energy for this type of Nonsense so Good Night =)

[OMEGA_HACK]

They have a staff of 200-something employees working on the production of Final Fantasy XIV according Wada in the first Live Letter.

Also Yoshi-P has commented at least two times if I recall correctly that they have many different teams that do many different things, in particular there is probably an internal team who goes around and collects data from the Development Team so the Development Team can continue to work, if you think they (Devs) don't have to make a progress report every few days on what they are doing then you must not have worked on anything large scale. As a person who has been a Stage Manager I had to give progress reports every night after rehearsals and after production meetings to the appropriate channels that requested the information.

To deny those kinds of people exist is your own fault and your own lack of knowledge in the way a large scale development team works. Basically saying the Development Team can still work like they are now and give us detailed information because they have to do it anyway when they report in, its just that for whatever reason they are deciding not to.

EDIT:
Also its the job of the Square-Enix Reps to do the translations, the Development Team is not providing the information in anything but Japanese more than likely, as I seriously doubt they are being requested to give the progress reports in all the different languages...that would be silly and a waste of time if they were.

[weeble]

http://blog.fileplanet.com/2011/11/1...pony-skyrim-1/

[OMEGA_HACK]

Off topic but funny. Just a note about my sig I suppose, I made it satirically, I don't enjoy the My Pony stuff (Unless its My Little Apocalypse Ponies)...and honestly was thinking about changing it, so off I go to find a better replacement!