Yes I know of one dev who frequents these forums.

As a designer/producer in training, i can say that yes, developers do read forums like this.

Do they take everything that is said here seriously??? no... :) Someone mature and smart enough that would read this forums would only take the best and leave the bs behind and sadly there is alot of it.

But gota listen to the players to know what they want right?

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Originally posted by Axehilt

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I have largely the same expectations as Axehilt. If I was in the industry, I'd be doing my job 99.9% of the time and would read a forum post or blog article when somebody brought it to my attention. There is very little innovation to be found on MMORPG.com.

If I wanted to understand what players wanted, I'd be looking at the way existing games were being received and played and at surveys and polls that had been conducted through the years.

Other than that, I know that there are a few places on the web where the 'names' in the industry get together to talk about this or that. TerraNova is one. The MUD-Dev mailing list was another. I'm sure they visit those because it is a way of staying in touch with their peers, new and old.

They do read, but they can’t just act on a good idea they find here. They need the nod of department heads, the lead designer and even permission from those funding the game to make many of the changes suggested here.

Originally posted by qweniden

 

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Originally posted by madeux

 

It seems to me that it would be very easy for a developer to get a feel for what mmo players are wanting in games, the features they're dieing for, the features that they'll do anything to avoid.

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LOL. Do you seriously think the jaded and ultra-geeky types that frequent these forums represent the typical MMORPG customer?

If you just read this forum you would think WoW sucks and everyone wants a "sandbox" game with little or no quests. Yet somehow WoWS makes millions of subscribers happy every month.

 

Sadly you can never convince the forum users that they are a minority of the game and their beliefs are not everyone else's. I remember on Asheron's Call when one of the Devs politely posted that the forum users were the "vocal minority" in response to why when several people on the forums wanted something changed that it wasn't changed. The forum users went nuts saying how the devs were idiots for not understand that their views were the same as those playing the game and all that normal bs. Forum users want to believe they are important, they know all, and could do a better job. The other long ago Asheron's Call post (was a community relations guy this time) was telling the forum users they had a "false sense of entitlement" that didn't go over to well with the posters either.
 

But yes devs browse their own forums and I'm sure every other large forum site, along with large review sites etc. Does that mean they're going to change the game based on posts? No of course not (if they're smart), but it can give them topics to go get more in depth information on to see how the player base at large feels.

It's like the article they had a couple weeks ago talking about how despite how everyone on the forums say they want less kill tasks and more innovative in depth quests, the metrics show that players only complete the kill tasks and simple quests and actually skip over the in depth and more difficult quests. Forum posters tend to be a much more involved gamer, and usually more on the hardcore side (as in enjoying a challenge with an actual chance to fail). Where as the vast majority of the players of MMOs (which don't ever use any forum anywhere) want an easy game that doesn't take much effort and always rewards you. This is the very reason why you don't see any of the forum ideas or topics implemented into a game, only the few people posting actually want it.

Originally posted by madeux

Do you think any developers actually visit and read forums like this?

It seems to me that it would be very easy for a developer to get a feel for what mmo players are wanting in games, the features they're dieing for, the features that they'll do anything to avoid.

Granted, there's a lot of worthless ranting and pointless fights, but even seeing how emotional players can get over small issues could offer some valuable insight.

It would be an easy way to see what MMO Forum Posters want in games, not necessarily MMO players.

What Axehilt said...Also note future developers are keeping watch here as well (and many other sites of course)

Well, its pretty obvious many dev's have skipped the suggestions found on these forums, just look at all the hugely successful games that have released in the past 4 years.

No, wait....

Originally posted by Kyleran

Well, its pretty obvious many dev's have skipped the suggestions found on these forums, just look at all the hugely successful games that have released in the past 4 years.

No, wait....

 

Agreed :)

I find it funny the amount of people belittling forum posters and forums in general in this THREAD on a FORUM.

Yes, but they only read my posts.  The rest of you clowns they have on ignore ;)

Originally posted by spikers14

What Axehilt said...Also note future developers are keeping watch here as well (and many other sites of course)

Yep =-)

Well if they came here in masse' we would never know I believe most companies have strict policies forcing them to post under the radar. otherwise if they like- tell a guy to go to hell on these forums it may reflect badly on their company. I'm just guessing :P

If I were a dev I wouldn't post; just read other ppl suggestions

This is pretty much why you barely see them post on their own forums let alone others. but at least on their own forums they can control trolls and just ban the idiots they dont like

no its pretty much the same; if i ban someone just due to his personallity not matching with mine; not only would that give a resounding effect to the other players ... but those people do have fingers and mouths and will post about the actions and afterall:

a ripple still goes across the whole pond.. best not to make a splash when dealing with your members.

LMAO!!

I absolutely love the pond analogy. ^^

It's especially pleasing to think that some of the people lashing about might get a cramp and drown. ^^  (Sorry, dark sense of humor just kicked in)

So we are the grumpy old "vietnam vets" who will never be satisfied with all this new tecnology crap(theme parks), always blamind this new rock´n´roll kids(wow players) and remember how good was the old days (UO). =(

Back to half life 2 =p

They obviously do it, but for obvious reasons you will never know who they are and what they are doing. He may even be that fanboy or that troll, who knows? Conspiracy, I tell you.

Ninjas.