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Class Representatives Are Here!


EricMusco

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Hey everyone!

 

I am happy to announce today a new initiative that we are going to be launching here on the forums. It is something that we have seen requested since launch, and we think it will do really well in helping to communicate more with all of you on a topic you certainly want more information on; Classes. What we are going to be launching, with your help, are Class Representatives! Here are the details on how they will be selected, what they will do, and a bit about the expectations you should have about the new initiative.

 

How Will Class Representatives Be Selected?

This process is going to be largely in your hands! As of the time of making this post, you will be able to head over to your Advanced Class Forum and you will find a post where you can begin nominations for who your Class Representative will be. After a span of time (a week or so) we will create a poll with the names we saw mentioned most, by each AC, and you will vote on who you want your rep to be! I want to note that Class Representatives will be shared across mirrored ACs, so Sentinel and Marauder will have the same representative. We are still going to allow one to be selected for each, but they will rotate in their responsibilities.

 

Also, each Class Representative will only serve for one “term” (more on that later). After that a new representative will be elected!

 

What Will They Do?

Upon the Class representatives being selected, we will release a schedule. On each scheduled date listed, the chosen representative for each Class will make a forum post in their Class forum with the top 3 things they want to have answered or commented on. Our current plan is to do 4 ACs each month with 2 ACs being able to propose questions every 2 weeks.

 

Up until the scheduled date, the rep’s job is to work to figure out what the top 3 issues or questions are for their Class. Once posted, we will begin working with the Combat Team to get an answer or comment to all 3 of those issues, regardless of what they are! Our goal is a one week turnaround from the time that you post the questions for us to get you an answer. I will stress now that our development schedule will take priority at all times, so if our Combat Team is unavailable due to development constraints, any of this schedule is subject to change.

 

EDIT: We also adding the rule that of your top 3, 1 issue must be PvP and 1 must be PvE for equal representation.

 

Expectations

One thing I want to make sure of is that we very carefully hedge some of your expectations of this program. Our number one goal is to get your questions answered. We have known for some time that players have had Class balance questions, and it has been tricky to get them answered. The purpose of this initiative is to get those questions addressed as directly as possible. I want to make sure we stress the following things:

 

  • It is possible, and even likely, that we could disagree with player sentiment towards something in relation to Class balance. Ex: Why does <insert class> suck at <insert thing>?! We may respond that we feel they are in a good place in our design goals and we will do our best to explain why.
  • Attaching feedback to your top 3 in no way guarantees that it will be feedback that is actionable. The purpose is to allow a set dialog between our Combat Team and you here on the forums. Just because something appears in the top 3 provided by a representative does not mean it is feedback that will garner special treatment.
  • Class Representatives are player elected and will not be granted any special access to the BioWare team. If chosen, you won’t have to sign an NDA or anything similar. You will be a player-elected forum user who assists your Class in formulating the top issues and concerns you would like to have BioWare commentary on.
  • As with all things on the forums, please remain respectful. Please respect each other, your chosen Class Representatives, and the BioWare developers.

 

Any feedback, suggestions, comments, concerns about this new program you can feel free to post in this thread. Otherwise, feel free to head over to your Advanced Class subforum and get to nominating! As we get closer to voting, we will post a schedule on when each Class will be asked to post their top 3. Thanks!

 

-The Community Team

 

To get to your Advanced Classes nomination post, follow these threads:

 

Operative / Sniper

Sorcerer / Assassin

Mercenary / Powertech

Marauder / Juggernaut

 

Scoundrel / Gunslinger

Sage / Shadow

Commando / Vanguard

Sentinel / Guardian

Edited by EricMusco
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Sounds like a good idea. The only problems I can foresee is if a representative either a) puts their own personal issues on the list rather than that of the communities or b) decides they don't want to do it anymore.

 

I take it you have plans in place to deal with these?

Edited by Nothematic
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One thing, PvE vs PvP. The 2 groups will most likely have 2 very different sets of questions.

 

Could I recommend increasing the question count to 4 and make it required that 2 be PvE and 2 be PvP based? Maybe with 2 reps for each AC (one for PvE and one for PvP?

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One thing, PvE vs PvP. The 2 groups will most likely have 2 very different sets of questions.

 

Could I recommend increasing the question count to 4 and make it required that 2 be PvE and 2 be PvP based? Maybe with 2 reps for each AC (one for PvE and one for PvP?

 

This is an excellent proposal, and one I as well as others would agree with.

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Sounds like a good idea. The only problems I can foresee is if a representative either a) puts their own personal issues on the list rather than that of the communities or b) decides they don't want to do it anymore.

 

I take it you have plans in place to deal with these?

 

a) This is certainly something that could be an issue, but I think it would be fairly obvious that this was the case when the list is submitted

 

b) They only have to do it once, so I hope that situation won't occur. If it does than the next in line of votes can take their place, or their mirror from the other faction.

One thing, PvE vs PvP. The 2 groups will most likely have 2 very different sets of questions.

 

Could I recommend increasing the question count to 4 and make it required that 2 be PvE and 2 be PvP based? Maybe with 2 reps for each AC (one for PvE and one for PvP?

 

Although I like this idea and appreciate what it is trying to accomplish, we are trying to not put too many restrictions in place until we have to. What is there are 3 major PvP concerns for a class? We don't want to restrict what people can and cannot ask.

 

However, we will definitely monitor what is coming in and if we see that a certain group feels ignored, we will adjust.

Edited by EricMusco
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Sounds like a good idea. The only problems I can foresee is if a representative either a) puts their own personal issues on the list rather than that of the communities or b) decides they don't want to do it anymore.

 

I take it you have plans in place to deal with these?

 

Was a bad idea in DAOC and Warhammer. got only PVPers involved with their pet axes to grind...... :eek:

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Was a bad idea in DAOC and Warhammer. got only PVPers involved with their pet axes to grind...... :eek:

 

That is my concern. Looking at most of the class forums. The most vocal are the PvPers.

 

The PvEers have concerns but I fear that out voice may not be heard.

 

This could be especially problematic if the rep elected is Primarily PvPer or PvEer (honestly it could swing either way)

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Bad idea, this is a step backwards. It only gives a false impression something is being done to address problems. I am afraid too much effort will be put towards PvP because of this. Edited by ELRunninW
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You mention terms, I would hope that possibly people could be re-elected but with a possible cool down between periods? I mean if there is someone who is amazingly awesome with regard to a specifc AC, I would hope that it would just be a one time deal and then never to be heard from again. At the same time I get why you want terms, because we don't want a situation where people get this position and then spend their entire time trying to get elected by making promises, then when they get elected they do just enough to get by and spend the rest of the time working on getting reelected again... (yes that was a bit of political humor... sorry)

 

In all seriousness, I like the idea behind this initiative and I hope this will help increase a dialog between the classes and the combat team. As was stated we don't want to just be listened to, we want to be heard. While I get that there are good reasons for "we feel class x is in a good position regarding ability to accomplish y", more expansion on WHY you feel that way will be helpful so we can either reformulate our question or simply put the issue to rest.

 

I am sure they felt they had great reason to make some of the changes they did, when they made them, but just telling us that the changes are staying without at least giving some background on WHY you made the change, I think, is where a large part of the issues come from.

 

Anyway, I got really excited by this, and can't wait to see more!

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I am somewhat ambivalent about this. Now more player involvement is a great thing and I am happy you are trying to do so but surely the reasons you gave for not having polls would also apply to have representatives. As in ppl will see their 'top 3 issues' as set in stone and you will do something about them.

 

My other issue is that there is no reason your own ppl can't read the forums to see what the top issues are! It just seems you are trying to get us to do your job for you. So although I like the gesture and for me shows more commitment to your players but it seems you are going to open a can of worms. Hopefully I am proved wrong though.

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Dulfy must win at least one of these elections :D

 

 

or all of them rofl

 

 

GO DULFY!

 

Hope this is a joke. She's not the best sorc healer I have ever seen, nor has she much presence in the sorc class section and she mostly writes guides for new content rather than actual classes.

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One thing, PvE vs PvP. The 2 groups will most likely have 2 very different sets of questions.

 

Could I recommend increasing the question count to 4 and make it required that 2 be PvE and 2 be PvP based? Maybe with 2 reps for each AC (one for PvE and one for PvP?

 

Absolutely agree!!! PvP needs a representative as well. I nominate Pistols :)

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...

How Will Class Representatives Be Selected?

This process is going to be largely in your hands! As of the time of making this post, you will be able to head over to your Advanced Class Forum and you will find a post where you can begin nominations for who your Class Representative will be. After a span of time (a week or so) we will create a poll with the names we saw mentioned most, by each AC, and you will vote on who you want your rep to be! I want to note that Class Representatives will be shared across mirrored ACs, so Sentinel and Marauder will have the same representative. We are still going to allow one to be selected for each, but they will rotate in their responsibilities.

Remember PVE and PVP folks, stuff the ballot box in an orderly fashion to get your class issues out front!

 

Nominations should be player generated, but the final selection should be done by BW.

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That is my concern. Looking at most of the class forums. The most vocal are the PvPers.

 

1) then don't vote for them. :)

 

2) if they get a majority vote, then PvP must be a majority interest. I don't think it is, so I'm not worried about it.

 

3) as per Eric above.. if they are not objective and fair... then out they go and the next most popular comes in.

 

The DOoC concerns are not really relevant IMO, as that MMO WAS mostly about PvP. So.. I don't see a comparison to a mostly PvE MMO player based like this one has.

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Absolutely agree!!! PvP needs a representative as well. I nominate Pistols :)

 

No way! He crazy!! :p

 

J/K Pistols. :D

 

While I can see value in separate focus for PvP and PvE... I'm of the mind to let Bioware drive this into place and see how it works before making sweeping judgments on how it needs to be partitioned (if at all).

 

Good representatives WILL represent both interests.... so have some faith IMO. The Class interests are key.

Edited by Andryah
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So.. I don't see a comparison to a mostly PvE MMO player based like this one has.

 

Andryah, this may come as a shock to thee, but it doesn't matter what this game is mostly centered around. If the game offers BOTH PvE and PvP, then both gameplay options are equally important.

 

Thank you.

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I feel like this is a bad idea. I don't spend much time on the forums, really, so I wouldn't know who to vote for in the first place. I understand having 1 go to guy for each group, but so much can go wrong, focusing only PvP because that is all the "elected" player likes, or vice versa.
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If classes are mirrored, and a rep will stand for both archetypes for that class, why not only four reps? That way you could actually expand the player rep system into areas such as PVP, raid, and RP without adding too much overhead.
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My other issue is that there is no reason your own ppl can't read the forums to see what the top issues are! It just seems you are trying to get us to do your job for you. So although I like the gesture and for me shows more commitment to your players but it seems you are going to open a can of worms. Hopefully I am proved wrong though.

 

Given the vocal lack of trust toward the developers in the forums.. I'm going to say that having player representatives is a good move. If nothing else, it disarms some of the rhetoric and lets the community start to discuss objectively the classes needs/wants/shortfalls.

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