Communication and Bioware...why this continues to be a problem

Just my opinion folks, one persons opinion. I speak for no one but myself.

Ok, a while back I took a breather from this game based on the CSM debacle, which was badly handled from start to finish IMO. It still remains unresolved in my eyes, but that is a discussion for another time.

What I wanted to touch on now is what I feel stands as Biowares worst and prevailing weakness...communication.

I will cite one example, though there are countless others....level sync.

I assume that many folks, based on feedback around the net, felt that, with the information released at the time level sync was a bad move all around. There was little good that would come of it.

Removing progression from a game is a big step...a BIG step that can potential alienate an entire playerbase....just ask SOE (no, this is NOT a CU/NGE comparison). But it can also be a positive step, depending on how it is done.

And I think Bioware ALMOST did it right. Almost. Very close to perfect. The trick....the boost in level.

Sure, leveling exists now as a gate for abilities only, in its simplest terms. But gameplay has not been drastically changed IMO....aggro range is high, and that could use adjustment, but other than that most players I would expect remain reasonably powerful on the planets they quest on even WITH level sync, for two very important reasons....

1) Companions have received what could be argued as a substantial strength boost.
2) The sync level is generally 2 to 5 levels above current mobs on the planet, or around the max suggested level for that planet (to obviously avoid the mobs being grey and worthless).

Folks were wary but generally seem to accept this change, and this bodes well for it overall...but the problem remains....

Lack of proper communication likely hurt the title. Players had next to NO idea that this is how level sync would be set up.

Perhaps Bioware felt, seemingly as always, that the content would speak for itself and spoilers should be avoided.

I feel this continues to be this companies problem....they simply do not understand the players that play their game, and the potential market that exists....An information vacuum breeds drama and discord, deserved or not.

This is a MAJOR change. A drastic one that should have had a HUGE open discussion before it was implemented. Feedback should have been solicited. Adjustments should have been made. Interviews that focused on THIS change, not the storyline.

But that didn't happen.

There has to be some way to get Bioware to see the error of it's ways here. If it continues in this "one step forward, one step back" pattern it will never stop struggling to reach the point of critical mass and become retention positive in a meaningful way.

IMO a few things need to happen ASAP.

Eric Musco needs more freedom to discuss upcoming features and their impact on the game.

Balance efforts need to END, at least for a while. Enough is enough. You need to leave the abilities as they are for some time so players can get used to playing their classes again without CONSTANT CHANGES.

A focus pass needs to be made on the following things.....

Quality of character appearance
Quality of ALL ship landing and takeoff sequences
Agro range on all mobs needs to be reduced.
Focus on bugs and fixes.
Music at the end of class stories needs a pass. Republic stories should close with SW ending music (here, approx 1:44), Empire with Imperial March (here, just about all of it, or at least the ending part at 1:44) that tapers off....come on guys, the new SW film is coming. Make a real connection. Pull our heart strings.

But most of all, and I really can't stress this enough, IT IS TIME TO CONSIDER YOUR CUSTOMERS WHEN MAKING CHANGES. Talk to us. Tell us what you are planning. Solicit feedback. Let us spread the word.

Thanks for your time.

Well, this went a bit off topic.

First, Im not a newb. Ive been playing this game on and off since launch.

Second, I make suggestions all the time. Most of the folks that have been here since before 1.0 and onward know who I am...so those claims are naturally bunk. That does not mean everyone agrees with me naturally, and I embrace opposing opinions in most cases. Again, my post history stands in evidence.

Third, People can criticize, even offer feedback on aspects of a game and still love other things about it. My post history is an example of this.

Finally, Bioware themselves have solicited feedback and/or indicated they take from this board publically multiple times in the past. I have to give new folks (quite a few in this thread) a pass for not knowing this, but this is one of many sources of feedback and suggestions they peruse....which naturally does not mean every suggestion is adopted, or adopted in it's original form.

However, many MANY of the community suggestions have been adopted in this game...again, just look at my post history and the post history of some of the other board veterans here for proof. So...the idea that leaving the game is the only logical alternative, or that one should not leave feedback is preposterous.....and unsupported by the facts.

That is the problem with quite a few of the responses in this thread....diatribe designed to discourage discourse or feedback of any kind.

This isn't my first rodeo folks. And think you might find it a bit tough to try and muscle me out of my opinions.

Now, that said, the original core of the OP was the idea that Bioware seemingly continues to fail at properly promoting important changes to the game, to the games likely detriment.

The internet is currently filled with inaccurate and unfair diatribe with respect to the level sync feature, complaints that took hold in an information vacuum.

This is the error IMO that I am covering here, and the one I had hoped to discuss. Naturally they have failed at community communication in the past, but this was mostly about their lack of proper promotion of critical game changes.

That is what I think needs to change immediately.

You think you can do better? Why don't you go apply for the job down there in Austin TX. Show Eric and them how it's done!!

WELL SAID.

And I especially agree with you regarding those who stick to their usual diatribe to discourage discourse. That's the frustrating part, although granted at this point, it IS the 2 same people.

Thanks Z.

I see there are some new rabble rousers around here.

Frankly I miss some of the old ones. Reno is still here, so that makes me happy

I actually took a break shortly after the CSM incident but that was because of burnout and not cause of what happened then. I returned after KOTFE was announced and I've been loving it since.

Well, I am glad to see you here. You were one of the folks that would often have strong disagreements with me....which I naturally enjoy.

I like debates of course

I miss Andryah TBH. My greatest nemesis

Thank you for proving my point. It's easy to sit on the forums and complain about the community team saying this and that like you can do a better job then them but when it comes to putting your money where your mouth is there is an excuse why you can't

Eric should have posted that feedback from the developer

She did come back a month or so ago then vanished again without a word.

Would anyone have objections to having a slightly larger community team posting on behalf of the developers behind the scenes and feeding back that information directly to the developers. Consistent "faces" such as Eric and Tait?