Funnily enough, it was someone who "respectfully disagreed" with my post in the Feedback section's whose Latest Activity drew my attention to this particularly enlightening thread and the responses from @konbendith when I've been wondering if there's a lack of participation/response from developers/Paradox staff (not Community Members).
I want to preface this with a great quote.
My goals:
I believe I read somewhere that while Paradox is now big, each studio is kinda independent in a way? My request is what is the Stellaris team's view on the above thread and response? I do notice @MrFreake_PDX including "be civil" with nearly most of the recent threads/updates, but I don't want to assume.
Questions:
Are developers here less active because they don't like how the 'debate culture'--still cannot believe that is a term--is?
Or was there a decision that developers aren't to participate/respond? I know some companies have such a policy.
I did a search of Suggestions by developer response only, and unless I'm missing something, aside from @Alfray Stryke, there hasn't been a post in there by another staff member since 2019, which is why I have my current perception.
Truth moment: It is your (specific players here's) fault that we're here at this point now. Your choice to be toxic versus constructive has not helped, but hurt a game, you consider yourself dedicated, a fan of. Did you really need to call someone stupid or lazy to get your point across? No. The answer is no. Do you think it's going to help make the game better? No. The answer again is no. Learn from this and be less of the problem.
AAA Company: For most AAA companies, there is a publisher (usually the one who finances the product). They own the Intellectual Property (IP). The developers design and develop content based around the publisher's specifications, i.e. if features are DLC or free, what to focus on, what to ignore. Often the developers want to do far more, but they don't have the final say. The publishers do.
My fears:
For instance, Amazon made it crystal clear when I worked with them that while they owned the company, they were not the manager and let the companies operate on their own, and they did. While a different company that bought a previous place I worked at changed the infrastructure in under a year. I do not know how being publicly traded may or may not change things for game prioritization. Certain features being only DLC accessible versus free, for instance.
My hopes:
EDIT: Added AAA company definition and paragraph. Added goal for understanding/identifying potential causes of toxicity or tension.
I want to preface this with a great quote.
I think overall, we all want the same thing: forums with more active (and happy) developers, and great and constructive conversations between them and you, our most dedicated players.
My goals:
- Users will learn the difference between publisher and developer, for most AAA companies
- Constructive discourse/feedback/disagreements encouraged and supported.
- Identification/opinions on potential causes for tension in forums/feedback delivery
- Utilized tools (Suggestions/Bug Reports/etc.) so that I and others can help developers make Stellaris better.
- Some sort of indication (a like, dislike, comment) from Paradox on high activity conversations that they at least read it. For instance, with Bug Reports the title can be updated with Confirmed or Need More Information, etc.
I believe I read somewhere that while Paradox is now big, each studio is kinda independent in a way? My request is what is the Stellaris team's view on the above thread and response? I do notice @MrFreake_PDX including "be civil" with nearly most of the recent threads/updates, but I don't want to assume.
Questions:
Are developers here less active because they don't like how the 'debate culture'--still cannot believe that is a term--is?
Or was there a decision that developers aren't to participate/respond? I know some companies have such a policy.
I did a search of Suggestions by developer response only, and unless I'm missing something, aside from @Alfray Stryke, there hasn't been a post in there by another staff member since 2019, which is why I have my current perception.
Truth moment: It is your (specific players here's) fault that we're here at this point now. Your choice to be toxic versus constructive has not helped, but hurt a game, you consider yourself dedicated, a fan of. Did you really need to call someone stupid or lazy to get your point across? No. The answer is no. Do you think it's going to help make the game better? No. The answer again is no. Learn from this and be less of the problem.
AAA Company: For most AAA companies, there is a publisher (usually the one who finances the product). They own the Intellectual Property (IP). The developers design and develop content based around the publisher's specifications, i.e. if features are DLC or free, what to focus on, what to ignore. Often the developers want to do far more, but they don't have the final say. The publishers do.
My fears:
- Suggestions are just going to be a place for players to vent as the information won't actually be viewed, passed on to decision makers.
- Certain Bug Reports/Suggestions that have a lot of activity and Stellaris has even acknowledged in the past but haven't implemented to this day with no response/here's why/etc. will cause frustration, i.e. name_lists and Checksum, AI, Economy, Balance, etc.
- We're going to get more rollbacks, because instead of collaborating with the community beforehand, we'll get surprise changes like the economy buildings.
- Certain things won't be prioritized because they aren't going to make money. See quote below. As I have said, visions/goals can change from what they were three years ago when people show me quoted logs/posts from 3+ years ago.
The standards have changed. Our company is not the same as it was 15, or even 5 years ago. We're bigger, more profitable, publicly-traded, etc.
For instance, Amazon made it crystal clear when I worked with them that while they owned the company, they were not the manager and let the companies operate on their own, and they did. While a different company that bought a previous place I worked at changed the infrastructure in under a year. I do not know how being publicly traded may or may not change things for game prioritization. Certain features being only DLC accessible versus free, for instance.
My hopes:
- Players will focus on more constructive criticism (look at my history, I'm not jolly nice-guy), but I am always aiming at being useful.
- Stellaris will have an official stance so we can have clear expectations going forward on the relationship this forum is to have between staff and player. Ideally, far more participation from Stellaris staff.
- A better game, patch by patch.
EDIT: Added AAA company definition and paragraph. Added goal for understanding/identifying potential causes of toxicity or tension.
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