[b]The Poll[/b]
Bungie are actively removing hot-button topics (such as matchmaking) from the Trending and Highest Rated tabs. Do you believe it is their right to censor these forums to make topics they don't agree with less visible? Or do you feel that these forums are supposed to be our place to have a voice and a place where we can champion causes for change?
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[b]The questions it forces us to ask.[/b]
According to DeeJ
[quote]Player feedback is one of the most important components of the conversation on Bungie.net. Dedicated teams at Bungie survey the forums in search of support issues and development ideas. Specific user-created topics that [b]trend[/b] as a result of community interaction are more effective in providing us with that information than blog threads with thousands of competing replies.[/quote]
If that is in fact true and their teams search TRENDING topics, it effectively squashes a thread to remove it from that tab.
We've had hundreds of individual Guardian's weigh in on this topic and have about 10 of the most liked posts in #feedback, including 2 of the top 3.
This is another DeeJ quote.
[quote]Let me get this straight. The player is never “wrong.” I believe that down to my bones. At Bungie, I represent to the developers what you say without prejudice.[/quote]
If that is the case, we've been asking for answers for a week now. Again, there are literally hundreds of stories explaining why people would like in-game matchmaking options and why LFG sites (as awesome as they can be for some) just don't work for them.
If a player is never wrong, when one writes a heartfelt post that they don't want to have to use LFG or go outside the game to play the game, how can you reconcile the above quote when you answer them with "Go form your own clan"?
Another Bungie quote (not sure DeeJ or another) in response to Asa's question:
I love the game... But some don't. Can you shed some 'light' on your feelings toward these negative reviews and feedback?
[quote]Bungie thrives on feedback. Never feel like you need to stick up for us when you see someone expressing an honest opinion about our games. We’re harder on ourselves than anyone else.[/quote]
Players have been asking for in-game options to play with other Guardians since launch. With each new expansion, raid and batch of new content, that frustration grows for those who want to get on and play, but don't have friends on and don't want to go search outside sources for a team.
As much as it sucks that the raid for HoW was delayed, I have to admit that part of me was completely stoked for whatever PoE was going to be because I couldn't imagine that it wasn't going to be endgame content that was finally easily available to EVERYONE and not just raiders.
Joke was on any of us who thought that, huh?
We are almost 9 full months into Destiny and it is more of a chore than ever to access meaningful content in this game. We've been asking for change the entire time, but have our voices been muted this entire time too?
Again, let me go back to this quote from DeeJ, because this is very important:
[quote]Let me get this straight. The player is never “wrong.” I believe that down to my bones. At Bungie, I represent to the developers what you say without prejudice.[/quote]
DeeJ is our voice with the developers. Well, if DeeJ doesn't believe in our cause, how much faith can we really have that we are being heard?
This is DeeJ from way back on November 11, 2014 in response to the call for more matchmaking:
[quote]It's no secret that the highest quality teammates are the ones you choose for yourself. Anyone with a robust friends list will testify to that.
We hear the feedback about matchmaking, and there are conversations about it's future.
In the meantime, anyone posting to this forum has a galley of potential teammates to recruit.[/quote]
This is tremendously important because it clearly shows that all the way back then, DeeJ was showing bias against matchmaking.
[spoiler]If you're curious, my reply that day:
[quote]Uh, no.
Sorry DeeJ, but that's nowhere close to true.
Some of the highest quality people you'll ever meet are in matchmade games and you all know it was ridiculous to not give us that option.
Ask anyone who's played any online game how many amazing friends they've made that they met randomly online in a game. I met my wife in a random group in an online deathmatch.
What you all did is indicative of the sad social practice of trying to protect us from ourselves.
Is skydiving dangerous? Potentially. If I understand that risk and I'm okay with it, should I be able to jump? Yes, I should.
Is there a possibility I may get grouped with an asshole in a random game online? Yup. If I am okay with that and willing to wear a headset, should I be able to talk to the 90% of people that aren't asshats? Yes, I should.
As an online community manager, you should know that even though the bad seeds may be loud, the majority of people are cool and drawn together by a shared passion.[/quote][/spoiler]
After HoW released, we posted yet more dismay at the unnecessary degree of difficulty just getting to run the new endgame content if friends weren't readily available.
From DeeJ. seven months after having to respond to our initial calls for mm:
[quote]At current, our philosophy about endgame content is that part of the challenge includes forming up a team. This is a strong community filled with players who are looking for teammates. Why not seek each other out here and band together[/quote]
Well, we responded and we banded together and we have over a thousand likes over dozens of posts and instead of being heard, instead of being represented, instead of being engaged, we are left with flippant remarks, corporate-speak mantras and silence.
Again, we have asked reasonable questions. We have given in depth answers as to why we feel so strongly in our beliefs. We have engaged in conversations with those who feel differently. We have searched for answers and common ground and have offered ideas for solutions.
And in response, our posts have been removed from all but the "Latest" feed, which in and of itself tells us volumes about how much our opinions and experiences truly matter.
I'll end this by again saying that the reason we all are here is because we love Destiny. We are all Warlocks, Hunters, Titans. We all have battled the Archon Priest, Sepkis and Rockets McD**kface together. We're not adversaries (well, outside of PvP) and we're all trying to make this game the very best it can be. So how did we get here?
[spoiler]Thank you to all who believe, support, never give up and always #bumpfortruth.[/spoiler]
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Edit: To all the Guardians supporting this and those who disagree too, I want to add a couple of things.
First, I am saddened (and somewhat surprised) to see that Bungie have decided to remove this post from Trending and Highest Rated too, particularly when any of this community hurt could easily be healed with minimal effort on their end.
Also, I want to clearly state that this is not meant as a personal attack on DeeJ. He just happens to be the Community Manager and so he is who we go to for answers. I've had it stated a couple times that we're being abusive and hating on DeeJ.
That sincerely is not intended to be the case and I will re-post this here.
[quote]DeeJ is our CM and I still overall think he's a good guy and wants what's best for us. I just think he dropped the ball on this one. Everyone has missteps.
The intent of this isn't to attack DeeJ, but to try to repair a disconnect between the community and Bungie. I would hope DeeJ isn't the one hiding posts and I understand he is limited in what he can share.
If he'd just maybe asked why LFG and clans don't work for people and guaranteed nothing more than he'd share it with the devs, he'd have been a hero.
For whatever reason we got [i]sorry, it's our philosophy[/i] instead.
This post is here because we want Bungie to listen, not because we want DeeJ gone.[/quote]
I'm really conflicted at the moment. I am so grateful for the way the community have banded together to support each other and this community desire, but I'm also genuinely saddened at the stance that has been taken against us. This was a call to reason, not war.
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1 ReplyBump against fascism!
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F-ck you, Bungie.
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Bump. Really saddens me that Bungie has turned into removing posts etc. what is wrong with you guys these days?
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Bump!
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1 ReplyEdited by gallp13: 5/30/2015 2:49:22 PMWhilst censorship disappoints, Bungie has legal property rights over the forum to which we are all subject in accepting the TOU. Bungie therefore has the legal right to do as they choose.
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1 ReplyI fcking love your words! How do you do it. Bump this shit to 10,000.
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8 RepliesJust a theory.. What if they censor the topics because they have them on a to-do list?.. It kinda makes sense
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51 RepliesEdited by EvilTim420: 5/30/2015 11:49:10 AMIf they didn't remove them the forum would be filled with them because you idiots keep posting the same shit. My kid wants to eat ice cream for breakfast, i wont let them because its not healthy, and if they keep asking their going to be punished. Im surprised you stupid kids havent been slapped around a bit. Mommy gave you too many hugs now you expect it all the time.
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Sadly, this is Bungie's forum and they can do what they want with it. Does mean I agree with them? No, not at all. It is still their 'property' so to speak.
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Sol keep doing your thing I enjoy how you use sound and rational arguments for your cause just letting you know bro keep the pressure on.
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Bump and reposting. #Nerfthenerfs
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11 RepliesIt seems to me that you dont like to play with other people. Thats your problem. Sou ds like this game isnt for you.
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1 ReplyEdited by gallp13: 5/30/2015 11:59:58 AMAs an aside I understand though don't share Bungie's concerns. Bungie seems to have determined that participation rates are most likely to remain levels needed to sustain the franchise over 10 years if participants build and administer their own fire teams for more challenging end game content. Whilst Bungie have no doubt taken professional advice to devise this strategy their advice and this the strategy is only partially correct. Their consumer behaviour advise is a little out dated and their end game content whilst initially challenging is rapidly mastered and solutions are rapidly deployed via the web so that fire teams of randoms can wobble through the end game. I am quite confident, based on 1. The importance of this strategy to franchise viability; and 2. Bungie's very sound strategy of adding game features based on Community feedback both qualitative (via forum reddit social media channels) and quantitative (participation and In [b][/b]game analytics). That Bungie conduct regular reviews of participation strategy. I would expect their current philosophy (retention and participation strategy) and complimentary approaches such as in game match making and provision of app integrated LFG features would be considered. After all we all want the game to grow and in order for this to happen demand and retention need to progressively increase.
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2 RepliesI like how your other topic is trending the way it is and it is burried to the bottom...... Bumped it and this one.
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2 RepliesAt 41 likes and 80 comments, still on all 3 tabs. See if they dare to leave it up this time...
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1 Replyif Bungie/DeeJ said in a post, ''we are looking into optional matchmaking for all content in Destiny but it may take time and sacrifices may be needed so that our vision can be realized. Stay strong guardians and fight for light'', I think we would all be happy
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Bump keep it going!
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7 RepliesIt seems that I am in the minority in supporting Bungie on this. There is a clear, intentional design choice coming from their camp saying that part of the game experience is in finding and communicating with fellow guardians. I count myself extremely lucky and fulfilled to have developed the group that I have, so that I am in that top % of players to have beaten the latest endgame content. Bungie have made concessions in match making and in the scale of hurdle that faces a player without that painstakingly developed guardian list. Both the Weekly and lvl28 POE are match made, endgame activities. In the introduction of POE instead of a new raid, the burden of requirement is down to 3 players from the 6 assumed from the new raid. The vanguard dragon lvl28 is match made, all PVP is match made (though the experience improves with a team!) There are more gear options than ever before, including new armour sets and even weapon retooling, to ensure that more players can reach max level - there is no 6 player requirement to raid locking people from high level content! So barriers to endgame have continually been revised and removed by Bungie. Based on the above, my assessment would be that there are enough endgame options, that can be considered accessible, for a given guardian to encounter, communicate with and friend other quality guardians so that they can attempt the very top challenges of the game.
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Gamers complain too much. And put a lot of effort into it. Geez... EvilTim420 said it best. If they didn't remove them the forum would be filled with them. And nothing else would be seen.
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1 ReplyWhy are hating in deej? What if he told the devs about the problems and they are doing nothing, he does not work on the game, hes the project manager
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2 RepliesYes. Your topic has most likes ever and it's being swept under the rug.
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2 RepliesBungie hates this article so repost: http://www.develop-online.net/news/activision-pays-bungie-2-5m-if-metacritic-hits-90/0112064 It's a good read and tells more than they want you to know!