Starseeker: Community or Bust…

Community.

What does that word really mean in an MMO?  We don’t live in the same neighborhoods, nor even know each other outside a virtual world, so what does a gaming community mean to those playing the game?

In the past few weeks, since SOE’s announcement of going free to play, I have been exploring other games that are out there.  I’ve been trying to see what makes other games tick and what is missing from this game.  I have been having a lot of fun being a part of communities who’s game hasn’t even released yet.  Just a bunch of crazy gamers on a forum, talking about the game, discussing ideas for the game in question and what they liked and didn’t like from different games, discussing things out side of games and finding common ground.   This is even before they can play their chosen game.

This got me thinking about EQ2, and what it’s lacking right now.  I feel SOE has become detached from its community.   I think it happened before free to play, and now that free to play is out, the writing is on the wall.

Sure we get a bone now and then about an update, an explanation about the newest release, or even a post about mechanics.  SOE does throw fan faire, a great event to really catch a dev and speak to them.  But the majority of the fan base can’t go to fan faire, due to lack of spots, money or what have you.  Also it is sorta like talking to a politician on a campaign race…really how much of a difference is your one suggestion going to make?  I thank SOE for putting on that great event, but in my opinion its not enough.

There are discussions on the forums every day about x thing that doesn’t work, about y mechanic that is broke.  About what a class wants on the next expansion.  However, most of these discussions are “reactive” in nature.  Something is broke in the game, alright lets talk about it!  I don’t see a lot discussion coming from those who created the game, they aren’t answering our questions, or even telling us their ideas anymore except for the rare post that you may find about a specific issue for testing.

I came across this thread today.  Last year around this time, they had Q&A sessions each month, a series of questions and answers…we have 70 some odd questions just about free to play  floating out there waiting for answers and all we’ve gotten is silence.

I also don’t see the interaction between the community and it’s managers (not just the current one) like we had a long time in the past, and that newer games have now.  As one of the previous articles here on this website stated, why does eq2 only have 1 community manager that gives information to us, why don’t they have a couple to keep us together as a community and communicate with us?

I think SOE needs to communicate more with it’s player base.  Honesty is the best policy, if they are going to make a decision, tell the community.  Sure there will always be naysayers, but in the end, they will be dubbed semi-honest and less shady and they won’t loose the respect of most of their loyal players.

If a developer has an idea, they should share them.  Not all of them of course, but the ones that will be a broad change.  Or even ideas like “wouldn’t be cool if…what are your thoughts”.   I will use the new UI for example, I think if they asked for player input on ideas that they would like in a UI that works for both new players and veterans, they could have came up with an awesome innovative UI that worked for everyone.  Instead, they change it, then ask for feedback, then tell us that’s the way it is for the most part except for little changes.

I think in the end, the EQ2 community has lost it’s cohesiveness.  We are split over free to play, and soon we will be split even further onto two separate forums.  We are split over hardcore raiders and solo players.  We are split over those who are disillusioned and dissatisfied and those who are happy with SOEs current status and decision making.

SOE needs to bring us back together, or we will find another community to be a part of that we feel like we are a part of.

In my opinion, the community is the biggest and most important part of an MMO, it is why I play the game.