If there’s one place I tend to avoid when I’m browsing the Net, it’s the community forums for any type of video game company. While they all have their share of trolls and ne’er-do-wells, the BioWare Social Network has become pretty infamous over the past little while thanks to that studio’s downfall in the public eyes.
I’m not really interested in rehashing Mass Effect 3’s ending, or Dragon Age 2, or Star Wars: The Old Republic unless it’s in a polite, civilized way, but rather the whole attitude of forum goers at large. One of Dragon Age’s lead writers, David Gaider, posted a short thought on his blog about dealing with fanboys and the toxic environments on forums and how he sifts through the vast amount of negativity it can generate.
It’s good to know that developers don’t take everything said on the forums at face value. One of my favorite things in the article is how Mr. Gaider points out the differences between online and real-life interaction and much more polite and reasoned people are face to face. It’s something that we already know for the most part, but it just goes to show that polite reasoning, even about a mechanic or part of a game you dislike, always goes a lot further than just spewing vitriol.
What did you guys think of David Gaider’s post? Are forums becoming little more than a dumping ground for haters? Is there even any use for them anymore?
Source – The Bittersweetest Thing
I was very happy to see an article like this and even more so that it came from a Bioware employee, they seemed to have had a raw deal lately when it comes to fan feedback.
I personally don’t frequent the forums of games I make unless it’s for work. I think forums are now just used as a place to vent for the majority of people, It can be downright depressing to read pages of people bashing on your baby. I’m glad someone has spoke up about it.
Subheadline: Internet Offended, Mounts Counterattack
I’ve gotten to the point where I can’t stand many of my fellow Bioware fans, so it was a bit of relief to see that at least one of they’re employees is staying away from the overwhelming negativity that is the Bioware Social Network.
I just want to give Bioware a big hug and whisper “I’m still eagerly waiting for DA3 news” softly in their ear. I stopped frequenting BSN ages ago after visiting it quite often when I was still ravenously absorbing all DA related content. There was just so much hate after 2 that I couldn’t stand it. It’s just such a depressing place to be in now.
I gotta say I agree with @Drell Assassin. Maybe not with the same game company but with the whole notion of avoidance of their offical forums. I feel like all those forums are now are what you could compare to the “suggestion boxes” at restaraunts. No real actual constructive criticism or feedback is put into them, just people complaining for the sake of being behind a screen and not face to face with someone. It’s kind of sad really, but I say massive kudos to this guy from Bioware for dealing with everything that’s been thrown at him.