5134 réponses à ce sujet

[duckley]

Our developers are not spokespeople, and for those that choose to interact with fans (which a great many do) we want them to be able to do so in a way that makes sense for them. For some, they like meeting people face to face. For others it's Twitter, or NeoGaf, or Twitch, or any number of other sites.

 

We respect the rights of both our developers and our fans to use social spaces in ways that are right for them.

 

While once our forums were the sole direct line we had to our players, that has become increasingly untrue over the years. And as these conversations moved elsewhere, it was an increasing disservice to those who came here to reach us.

 

It's never easy or simple to collect feedback from our players, which is why we go to great lengths to do it. We have teams of people like me who actively scour the web looking for what people are saying. Through many, many different avenues we gain an appreciation for what our players are saying as a whole, as well as what different groups and individuals are saying.

 

This may not always be publicly visible, but it is something that we actively work on behind the scenes.

1. So basically you are saying that the reason you are closing down the site, is because you do not require feedback from the fans that frequent this board. You can access fan feedback from other social media sites.
2. You also appear to be saying that the main reason fans come here is to talk to developers or employees and because developers and employees of Bioware do not use this site very much, there is no point in maintaining it.

 

I may be wrong, but I don't think fans come to this site solely expecting to talk with developers or give feedback. I am not sure maintaining this site wold be considered a disservice to fan - whereas closing it certainly is a big disservice.

 

Many of us come here to  discuss, praise, criticize, learn , promote, create, pontificate, and troubleshoot. It is what maintains my interest in the games and makes me excited to purchase what comes next. It is an important part of our day.

 

I assume you are not against the concept of a Bioware game forum concept personally but clearly  Bioware  or EA does not see this a worthwhile enough venture to continue to support.

 

I respectfully disagree - and I do think you will actually lose some business and interest in your company as a result but - perhaps not enough to make you reconsider. 

[Gannayev of Dreams]

So... just some thoughts.

 

And to our fans and players who came to those boards looking to talk to us, it was a great disservice.

 

 

This seems a rather conceited line of reasoning. Sure the fans love it when Devs chime in on topics but we don't hang on your presence. We come here for the content of the topics and for each other as much as anything else.

 

 

We can share stories with you on the go, giving you a look behind the scenes on sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

 

 

And this seems like a shameless attempt to funnel us on to social media platforms that double as free advertising for you.

 

 

In turn, you’ve built your own fantastic communities in places like Tumblr and Reddit. You’ve created comprehensive Wikis and countless pieces of fantastic art, fiction, and cosplay.

 

Annnnd... these sites sound good in theory, but one of the primary benefit of coming to the official forums VS these other sites is that BSN is so focused. All sorts of people go to Reddit and Tumblr with all sorts of interests that bleed all over each other. People who come to BSN know exactly what they're here for. You generally don't spend time here if you're not fan in some capacity, even if it has its share of trolls.

 

Altogether very disappointing news. Most of your alternatives you suggested seem more ways for you to observe public perception of your games rather than engage with it. BioWare seems to be receding from the public sphere and becoming just like everyone else. Victim of your own success, perhaps. Well... congratulations.

[Kapilux]

I don't blame you Bioware/EA, BSN has mutated into SJW central over the past years. There is some good discussion, but BSN generally has a terrible reputation and is a magnet for all kinds of weirdos and trolls.

TIME TO PURGE THE SYSTEM!!!

See you on the other side. Kapilux, signing off. 

[Bryan Johnson]

I'll miss you too BroJo. Don't be a stranger if you ever come across a place where Andromeda MP is being discussed

Reddit is my primary home now.

 

Basically short story for me, being on the forum was causing me stress. Reddit allows me to supplement between "work" and enjoyment naturally.

[nightscrawl]

I'm a bit paranoid about what will be announced on 27th August, now.

 

I am now, too. I really dislike such uncertainty.

 

 

Man, they should take a look at the WoW forums and grow thicker skin.

 

Considering Allan Schumacher once got told he should have been aborted, no. These are games. Pixels on a screen. Having that kind of disgusting rhetoric is absolutely ridiculous. No one deserves to have things like that said to them. Not here. Not on the WoW forums. Not anywhere.

[Iakus]

I think this is the most likely reason.  Especially given that ME:A is likely to be the E.T. Game of our generation, I think they want to nip it now rather than have to deal with it after ME:A.   

I think I was the only child of the 80s who actually liked that game

[Iakus]

 

Considering Allan Schumacher once got told he should have been aborted, no. These are games. Pixels on a screen. Having that kind of disgusting rhetoric is absolutely ridiculous. No one deserves to have things like that said to them. Not here. Not on the WoW forums. Not anywhere.

Isn't that what a banhammer is for, though?

 

I mean, seriously, if people get to toxic, put the kiddies into time-out.  And if they get totally out of control, kick them out.

[laudable11]

As one of the Dev's that have more or less moved off of here, I am still sad. 
 
I recognize some names but see new ones as well, I wish you all well.

Thanks. But I must say, we didn't really need devs to enjoy the forums.

[thedancingdruid]

Frankly, I was here for the fans not the devs.

[lynroy]

Once again, many of us come to the forums to interact with other fans. Not devs.

But you're eliminating one of those avenues of player feedback, scattering these fans around the internet. And yes, there WILL be some, like myself, who won't be offering any feedback because I don't bother with most of that social media stuff. The BSN was a home for me in the DA community, and now I will have none.

Also, it's clear that this forum has existed for the past couple of years with very minimal developer response, yet people still continue to come here and post. The vast majority are fans wanting to discuss these franchises with other fans, regardless of the developer presence. Clearly that discussion was valued and important to these fans, above and beyond whatever input a developer may offer. Many topics aren't even something that needed developer input.

So much this.

[Serza]

Ah, forget it. I need to say this.

 

This cozy little spot was a very, very good place to hang out...

 

When I was going through some rather.. unfavorable time of life, there were only a few things I could count on. Beaglerush's Live and Impossible in XCOM... Decent meal at least once a week... "Dawn Will Come" on the Inquisition soundtrack... And these forums.

 

Where no matter how the previous, or upcoming day would be yet another horrible experience to live through, I could drop by and pretend everything is fine. It was not, but knowing I could just ditch the existence I was at the time back here - it made the days more bearable.

These days, I'm not longer such a wreck. I pulled the whole act together. But for some reason, I keep coming back to this place.

Why? I find people who like the same things. I can talk about them, and nobody looks at me like I'm an idiot or outright ignores me because they're not interested.

 

Should this place go, I will only have myself in regards to all things BioWare. This is why I don't want this place to go.

 

I remember the last time I feared an exam, and the joy the success brought me. I remember why. I stormed in, refusing defeat with every fiber of my being, "Ad Victoriam!" on my lips.

 

I'm here. I am not begging. I say what the situation is - and await your answer.

 

Ad Victoriam.

[Furisco]

Hey! The Bioware Forums still there. Let's make a lot of Dragon Age and Mass Effect threads on the Star Wars forum.

[byne]

Considering Allan Schumacher once got told he should have been aborted, no. These are games. Pixels on a screen. Having that kind of disgusting rhetoric is absolutely ridiculous. No one deserves to have things like that said to them. Not here. Not on the WoW forums. Not anywhere.

 

I've had worse things said to me by FRIENDS of mine. Thicker skin DEFINITELY needed.

[Cyberstrike nTo]

Which is a real shame as those of us who love the games and enjoy discussing them are the ones who suffer.

The most non-constructive posters typically come in and cause problems and then get bored and move on to something else to complain about. Those of us here are for a reason, and it's not to wait for things to criticize or to lie in wait to ruin MEAs sales figures. Besides, you can do that more effectively on general gaming forums where undecided purchasers lurk- not on the home turf of the fans.

 

This. 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000%

 

While I have a twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and other social media accounts I generally don't use them very often. Twitter and Facebook might be better suited for those who have smartphones, which I currently don't. I can't figure out the UI on Tumblr and there is no way in hell I will go to redditt due to the questionable actions that they have taken in the past. I think other media companies are getting away from internet forum communities I know that comic book publisher IDW has done away with it forums (and they didn't even bother to tell anyone that they were taken it down) and I think that Image Comics might have done the same.

[ataleof87]

This is so disappointing. 

 

I admit I mostly lurk this place but as someone who only found DA about two years ago it has been such a great resource for me. Like, I'm not just talking about the interesting discussions and theories going around but also finding old posts with help about some technical issues I had with not just DAI but also DAO and D2. These resources often aren't available anywhere else on the net (especially for the older games) and deleting these forums would basically leave people who find these games in the future completely stranded. 

 

Also, I'm not going to lie this has basically destroyed my enthusiasm about future games. I always felt that the criticisms could get a bit harsh but seeing how you're treating this community now has just made me sad. And the fact that you're offering twitter (with that word limit), Facebook (which is often connected to your real life identity) and tumblr (which has no way to actually discuss things) as an alternative... Like, these are all fine but not actually all that great for building and *keeping* a community. 

 

[hotdogbsg]

Thanks. But I must say, we didn't really need devs to enjoy the forums.

 

Has this been addressed by Conal yet?

 

Seemed to be one of the given reasons for closing the forum down but no one comes to the forum these days expecting to hear from a dev. Those who do keep coming back do so for the community of players.

[Lazarillo]

Maybe I'm not thinking outside the box enough but I can't imagine a better place for a game developer to get feedback and interact with its community outside of a forum dedicated especially to that developer. Literally it is the only thing this forum does, there isn't even an off-topic section. All discussion is related to BW products but somehow it is easier to go to third party sites and social media and interact with fans who are scattered all over the internet?

Depends what you mean by "developer". The point that Conal seems to be trying to make is that putting aside individual members of the development team (individual "developers"), Bioware, the corporate entity responsible for creating those games (the "developer" that is actually what's being discussed here) actually doesn't get any sort of meaningful feedback or interaction via this forum with the people who play its games.

Basically, the only people who get any use from the forums are members of the playerbase, and, strictly speaking, probably a very small percentage of the playerbase at that, and while there are people at Bioware who likely don't want to see those individuals "orphaned", the company basically sees itself as better off as diverting its own resources to an avenue that will reap more benefit for itself.

Again, I don't like that choice. And I still think there's probably more to it than they're saying (and that whatever it is, it may be something worrisome), but that's the logic in a nutshell, I think.

[Mlady]

I see this and do not believe it. The discussion I mentioned surrounding Meredith was started in 2013 by Iledra, passionate yes, whining, definitely not, and, I read all of it, probably most of it again, as it came up on the front page a day or so ago.

I suppose it depends on where on the forums you are looking and which posts you are clicking, but, I, personally, have not found that to be genuinely the case. Most discussions are heartfelt, lore-rich and delicious. And, there is nothing wrong with those "circles" now and then...it is fun, more than it is not.

 

I saw trolls myself but not to the extent they roam on Twitter, FB, Tumblr, Reddit and YouTube. This was my last line of sanity for logic debates and deep discussions. 

[Mike3207]

Ok-then re-open Bioware Social Network.

 

One step back, one step forward.

[Hanako Ikezawa]

Reddit is my primary home now.

 

Basically short story for me, being on the forum was causing me stress. Reddit allows me to supplement between "work" and enjoyment naturally.

So as long as you are happy, who cares about the fans being happy right? What kind of entertainment company wants their customers to be entertained? 

[Atomkick]

No! D:

 

[vertigomez]

Well, I'm thoroughly crushed.

[Alamact]

I hardly ever posted anything on these forums, but I cannot deny the fact that they have always been my "go to" place for BioWare news, speculation and general fun. Once the old BSN closed down, and we got introduced to the shiny new forum around the time Dragon Age: Inquisition's marketing was ramping up, I was ecstatic. It felt like a fresh, new start. A soft reset that would last for far longer than the outcome we've ultimately received.

Despite all the vitriol in a couple of threads, all those complaints and nonsensical threads popping up whenever there was an info drought, I was still calling this place a home. Frankly, I always felt that stuff like that added a strange character, sort of a unique feel to these forums. But then again, I am a masochist at heart.

I am on the fence about the removal of this forum and the decision is final anyways, so there's little point in arguing too much about it from either end of the spectrum. However, it is a shame that there won't be an official BioWare forum in the near future - the point of it being official was what made the fans unite under a single banner. I fear that right now, we are going to see many of the fans scattered on lots of different sites without a truly centralized place for them to be. There is union in subreddits like /r/swtor, /r/masseffect and /r/dragonage - but the comment system on Reddit, at least for me, never truly allowed a good atmosphere for in-depth discussion. That's what forums were for! There was something about that old-fashioned system of post-by-post as opposed to a branching structure that inexplicably appealed to me.

At any rate, whilst the BioWare forums may come to a close this year, I hope us fans find a place of our own to call home - but more importantly, a place where we can stay unified.

I was supposed to do a sequel to Mass Effect Paint Adventures here next year, DAMMIT! Where will the BLASTED QUOTE PYRAMID go now!?

[Pearl (rip bioware)]

Reddit is my primary home now.
 
Basically short story for me, being on the forum was causing me stress. Reddit allows me to supplement between "work" and enjoyment naturally.

I completely understand. Take care man, hopefully I'll see you around once the dust has settled and discussions start buzzing again.

[Delphine]

Needless to day, I'm extremely disappointed in this decision. Like, damn, no.