SaikyoMcRyu
N3
Servant
Protected By Fabrication Rights Management (FRM)
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Origin: Saikyo_McRyu
Prime Posts: 467
Prime Likes: 1049
Posts: 589 Likes: 2,187
inherit
Servant
100
0
2,187
SaikyoMcRyu
Protected By Fabrication Rights Management (FRM)
589
August 2016
saikyomcryu
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Saikyo_McRyu
467
1049
|
Post by SaikyoMcRyu on Aug 19, 2016 22:13:52 GMT
This article popped up this week on Heatst.com. I was suprised to see any press on biovar's MIRVnuking of its own forums. At least there is some small level pushback against this decision in the media, but as I generally stay far away from gaming industry publications/sites (in fact, I haven't read any since NextGen folded years ago) I'm not sure how the rest of the media is reacting to this, if at all. Has anybody else seen any media reaction?
|
|
inherit
10
0
Aug 30, 2019 23:02:33 GMT
16,068
SalMasRac
Salarian Master Pimp
2,932
August 2016
salmasrac
Mass Effect Trilogy, KOTOR
SalMasRac
PurpGuy
|
Post by SalMasRac on Aug 20, 2016 7:37:35 GMT
This article popped up this week on Heatst.com. I was suprised to see any press on biovar's MIRVnuking of its own forums. At least there is some small level pushback against this decision in the media, but as I generally stay far away from gaming industry publications/sites (in fact, I haven't read any since NextGen folded years ago) I'm not sure how the rest of the media is reacting to this, if at all. Has anybody else seen any media reaction? the link brings me back to this page
|
|
Gileadan
N5
Agent 46
Clearance Level Ultra
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Origin: ALoneGretchin
Posts: 2,671 Likes: 6,650
inherit
Agent 46
177
0
Apr 19, 2024 19:12:21 GMT
6,650
Gileadan
Clearance Level Ultra
2,671
August 2016
gileadan
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
ALoneGretchin
|
Post by Gileadan on Aug 20, 2016 9:18:12 GMT
The only mention I have seen was on the German IT site golem.de. The article was very short and very neutral. It basically just quoted the "official reasons" for the forum shutdown and the article's author offered no opinion of his own... given the overall tone of the writing, he likely didn't care. Comments were negative and contained mostly amused disbelief about reasons for the shutdown.
|
|
SaikyoMcRyu
N3
Servant
Protected By Fabrication Rights Management (FRM)
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Origin: Saikyo_McRyu
Prime Posts: 467
Prime Likes: 1049
Posts: 589 Likes: 2,187
inherit
Servant
100
0
2,187
SaikyoMcRyu
Protected By Fabrication Rights Management (FRM)
589
August 2016
saikyomcryu
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Saikyo_McRyu
467
1049
|
Post by SaikyoMcRyu on Aug 20, 2016 10:55:59 GMT
This article popped up this week on Heatst.com. I was suprised to see any press on biovar's MIRVnuking of its own forums. At least there is some small level pushback against this decision in the media, but as I generally stay far away from gaming industry publications/sites (in fact, I haven't read any since NextGen folded years ago) I'm not sure how the rest of the media is reacting to this, if at all. Has anybody else seen any media reaction? the link brings me back to this page It's working now. I removed the full URL from the text and just added the hyperlink under"here." It may have been that the link widget won't generate an exernal URL if you don't include http://, which I did not.
|
|
Monk
N4
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Origin: MonkMcMueller
PSN: Monk_McMueller
Prime Posts: 600, something, something
Posts: 1,074 Likes: 1,370
inherit
347
0
1,370
Monk
1,074
August 2016
monkmcmueller
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
MonkMcMueller
Monk_McMueller
600, something, something
|
Post by Monk on Aug 20, 2016 18:43:48 GMT
This article popped up this week on Heatst.com. I was suprised to see any press on biovar's MIRVnuking of its own forums. At least there is some small level pushback against this decision in the media, but as I generally stay far away from gaming industry publications/sites (in fact, I haven't read any since NextGen folded years ago) I'm not sure how the rest of the media is reacting to this, if at all. Has anybody else seen any media reaction? Reads like a lot of the commentary seen here about the shutdown. About other sites, while maybe not the first go-tos for news, i checked Gamasutra and Slashdot, both which had nothing to show recently.
|
|
inherit
1086
0
Jan 25, 2017 20:52:04 GMT
2,600
nanotm
a tidy workspace is the sign of a deranged mind
3,879
Aug 20, 2016 19:53:16 GMT
August 2016
nanotm
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Mass Effect Andromeda
nanotm
nanotm
|
Post by nanotm on Aug 20, 2016 20:26:11 GMT
the constant push to use gay ass social media that half of us dislike is going to backfire on them unless there planning on making the new games for a younger audience who don't know any better than to spend their life twitting each other and scanning face ache feeds.... I hate stuff like that and cant be arsed with them in the slightest give me a forum any day where I can always find the info in the stickies or recent threads list without needing to scroll through reams of pointless tat to get to the pertinent information, lets hope bio ware comunit folks start posting on here once they close their own forums down
|
|
NextGenCowboy
N2
People are like dice...
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquistion, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire
PSN: NextGenCowboy
Posts: 101 Likes: 408
inherit
720
0
408
NextGenCowboy
People are like dice...
101
August 2016
nextgencowboy
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquistion, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire
NextGenCowboy
|
Post by NextGenCowboy on Aug 21, 2016 1:58:54 GMT
On the one hand, social media is a more controlled, and controllable environment. On the other hand, it's a more controlled environment. Blocking someone who's acting like a jackass is as simple as a single button press. At the same time, blocking anyone with a dissenting opinion is also that simple.
One can reach a large audience with things like twitter, and that can be a good thing. But BW's communities have always felt like actual communities. There's the cranky grandparents, who hate everything that isn't BG/II. The crazy conspiracy-theorist cousin, who no one invites to family events, but who shows up anyway, the new baby boom every time a new release comes out, etc. That all gets thrown out with the bath water in this case.
Plus, the fact is, I'm more interested in discussing lore and mechanics with fans. Because I like figuring stuff out (on my own or with others), and relaying that info, or having info relayed to me.
That said. Forums aren't exactly the modern and sexy medium. Even with one as big as BSN going under, it's not surprising that this hasn't generated a ton of new outside of the fandom. Frustrating, perhaps, but not surprising.
|
|
SaikyoMcRyu
N3
Servant
Protected By Fabrication Rights Management (FRM)
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Origin: Saikyo_McRyu
Prime Posts: 467
Prime Likes: 1049
Posts: 589 Likes: 2,187
inherit
Servant
100
0
2,187
SaikyoMcRyu
Protected By Fabrication Rights Management (FRM)
589
August 2016
saikyomcryu
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Saikyo_McRyu
467
1049
|
Post by SaikyoMcRyu on Aug 21, 2016 10:15:01 GMT
On the one hand, social media is a more controlled, and controllable environment. On the other hand, it's a more controlled environment. Blocking someone who's acting like a jackass is as simple as a single button press. At the same time, blocking anyone with a dissenting opinion is also that simple. One can reach a large audience with things like twitter, and that can be a good thing. But BW's communities have always felt like actual communities. There's the cranky grandparents, who hate everything that isn't BG/II. The crazy conspiracy-theorist cousin, who no one invites to family events, but who shows up anyway, the new baby boom every time a new release comes out, etc. That all gets thrown out with the bath water in this case. Plus, the fact is, I'm more interested in discussing lore and mechanics with fans. Because I like figuring stuff out (on my own or with others), and relaying that info, or having info relayed to me. That said. Forums aren't exactly the modern and sexy medium. Even with one as big as BSN going under, it's not surprising that this hasn't generated a ton of new outside of the fandom. Frustrating, perhaps, but not surprising. I just don't like social media and all of its constant data-mining, ad targeting, and herd mentality organization. Yes, of course you get some of that by logging into a forum, too, but you get to pick and choose where you want to participate here rather than have content thrown in your face at supersonic speeds. Social media just isn't for me. I guess that's because I wasn't born in the 90s/00s, but I also value what little privacy the intarwebs still offer.
|
|
Gileadan
N5
Agent 46
Clearance Level Ultra
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Origin: ALoneGretchin
Posts: 2,671 Likes: 6,650
inherit
Agent 46
177
0
Apr 19, 2024 19:12:21 GMT
6,650
Gileadan
Clearance Level Ultra
2,671
August 2016
gileadan
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
ALoneGretchin
|
Post by Gileadan on Aug 21, 2016 13:06:12 GMT
Forums aren't exactly the modern and sexy medium. Even with one as big as BSN going under, it's not surprising that this hasn't generated a ton of new outside of the fandom. Frustrating, perhaps, but not surprising. I agree with pretty much all of your post, but I'd say that forums and the community part of a video game company's web site is as sexy and modern as they make it. They can take a rather minimalist approach like this one, which has "social" options limited to their blog and their favorite social media, and the options themselves are so far down the page that you actually have to scroll to see them. Wonder if that's intentional. Or you can make a rather sexy site like this one, where the community options are up there next to the other main menu options and include a forum, a chat, a tracker for developer posts and even access to their bug reporting system. You could even publish interesting lore bits every week and make customers come back for that, too! I know which approach I prefer...
|
|
NextGenCowboy
N2
People are like dice...
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquistion, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire
PSN: NextGenCowboy
Posts: 101 Likes: 408
inherit
720
0
408
NextGenCowboy
People are like dice...
101
August 2016
nextgencowboy
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquistion, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire
NextGenCowboy
|
Post by NextGenCowboy on Aug 21, 2016 17:55:27 GMT
That's a very good point. You're absolutely right. I wish BSN had evolved with the times, and gotten better and better, because I, too, vastly prefer forums to social media.
|
|
Monk
N4
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Origin: MonkMcMueller
PSN: Monk_McMueller
Prime Posts: 600, something, something
Posts: 1,074 Likes: 1,370
inherit
347
0
1,370
Monk
1,074
August 2016
monkmcmueller
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
MonkMcMueller
Monk_McMueller
600, something, something
|
Post by Monk on Aug 21, 2016 18:31:37 GMT
One thing i've realized by using Twitter that maybe the didn't realize. They, in a way, have more control in their own forums. With hashtags, you can't block someone. Sure, you can mute them or block them individually but individuals can spam hashtags all they want. It's only when the hashtag users break Twitter's ToU do they get their accounts, therefore the user's ability to use hashtags, blocked.
If they understand this, it's purely for economical reasons why the forum was closed (they did push modding to another company, right).
|
|
linksocarina
N5
Always teacher, sometimes writer
Teaching Mode Activated
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
PSN: LinksOcarina
Posts: 3,179 Likes: 4,063
inherit
Always teacher, sometimes writer
370
0
4,063
linksocarina
Teaching Mode Activated
3,179
August 2016
linksocarina
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
LinksOcarina
|
Post by linksocarina on Aug 26, 2016 14:05:32 GMT
I actually offered to do news on the forums being shut down, but it was passed over because they didn't see why it was news-worthy.
Even if I did, the audience we get is less than flattering when it comes to BioWare anyway...
|
|
katling
N1
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquistion, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
Origin: swordkat
Posts: 12 Likes: 45
inherit
1241
0
Aug 19, 2017 23:07:50 GMT
45
katling
12
August 2016
katling
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquistion, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
swordkat
|
Post by katling on Aug 28, 2016 6:17:24 GMT
This is what I said to a friend not to long ago: "As far as I can see, all their alternatives (reddit, facebook, twitter etc) are where it’s far easier to talk AT people, not WITH them. It makes me think the Bioware devs don’t want to have conversations anymore, they just want to receive praise on forums where they can more easily ignore, delete or block criticism, constructive or otherwise. That’s… dangerous to my thinking. If all you hear is a chorus of yes and you willfully ignore the no, you’re treading a very worrying path in terms of the future. No one has ever improved by ignoring criticism."
And I know that article postulates that Bioware could use reddit and other places to control the message and down vote criticism but I also pointed out to the same friend that it could go in the other direction - "I mean, let’s look at the (entirely possible) scenario where there are problems with Andromeda worse than the controversy of the three endings of ME3 and the redditors turn on them (I pick reddit because I have noticed that many of the devs have been getting quite cosy over at the cesspool that is reddit - ironic given how much they complained that BSN was a cesspool but I digress…), they have no way of controlling that if it gets totally out of hand and the mods refuse to listen to them. They have no control over the moderators and no way of deleting posts or banning users. All that criticism and vitriol will flow freely with no way for them to get a handle on it."
|
|
inherit
10
0
Aug 30, 2019 23:02:33 GMT
16,068
SalMasRac
Salarian Master Pimp
2,932
August 2016
salmasrac
Mass Effect Trilogy, KOTOR
SalMasRac
PurpGuy
|
Post by SalMasRac on Aug 28, 2016 10:38:29 GMT
And I know that article postulates that Bioware could use reddit and other places to control the message and down vote criticism but I also pointed out to the same friend that it could go in the other direction - "I mean, let’s look at the (entirely possible) scenario where there are problems with Andromeda worse than the controversy of the three endings of ME3 and the redditors turn on them (I pick reddit because I have noticed that many of the devs have been getting quite cosy over at the cesspool that is reddit - ironic given how much they complained that BSN was a cesspool but I digress…), they have no way of controlling that if it gets totally out of hand and the mods refuse to listen to them. They have no control over the moderators and no way of deleting posts or banning users. All that criticism and vitriol will flow freely with no way for them to get a handle on it." We can only hope!
|
|
Nightman
N3
not that drunk...yet
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins
XBL Gamertag: Kaiju Soxay
PSN: Kaiju_-Sozay
Posts: 417 Likes: 1,246
inherit
15
0
1,246
Nightman
not that drunk...yet
417
August 2016
nightman
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins
Kaiju Soxay
Kaiju_-Sozay
|
Post by Nightman on Aug 28, 2016 17:08:31 GMT
Bioware chose to kill its forums cuz they weren't interested in their own forums..... seems legit.
|
|
inherit
217
0
Member is Online
2,715
General Mahad
You'll be peeling goddamn potatoes for the rest of your miserable excuse for a military career!
1,645
August 2016
vaas
|
Post by General Mahad on Aug 28, 2016 19:20:46 GMT
This is what I said to a friend not to long ago: "As far as I can see, all their alternatives (reddit, facebook, twitter etc) are where it’s far easier to talk AT people, not WITH them. It makes me think the Bioware devs don’t want to have conversations anymore, they just want to receive praise on forums where they can more easily ignore, delete or block criticism, constructive or otherwise. That’s… dangerous to my thinking. If all you hear is a chorus of yes and you willfully ignore the no, you’re treading a very worrying path in terms of the future. No one has ever improved by ignoring criticism." And I know that article postulates that Bioware could use reddit and other places to control the message and down vote criticism but I also pointed out to the same friend that it could go in the other direction - "I mean, let’s look at the (entirely possible) scenario where there are problems with Andromeda worse than the controversy of the three endings of ME3 and the redditors turn on them (I pick reddit because I have noticed that many of the devs have been getting quite cosy over at the cesspool that is reddit - ironic given how much they complained that BSN was a cesspool but I digress…), they have no way of controlling that if it gets totally out of hand and the mods refuse to listen to them. They have no control over the moderators and no way of deleting posts or banning users. All that criticism and vitriol will flow freely with no way for them to get a handle on it." Agreed. Ever since the debacle that was 2deep4u ending, BioWare has been adopting and cultivating an echo chamber mindset where they hear only praise for their amazing work from BioDrones and any criticism gets labeled toxic. I understand that fanbases can be toxic sometimes, but closing down your own forum that's been operational for so many years was a very poor PR decision.
|
|
inherit
57
0
1
Apr 19, 2024 10:39:24 GMT
32,674
SofaJockey
Not a jockey. Has a sofa.
13,126
August 2016
sofajockey
SofaJockey
SofaJockey
6000
7164
|
Post by SofaJockey on Aug 28, 2016 19:57:45 GMT
Agreed. Ever since the debacle that was 2deep4u ending, BioWare has been adopting and cultivating an echo chamber mindset where they hear only praise for their amazing work from BioDrones and any criticism gets labeled toxic. I understand that fanbases can be toxic sometimes, but closing down your own forum that's been operational for so many years was a very poor PR decision. You are correct. It cuts both ways however, I've been ranted at and called a 'biodrone' simply for expressing something I liked ...
|
|
inherit
217
0
Member is Online
2,715
General Mahad
You'll be peeling goddamn potatoes for the rest of your miserable excuse for a military career!
1,645
August 2016
vaas
|
Post by General Mahad on Aug 28, 2016 20:03:10 GMT
Agreed. Ever since the debacle that was 2deep4u ending, BioWare has been adopting and cultivating an echo chamber mindset where they hear only praise for their amazing work from BioDrones and any criticism gets labeled toxic. I understand that fanbases can be toxic sometimes, but closing down your own forum that's been operational for so many years was a very poor PR decision. You are correct. It cuts both ways however, I've been ranted at and called a 'biodrone' simply for expressing something I liked ... Fair enough.
|
|
Iakus
N7
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Posts: 20,875 Likes: 49,330
inherit
402
0
Dec 21, 2018 17:35:11 GMT
49,330
Iakus
20,875
August 2016
iakus
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
|
Post by Iakus on Aug 28, 2016 21:19:36 GMT
Agreed. Ever since the debacle that was 2deep4u ending, BioWare has been adopting and cultivating an echo chamber mindset where they hear only praise for their amazing work from BioDrones and any criticism gets labeled toxic. I understand that fanbases can be toxic sometimes, but closing down your own forum that's been operational for so many years was a very poor PR decision. You are correct. It cuts both ways however, I've been ranted at and called a 'biodrone' simply for expressing something I liked ... And that's what "moderators" are for
|
|
inherit
57
0
1
Apr 19, 2024 10:39:24 GMT
32,674
SofaJockey
Not a jockey. Has a sofa.
13,126
August 2016
sofajockey
SofaJockey
SofaJockey
6000
7164
|
Post by SofaJockey on Aug 28, 2016 21:26:19 GMT
You are correct. It cuts both ways however, I've been ranted at and called a 'biodrone' simply for expressing something I liked ... And that's what "moderators" are for Yep, it should be possible for two people, one who hates something and one who loves something to have an enjoyable argument. And for both to express those views independently (if non-abusively). I must say I still have fondness for our enjoyable disagreements over DAIMP, you are an outstanding interlocutor, Iakus.
|
|
Fogg
N3
Karma whoring over on Reddit, actual opinions on BSN
Posts: 876 Likes: 1,791
inherit
297
0
1,791
Fogg
Karma whoring over on Reddit, actual opinions on BSN
876
August 2016
foggfrombsn
|
Post by Fogg on Aug 28, 2016 21:53:45 GMT
|
|
inherit
57
0
1
Apr 19, 2024 10:39:24 GMT
32,674
SofaJockey
Not a jockey. Has a sofa.
13,126
August 2016
sofajockey
SofaJockey
SofaJockey
6000
7164
|
Post by SofaJockey on Aug 28, 2016 23:28:32 GMT
Shame that getting this community together is not a story. We could use the backlinks....
|
|
Eshaye
N2
“We are the beginning, you are the end.”
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, KOTOR, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Origin: Ashaluna
PSN: Cynthe
Posts: 98 Likes: 253
inherit
1269
0
Sept 30, 2017 2:08:54 GMT
253
Eshaye
“We are the beginning, you are the end.”
98
August 2016
eshaye
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, KOTOR, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Ashaluna
Cynthe
|
Post by Eshaye on Aug 29, 2016 1:00:25 GMT
While I understand the reasoning behind the closure of the forums I found that the explanation was very bland. Why not say you just don't see the point of maintaining that cost anymore? The BSN went through 2 major overhauls since the original forums... Why? What was that about? They tried to grow their community potential and succeeded, and now they are killing it. I think someone had a vision and pushed hard for it and now they are gone or minds were changed.
It's like they got tired and just decided to stop. :s I haven't seen any other articles that has opinions about it either. Just really bland matter of fact statements.
|
|
inherit
675
0
25
tainted
9
August 2016
tainted
|
Post by tainted on Aug 29, 2016 2:24:40 GMT
I'm convinced now that EA considers gamers (and the mod developer community as well, if applicable) as sheep (or perhaps Pavlov dogs depending on your view). They don their corporate leotards and try to convince their stockholders (guess who they might be) that they are acting in the best interests of the investors. Unfortunately, though they are strongly vested in the manufacture and distribution of electronic gaming, they have a lot to learn about the court of public opinion and, especially, underestimating how gullible that community is. They are still operating under the mindset that their customers are essentially teenagers or young adults with limited perspectives on how business works. Think again. We've been aging while you have been counting your gold.
BioWare hasn't existed since 2007 when EA absorbed what used to be (and what was left of) the original Bioware staff of designers. They still retain their brand under a wing of EA, but the essence that allowed Bioware to transcend beyond the competition was its community focus and catering to its needs on an almost personal level and that essence was not deemed "cost effective" for EA. Doesn't it seem strange to anyone but me that almost exactly at the moment of EA's consolidation is the moment when the so-called "hakked account" scam was perpetrated on the original Bioware forum membership (the one that used registered game keys... remember?) as the "official" excuse why that server was closed and a surrogate section of forums added to the currently operating Bioware Social Network that housed forums for their newest games and members. Geesh! Couldn't they come up with a more original and convincing way to weasel out of member support?
Now the excuse that Twitter, Facebook, Reddit and a myriad of alternate social venues can easily fill the void left behind by the closing of the second iteration of (I almost typed B-i-o-W-a-r-e by habit again) gaming forums, this time with Electronic Arts manning the helm. Sounds fair, right? I mean, sure... those are all publicly-available forums. And I'm an idiot, true? Well, I better be... because there is simply no replacement for a centralized forum, MAINTAINED AND SUPPORTED by the corporation trying to sell me their wares. But then that would mean they are directly open to criticism and can be held responsible for resolving issues. Oh, wait. I forgot. I'm supposed to be thinking like a corporate lacky. So then this would be a GOOD thing. Plus it requires no debit on the books to maintain a server and admins' salaries. Maybe there's hope for me yet in the corporate world. I just need to focus. Optimize the effects of tunnel vision and deafness. Look to the dollar, or the euro, or the yen... whatever floats that yacht.
So, yes, forum death is horrible. But it was totally predictable, if you were viewing events as an independent auditor of practices.
Without an active and committed community, the longterm social aspects of gaming will go the way of the dinosaurs. They weren't cost effective either.
|
|
Tuchanka Love
N2
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, SWTOR
Posts: 182 Likes: 317
inherit
936
0
317
Tuchanka Love
182
Aug 12, 2016 17:51:09 GMT
August 2016
nami
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, SWTOR
|
Post by Tuchanka Love on Aug 29, 2016 3:54:58 GMT
It was a stupid decision and I believe they will feel in sales what dismantling a community means. Is this the first big gaming company without a discussion forum atm?
I personally think Biower is done. This decision was EA's decision and we all know EA doesn't care about consumers, fans, community whatever. It's completely business. They are looking out for the release of ME:A and the criticism avalanche that was going to take over BSN. They know they can't deliver anymore and the community was going to tear this game apart to other potential costumers, the newcomers they are always aiming for.
|
|