To vote or not to vote?

[Sparkle]

I agree with Pirog and the Industrialist (and you thought that would be impossible)

There should be a way to vote... but there already is one... the forum...

What goes on here seems to be taken into account by the Cantr staff, and they, rightly so, go on and do what the hell they like anyway...

All changes are good to some, bad to others. Often to an equal extent, so, at the end of the day, the decision does, and should, lie with the almighty...

OMG! Were you not listening to what the f*** I said earlier. *bangs her head saying to herself "I hate repeating myself, I hate repeating myself*

*calms down and gives a sweet smile* I understand that, that is what the forums are for. All I'm saying is if we do not know about these changes (hints the vote or poll) how can we voice our opinion on it in the forums or any where else. *smiles wider*

[Pirog]

If everyone knew when certain implementations came it would be very inviting to cheat...like to gather resources for an upcoming tool/weapon, plan a raid on your enemies if the combat system changes etc.

[The Industriallist]

As opposed to now, when it's tempting to join Colonel in his bomb shelter so that the next change doesn't cause you to kill yourself my accident or something of the kind?

Think how much worse this is for all the people who aren't forumgoers...the whole world gets turned inside out, and no one can help build up their OOC knowledge base for them.

Advance notice and caring about our opinions are different issues, though.

[Dave Vicioso]

Think how much worse this is for all the people who aren't forumgoers...the whole world gets turned inside out, and no one can help build up their OOC knowledge base for them.

They aren't forumgoers either by choice or because they couldn't solve the incorrectly coded link from the main page. The information is available if you are willing to look hard enough to find it.

There should be an announcement each time a major change is made to the system. I understand the need to figure things out in game, but with major changes knowledge should be the priority, not keeping the change secret.

[Jos Elkink]

Just a few points that come up to mind when reading this thread:

1) Majority votes will hardly ever determine what will be changed in the game. As some state above, I have a fairly clear idea about the concept behind the game and if I were to follow all majority suggestions, I would probably end up with a game much more like the hundreds of other games that already exist than when I follow my own ideas. It is, indeed, about keeping the integrity of the game.

2) I would like to add that also from a volunteering perspective, this is kind of important. If you were all paying for this game as a customer and I did this as my fulltime job, I would be more responsive, probably. But this is not a customer-supplier relation, but me as a volunteer - and many other active volunteers - writing the game that I like to write and that I want to play. I don't spend so much time on this out of altruism, but because this is the game I want to play and this is the kind of game I want to develop.

3) Polls on the forum are still very important. They give staff a quick impression of what the general mood is on an issue, and that is often taken into account, even if it is not the crucial factor in taking a decision. Please keep using them and please keep voting on them, because it is still useful. And I do definitely read all polls.

4) In relation to that, though, I must admit that I do not read all lengthy suggestions. There are sooo many. If I were to read them all - which would definitely be the best thing to do - it would take me hours a day. I find that tiring, and it would definitely keep me from doing any development ... Polls work better than lengthy explanations, in that sense - the lengthy part can come after a decision has been made to implement something. (It is still fine to have those amongst yourselves, and we have enough staff around that can alert ProgD when a really good idea is discussed, but just to say that polls are generally more effective in getting attention.)

[Revanael]

Anybody who doesn't come on the forum loses out by it. It does specifically say on the site that the forum is the main area for discussion of anything, including new changes. So those that don't join the forums presumably don't care.

I personally don't want to even know the information Jos released on the players page. I agree with keeping the actual effects of changes secret.