So I guess only you and I read this, and not those who communicate with the developers? Seems they only listen to the sound of plastic bending these days.
It's a strange animal this gaming forum feedback thing. IG isn't the only one to do it, if you read other gaming forums you'll find much of the same. However I believe their CEO when he says it's an important part of their business to have;
(emphasis added)"...A big part of it is listening to players, and being open to information that comes from all sides...
...Additionally, we have so many community managers out there, people actually helping us to bring in the information from the community - what's wanted, maybe even what's broken.
So listening to them is one key factor,
but also having a vision in place within the boundaries we have - being realistic, having a strategy..."
http://www.pocketgamer.biz/interview/66138/innogames-on-the-evolution-of-forge-of-empires/
See it's that "but" in there that's one thing. It is their game after all and their business so at the end of the day they're going to do what they feel best to keep their business viable. Another issue that exists is the process is not really clear to players. You can go on their Facebook, Live forums and here on Beta to give feedback but then what happens? It's a mystery to us and rather confusing as well. By confusing I mean there really is no place or process here on Beta like on the US forum to make proposals and then when there is even that is still not clear because what is feedback really supposed to entail after all?
I've gotten into that conversation a couple times now. My position from a players perspective is a proposal, suggestion, feedback can and should be a simple thing. Look back on what was said in the quote "...helping us to bring in the information from the community -
what's wanted"..., that's it, from a typical players point of view all they really know and want is just that simple, what's wanted. They don't give thought and contemplation as to the deep reasoning as to why or how it should be justified, or how it may affect the game as a whole or IG's business, or how much development it may need or any such thing, they just know they would like this thing and so they mention that thing.
At that point I believe it should be out of the players hands and the rest is up to IG as to whether or not such a change would be good, justifiable etc. After all we are not privy to a lot of information, we are not sitting in the boardroom with management and developers, we can't really have a back and forth on such things so really the expectation on player feedback ought to be low and if they have a question about it they should ask that person.
Look here at one I just recently made
Proposal: Quality of Life Improvement for PvP I think many would agree as suggestions go that one goes above and beyond the typical feedback, suggestion, proposal etc. Is it the first suggestion of that kind? No. Will it be the last? No. Do I expect it to go anywhere? Not really. But I don't really blame anyone for that, it's just that there's no real process and even if there is it's not really clear and in the end player feedback should not have to go into such detail. All I should have to say is I would like a better way to tell the PvP'ers from the non PvP'ers and not got to their city automatically, there, one simple sentence to convey "
what's wanted".
After suggestions, feedback and proposals are made there should be some sort of process put in place where a CM or someone should at least acknowledge it, maybe at least with a "like" or something so the players know they're at least being heard. And again from my position, from a players perspective, none if it ought to entail anything further than "
what's wanted", no need for hundreds of comments, no need for someone pointing out flaws that you have to answer to, no need for considering cost, time, development etc., no need for justification, no need for whatever % of player base support or whatever, no extra criterion ought to be placed on "
what's wanted".
