Welcome to the forum!

Welcome to the forum!

The author of the article asked not to indicate his name and surname, as he continues to work on the forums and does not want unnecessary questions. We also do not indicate the name of real games and companies, since the purpose of the article is to look at the situation as a whole, and not to brand the forums of several famous games and go into detailed trials who said to whom.

You love the forums of your favorite games? You know, I love the forums no less than the games themselves. So nice from the morning, after the obligatory water procedures, breakfast and charging, sit in your favorite chair and read your favorite forum.

Forum as it is

Oh, fresh news in the game, several pages of discussion are already interesting. And … I see. Petya said something unpleasant about Vasya, and for several pages they find out which of them is the shkolota, and who is a preoccupied noulaifer. With transitions to personality, with obscenities, with the traditional "I will find you in real life". Others tried to calm them down, but then spat and went to other topics. And here the moderator Lesha showed up, better later, as they say … Now he will make them out of them, explain that both are wrong, send hot heads to sort things out to the privat. That, just banned both without understanding?

But km (from English. Community Manager – A specialist in working with the game community is usually reduced to km. – approx. Ed.) in a hurry to publish news in the special section of the forum. The news was not the one that they were waiting, the hopes of the players did not come true – and already in the topic dozens of pages of angry posts, and the moderators have a lot of work. And how will they make her? Will try to "take fire on themselves" or just sweep everyone to the ban?

There is a game competition. The whole world is being discussed who has what work turned out. Basically, people understand that the level of skill among the participants is different, but everyone tried as they could. But some, like savages, poke the shortcomings of the participants in the face. Someone does not withstand and breaks away, answers the "savage", not particularly choosing expressions. And again the quarrel begins. And again, the moderator appears to the hat – and banks the intercessor, leaving the “savage” to continue in the same spirit.

As you know, femid is blind. And she also has a runny nose, arthritis and a sore throat.

By the way, about competitions. I remember we held a cosplay competition. The prizes were generous, there were many participants, and the winners were chosen by voting. It’s clear that unscrupulous participants and their companions began to create new accounts, wanting to increase their ratings. The reaction of the players was unequivocal: “Cartoons will win”, “dishonest competition”. Washing voices accused everyone in a row.

On the initiative of moderators, it was decided to create its own, alternative rating of participants. But we kept it secret. On the day of awarding, everyone was waiting for a surprise. As a result, the wrath of the players changed to universal joy: both the wolves are full and the forum users are intact.

There is another example. Recently, at the forum of one localized game in the user screenshot competition, the picture won … taken by the player from the developer’s website from the announcement of the future add -on. Apparently, KMU was just too lazy to find out what kind of picture there was, where she appeared, he just poked at random at the first one and washed his hands. And such a case was not the first. Speak that such a kma should have immediately been dismissed? And how the leadership will find out if he rarely goes to the forum, the topic is quickly hiding, and the protesters fly to the ban? That's it.

[As it happens …] (javaScript:;)

One of the posts on the forum:

Dear name of the company. I really have been in the name of the game since October 2008 (the game itself started in September 2008. – approx. Ed. )! Respect me in response for my loyalty to the project, finally. Give an honest answer to the question: is it worth waiting for the update or "make a mustache"?

Tell me honestly, and we all with a clear conscience let's go swing new Persians to America. I will be terribly, terribly sorry for my house with rarity jewelry and gasp for what time spent on pumping. Honestly, for this I will curse you to the 7th knee. (…)

I'll write funny right now. I had several years of my life in this project. There were so many things, both love, and friendship, and what you never understand was the concept of honor and mutual assistance in our Commonwealth.

I hate you really, liars!

One of the typical answers of the administration:

At the moment, the specific terms of the need to install the update are not declared. Of course, as quickly as possible in the situation and capabilities.

What is it, the perfect forum?

The perfect forum – where everyone respects each other. KMA actively communicate with players, without limiting themselves to the publication of the news about prevention, moderators are polite and tactful, they are punished only in extreme cases. And forum users are culturally talking and understand that the leadership of the forum is also people.

But it doesn't happen. That we most often see on the forums of localized MMOs? Incessant quarrels and squabbles with threats of reprisals in real life. Silent, like lambs, kmov. Aggressive, self -affirming moderators who were overwhelmed by their own impunity. Dozens of messages with offers to increase something by 5 cm in two weeks and dozens of closed and deleted by those in which they tried to discuss the situation in the game, but caught the party policy. And in the load – a couple of dozen forum trolls. Everyone does not care about everyone, rare glimpses of “talk to the people” from kmov or moderators drown in a squall of accumulated negativity.

Often, quite respectable players fall under the distribution. For example, saying something objectionable to the moderators. And there someone will figure it out, the troll was or not the troll, if the carcass cooled down and the messages were deleted ..

On one forum they created a topic "Book of complaints about moderators". 730 messages. And the point is zero. Moderators still do what they want, and even openly provoke players to https://richy-fox-gb-casino.co.uk/ violations. For example, see how it happens. All argued together, then the moderator cleaned his messages and straightened former interlocutors to the ban. But activity is at a height, the moderator works!

[Administration's statements] (JavaScript:;)

• The game administration strongly recommends not to abuse the rules of the game.
• This was the decision of the administration. Accept it for a given.
• You think you are offended and humiliated? Try to look at the situation from the other side.
• Without bugs the game is boring.
• Read the signature, there is no democracy here.
• As an employee of the company, I am interested in that there is no flood and watering the company with mud on the forum, in t.h. from those who are reasonably and carefully writes their posts.
• No one owes anything to anyone (moderator – user).

Forum through the eyes of the leadership

Why are the forum of the Localizer company or the publisher? Let's just say: his importance is small. Firstly, this is a place where game news is published (or rather, duplicated from the main page of the site); secondly, here the player can get an answer to the interest of him game question. All.

Bad service, disgusting work of the support service (declared 24/7, and works with strength a couple of hours every other day)? The update of the game is delayed for incomprehensible reasons? Bugs and lags do not allow to play? The game chat is filled with spam and obscenities? On servers heaps of bots? The moderators waved “Banghammers”, issuing cards on their own whim? Believe me, even the forum administration does not care much. And the leadership or it took place in pink snot and illusions that “everything is fine on the forum,” or just scored a bolt. The latter, by the way, is very clear humanly-they have enough of their work. And the forum is located somewhere on the periphery of consciousness.

What cares about whom? Kmov – their work plan for a week or month. Moderators – so that they have less work. Manuals and other useful materials, advice for beginners? They are written by the players themselves. Sometimes grains of important information are drowning in kilometers of disputes and discussions. Hey, moderator, pull the main thing into the first post, unite what they constantly ask about, in a kind of FAQ! And why? There are enthusiasts, they will do everything. And the moderator is limited to the standard “use search”, even if he works through a stump-column. And a generous hand gives out banks: if a new topic is created-for the “theme-fool”, if the question is asked in the old topic-for necroposostics.

All moderators own a banhammer. But he overcomes some and subordinates to himself!

It also happens that good undertakings wake up from moderators … and the administration is broken about the rigidity and frank nonsense. There was a story with me when (attention!) The operating director looked at the light and banned the girl for no reason. When trying to find out the cause of the ban, we (moderators) received a crushing one: “You satisfy your personal ambitions, we get moderation”. The result of such an attitude was the simultaneous departure of half of the moderator composition, t.To. We did not work at all “because of personal ambitions”, but “it was a shame for the power”.

[Administration's statements] (JavaScript:;)

• At the moment, it is obvious to me that moderators are taking the position of third strength, trying to observe parity between users and the company, based on the rules of the forum. Perhaps this is right, but I always had another opinion that moderators should be more loyal to the company than users (one of the top managers).
• Continue, go on, you are already pulling an insult.
• As for the capabilities of the forum, there are a lot of ideas, but the hands of the specialists do not reach.
• From the point of view of the company to clean garbage (there was a wider word here. – approx. Ed.) in the news is much more important than in the topic of PVP.
• X company has repeatedly indicated that the support of the Windows 7 operating system Client Y is not provided for. Despite this, numerous unscrupulous users of this operating system continued to use various tricks to use the service we have provided for their personal purposes.
• For the company, the forum is primarily interesting not as a platform for the exchange of opinions, but as a knowledge base.
• You can answer the banned as follows: the person who issued the punishment deleted the messages on the basis of which the punishment was issued, so we cannot track the lawfulness.

An indicative statement of one of the users on the forum:

"Game support – farce. Everyone does not care. I tell you with knowledge of the matter ".

If so if

But everything could be different. Take the administration from the start of the course for friendly and even, and most importantly – live communication with users, explain to moderators (who are in 99% of cases) that they remain ordinary users, only with slightly expanded powers, and the reasons for discontent are exhausted.

Problems began in the game? Tell this to the players in advance (and not 5 minutes before the servers are turned off), explain that so, they say, and so, there are difficulties, the administration is working on a solution to problems. And if you themselves learned at the last moment or did not have time to unsubscribe on the forum in time, then at least then go and tell me what's what. Hand tea does not fall off. It is possible and easier: in one of the online games operated abroad, players are always (!) distribute bonuses if they cut off the servers, and apologize to the news. And we often happen to us? Happens. But, alas, very rarely ..

Do not throw your audience after announcing the next transfer of addition to your favorite game. Talk with them, highlight at least five minutes a day. Understand, finally, let the player express the negative on the forum of the game, what will go to third -party resources and will pour mud on everyone without pissing there: kmov that does not care about their work, moderators who do not allow to speak out, and, most importantly, game. But from the spilled dirt, the game suffers first of all, which is just not to blame for anything.

A simple desire to be heard works like black PR. For example, where to go to the ICS forums or the game of IGrek, if for an attempt to write even the most innocent message with criticism, the user immediately finds himself in the bathhouse? And that the wide game community will think about this game and about this company?

And how do you like this situation: user N, dissatisfied with the state of affairs in the company X, will stigmatize it on the forum z. What does a lifelong ban are getting for … on forum x. “I acted as principles,” the author of the ban proudly declares. The end justifies the funds, the Jesuits claimed.

[History of one game] (JavaScript:;)

We denote this long -suffering game as X. Everything is good in it: a world well acquainted from books and films, a world that is perfectly transferred to the game by developers, interesting tasks, beautiful graphics, high -quality localized product according to a well -known license. Players are proud that they play not another “Asian Grindilka”, but in a strong Western product according to a well -known license.

It starts small. There are no games on the forum, no, and angry messages appear. Either technical support will answer out of place, then km something will blurt out from the category “I'm a girl, I can! ", After she insulted the forum member, then the servers suddenly fall, then the quests do not work, then the queue is built to enter the game. How the moderators react? They begin to ban the forum users. You are indignant at the work of the company? Get a ban. The bot from the technical support responds out of place, and you laid out the screen of the response to the forum? Get a ban for "disclosure of personal correspondence".

And here, in addition, the company has serious difficulties. The release of the new addon is significantly delayed. For months. Players endure for a long time, then they start to murmur. It's time to talk with forum users, reassure them, apologize, ask for more. Instead, KMA call dates, and then take their words back, set new terms … Then they say: “Well, they were not final”. Then silence reigns generally. Users are indignant, but one fate awaits them – banks. “Yes, tell us honestly what is happening at all, we will understand everything and wait again, but at least talk to us! " – everything is to no avail.

Any attempt to understand the situation is punishable by a bank "For misinformation". Any outrage by the actions of moderators is a ban for the public discussion of the administration. There is no such item in the rules? Get a ban, and we will add the point later, the post -fact … At the same time, the number of angry topics and dissatisfied posts are not less, despite the efforts of moderators.

It has passed almost a year. Users are already waiting not so much update as at least some regular dialogue with the administration. Will they get anything but banks? It seems not.

"That was the decision of the administration"

I have been playing in MMO since 1998. For these 13 years, I was lucky to work in the field of online games and as a moderator, as an administrator, and as a commander-in-manager. Fate introduced me to many people, one way or another related to the market of the MMO industry in Runet. And I can say with confidence: there are no perfect forums!

Of course I am exaggerating. But not much. There are large forums where the leadership is turned "facing the people". KMA communicate with the players not only in the news, moderators even take some “school of a young fighter”, and users for the most part are cultural people. But these are isolated cases. Rather, you will run into the phrase “such was the decision of the administration, take it for a given”, than the message “we specially created a separate topic for this issue, let's discuss and take a constructive solution”.

What is the reason? Mentality (man to man – wolf)? The industry is young, there are few good specialists? Work not for money, but for interest? Yes, there is such. Only now a bad reputation to earn faster than good, and then it is almost impossible to “wash”.

Pleasant communication on the forums!

The opinion of the editorial office may not coincide with the opinion of the author. Or may coincide.

Illustrations: Alexander Remizov