The Carrot and The Stick

[sofiaoak]

I think we have learned by now that the answer is not to jump from game to game; finding the exact same issues dressed in different art work in each place. We need a way to make the game we are playing better, not shuffle off in hope that the next group of game developers will do something different. We have been trying that method for years.

I disagree. This is exactly what is needed, jump from game to game. That is only way to support games what are worth of supporting. Ony fool would believe that some players base can actually change the game it self. It will never work because there is too many different opinions. Better jump to next game untill developers learn to make game what players really wanna.

You are way too civilised for that, guys. You believe that if you show respect and consideration to a person, that person is going to show you the same. That's far, far away from the truth. If you are nice to a person, especially in business, that person will try for sure to cheat you, because takes your considerate atittude as a sign of weakness.

I agree, there is always someone who will use others for they own benefits in business world. This is not wanted by many, but it's the real worlds behavior.


As general answer...

I don't see any reason for carrots or the sticks. They don't work when there is too many people in community. It's like 5 million people and one will shout, I don't like this. Others just ignore him or say who cares. I think, You get the point, too many different opinions and no power.

[gillest]

Could be off topic but RL facts are proving my words.
The most sucessfull companies are the ones who treat employes as slaves. Also the biggest profit comes from selling bad products at high prices not from a civilised and decent trade.
Sorry, I don't like it either, but is the truth. You are not making money with kindness but with the whip. Kindness is something you can afford when you sleep on a couple of millions.
I think is a book called "Modern Management Golden Rules" or something like that. It explains all this way better than me.

Is nice to have aspirations, Jyudas. Is noble and very inspiring. But dreaming with wide open eyes at a better world is not going to change the actual world. Nor the people.

First of all I will say: / BOW
Have been away long enough and seen how conversation evolves really cheers up my heart.

Now about Management and which side you choose:
The common say define 2 groups:
- the sharks who will eat you for your head, your money and your job or just cos they will get something out of it.
- the respectful ppl (ppl who work with a heart, believe in others and try to make them grow)

The latest will say: I have my conscience for me, the shark don't, I sleep at night and they don't....
But the shark doesn't mind, it just gives him more to eat while the latest play with their self-conscience.
And the latest will not sleep as years of struggle to grow ppl have been destroyed in one shark bite.

Praise the latest anyway and hope their path will never cross the one of the shark, but make sure to warn them

For the carrot and the stick, the stick may not have been taken away from us and this thread may prove it.
It may be only that the stick we had in hand, we didn't know how to use and the mis-use just has been hting us back: I do believe Devs read boards but the question is : what do we do with them?
- Ranting and spamming is the back-fire use: readers lose interest and may not waste their time to find the 1/1000 intelligent post.
- This thread, as some of the latest i have seen, is the stick : constructive, controversial, intelligent...: that's the only way to fight..

and... maybe... the teeth of the shark might fall when facing pur, strong logic and ref;exion

[larwood]

Here is how Thom see's it.

There are SOOOO many opinions, with SOOOOO many voices. Nevrax only has so much time and money to implement all of the requests and desired changes. With everyone singing a different tune, it just sounds like noise.
Nothing coherent to make out of it.

Now, Nevrax does not have an excuse for not following through with it's promises. Saying they will do something by a certain date, and not doing it is int the end... a broken promise. (yes there may be reasons... no money, limmited dev team... etc, etc... but it's still a broken promise)

So considering those two points... if there were some way for everyone to funnel their concerns and suggestions into a single decision or idea, I think that Nevrax would know where to work on first... but right now, they are just doing what they consider most important... not necessarily what the players put most important. Yes it's their game, but if their own ideas don't attract a growing player base, their ideas will flop. So they must take in, consider, and implement what the player wants. (not what they want the player to want)

But the hard question for Nevrax is... What does the player want? We see post after post of different people saying this, and that... its leaves them hopelessly trying to please everyone, or nobody.

I don't have an immediate solution.

But I do disagree strongly with Vutescu. There are many ways to make money. Many companies are honest, and customer-oriented that honor and treat their employees well. It all depends on what you as a company are trying to achieve. Customer Loyalty? The lowest prices around. Quality Product, at the expense of price. Brand Recognition and Loyalty.

Some people shop at WalMart because they can get cheap stuff. Some people show at Lowe's because they can get good, sound products. Some people shop at NewEgg because they can often save money, but are loyal to a customer-oriented organization.

I don't want to play a Walmart MMO that is $4.00 a month and pay for crap. I would rather pay a higher monthly fee for a great service, where the company is concerned about my wants and desires.

I think Nevrax wants to be this type of company... but needs a boost, or maybe even a kick in the pants.

So there.

[marct]

I don't want to play a Walmart MMO that is $4.00 a month and pay for crap. I would rather pay a higher monthly fee for a great service, where the company is concerned about my wants and desires.

I think Nevrax wants to be this type of company... but needs a boost, or maybe even a kick in the pants.

So there.

I agree. I think that Nevrax has shown a lot of positive progress. It does not come as fast as in some other places due to multiple factors (including cash, staff, processes, etc.).

The kick Nevrax could now use is an influx of CASH, and thus the ability to increase the number of folks working on the game. Using their new processes, they would be able to move things along a bit faster.

I really do believe Jessica has made an enormous positive impact on the games development. They do realise their capabilities and are managing the things they work on and send to us much better. In the past they have overwhelmed with ideas and underwhelmed with delivery. There are many things that they have in partially developed states that have been backburnered as a result, and that is not encouraging.

However if you look at the positive progress in the past 4 months, I think you will agree it is getting better and if you watch over the next 2-4 months it should continue to improve.

We are all hoping that the intense work is slowing down and the work they have done will make doing things in the future much faster, and more reliable.

Noin.

[micrix]

Although i do not agree in everything you said i think i feel with you
Stick and carrot as motivation management is not right.

With MMOs its a problem. There is no perfect one out there Every company makes promisses they dont keep. I heard of one game which only existed in the phantasy of the Devs. But they sold preorders. Last i heard was that lawyers where involved

MMOs take a very long time to develop. After 2-4 years of development many things are allready outdated. It is also know that only a limitted number of players does exist. A number every MMO is fighting for.

And there is the fact that everyone has his own taste and wishes how a MMO should be. I guess you wouldnt like to play mine...