Regaining customer confidence

[svayvti]

Obviously for any game there are some people who will be there till the servers close no matter what. This thread isn't for you.

For most I've seen this week's patch shatter confidence in Nevrax, and people are leaving the game at a rapid rate. MMO players aren't the forgiving sort that they were just 3 years ago either. Even if Ryzom is made into a perfect game, odds are most of those people who leave will be soured on their game experience and never give it a second try. Word of mouth will suffer. The game will suffer for those of us who are left (except for those who like empty servers).

From a customer service point of view this week's patch has been a disaster. I'm sure Nevrax need only ask any one of the companies providing customer service for them to have it verified.

The longer the game is in a state where people can't play the game and have fun, the more people who'll give up on the game entirely and not look back. For a really bad patch it is imperative to get it off of live servers, or at least the bad elements. A partial rollback if possible, a full rollback if necessary. Sure people might rant over a few hours lost gameplay, but more people will quietly leave if they find the game unplayable. People on test servers like to test, people on live server unrealistically expect everything to be perfect or else think it is.

People will have hard feelings, but those can be softened at least the first few times something like this happens with an apology. It costs the company nothing but its pride, and wins over the hearts of many, many customers. Pride is a very difficult thing. Its often though the stopping point between games that have gone completely under lately and bad games that have struggled and kept a float. Neocron with one bad patch they refused to apologize for lost 3/4 of their customers in one patch. They said the players deserved having levels erased and later corrected the mistake of "LOM pills". Still the players never came back, and I expect never will not even for Neocron 2. People feel obliged to forgive those who give a sincere (but you'll lose them again if it isn't sincere) apology.

Many have probably already left disappointed with this game. They'll remain disappointed until the game can deliver to their expectations. It isn't over yet if you stay afloat. AO came back from the grave by giving former players free play time after major fixes. i.e reactivating old accounts after a major pet pathing fix got me to come back for a while and resubscribe a bit.

Normally I wouldn't bother with a post like this. But I like Ryzom a lot and think it could revolutionize the industry, but only if it pulls through this. With more and more MMOs it becomes harder and harder to surive, especially with a bad reputation. Lets not just fix the code, lets fix the reputation again as well.

Thanks.

[spaero]

For most I've seen this week's patch shatter confidence in Nevrax, and people are leaving the game at a rapid rate. MMO players aren't the forgiving sort that they were just 3 years ago either. Even if Ryzom is made into a perfect game, odds are most of those people who leave will be soured on their game experience and never give it a second try. Word of mouth will suffer. The game will suffer for those of us who are left (except for those who like empty servers).

I totally agree Svayvti, and I just posted my /cancel subscription too. Maybe, just maybe... if I got an email from Neveraxx that, as you mentioned, the game has been revamped in favor of the customer and offered me free time to prove they were sincere.. probably would give it a try, for now...no.

[gatineau]

I really do not believe that cancelling one's account is a good solution. I have been playing since the day after release, and it seems to me that Nevrax has earned a little leeway. Besides, there are too few players already.

I have no doubt that numerous issues shall be addressed in the near future, based upon Nevrax's performance in the last month or so. Nevrax staff are not stupid, but they sure must be tired about now.

Obviously, things are not perfect. But all Nevrax staff have also obviously been working hard. I hope they go home, relax, and get some sleep. Tomorrow is another day, and you can be perfect next week.

Hoping everyone counts to 10 and rethinks things a bit.

Just my 2 cents

[kachina]

I liked the game. I defended it on plenty of game boards out there when people were trashing it because it wasn't like other MMORPG's. I like to solo while chatting. I can't do that now. I cancelled my account yesterday after the patch that was already known to be horrible was pushed live anyway. The patch's patch didn't fix anything for those of us who are melee fighters. My subscription runs out on the 1st of December. If things change before then, I'll re-up. Otherwise the account stays cancelled and I will continue to advise people now on other game boards not to buy/try/play the game.

[co1osse]

Pride is a very difficult thing.

We got a saying here that translate to this : Pride kills its master.
We'll see how the master does soon enough.

[spaero]

I really do not believe that cancelling one's account is a good solution. I have been playing since the day after release, and it seems to me that Nevrax has earned a little leeway. Besides, there are too few players already.

I have no doubt that numerous issues shall be addressed in the near future, based upon Nevrax's performance in the last month or so. Nevrax staff are not stupid, but they sure must be tired about now.

Obviously, things are not perfect. But all Nevrax staff have also obviously been working hard. I hope they go home, relax, and get some sleep. Tomorrow is another day, and you can be perfect next week.

Hoping everyone counts to 10 and rethinks things a bit.

Just my 2 cents

I will certainly not flame you for your opinion as I too have an opinion as well. I do hope, for the sake of all staying on, that you guys will get some boost to solo abilities as there are not many left showing an interest in staying under the current situation. This alone diminishes the remaining players opportunities to locate a group or a melee partner to counter the increase in overall gameplay difficulty.

I did, however count to 10.. and again the next night, and again... started right up front with the crashes 7-8 times per hour forcing me to reduce my FSB to 266mhz from 333mhz.....then the lag (was fixed fairly quickly though)...then the patch, then the mini-patch...

55, 56, 57, 58, ready or not...here I go

[borguk]

Obviously for any game there are some people who will be there till the servers close no matter what. This thread isn't for you.

For most I've seen this week's patch shatter confidence in Nevrax, and people are leaving the game at a rapid rate. MMO players aren't the forgiving sort that they were just 3 years ago either. Even if Ryzom is made into a perfect game, odds are most of those people who leave will be soured on their game experience and never give it a second try. Word of mouth will suffer. The game will suffer for those of us who are left (except for those who like empty servers).

From a customer service point of view this week's patch has been a disaster. I'm sure Nevrax need only ask any one of the companies providing customer service for them to have it verified.

The longer the game is in a state where people can't play the game and have fun, the more people who'll give up on the game entirely and not look back. For a really bad patch it is imperative to get it off of live servers, or at least the bad elements. A partial rollback if possible, a full rollback if necessary. Sure people might rant over a few hours lost gameplay, but more people will quietly leave if they find the game unplayable. People on test servers like to test, people on live server unrealistically expect everything to be perfect or else think it is.

People will have hard feelings, but those can be softened at least the first few times something like this happens with an apology. It costs the company nothing but its pride, and wins over the hearts of many, many customers. Pride is a very difficult thing. Its often though the stopping point between games that have gone completely under lately and bad games that have struggled and kept a float. Neocron with one bad patch they refused to apologize for lost 3/4 of their customers in one patch. They said the players deserved having levels erased and later corrected the mistake of "LOM pills". Still the players never came back, and I expect never will not even for Neocron 2. People feel obliged to forgive those who give a sincere (but you'll lose them again if it isn't sincere) apology.

Many have probably already left disappointed with this game. They'll remain disappointed until the game can deliver to their expectations. It isn't over yet if you stay afloat. AO came back from the grave by giving former players free play time after major fixes. i.e reactivating old accounts after a major pet pathing fix got me to come back for a while and resubscribe a bit.

Normally I wouldn't bother with a post like this. But I like Ryzom a lot and think it could revolutionize the industry, but only if it pulls through this. With more and more MMOs it becomes harder and harder to surive, especially with a bad reputation. Lets not just fix the code, lets fix the reputation again as well.

Thanks.

From someone who loved this game and cancelled last night due to the patch u hit the nail on the head.

[stellus]

If we can get combat back to the way it was before, I will be 100% happy.

[keriann]

If we can get combat back to the way it was before, I will be 100% happy.

I STRONGLY agree.

[loyats]

Here here.