Route 29: ｍｏｄｓ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
these_balls) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
route_292013-06-15 09:49 pm
these_balls) wrote in route_292013-06-15 09:49 pm
Entry tags:
BRING US YOUR FEEDBACK!
Hey, Routers! Things have been pretty eventful for the game over the past few months, and we've seen a fair number of changes along the way — the introduction of EV News, the extra-detailed badge acceptances, the experiment with making the Gym Leaders more interactive for the playerbase, and a handful of big plots, including our recent Glitch Plot, Fourth Wall, and of course, the game's big three-year anniversary! But with all of that excitement finally reaching something of a lull for the moment, we on the modteam would really like to check in with you, the players, and get your feedback on how the game experience has been for you so far, and what you'd like to see out of us in the future.
Beneath the cut, we've got a fairly detailed survey we'd like to ask you to fill out, to let us know how we've been doing on a handful of topics, and to get your input on what new things we might attempt, modify, or outright change in the future! When filling it out, please feel free to be as specific or general as you like; we'd prefer specifics, as those tend to be more helpful to us as a team, but please don't feel bound to strictly answer every question if a more general answer will do. Likewise, if there's something you'd like to tell us that isn't covered with the survey, please feel free! This post is here for your thoughts and feedback on Route, and to open up channels of communication with us to answer questions and discuss what might be in store for the game from here on out.
Once you've filled out the survey, please also feel free to make subsequent comments to this post with other topics you might like to discuss with us or with your fellow members of the playerbase! However, please keep in mind that this is NOT an HMD post, nor will we be tolerating any bickering in the comments. It's fine to disagree, but please keep any disagreements civil and discussion-focused; we reserve the right to step in and halt discussion if we feel the conversation is no longer productive, or dissolving into an argument as opposed to a healthy debate.
Also, please keep in mind that while we value your opinions and want to take them into consideration as we move the game forward, we must also as moderators exercise our own personal judgment in determining what will be best for the game. Some suggestions, however popular among the playerbase, simply may not be feasible from a moderator standpoint — and if we do feel that way, we'll try to explain why, but ultimately this discussion comes with the caveat that not everyone is going to get what they want. So please be patient and understanding with us as we try to do our best for the game and for you!
Note: ANONYMOUS COMMENTING IS ENABLED! (For real this time!) We want to encourage honesty here, so please feel free to go anon if it makes you more comfortable. Just please don't abuse the privilege!
PLOTS:• How many plots have you been in Route for (approximately)? None? One? Several?
• How have you generally felt about our plots so far?
• Of the two listed, which type of plot do you tend to prefer?
-- An effect/condition plot, where participants are given a setting change, scenario, or other character condition and generally left to their own devices with what to do about it
For previous Route examples, our Spring Cleaning plot from last year was an "objective-based" plot, while this year's Prom and Glitch events were "effect/condition" ones.
• What would your ideal plot do? For example, "bring all the characters together in one place" the way that Prom did; "give my character Pokemon powers" the way that Outbreak did; "let me move my character freely around the map" the way that the Glitch plot did, etc.
GENERAL UPKEEP:• Do our infopages generally do their job of providing you with all the information you need on a daily basis? Is anything confusing? Is anything missing?
• Is there anything you think we're in need of updating?
• Is there anything you think we need to change?
MODS:• How have your experiences been with us as mods? Are you generally happy with us as a modteam? What do we do well? What can we improve upon?
• Please also feel free to address feedback to any of us individually!
FUTURE:• If you could change any one aspect of Route, what would it be and why?
• Is there anything within the setting of the game itself you would like to see implemented, changed or removed? (I.E. open up a new region, GIVE US THE ELITE FOUR ALREADY, etc.)
• Is there any plot in particular you would like to see us do in the future? Be as general or specific as you like!
ANYTHING ELSE:• Please use this section to let us know anything else you feel is important!
We'll be doing our best to keep up with the discussion as it unfolds, but if you have a question or the need to get hold of us (or one of us specifically), feel free to use the PING-A-MOD thread included in the comments to flag us down!
Thanks again for all your input and cooperation, Route, and we're really looking forward to hearing from you!
no subject
I believe my first big plot was the Shedinja one. I joined in January 2011, I can't remember if there was a major one before that but I don't think there was. So, that one, the magnet train heist, spring cleaning/outbreak, prom, glitch, fourth walls uh...god I'm probably missing some other minor ones in there too Halloween ghost plots, Valentine's day 2012 gen v...thing. But you get the idea. I have generally liked all of them, though spring cleaning didn't do much for me personally so I didn't really participate much in that one. I am okay with either kind of event, it really just depends on the event itself. But so far I have enjoyed Route's effect/condition plots more than I've enjoyed the objective ones. Though that could just be the objectives of the events themselves that didn't interest me much. I would like to see more plots involving pokemon legends/creepypasta. Some kind of TYL event especially would be cool and maybe some kind of like...mystery dungeon type event? Like, you know, turn the characters into pokemon for a few days or something. I do have something of a preference for events that bring people together though, since most of the time characters are so spread out and getting face interaction can be hard.
GENERAL UPKEEP:
Only two things of note here. Just glancing through the responses already, I think the delay on badges was already brought up but I have to second that. It's completely understandable that you guys have lives beyond the game and stuff but when it says they should be responded to within the week and it sometimes takes upward of two weeks it can be a little frustrating. Especially when that's usually the thing that traveling is hinged on.
The second thing is canon updates. I think it might be worth considering putting up a page and a standard form for people to fill out if they want to update their characters instead of having to track down a mod privately. Just my two cents, but having gone through the update process in another game which uses a form and finally having gone through it here, I have to say it's much smoother when there's a general page for it.
MODS:
Echoing that a plot mod might not be a bad thing to consider. I really think you guys were at the top of your game when you had a three-man full mod team going with Ara. (There were three then, right? Or am I misremembering...) Perhaps another TM to help with keeping lists/badge requests up to speed especially since we recently lost one.
Other than that, you guys do a great job and there's really only one small request that I have. Admittedly, I'm a bit hesitant to bring this up but it's something that's really been bothering me for a while and you've given me an opportunity to talk about it so here goes. Please don't take this the wrong way, but next time you're going to make a decision that impacts an entire cast (be it about who can/can't be apped or anything else), could you please talk to the cast in question for input before making a decision? Maybe with a private plurk or something? Yes, I'm saying this from a Homestuck perspective but it really could apply to any ongoing canon. Back when Ara was on the mod team, she maintained an open line of contact with the Homestuck cast whenever she had a question about something. For example, when act 6 started she wanted to know what we thought about the appability of the Alpha kids, to which we all unanimously said "it's too early, no." When you guys made your most recent decision, it kind of felt like it came out of nowhere and the general attitude surrounding it was kind of... I don't want to say hostile because that seems extreme but it wasn't very good. In fact, it left some of us felt kind of alienated (which I highly doubt was your intent, but there you have it). I understand that it was something that needed to be addressed, given how often people asked about the appability of certain characters in the FAQ; but it would have been nice if the cast had at least been given a chance to add our two cents. I'm not saying we deserve special treatment or that you have to cater to all our whims or anything like that. Just that when it comes to a decision that impacts an ENTIRE CAST, it's much-appreciated courtesy and it doesn't leave one party feeling awkward/alienated/generally bad. So whenever you end up re-evaluating Homestuck appability (or if anything like this ever arises for another canon), it would be nice if you kept this in mind and let us have some input before you come to your final conclusion.
FUTURE:
Pokethalon............... that would be awesome, just saying. Coordinators too. And more like...expanded paths with the jobs that already exist? Like John's been working as a Pokecenter aide for two years now, but it would be cool if there were some way for him to kind of like move up the ranks so to speak perhaps? That's really not the best way to put it but like...I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW TO WORD THIS, I'M SORRY... someone else probably covered it better than me. But if I figure out exactly what it is I'm trying to get at here, I will totally get back to you here. And I think I already covered the plots I'd like to see in the first section because I'm dumb and read the example thingy as I filled this out instead of reading then filling out. Go me.
ANYTHING ELSE:
Can't really think of anything at the moment but who knows.
no subject
However, like the post says, you are definitely welcome to poke me if it's been more than a week. My contact info is listed on the community, and I will not be offended being poked because I'm a slowpoke. It's certainly not my intention to forget about the badges but sometimes I just space out or burn myself out doing tags/etc.
However, I am off of school now (and will be until september!) so badges should be frequently updated! Thank you for your (wholeheartedly agreeable) criticism! And my apologies that this is C+P'd but I do want to at least respond to everyone that brings up to the badge so they don't think it's falling on deaf ears or something if they aren't seeing my responses.
no subject
I definitely appreciate the response though, even if it's just a copypasta. ♥ I think doing them on certain days might not be a half bad idea though. Because schedules are never a bad thing.