Anyone know why Anet stopped using the Forums on April 26th 2021?

[Moradorin.6217]

I have been exploring the forums to investigate if Anet is actually active on the gw2 forums in any sense. Near as I can tell the VAST majority of Anet Staff who have ever logged into the forums mostly have a last login date of April 26th 2021, specifically. I find that very odd.

 

The acceptions are few. Basically, if you remove Rubi from the list and consider that people like CMC login maybe once before a stream about changes then goes inactive. I am left wondering why they all stopped on that date. I suspect they had a policy change that facilitated the inactivity, but I can only guess at this point.

 

Does anyone else have any knowledge about why Anet seems to have formally stopped using the forums since April 26th 2021?*

 

* I know it still has moderators and people still post news and balance information, but aside from that.

[Sobx.1758]

New forum was introduced around that time, they most probably already didn't use the forum before that date and the displayed "last seen" date is related to forum migration and whatnot.

[Eekasqueak.7850]

I've seen Bobby Stein post in the lore forum from time to time. 

[Moradorin.6217]

1 hour ago, Eekasqueak.7850 said:

I've seen Bobby Stein post in the lore forum from time to time. 

Yeah but for real. Just do a search and look for yourself. You can easily search just Anet staff members and search for say r or a or and look at last login. For some reason most if they ever logged in last logged in on April 26th 2021. Very few exceptions. I find that curious as to why they no longer login and what was significant about April 26th 2021.

Edited February 12, 2023 by Moradorin.6217

[Sarius.9285]

1 hour ago, Moradorin.6217 said:

know it still has moderators a

those aren't Anet staff tho.

 

AFAIK they're just volunteers or something like that 

[Izzy.2951]

maintenance mode, thats why

[Sobx.1758]

Just now, Izzy.2951 said:

maintenance mode, thats why

These words you keep using... They don't mean what you think they mean.

Edited February 12, 2023 by Sobx.1758

[Randulf.7614]

Their policy since the SAB world 2 fiasco has been to interact less. When Gaile left, the interaction dried up to a trickle, although there is the occasional post in the lore forums or if it’s wiki related etc. The forums have a bad rep, so they avoid the drama or use discord.

I do think there could be better bridges between devs and community on both sides and certainly a more robust communication from their side (which is generally woeful despite promises to improve).

Edited February 12, 2023 by Randulf.7614

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

3 hours ago, Sarius.9285 said:

those aren't Anet staff tho.

 

AFAIK they're just volunteers or something like that 

Not true.  Just look at ArenaNet staff members. 

[Moradorin.6217]

3 hours ago, Sarius.9285 said:

those aren't Anet staff tho.

 

AFAIK they're just volunteers or something like that 

Right but you can filter your search to Forum Members then -> additional filters and JUST filter Anet staff which is what Im talking about.

[Moradorin.6217]

1 hour ago, Randulf.7614 said:

Their policy since the SAB world 2 fiasco has been to interact less. When Gaile left, the interaction dried up to a trickle, although there is the occasional post in the lore forums or if it’s wiki related etc. The forums have a bad rep, so they avoid the drama or use discord.

I do think there could be better bridges between devs and community on both sides and certainly a more robust communication from their side (which is generally woeful despite promises to improve).

Yeah that's sorta what I was wondering/thinking. Cause that is the same date as SAB when everyone was really expecting a w3 but then the reason was pandemic iirc (then eod) as was justification for the slower balance cadence that justified things like Mirage still remaining with one dodge in wvw/pvp while it has 2 in pve as a balance solution. Now EoD had been released. I hope, at least, if they cannot talk to us that they at least will try and use the time to focus maybe get some of the things fixed or done people have been asking.

 

I asked because some times I wonder when I look at what people are talking about vs what the proposed balance patch has if they consider what the players are interested in. So I started to look at who might actually pay attention at Anet and noticed its pretty much, no body, sadly. LOL 😕

 

Thanks

Edited February 12, 2023 by Moradorin.6217

[Obtena.7952]

I'm willing to bet its got something to do with people that flame and flood them about things like getting second dodge on Mirage. 

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by Obtena.7952

[Randulf.7614]

One of the best things they did was blog videos which they’d use the forums to pool questions. I know the releases are sporadic now, but a regular q&a would be nice. Even if 2-3 times a year.

[Freya.9075]

So. I got curious and checked. I found 13 staff members active so far this year. (Yes, I’m bored and dedicated so I looked at all staff members in all 7 pages I found 👀). And several others active during late part of 2022. I also noticed staff that does not work for anet anymore are still there. And also music makers like Maclaine Diemer. Not sure why you would assume these people are active on forums. 

[Moradorin.6217]

7 hours ago, Freya.9075 said:

So. I got curious and checked. I found 13 staff members active so far this year. (Yes, I’m bored and dedicated so I looked at all staff members in all 7 pages I found 👀). And several others active during late part of 2022. I also noticed staff that does not work for anet anymore are still there. And also music makers like Maclaine Diemer. Not sure why you would assume these people are active on forums. 

I just got curious because it doesn't seem like Anet looks at or uses the info from the forums in any notable way. Additionally, I notice allot of people posting trying to get the attention of Anet in the forums. Like the balance preview posts. They post as if some one will be reading it and using the feed back. I got curious too and found that most dont seem to use the forums and none of them have used it recently. With few exceptions they only login to post official content like patch information.

 

It seems like considering that they don't seem to frequent the forums that information may be of value to other players who may be under the impression that Anet is reading the posts on the forum.

 

I feel like ignoring that just helps create the false impression that someone at Anet is reading player feedback from the forums because allot of players seem to get that impression.

[Moradorin.6217]

7 hours ago, Obtena.7952 said:

I'm willing to bet its got something to do with people that flame and flood them about things like getting second dodge on Mirage. 

 

Maybe if Mirage was not the only class with a variable number of dodges depending the game mode they are in people would stop complaining about it? I mean it is the only class with that sort of split mode strangeness. It would be better to have 1 dodge in all 3 modes like Vindicator had than have a variable number.

They gave Vindicator 2 dodges in all 3 modes even tho its designed to have one dodge. Meanwhile, Mirage was designed to have 2 dodges and was balanced later by removing a dodge in 2 game modes cause balance of ambushes is too hard. Then CMC himself says Mirage's other dodge is on the table in the patch stream before they gave Vind a 2nd dodge then they leave Mirage, cause...nada. its indefensible.

Edited February 13, 2023 by Moradorin.6217

[Blood Red Arachnid.2493]

11 hours ago, Sarius.9285 said:

those aren't Anet staff tho.

 

AFAIK they're just volunteers or something like that 

Gosh I hope they don't do it for free...

[Blood Red Arachnid.2493]

Glowsticks.  This is a term originally derived from a rather... inappropriate word.  It was initially used by a schizophrenic to describe members of the FBI, saying that they glow in the dark.  Since then, the term has morphed into Glowstick.  It meant when somebody from FBI/CIA/NSA/DOD would go undercover, either in public or on the forums, and would stand out so much that anyone with eyes and ears could tell they were a plant. 

I haven't seen any feds around here, so I've been using the term to describe the civvy accounts of moderators and developers who will write on these forums.  I won't go into too much detail, since I don't want to out anyone, but if you pay close attention you can catch some of the less well-camouflaged ones out in the open.  

[Freya.9075]

43 minutes ago, Moradorin.6217 said:

I just got curious because it doesn't seem like Anet looks at or uses the info from the forums in any notable way. Additionally, I notice allot of people posting trying to get the attention of Anet in the forums. Like the balance preview posts. They post as if some one will be reading it and using the feed back. I got curious too and found that most dont seem to use the forums and none of them have used it recently. With few exceptions they only login to post official content like patch information.

 

It seems like considering that they don't seem to frequent the forums that information may be of value to other players who may be under the impression that Anet is reading the posts on the forum.

 

I feel like ignoring that just helps create the false impression that someone at Anet is reading player feedback from the forums because allot of players seem to get that impression.

Well, they could be better at communicating with us. But communication comes with pros and cons. If they tell us they are working on something and it for some reason gets cancelled, takes longer then they thought or changed, they will receive a lot of hate and criticism for letting us know in first place. On the other hand, not telling us anything will also trigger criticism and people will feel not heard even if they do read forums and consider feedback without letting us know they did. 

I have seen suggestions being added. I have also seen feedback and criticism been addressed and changes been made based on whatever the topic was when needed. Good and bad feedback have sometimes been replied to. Usually by Rubi the times I’ve noticed it, and she tells us she will let the team know whatever was written in the topic. Maybe this is why people feel like they are heard even if anet doesn’t reply to them. 

Communication is not always easy to do. However it is important to do so. There is a balance. They need to be careful with what they are saying and it may be easier if only a few of the team deals with it. It’s not an easy task to do as humans have different opinions. It also is a game where a lot of players, specially forum users, tend to have a lot of feelings about the game and even stronger opinions based on those feelings. It can make certain topics very heated, and it may become a delicate situation where the staff feel they need to walk on eggshells if they were to reply to said topics. Maybe they prefer to let a few members of the team handle the forums to make things easier. 
 

I don’t know why they handle the forums the way they do, but that’s my thoughts about the matter. 

[Danikat.8537]

Don't forget it's entirely possible to read the forum without posting, or even being logged in.

Also I have no idea with Anet but I know at some other companies part of the moderators job is to collate feedback and interesting posts and pass them on. So ideas get fed back and maybe used without the developers having to waste their time scrolling through the forum hoping to stumble on something relevant to their area of work.

It's an entirely different industry but that happens at my work too. We get 'media insights' emails. I've been on our website's community pages maybe 3 or 4 times in 6 years, but I know what the current 'hot topics' are and how the majority of people there feel about them.

(I'm not saying they do use the forum, I'm saying it's impossible for us to tell.)

5 hours ago, Blood Red Arachnid.2493 said:

Glowsticks.  This is a term originally derived from a rather... inappropriate word.  It was initially used by a schizophrenic to describe members of the FBI, saying that they glow in the dark.  Since then, the term has morphed into Glowstick.  It meant when somebody from FBI/CIA/NSA/DOD would go undercover, either in public or on the forums, and would stand out so much that anyone with eyes and ears could tell they were a plant. 

I haven't seen any feds around here, so I've been using the term to describe the civvy accounts of moderators and developers who will write on these forums.  I won't go into too much detail, since I don't want to out anyone, but if you pay close attention you can catch some of the less well-camouflaged ones out in the open.  

I can tell you from experience there are people who think they can do this and are consistently, hilariously wrong. I once had the dubious honour of being 'caught out' as both Axl Rose and a former member of Guns N' Roses using internet forums to "spy on" their former band mates. (Which is especially silly because this was some time after Slash said in an interview all he had to do was set up a Google alert for 'Guns N' Roses' and he got all the news about Axl.)

Less fun was being a moderator on a fan-run forum where we got weekly demands from one person to ban someone or other for being a "spy" and a company plant put in to...create the fake impression that fans liked the thing they'd signed up to a fan forum for.

Edited February 13, 2023 by Danikat.8537

[Killthehealersffs.8940]

Do we have anything to talk about with them ?

 

(Its better to let them to become "an outsource western company while maintaining their main game , with a known name and expertise in networking ,load balancing ,animation(what is Fortiche for LoL) , and if they get bigger they will need to rehire fired old expirianced people)

Edited February 13, 2023 by Killthehealersffs.8940

[Astralporing.1957]

6 hours ago, Freya.9075 said:

Well, they could be better at communicating with us. But communication comes with pros and cons. If they tell us they are working on something and it for some reason gets cancelled, takes longer then they thought or changed, they will receive a lot of hate and criticism for letting us know in first place.

From my experience, it happens primarily when such delays themselves are not communicated clearly. When people are being kept in the loop, they tend to be much more forgiving to possible development hiccups than when they don't know what the kitten is going on, and they end up having to create possible scenarios (each one more apocalyptic than the previous ones, usually) themselves. Of course, big enough delays will still bring discontent, but by that point it's practically a given anyway, and giving info is still one of the best ways to mitigate a PR fallout. At the same time, keeping radio silence is likely to generate a certain level of discontent even when otherwise everything is top shape and up to players' liking.

[ugrakarma.9416]

20 hours ago, Eekasqueak.7850 said:

I've seen Bobby Stein post in the lore forum from time to time. 

in one of the post hes says hes no more on "staff", he's just give advice to new writters.

[Moradorin.6217]

7 hours ago, Blood Red Arachnid.2493 said:

Glowsticks.  This is a term originally derived from a rather... inappropriate word.  It was initially used by a schizophrenic to describe members of the FBI, saying that they glow in the dark.  Since then, the term has morphed into Glowstick.  It meant when somebody from FBI/CIA/NSA/DOD would go undercover, either in public or on the forums, and would stand out so much that anyone with eyes and ears could tell they were a plant. 

I haven't seen any feds around here, so I've been using the term to describe the civvy accounts of moderators and developers who will write on these forums.  I won't go into too much detail, since I don't want to out anyone, but if you pay close attention you can catch some of the less well-camouflaged ones out in the open.  

Right but those typically smell of bias and they typically post "Hi Im new and just love class x can u tell me what you think of x^sub1 or x^sub2 from cause I just love this class" or they claim they know ALLOT about the class cause and have a high post count but you look for the account name in game and OMG its not an actual player account its only a forum only account cause it doesnt show up in the list on player tab. OMG LOL! Noticed those over the years.

I see stuff like that and always consider the possibility that they are Anet people trying to hide. However, if that is the case they are not reading the forums to gain feedback so much as they are trying to influence viewpoints and shape player consensus which is even worse than just not coming to the forums. What I mean is, the ones I can think of typically throw red herrings out as subjects or to derail posts that are taking a direction they don't want go. One dodge comes to mind.

[Moradorin.6217]

2 hours ago, Danikat.8537 said:

Don't forget it's entirely possible to read the forum without posting, or even being logged in.

Also I have no idea with Anet but I know at some other companies part of the moderators job is to collate feedback and interesting posts and pass them on. So ideas get fed back and maybe used without the developers having to waste their time scrolling through the forum hoping to stumble on something relevant to their area of work.

It's an entirely different industry but that happens at my work too. We get 'media insights' emails. I've been on our website's community pages maybe 3 or 4 times in 6 years, but I know what the current 'hot topics' are and how the majority of people there feel about them.

(I'm not saying they do use the forum, I'm saying it's impossible for us to tell.)

I can tell you from experience there are people who think they can do this and are consistently, hilariously wrong. I once had the dubious honour of being 'caught out' as both Axl Rose and a former member of Guns N' Roses using internet forums to "spy on" their former band mates. (Which is especially silly because this was some time after Slash said in an interview all he had to do was set up a Google alert for 'Guns N' Roses' and he got all the news about Axl.)

Less fun was being a moderator on a fan-run forum where we got weekly demands from one person to ban someone or other for being a "spy" and a company plant put in to...create the fake impression that fans liked the thing they'd signed up to a fan forum for.

Yeah I considered that they dont need to login. However, if they have some efficient scripted way of looking at the forums the code doesnt seem to work very well... LOL cause Wintersday/Halloween boxes, etc