Discussion on Update Policy

[Empy]

It very simple IMO

In the forum update idea's / suggestions posted can be viewed by everyone regardless of the times/dates they are available, and when you read an update idea / suggestion you have the time and space to give the pro's & cons proper consideration and make a well though out and structured argument for or against, or to make a counter proposal / amendment.

In IRC chat, assuming you are available at the times it is held and even able to attend the convo is fast moving, one persons post quickly gets buried under other posts, and you have no time to consider all the merits and flaws of proposals put forward so responses and counter-proposals are either reactionary or not thought though.



Forum discussion is better in every way but one, Admin dont read the bloody forum and thinks the few who attend his meetings represent the majority, NOT SO !!

This.

The problem with forum discussion is that every thread will get to 20 pages long without everybody agreeing on what is best - it will also have much flaming, and conflict between various factions.

That is why Jason prefers IRC - he gets a nice concise post telling him what's wrong - if a few other people chorus in the same thing, then he changes it. The problem with IRC is that a few people can become very influential - esp. since Jason does not understand the game mechanics. Don't get me wrong, he tries, he truly does. But he just does not understand the full ramifications of his updates. And nor does IRC give him time to understand them because he never hears the other side of the story.

For all the problems of the forums, they allow for debate, for honest (and sometime biased) appraisals of a potential new update. Heck, we have several sections devoted to game suggestions, to potential updates and to new updates. Seems ridiculous to bypass that completely....

This.

It would be best if Jason would just come on the forums, and make a topic about what update he is going to do, before he does it... I don't see how anyone can disagree with that? At this point he doesn't do that, he just randomly updates the game out of nowhere.

Also, please let's be serious... he does not read or answer E-Mail unless you have some special address I don't know of. Or unless you send to the Urgent one, which you shouldn't do unless you need to be unbanned or something "urgent."

[Tekki]

While it is always AdminJ's decision, SS, he'd probably get less whinging and whining directed at him if he just took 2-3 days to warn people and to accept some discussion.

There will always be whinging and whining but at least by giving the warning and discussion time, it allows people to get used to the idea, and it allows for people to think about what may be unforseen consequences of the alteration. Not everything can be forseen, unfortunately but at least some of the immediate consequences can be seen, discussed and assessed.

But, you are right, if he doesn't want to go that way then he won't. Just this may give less grief in the long run and definitely promotes the view that AdminJ is listening to the players.

[Empy]

however, I stand by my original point in that if he doesn't want to do that, its his thing. Good or bad, its always his decision.

No one is trying to assert that it isn't. Simply suggesting, as the name of the sub-section suggests, perhaps better options.