Question to active forum members
I want to ask all active players who love discussions on this forum.
At this forum, we have repeatedly tried to communicate with the company. It didn't work.
In this forum, we tried to solve our problems and help improve the game. It didn't work.
On this forum, we have repeatedly tried to stop the company from destructive actions that only destroy the gameplay. This didn't work either.
On this forum we tried to fight against cheaters. This didn't work either.
What to do next in this case? Do we need to continue to "Bang our heads against the wall"? Or maybe if we all shut up together, then the company would have realized that something was wrong?
In any case, if they do not answer us here, you can always transfer communication to another place and communicate with each other. In general, I don’t know how to put it better, but as for me, the forum will not fulfill its tasks, the community manager is not interested in contacts with active people who have "heart hurts for the game." And so, I'm waiting for your proposals ladies and gentlemen.
Comments
#notanairportnoneedtoannoceyourdeparture
Happy to boycott.
Some years ago I attended a political protest outside an organization because they had donated a ton of money to a cause that I considered abhorrent. There were hundreds of like-minded people wearing buttons and T-shirts, carrying signs, singing, shouting... all of the things that protesters do.
I was surrounded by people who well and truly believed that they were creating change with their presence at the protest. Though we agreed on our common cause this is where we diverged... I knew that the only thing I was going to accomplish that day was to vent my anger at the organization. I needed to blow off steam, and I needed to do it with a large group of like-minded people.
If you want to vent your anger at Niantic by going silent on the forum then by all means do so.
If you're not happy with the way things are then be the change you want to see.
If you don't fit the qualifications for this position there are lots of others across Niantic as a whole.
I suggest that the forum members who have clearly developed grudges against specific Niantic employees also start boycotting live events like anomalies and meetups, because your relentless anger is beginning to give off "threat to public safety" vibes, and I reallly don't want you around people.
what is really needed is a real contact that acts as a link between the forum and those who make the decisions at the top. I consider it important to continue with the forum as we always have.
This is not a suitable "put up or shut up" response, because
a) I have a better paying job that I already enjoy.
b) Not everyone wants to work on their 'downtime entertainment'
c) A large part of the problem with the Ingress product is the lack of revenue leading to a lack of sufficient staff on the product. Hiring in won't fix that. They already have all the people in place to change the business model, and a new underling won't have the influence to do that.
Did you miss the part where the forum isn't for communicating with them, it's for communicating with each other. If you want to talk to Niantic open a help ticket.
I don't know why people who are not satisfied continue hoping for a response. Just step back for a bit. We know how Niantic chooses to engage with the community. Since there's fewer people working on Ingress, it can be seen as somewhat personal.
You can't make it personal if they don't respond. It's either an issue with how they are able to get communication within their own company or it's something they don't have an answer or something they can't necessarily confirm.
There's some people who have held grudges for years and it seems just like a waste of energy. I mean I get it with wanting more from the company and being passionate about the game. We can probably write an entire book or catalog of what Niantic has done wrong to continue engagement. At the end of day, it's the employees at the mercy of the fanbase. It's definitely a problem between the people at the top versus the support for each individual game. I can only imagine the "communication protocol" within each support team. What sucks for us is we don't know how these groups are effectively organized.
If this game is impacting your normal life, you might want to step back and reassess things. I know I play this game to get away from stress, not add to it.
I would be much happier if the issue was just with no communication on the forum. But it's almost everything.
@MoogModular One of the definitions of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Niantic has been bad at communicating for the 8.5 years that I've been playing this game...
If it's anything, they definitely established a solid baseline on communication. Is it acceptable? Absolutely not. Is it consistent? It's one of the few things you can count on Niantic being consistent about.
That doesn't change the fact that the employees are at the mercy of the fanbase - even when it's not deliberate
You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar.
TBH, you need to present viewpoints, facts, and compromises to elicit legitimate attention. Screaming "I don't like it" or wording posts certain ways, issuing ultimatums, boycotts, temper tantrums, etc. is more than likely going to get your opinion overlooked. Additionally, realize that Ingress will not return to it's first 2-3 years in player numbers and playstyle. The portal network has fundamentally changed and the AR gaming landscape has more competition than ever. Ingress not only has to compete with other companies, it must compete with Pokemon Go for survival. The games are different entities, with their own responsibility to individual profit and loss statements.
Finally, consider the social landscape. 9 years of group development within the game has made teams mature. The initial stages of group development ( forming, storming, norming, and performing) have been done extensively. The bulk of players are well seasoned. The "magic" of meeting new people and doing things together drops over time. We'll see how things hold up, Niantic is trying new things to regain interest. Honestly, in my area there's more of a pissing match about which team "could do xyz" instead of just doing it. Lots of talk, little action. Bored veterans who get cranky at any change who don't really play anymore own the group chats. Slightest change and they send a cranky message, then disappear to the void until the next big announcement. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
By everything - I don't just mean communication - that's like just... sadly expected.
It's the store, it's the lag bug, it's the cheating, it's the events not running smoothly, the poor event wording which means players have to ask for clarifications, subscription issues, missions not getting accepted.... And so on.
Offers of even free help are ignored. Vanguards I have spoken to have stated they have basically given up on the communication thing.
I keep hearing they are understaffed. But when they are hiring for people and people are offering free help, even with normally expensive things like translation. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Normally people start off with the honey then switch to vinegar...
I have no good answers for your questions sadly Greenvam.
It's a game. Take it for what it is. The company released it, updates it from time to time, hosts events occasionally. They don't need to listen to anyone because after all it's their game not yours. The players aren't stakeholders, they don't get a vote. Play the game they released flaws and all. Because history....
It's like we're in some sort of sadistic social experiment.
@SSSputnik A voluntary experiment, though, and one that each of us could quit at any time.
True -
But then the green slime will flow unimpeded across my fair city !