Exactly. I wish they would put out at least a very basic roadmap so we are not always left just speculating. I understand why they don't release details until a week prior, but would be nice to just some bare minimum outline of what they have planned.
Planet Zoo has obviously given up on their Community Challenges
- Thread starter liondreamer
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Exactly. I wish they would put out at least a very basic roadmap so we are not always left just speculating. I understand why they don't release details until a week prior, but would be nice to just some bare minimum outline of what they have planned.
'Sorry to say...' Weird way to start a sentence about how it's not the case. Comes across as a bit... demeaning. Not very professional.
THEN COMMUNICATE THAT IN A PROPER WAY! I also don't understand why you didn't post anything on the 2nd or 3rd; what does this game have to do with Black Lives Matter? Would it have been inappropriate to post an update about what you're working on?
WHY? Why did you NOT make a big deal out of that? I'm an avid 'albino fan/collector' and if I'd known beforehand I would've wanted to participate!
If your customers get the impression you're not being bothered anymore, then you should probably ask yourself why instead of telling a customer off. Communication is key here. Maybe it would help if you had someone with experience take on the task of communicating with your customers in a proper manner through social media?
Excuse me. 'We'd appreciate being given more time to work on them.' Is anyone suggesting you're not working fast enough? No. I think the only concern was that, seeing as how you didn't communicate your intentions, people assumed you didn't care about the challenges anymore. This is on your head, not that of your customers. Newsflash: It NEVER is.
Everyone just take a deep breath and try to remember we're all human beings, affected by what's going on in the world with the pandemic, politics and the BLM movement (which has a lot focus right now, deservedly so, and will undoubtedly be all consuming, exhausting, and important). We've all been separated from our co workers and this brings challenges with communication and delivery of completed work/ projects/ content.
There's obviously a discrepancy between what was communicated about the community event and what actually transpired and was delivered. The subsequent comments about this seemed to suggest we should know and trust in Frontier to be working away on things behind the scenes and that's just not gonna happen - we need the company to be more open...This, I don't think is an error on the community managers part who are here to relay the info they've been given as well as their other tasks.
Could that post be worded better? Sure. Is it easy to read something with a certain tone that might have come across completely different if it was spoken? yep!
2020 has been a very very difficult year. Can we just bring this 10 down to like a 4 or a 5?
P.S. Not here to police anyone's take on this - just barging in because I have done a similar job for years and have sent hundreds upon hundreds of emails to people who have paid my company money and have no filter when sending what they want to say (whether it's a run of the mill inquiry or outraged complaint) and I've sent plenty of emails back (out of the many thoughtfully worded ones) that have been a bit snippy and then I've thought: 'Well...oops! I shoulda read that back before I pressed send.'
There's obviously a discrepancy between what was communicated about the community event and what actually transpired and was delivered. The subsequent comments about this seemed to suggest we should know and trust in Frontier to be working away on things behind the scenes and that's just not gonna happen - we need the company to be more open...This, I don't think is an error on the community managers part who are here to relay the info they've been given as well as their other tasks.
Could that post be worded better? Sure. Is it easy to read something with a certain tone that might have come across completely different if it was spoken? yep!
2020 has been a very very difficult year. Can we just bring this 10 down to like a 4 or a 5?
P.S. Not here to police anyone's take on this - just barging in because I have done a similar job for years and have sent hundreds upon hundreds of emails to people who have paid my company money and have no filter when sending what they want to say (whether it's a run of the mill inquiry or outraged complaint) and I've sent plenty of emails back (out of the many thoughtfully worded ones) that have been a bit snippy and then I've thought: 'Well...oops! I shoulda read that back before I pressed send.'
I have to agree with the above poster with all the things going on in the world right now some of these things are bound to happen. I think all and all frontier has done a great job with all things considered. Chante has always been very helpful and nice to everyone in these forums along with other frontier staff members. I’m sure the pandemic and stay at home have presented some challenges. And of course people are taking a stand for BLM as it definitely comes first and foremost.
It is one thing for someone to have an off day and be a bit rude, okay I'll forgive that. But when you are paid to communicate to customers that excuse will not fly. And it takes more time and effort to be that rude in a post than in person when caught off guard. If self control is lacking in a person then community relations is not the right place for them to work. Not to mention there has been zero attempts at apologizing for such conduct. The fact you are apologizing for her is silly. She can say the same thing you have but chose to remain silent after being rude and demeaning.
And telling people that are rightfully upset to just calm down isn't the best thing to do. It has the opposite effect usually. No one here is acting out of hand or overegagerating anything. She was rude and is being called out on it. Should happen more often.
You must be new around here, OP... As a long term Elite player I'd tell you that at least you have SOME communication. Sometimes I got the feeling that "community managers" are hired to repeat "we don't have anything to announce at this time" and measure salt flows on the forum. And you're demanding a roadmap. From FDev. Comedy gold.
FDev is just BAD at communicating, because CM's hands are tied and chained by the higher ups who want complete silence "until it's market ready". So enjoy whatever level of comms that you have, because it's still better than silence.That said, I find the CM answer a bit puzzling too. Must have been a rough day.
EDIT: re-read the op. The answer was well deserved and in-kind.
FDev is just BAD at communicating, because CM's hands are tied and chained by the higher ups who want complete silence "until it's market ready". So enjoy whatever level of comms that you have, because it's still better than silence.
EDIT: re-read the op. The answer was well deserved and in-kind.
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@Casperite I really don’t see how she was being rude honestly just trying to explain things really. I mean I’ve re read the conversation and honestly just don’t see it. I’m not looking for argument or taking sides but when I’m thinking rude I’m thinking a lot worse in my mind. Just wanted to add on the part where she says they’d appreciate more time to work on things. I definitely get that. We all want more content, updates ,ect. I can relate to this personally and with the game being so good imo it’s hard not to get ahead of myself. But the truth is it all takes time to produce. I feel frontiers done a great job so far. I remember getting zoo tycoon 2013 and just remember being so disappointed on how the game was handled as I always felt it had potential. I think frontier has always been pretty low key on things which is frustrating at times but great in dlc reveals imo.
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I think the issue isn't so much "waiting too long" and more of "there was nothing to wait for". There was just poor communication all around in regards to community challenge rewards, what happened to them, and what was planned for them. We know now that something was in the works, but before then people were getting antsy about the rewards because they removed the main ones (outfits) out of the blue with no hint that there were further plans for them. So people weren't really waiting for them since at the time there was no use on waiting for something that was (presumably then) not coming back. I agree with @Adarra that nobody was rushing just by wondering what the heck was happening with the community challenge rewards. Just being told weeks ago that this change was not permanent would've been enough, even if a solid solution wasn't in place yet
Tldr: People just can't know things they aren't informed of, this is a prime example of that. It's great that community challenge rewards are planned to be improved, but before the post in this thread the impression was "albinos will be prizes from here on out" with no other plans having been made yet.
I don't know what to say if you don't see how the reply was rude and demeaning. There was another person in this thread that broke down each part of the reply and nailed why it was ty.
I also would love to have the tiger outfit, but in the beginning they said that they would come back, but i dont know how or when
Actually the OP tone was aggressive and condescending too, so after re-reading it again while not being sleepy, I think the CM responded gently enough. OP should try being less demanding in the future and less dealing in absolutes, then maybe people will not "chastise" them. I could break that down and point out rude phrases, but I leave that as an exercise to the reader.
PS: Doesn't make FDev's "silent comms" any less sucky though
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Actually the OP tone was aggressive and condescending too, so after re-reading it again while not being sleepy, I think the CM responded gently enough. OP should try being less demanding in the future and less dealing in absolutes, then maybe people will not "chastise" them. I could break that down and point out rude phrases, but I leave that as an exercise to the reader.
PS: Doesn't make FDev's "silent comms" any less sucky though
The difference here is OP isn't paid to communicate to others here. Yes his original post was negative, but dealing with upset customers is part of being a community manager.
And that should be the reward, if you breed ridiculous amounts of w.e. animal the challenge is you should get a bunch of perfect animals.
i agree with this... you make your avatar when you start the game for the first time, put on some clothes and then you do nothing with it...
if your avator could walk in your zoo (and you can follow AND control him) and you can let him do things, like play with animals, take care of animals, feed animals, educate guests or do demonstrations with some animals etc... the costumes can be fun.. but since you do nothing with that avatar after creating it, those as a reward are meaningless
i know, but there is no point in 'visiting other people's zoo's' when you can't actualy visit them
I would love some hats too since I started playing after these rewards were taken away. I find it fun to grind in games and I don't mind doing so for 1 evening of my precious time if I can get something cool to wear for my avatar. I do look at it at least once a day