Where are the DEVS?
- Thread starter FunnyLiz
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HeatherG
Volunteer Moderator
We have Jay Wilton, Tim Smith and Jens Erik who make up the team now. If it's feedback about the game they don't usuallly post a reaction to it but they do read everything on the forum, even if we don't hear from them here. If it's about a bug they may comment if they are asking for save files and such, but always know they're still here and workin hard. 
@HeatherG That’s good to know. The thing is tho Chante had turned into a great CM. She communicated with the community and would always see if she could find a answer or solution to the request or problem. I’m not saying anyone is any better then anyone else I’m just saying their are some members who have questions that aren’t getting answered like the diving system and aquatic animals escaping? Anyway just some response and feedback would be great.
HeatherG
Volunteer Moderator
One thing that Chante mentioned here is that she met with a Dev once a week to go through the forums and bring questions to them so they just might not be able to answer without information from them first. I completely understand where the community is coming from, I truly do. Hopefully they can bring clarity soon 
How should the community know that all of the feedback is being read? A little comment would be enough. That's not a lot of work. we currently feel left in the lurch. The only feedback that you currently get is that you should write your problems in the issue tracker. That's cheeky. More presence of the devs or the community manager should be very important!!We have Jay Wilton, Tim Smith and Jens Erik who make up the team now. If it's feedback about the game they don't usuallly post a reaction to it but they do read everything on the forum, even if we don't hear from them here. If it's about a bug they may comment if they are asking for save files and such, but always know they're still here and workin hard.
HeatherG
Volunteer Moderator
Part of the job of the Community Managers is to read the forums and bring ideas/feedback to the devs. That's how new features and changes in the game happen, along with answering certain issues. They've also posted that they read the forums. See quote below.
If the devs have trouble replicating a certain bug (things listed in the Issues Tracker and posted here) they ask for files.
The Issues Tracker is how they are able to be aware and to fix bugs without it they wouldn't be aware of it. They are able to track things better. Also, not everyone uses the forum so many will post on the Tracker and not here.
This is a quote from Chante that I mentioned above about reading the forums daily and meeting with the devs once a week to pass along feedback and to try to get answers to technical questions.....
I've been a member of the forum for 4 years and a moderator for 2.5 yrs so I can assure you they do read the feedback and the rest of the forum sections. I hope that helps
I do hope communication comes back. Apart from not having a working PC currently, I haven't been as active because it feels like we are in a very silent period of no communication and our questions are left in the air until we get something. We all feel the loss of Chante a lot. I know they're doing their jobs and they have their own lives but it just doesn't feel the same when we are left in the dark like we currently are. The community is like a chicken without a head worrying about the future of our beloved game and not getting communication until they have something to sell.
It's just the time after the Dlc release, known as the Big Silence. You will hear the devs and the community managers when the next Dlc will be announced. That's how Frontier works 
, but judging the various updates (at least with Chante) they read the feedbacks, but you're right, the forum is a dry desert now.
, but judging the various updates (at least with Chante) they read the feedbacks, but you're right, the forum is a dry desert now.
Isn't this a bit dramatic? The big update/DLC was only 4 weeks ago.
There was silence before that dlc too....then the dlc released...and then silence again. You don't see a trend? It's not so much when the dlc came out that's the issue...the issue is the silence in between dlcs.
I don't need constant feedback from the devs, as long as they are listening
If the issues mentioned previously are being addressed (and fixed) then the silence is frustrating but I'm just thankful they are still listening. I get anxious thinking that the support for this game will be coming to an end soon...
True, true. The game is great, but communication from official channels is absolutely lacking between updates. We get the preview of what they've been working on, and then about a week later the announcement for the new patch to come (and DLC if time), and then a week later the new patch/DLC. Then maybe another follow up for an update a week or two after. Then silence for months.It's just the time after the Dlc release, known as the Big Silence. You will hear the devs and the community managers when the next Dlc will be announced. That's how Frontier works
Granted they have the feel good stuff like photo of the week, workshop item of the week and animal fun facts, but that's all it is. Feel good interactions.
When they give "feed" us, they give us a buffet of amazing stuff but in between that we starve.
It is a bit dramatic, yes. The last dev post in the Planet Zoo forums was just over a week ago. So, it's quite an exaggeration to say the devs are silent.
1 post per week is a pretty low bar to set for good community engagement / communication.
Yes, it's the same like previous times.
But 4 weeks ago a new DLC/update and 2 weeks ago a few hotfixes - that's not being silent. We all know they don't do roadmaps and news for new DLC is something you can't expect when you just had a new DLC. I really think they could improve with more info on the issues in the issue tracker.
When you don't look at the animal request reactions, the forum is pretty silent as well. There aren't many new threads in the last couple of weeks and those threads only get a few replies.
Does this and the title of this thread have something to do with those rumours from a few Youtubers?
Would be nice to see another stream here and there from the CM's. I know they're probably very busy and for good reason I bet, but I do feel a bit left out of the loop for these long swaths of time.
I'm sorry to have to say this now, but my experience is rather different.
I look after a large German Facebook community and had suggested to the community manager that I act as a connection to pass on feedback directly to Frontier. I had suggested reporting bugs and other problems and, if necessary, supplying game files for reproduction.
Especially since some bugs have come up with the last update.
Not everyone from the foreign-language community knows English and can handle the issue tracker.
If I myself reported every bug via the issue tracker, I would spend hours. And I don't know the technical specifications of the members.
The suggestion was rejected, rather unkindly.
I wanted to help improve the game, because, and I want to emphasise this, it is a good game. I don't mean any harm or want to attack the community managers here.
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Was this your experience with a Frontier CM or someone who just operates within that Facebook group? Sorry, just need a little clarification
My guess is that the answer is "Busy doing horrendous amounts of crunch to somehow have a minimum viable product by an unrealistic deadline to meet the end of the financial year", if the Elite Odyssey alpha is anything to go by. Wouldn't be surprised to see staff from other teams supporting the Elite development atm.
This was an experience with the current Frontier CM