An Open Letter to the Guild Wars Community

[JupiterStarWarrior]

TO: Guild Wars Community

FROM: Jupiter Star Warrior

DATE: Thursday, August 21, 2008

SUBJECT: Game Updates Responses and General Discussion

Dear Guild Wars Community:

In the time I have spent on Guild Wars Guru, I have noticed a few disturbing attributes I wish to address to the community on a whole. First, I would like to discuss my opinion and observations regarding the general community's responses to game updates. Then, more specifically, touch up on insulting ArenaNet employees. Next, the community's behavior regarding ideas bounced in certain forums. My idea is not to insult, but to inform and, hopefully, teach those willing to learn certain and proper and general respect to other users.

It has come to my attention that there is something seriously wrong with responses before, during, and after updates to the game Guild Wars. Often, when updates happen, there are certain individuals who complain because a certain skill has become, in these individuals' eyes, useless or tainted. In certain instances, certain skills do become useless. However, other instances just simply requires a bit of rethinking to make the touched skill useful again. People making builds just need to work out the build. Why not recreate the build for yourself? That way, you got something that's uniquely yours, instead of a cookie-cutter build that most everyone uses?

Also, why do certain people blatantly insult the employees of ArenaNet when they are simply trying to make a fun game more fun and well balanced? The ArenaNet employees work hard at what they do. Stating that skill balancing is tough work is a fair assumption, especially when programmers and developers must do so without dramatically altering the game engine and causing the game to crash. Insulting the employees of ArenaNet makes the community look degrading and, forgive my choice of word, stupid.

On an unrelated note, I have also come to realize that on certain forums, there are players who, after reading an idea, say that the idea presented “sucks” without offering any specific reason why. Instead of insulting the topic starter, responses should offer a reason why the proposed topic is not a wise idea to the game. Responses should also offer constructive feedback, and include ways of making the idea a better one, if applicable. Thinking logically, developers may actually implement the idea if the community works together and present a wise, clear idea. Instead of saying “useless idea is useless”, why not state why that idea is useless? People do not have to be intelligent to act intelligent.

Finally, when presenting an idea to the community,k or even responding to an idea, users should try to proofread a post before submitting it, making that post more legible to read. Legible posts give credibility when they are presented in a clear manner, where all can read without getting a headache.

Taking at least one or all of the approaches above will make this community better than what it is. The suggestions are not meant to call anyone out, nor are they supposed to be offensive. On a whole, we as a community should take the time to be better than what we are. The Guild Wars community is a large community, and represents us as a human race. There will be differences of opinion, but insulting someone is no way to react. Growing up, we were taught proper manners, so we should use them and help each other out.

Thank you for your time in reading this letter:


Jupiter Star Warrior

[JupiterStarWarrior]

Originally Posted by Sai Rith

I gotz first post!

That wasn't the point of this letter, you know. -_-

[ALF71BE]

tl;dr

in b4 close.

What's with people and their "open letters" eh?

[Sujoy]

Originally Posted by JupiterStarWarrior

TO: Guild Wars Community

FROM: Jupiter Star Warrior

DATE: Thursday, August 21, 2008

SUBJECT: Game Updates Responses and General Discussion

Dear Guild Wars Community:

In the time I have spent on Guild Wars Guru, I have noticed a few disturbing attributes I wish to address to the community on a whole. First, I would like to discuss my opinion and observations regarding the general community's responses to game updates. Then, more specifically, touch up on insulting ArenaNet employees. Next, the community's behavior regarding ideas bounced in certain forums. My idea is not to insult, but to inform and, hopefully, teach those willing to learn certain and proper and general respect to other users.

It has come to my attention that there is something seriously wrong with responses before, during, and after updates to the game Guild Wars. Often, when updates happen, there are certain individuals who complain because a certain skill has become, in these individuals' eyes, useless or tainted. In certain instances, certain skills do become useless. However, other instances just simply requires a bit of rethinking to make the touched skill useful again. People making builds just need to work out the build. Why not recreate the build for yourself? That way, you got something that's uniquely yours, instead of a cookie-cutter build that most everyone uses?

Also, why do certain people blatantly insult the employees of ArenaNet when they are simply trying to make a fun game more fun and well balanced? The ArenaNet employees work hard at what they do. Stating that skill balancing is tough work is a fair assumption, especially when programmers and developers must do so without dramatically altering the game engine and causing the game to crash. Insulting the employees of ArenaNet makes the community look degrading and, forgive my choice of word, stupid.

On an unrelated note, I have also come to realize that on certain forums, there are players who, after reading an idea, say that the idea presented “sucks” without offering any specific reason why. Instead of insulting the topic starter, responses should offer a reason why the proposed topic is not a wise idea to the game. Responses should also offer constructive feedback, and include ways of making the idea a better one, if applicable. Thinking logically, developers may actually implement the idea if the community works together and present a wise, clear idea. Instead of saying “useless idea is useless”, why not state why that idea is useless? People do not have to be intelligent to act intelligent.

Finally, when presenting an idea to the community,k or even responding to an idea, users should try to proofread a post before submitting it, making that post more legible to read. Legible posts give credibility when they are presented in a clear manner, where all can read without getting a headache.

Taking at least one or all of the approaches above will make this community better than what it is. The suggestions are not meant to call anyone out, nor are they supposed to be offensive. On a whole, we as a community should take the time to be better than what we are. The Guild Wars community is a large community, and represents us as a human race. There will be differences of opinion, but insulting someone is no way to react. Growing up, we were taught proper manners, so we should use them and help each other out.

Thank you for your time in reading this letter:


Jupiter Star Warrior

Keep your day job, changing this community is near impossible. All the good people have left long ago.

[Zahr Dalsk]

Originally Posted by JupiterStarWarrior

That wasn't the point of this letter, you know. -_-

It is on this forum

Anyways, yes, for the most part, I agree with your letter - detailed responses are nice.

In some cases however ideas are simply too stupid to deserve anything other than, "This is retarded" and perhaps a brief explanation why. Like that guy who wanted items to break over time, and the guy who wanted to add achievements to the game, and the guy who wanted more titles added.

[credit]

tl;dr

Based off the title, good luck.

[ShadowsRequiem]

errr tl;dr

anyone tell me what that huge wall of text means :F

[jiggles]

tl;dr summary plz

[ALF71BE]

Away with you! I said it first!

[Trub]

Originally Posted by Sujoy

Keep your day job, changing this community is near impossible. All the people that really gave a dam have left long ago.

Sad, but sometimes the truth hurts.

[Daenara]

Open letter seems to be the catchphrase of the season. >.>
Anyway, the community is as it is. If you don't like it, make your own forum where can you rigorously moderate the comments so only constructive ones can go through.

[Zahr Dalsk]

I'd write an open letter to the Guru community talking about how much entertainment the place gives me, but I'm afraid it might be locked.

The place does entertain me, though, there's no doubt about that. More so than the game we discuss, even.

[Snow Bunny]

Avarre and Sha have much better writing.

There's a reason we get frustrated with devs and people's idiot ideas.



For those of you who want a summary: JSW doesn't like the flaming that goes on in this forum, thinks it's bad we flame Izzy, Regina, and Gaile, and wants us to approve more mindless suggestions in Sardelac.

[Dolemite Thornleaf]

An open letter to people who keep making these. Don't.
If you feel the need to make a thread that begins with this phrase, turn off the computer and go outside. Your grounded from Guild Wars for two weeks.

[Guillaume De Sonoma]

None of you are Avarre please stop.

I read your post anyways and frankly who cares?

[farmerfez]

wut

/youhavetoomuchtimeonyourhandsandshouldjuststfuandp laythegame

[Mr. Undisclosed]

Originally Posted by ALF71BE

tl;dr

in b4 close.

What's with people and their "open letters" eh?

The original open letter got attention so everyone thinks "o hay, people will give meh attention if i putz open letter in teh title!". When I see posts titled "An Open Letter" I don't read them and instead choose to make fun of the poster for being stupid.

[IllusiveMind]

Originally Posted by Mr. Undisclosed

The original open letter got attention so everyone thinks "o hay, people will give meh attention if i putz open letter in teh title!". When I see posts titled "An Open Letter" I don't read them and instead choose to make fun of the poster for being stupid.

I thought I was evil but you beat me to it.
/moarlulz

[SerenitySilverstar]

Oh please responders, continue to prove why you don't deserve to pass your genes on to the next generation.

I'm with you Jupiter, though it does feel like a losing battle trying to herd cats and kindergarteners.

[Div]

Originally Posted by ALF71BE

What's with people and their "open letters" eh?

They wanted to be cool like Avarre.