Important things to be learned from both players and other game companies and studios.

[Incarnate 34]

Hello Developers and Everyone in this community reading this.

There are lessons to be learned from other game companies and studios, especially the bigger ones, primarily how they're utilizing their community and playerbase to the absolute fullest, but also in terms of what features seems to work well and not so well in their games, etc. But there are also important things to be learned from players, especially from those who seem to express an interest in improving various things in the game, like gameplay, balance, feature, experience of the game, etc., especially if they seem to be creative, have insight and understanding of the above.

So a good idea would be to let the community try and tackle how to solve various gameplay and balance issues, etc., where a community manager would be assigned specifically for this, who also will be participating with the community in trying to figure out good and lasting solutions to various issues and problems. This is to make sure the correct suggestions chosen but also to make sure they're carried through.You might be thinking why would it be a good idea to let the community to try tackle solving various gameplay and balance issues? There are several good reasons for this, the first one is they're actually playing it and probably a great deal more than any developer is currently, so they're likely to have a better idea of what is needed and what would be more likely to work, another thing that also comes from this is that players in general are dealing with the issues on a daily basis and thus can provide far more accurate feedback information about it than a developer  could and quite possibly provide viable and accurate solutions on how to fix them. Quite often there are very talented players in a game community, where if the developer team were to actually listen carefully to what their players suggest and implement it, chances are that it will be a lot more successful. And considering when bigger studios actually spend a great deal of resources in bringing in a panel of players specifically for this, to their studio for a weekend or week that is - to work in tandem with the players. But why do the bigger studios actually spend all of those resource on projects like these? It's because those particular studios have realized one important thing; it's what the players want and not the developers that is important, this in my opinion says a lot. This makes a lot of sense when considering it is the players that are going to be playing it the most, it makes perfects sense to listen to what the players have to say, as a happyplayer is usually a very loyal player, and would be a recurring customer, recurring customers have a tendency to bring other people onboard, because they like/love the game so much. However I completely understand if the developers have a vision about the game they would like to reach, but I would like to say this, players are far more likely to know what they want from the game, than you knowing what your playerbase wants, and you should be asking yourself if it's more important that you like the game or the players like the game.

.:: How the developers actually work with the players ::.
The process of how the developers actually work with the players is rather simple but quite powerful, because it enables the developers to accurately narrow down issues and become informed about how players would like those issues fixed, what they like about the game and dislike about the game, ultimately this enables the developers to make the game even more enjoyable and enables them accurately iron out unwanted/unnecessary gameplay mechanics. This essentially makes the players a form of co-developer without formally being recoqnized as such unless the game company would like to.

The process is as follows:
1.0 - Players test the latest build or even next build of the game.
1.1 - Players then hold a meeting where they share their gameplay experiences and issues with the game and/or build.
1.2 - Players then discuss various ideas and solutions, which is either to fix gameplay or balance issues, what gameplay features they feel are missing and/or what gameplay features that are unwanted/unnecessary, etc.
1.3 - 1st Co-development meeting is held - players and developers both attend, here the players share accurate feedback information about their gameplay experience and issues with the game and/or build.
1.4 - 1st Co-development meeting - The players then share and discuss with the developers the various ideas to solve various issues and problems, what gameplay features they feel are missing and/or what gameplay features that are unwanted/unnecessary, etc.
1.5 - 1st Co-development meeting - The developers then discuss with the player what would currently be possible to implement of the suggested ideas and if the developers can do something on their end to make it possible, if it would be feasible and so. Where they from there then workout and agree on what is implemented, where the developers then get to work ASAP on it, where it's possible that individual players will work with one or several developer while they're working on developing and implementing it.
2.0 - Developers roll out the build in testing environment, where it's basically from here they repeat the process from 1.0 through 2.0 and they keep on rinse and repeating, and the process continues until they reach their goal or run out time, but if they were to reach their goal I'm sure they wouldn't be wasting the opportunity to keep working with their players while they're there.

Obviously, this would gear the game more towards what the players want rather than what the developers want, but this is a good thing, because if the players are happy, satisfied and are enjoying the gameplay experience, then there are great chances that other players will like it as well, and happy players are usually a very loyal players - which usually means a recurring customer. Besides this the players generally know whats better for the game than than the developers actually do, but this is because that the players are more likely to know the game better than the developers ever will, unless of course the developer is also playing it in his or spare time. Understandably with you being a smaller studio, it's completely acceptable that you won't be bringing in a panel of players to do an operation like the above, but what you can do, is the next best thing, use the official forums to do something similar. So what I would suggest is that you assign the community manager as mentioned, and if necessary the community manager select a few volunteering key players from the community to act as ambassadors for the community, who're primarily paying attention to what players are satisfied with and what they're not satisfied with, but these are also going to working with those who express an interest improving gameplay, balance, features and the gameplay experience. The ambassadors work closely with the community mananger in relaying on behalf of the players, key information about player satisfaction, suggestions, etc. Including their own. This can be a lot of work, I would recommend that you acknowledge this and reward accordingly.

This process would be somewhat different and look something like this and should take place in a closed section of the official forum specifically for this:
0.0 - Ambassadors always pay attention to what the rest of players express in terms of issues and suggestions for the game, and will in general do their best to include and relay this.
1.0 - Players test the latest build or even next build of the game.
1.1 - Player Ambassadors then discuss their experience and issues with the game.
1.2 - Player Ambassadors then discuss various ideas and solutions (as continuation of 1.1), which is either to fix gameplay or balance issues, what gameplay features they feel are missing and/or what gameplay features that are unwanted/unnecessary, if the game is going in the right direction, ect.
1.3 - Player Ambassadors then each make detailed write ups of their individual ideas for the various solutions and suggestions.
1.4 - Player Ambassadors can then review each others suggestions, provide feedback and discuss various aspects of the suggestion.
1.5 - Player Ambassadors then submit the suggestions for review by the community manager assigned for this, where the community manager can discuss and ask question in regards to the suggestions.
1.6 - Community Manager then takes the suggestions that qualified, and presents them to the developer and explains, if clarification is needed, they can ask the player in question who submitted the idea.
1.7 - Developers then decide on what, how and if it can be implemented as is, what they will need to change/implement to make it possible, the feasibility of it, but should attempt to implement it as is, unless there are technical issues with it.
1.8 - Developers can if they find it to feasible, have a test build the Player Ambassadors can access and test to provide accurate feedback on it.
1.9 - Developers adjust accordingly to provided feedback, and keep doing 1.8 and 1.9 until they reach a satisfactory result.
2.0 - Developers then include it to the live build and roll it and when it's time to do so.

To note, this will be an ongoing process and developers would still keep developing it as they see fit, this is just an additional way to get the game more in the lines of what the players would like.

@Jatheish - Would Grapeshot Games be interested in this?
Would any players in the community volunteer for this?

Obviously since I'm posting this I would personally welcome the opportunity and definitely would volunteer for it.

// Inc.