Frogboy's update yesterday contains an issue which I think could be easily clarified between the community and SD -- or at least to me seems like an issue with an obvious answer, so I quote Frogboy at length:
One of our frustrations (and this is one of the reasons I’m not a fan of MP games in the first place) is how inconsiderate some people are. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out why people were getting “disconnected” right when a game starts. Well, it turns out, from looking at the logs, is that some people, having only 2 on 2 or 3 vs. 3 where an AI player had to be substituted to fill in the gap that some people just quit right at the start. I understand the rationale but it’s still objectifying other people’s time. I won’t debate people on the issue as I think it’s a matter of agreeing to disagree.
To start, I'm not sure I understand precisely what Frogboy is saying, but it's either one of two things.
1. People are quitting when a pantheon game starts because there is an AI player in the game
or
2. People are quitting pantheon games on start-up and causing an AI player to fill the gap.
In the first case, I think this issue should be clarified. I think it is absurd that a game developer to suggest that the consumers of their product are going to be benevolent when it comes to the facility of the game which generates an enduring record (in what is a competitive game) and likewise, potentially the most fun if players are interested in competition. If the game is starting with 3 vs 2+AI there is an immediate, obvious disadvantage. To the team that is playing with the AI, they are generally no longer competitive (in fact, 2v3 is more competitive because there is no AI to feed). To the players without the AI, the game is no longer fun because they are going to do the pwn-dance all over their opponents AI. In either case, the match is illegitemate in the mind of any competitive player as one side has a gushing wound from the get-go. The issue, then, is not slandering a community-base as "inconsiderate," but finding a functional solution to the problem. This isn't a suggest-a-fix post, so I won't ramble about fixes, but there are many and if it has to be trial and error, so be it.
If the thrust of Frogboy's comment here is that the problem with pantheon-game functionality is that people are quitting at the beginning of games for any reason at all really, I assure you that is correct. The most likely reason is that they were trying for a 2v2 with a friend and didn't open the connectin tab quickly enough to check if their partner was in the game with them. I think the solution to this is self-explanatory. There could be a ton of other reasons, namely personal connection issues etc etc, but there are viable solutions to all of these. Again, those solutions are probably found in a thousand posts on these forums so I won't post them here.
Anyway, before I get the "wall of text crits you for" replies, please keep in mind I write this post as a member of the DG community. One who has sat, content to let DG work things out with connectivity, balance and other issues -- and contributed to much constructive community discussion during that time. I feel Frogboy's comments represent either ( a ) a shallow attempt to blame some of the games issues on DG players ( b ) a blatant ignorance of the problems plaguing one of the games most interest features or ( c ) an far too ideal view of the online game communities an their moral obligation to all other players in that community.
If you feel any of the three possibilities above is an accurate description of Frogboy's comments yesterday, please reply and let SD know what you think.
Naz
