What is wrong with Gameplay???

[FlyinBrick]

How can an online service that relies upon it's commercialy built community for its income, become so complacent that it not only fails to respond to its customers, but also to its volunteers? Ie. gamepros, admins etc.

I've been on WP from day one, and whilst it was never a brilliant service from BT, we did get the impression that if enough people complained, they tried to do something about whatever was bothering us.

But since Gameplay have taken over the reigns, we are basically ignored or given false promises.

Is this because they think they are too big to have to worry about losing the odd frustrated customer?

I love these boards, (when they work) I love AA, (when it works) But I hate it when I am made to feel by Gameplay, that I as an individual am insignificant!

Gameplay, when you make me feel that I matter as much as the next gimp who has a gameplay.com tag under his name, then maybe, just maybe, I might start spending my money with you.

[Skunk]

/enter the next gimp with a gameplay.com tag

The basic problem we've been having for the past few months is that we've had one guy - velvet - running a community that has been growing at an astronomical rate. You need only look at the usage of the forums to see that. Obviously this is too much work for one guy which is why Mut(aka "velvet's little helper" :E) started work today. the addition of Mut to the community team essentially doubles the number of people employed full time to look after the community. I'm sure Mut will be happy to post more about his new role tomorrow morning (he's gonna love me for that).

Bottom line? More community employees = more community resources etc.

Cheers,

Skunk

[handsome]

Gameplay service is i must say good if not better then the rest ie bw...jolt..but to name a few, if u use there dial up,but other ppl might not agree,when i was using a modem wireplay gave me good pings and no pl,but use bt free or any other isp then it does go down hill,so ill say dont get a cable modem from ntl cause they suck atm,iam thinking of going back to my trusty modem with a 120 ping and no packet loss...........
btw have u tweaked the the forums to there max cause there still a tad slow..

[FlyinBrick]

Skunk...apologies for the gimp bit, it was a generalisation thats all, and not a good one at that. But thx for replying anyway, it's more than some do!

Handsome, it's not the pings/lag etc. thats the problem, just read the threads re the KTF money or Frogs problems and I'm sure you'll understand what I'm on about.

[Edited by FlyinBrick on 18-09-2000 at 11:53 PM]

[Jaguar]

Wireplay was pretty big when i joined, and as you said its been growing at a pretty quick rate since. So i have to say its pretty laughable, that its been allowed to get to the situation (and been allowed to continue for some time) where one bloke is pretty much doing all the community stuff on his own. I can only imagine that his workload is pretty huge (just running the league in the large TFC community took me ages, involved loads of work/hassle). It seems to me that he's been forced to spread his talents to thinly in administering all the manifold Wireplay community matters for quite a while now, and the cracks are now begining to appear more and more.

Im sure the fact that he now has an assistant, will lighten the Velvet's workload, and will generally help matters. However, to be honest i cant help thinking that theres still something rotten in the state of Denmark. As FlyinBrick said Gameplay seem to have let Wireplay wither on the vine. From a regular (obsessed may be nearer the mark :)) users point of view there seems to be little sign that GP are working to support or improve the service where it matters (in the all the great communities that grow up around the games). Wireplay has the potential to be so good (it used to be a lot better imo), but without more investment, more care/support to the army of tireless volunteers (league organisers, cl's, admins etc) who are the grease that hold the communities together, and a more forward thinking, innovative, approach to running the service as a whole, (instead of what seems like too much of a 'hands off' approach they have now) it will never fulfill that potential.

If it helps to focus their minds, maybe i should point out that there's an army of games mad people with lots of disposable income using the wireplay service. If Gameplay run all the aspects of Wireplay well and create a good impression on them, then there more likely to spend their money at Gameplay than with one of their many competitors. :)

[Edited by Jaguar on 19-09-2000 at 01:06 AM]

[334th Lenagh]

Velvet needs a staff of at least 5 to even begin to address community issues rapidly and efficiently.

Mut will do his best but he will soon be just as snowed under.

Len

[Skunk]

FlyinBrick - no apology needed for the gimp bit...

... cos I am a :blitz: :E

[Skunk]

Oh yeah - I say we give Mut a few weeks to settle in before predicting doom and gloom. I'm confident in him anyways :)

[WPS]

FB- In the case of AA I'm not entirely sure you are being fair - the AA board is probably the most actively monitored board of all, with no less than four Gameplay employees who monitor it on a daily basis. No other game gets as much personal service :(

[Jaguar]

Its not a question of predicting doom and gloom, its a case of seeing it all around us. :)

[Skunk]

I meant where Mut's concerned - seems there are already people predicting he'll be snowed under within a week before he's been here 2 days!

[Sar]

No other game gets as much personal service



Hell ain't that the truth

<--Q3 player.

:(

[Jaguar]

Oh right, soz :)

Yep, good luck with the new job Mut :)

[RedOne]

good points on both sides of the arguement.

nothing more to add except that mut is a gimp and good luck to him :E

[334th Lenagh]

I never make predictions.

[Mut]

woo , hello

/Youthful optimism :cat:

[Reality]

I think i've said all that I possibly can on WP at present, one thing I didn't do in a thread last week was wish Mut good Luck.

So good luck mate :)

and I promise I wont complain for another couple of weeks :E

[Feathers]

"......with no less than four Gameplay employees who monitor it on a daily basis. No other game gets as much personal service........"


Well were just sooo loveble, that you just keep comin back for more :E

[phatb0y]

Youthful optimism

Be interesting to see how long that lasts.