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Receiving nerfs gracefully

Author
Petrus Blackshell
Rifterlings
#1 - 2012-09-25 18:06:14 UTC  |  Edited by: Petrus Blackshell
Over the almost 3 years I've been playing, and the various rebalancing passes or other changes I've seen, I have noticed a few types of responses from the playerbase whose playstyle is being nerfed. Which one are you?

1. The first (and loudest) is the rage train, or tears of unfathomable sadness. Signature phrases are overblown, inflammatory, or uninformed ("Eve is dying", "I am unsubbing my 37 accounts", "You killed small gang PvP, gj", etc). The people with this response opposed the nerf thoroughly, going as far as recommending a buff instead. Some of them even resort to personal attacks ("CCP are goons in disguise / CCP doesn't play their own game / You're just a CCP fanboi/alt!").

2. The schadenfreude enthusiasts, or trolls. Mostly make fun of group #1, and try to rile them up more, for purposes of collection of the tears of unfathomable sadness. Signature phrases include "posting in QQ thread", "umad" and similar.

3. The people who hate everything forever, or bittervets. These people will never be happy, and remind everyone of it. Signature phrases such as "It's about time tech got nerfed, what sort of drugs has CCP been on for all these years?" or "Why is the Tristan the T1 drone boat, but the Ishkur the T2 one?! This is an outrage!" Their arguments are typically a bit more well founded than #1, but the mad is strong with these ones, so #2 likes having fun with them too.

4. The opponent/skeptic offers intelligent discussion and contributions before and after the nerf. Accepts CCP's expertise and authority over Eve, adapts to change, but doesn't necessarily like it -- and expresses this via respectful discourse. Example: "Don't be so quick to judge titan tracking by the titan hitting MWDing, TP'ed Drakes, which are bigger than carriers," or "As we [opponents] anticipated, the nerf turned titans into little more than space taxis again; can we have a viable combat role for them?"

5. The supporter/enthusiast is very similar to #4, but holds the opposite position, arguing for why the nerf is a good idea and encouraging its implementation. Example: "It's ridiculous and unbalanced that a fleet of 30 people (albeit in titans) should be able to take on several hundreds of people and win, and goes against core Eve principles" or "Glad to see sanity return to fleet battles, thanks CCP!"



Every nerf seems to trigger varying amounts of composition of each of these groups, but #4 and #5 are usually (at least apparently) woefully small in number. How can we as players, forumgoers, mods, or devs (whoever is reading this) encourage more of that, and less of #1-3?

(Technically these groups show up in all changes, not just nerfs, but nerfs have the most pronounced effect because of someone 'losing out')

Accidentally The Whole Frigate - For-newbies blog (currently on pause)

Brooks Puuntai
Solar Nexus.
#2 - 2012-09-25 18:10:59 UTC
Because intelligent discussion and constructive feedback requires more effort and usually provides less results.

CCP's Motto: If it isn't broken, break it. If it is broken, ignore it. Improving NPE / Dynamic New Eden

Robert De'Arneth
#3 - 2012-09-25 18:11:05 UTC
Meh, changes happen.

as to how can we/devs do to get less QQ? Not a damn thing, there will always be 1-3 and 4-5. Just eat some popcorn and giggle.

I'm a nerd, you can check my stats!! Skilling Int/Mem at 45 sp per minute is how I mack!     I'm like a lapdog, all bark no bite. 

Paul Oliver
Doomheim
#4 - 2012-09-25 18:13:13 UTC
You forgot...
6. The "its just a game, whatever" group. Those who accept whatever CCP does with relative indifference until they get bored and go play something else. This group does not complain when something is changed, they do not proclaim that they're unsubbing, they just do it without a word, never to be heard from again.
Its good to be [Gallente](http://dl.eve-files.com/media/1209/QEQlJ.jpg).
Jim Era
#5 - 2012-09-25 18:13:37 UTC
wat

Wat™

Petrus Blackshell
Rifterlings
#6 - 2012-09-25 18:14:04 UTC
Paul Oliver wrote:
You forgot...
6. The "its just a game, whatever" group. Those who accept whatever CCP does with relative indifference until they get bored and go play something else. This group does not complain when something is changed, they do not proclaim that they're unsubbing, they just do it without a word, never to be heard from again.

While they exist, they don't usually bother posting they don't care on the forum. When they do, I find that they fit into #3 a bit better, as letting everyone know how little they care seems a bit bitter to me.

Accidentally The Whole Frigate - For-newbies blog (currently on pause)

Petrus Blackshell
Rifterlings
#7 - 2012-09-25 18:14:40 UTC
Jim Era wrote:
wat

wat

Accidentally The Whole Frigate - For-newbies blog (currently on pause)

James 315
Experimental Fun Times Corp RELOADED
CODE.
#8 - 2012-09-25 18:16:04 UTC
I think everyone who's read my posts knows which category I fall into (the good one). Smile
Paul Oliver
Doomheim
#9 - 2012-09-25 18:16:13 UTC
Jim Era wrote:
wat
Guess wat..
Its good to be [Gallente](http://dl.eve-files.com/media/1209/QEQlJ.jpg).
Varesk
Aliastra
Gallente Federation
#10 - 2012-09-25 18:18:23 UTC
You forgot one,

6) Dont care, All sub caps/weapon systems trained.
Jim Era
#11 - 2012-09-25 18:19:25 UTC  |  Edited by: Jim Era
I would like my own category please.


In all seriousness though, I do not understand why people complain so much.
In my 12 or so years of playing online games, I have very rarely ever even looked at patch notes etc and just kept playing the game.
When something new came up or something old was no longer there, I asked people and they explained and I moved on.

I enjoy this game...if you do too why do you complain? When I no longer like the direction the company is heading I no longer play said game and find one that is more suitable.

rewr rewr


also, wat?

Wat™

Petrus Blackshell
Rifterlings
#12 - 2012-09-25 18:19:48 UTC
Varesk wrote:
You forgot one,

6) Dont care, All sub caps/weapon systems trained.

Note how I mentioned non-ship specific nerfs as well, like the tech nerf. Other examples are nano nerf, incursion nerf, the coming FW iskfaucet nerf, etc.

Accidentally The Whole Frigate - For-newbies blog (currently on pause)

Petrus Blackshell
Rifterlings
#13 - 2012-09-25 18:20:57 UTC
Jim Era wrote:
I would like my own category please.

Special just for you, 150 mil isk and you can have one.

Accidentally The Whole Frigate - For-newbies blog (currently on pause)

Alua Oresson
League of the Shieldy
SLYCE Pirates
#14 - 2012-09-25 18:22:45 UTC
I find myself to be somewhat in between group 2 and 4/5 depending on the nerf/buff. It warms my cold, black heart to induce more sweet tears from the ragers, but I also enjoy discussing the ramifications of whatever change is being discussed.

http://pvpwannabe.blogspot.com/

Cipher Jones
The Thomas Edwards Taco Tuesday All Stars
#15 - 2012-09-25 18:24:18 UTC
Balances are good for the game, nerfs suck, and most people are opposed to change either way.

Asking someone to like something that does not benefit them is a ridiculous request and will not only not be honored, but ridiculed.

internet spaceships

are serious business sir.

and don't forget it

Brooks Puuntai
Solar Nexus.
#16 - 2012-09-25 18:26:10 UTC
Should also add in.

Players who are apathetic because #4 never works, so they instead practice #2 and troll.

CCP's Motto: If it isn't broken, break it. If it is broken, ignore it. Improving NPE / Dynamic New Eden

Metal Icarus
Star Frontiers
Brotherhood of Spacers
#17 - 2012-09-25 18:27:07 UTC
Brooks Puuntai wrote:
Because intelligent discussion and constructive feedback requires more effort and usually provides less results.


Yep, IRL too.... Proof that Eve is Real.
Fraxi Nilanth
Alexylva Paradox
#18 - 2012-09-25 18:28:37 UTC
Yup, that's pretty much how it goes.

Fraxi Nilanth: Albino Spacejanitor Extraordinaire

Corina Jarr
en Welle Shipping Inc.
#19 - 2012-09-25 18:31:30 UTC
Depending on how stupid the rage, and if there is anyone else willing to have intelligent discussion...

Generally I fall into 4/5 (based on which opinion I hold on the nerf), sometimes 2.
Robert De'Arneth
#20 - 2012-09-25 18:38:22 UTC
Cipher Jones wrote:
Balances are good for the game, nerfs suck, and most people are opposed to change either way.

Asking someone to like something that does not benefit them is a ridiculous request and will not only not be honored, but ridiculed.





Kind of funny, since CCP as well as all other mmo devs makers call what you call nerfs balance tweaks. Big smile


I'm a nerd, you can check my stats!! Skilling Int/Mem at 45 sp per minute is how I mack!     I'm like a lapdog, all bark no bite. 

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