Interaction With GC Gamers

[at23steelers]

As posters on here, how can we improve the communication with them and also understanding how the process works. Sometimes they are fairly or unfairly bashed for the few raw-raw people that are GC's.

Also, what input do people have to give them for M14 and also maybe ways that we can be more vocal and have a bigger role in conveying our messages.

[yankeesgiants]

Quote: Originally Posted by at23steelers

As posters on here, how can we improve the communication with them and also understanding how the process works. Sometimes they are fairly or unfairly bashed for the few raw-raw people that are GC's. Also, what input do people have to give them for M14 and also maybe ways that we can be more vocal and have a bigger role in conveying our messages.

Has anybody communicated what the actual process is?

[Big FN Deal]

I think first off everyone should stop taking stuff personal when someone has a different POV. That's including about Madden and the EAGC program in general. I don't think I could do a better job than any of the current EAGC in regard to their interaction with devs/game but I do believe I would have thicker skin towards the gaming community as a whole, under the circumstances. Sometimes it comes across like Madden is their baby or family member, the way some get offended when the game is criticized, fairly or not. Likewise for people that are so disgruntled with Madden that they take it out on GCers as if they actually make the game.

As someone that doesn't enjoy Madden, I am bias towards those that lash out at GCers because seeing as we don't enjoy Madden, don't have the access afforded GCers to express why directly to Tiburon and don't have another current NFL game to choose, it's easy to feel slighted by the program. The program sends mixed messages, imo, because one minute it will be claimed that the EAGC are community reps, the next that they speak for nobody but themselves. In spite of suggestions to the contrary, no reasonable person hates the EAGC program or Madden just because, they hate the fact they don't have a NFL game they can enjoy. Then when the EAGC program, EA marketing, Madden devs and even other gamers seem to be suggesting that the problem is not Madden, it's the gamers who don't enjoy it and expect a "perfect" game, they speak up against that nonsense.

IMO, anybody in the EAGC, CE or any Madden community EA Tiburon based outreach, should be cognizance of the fact that Madden is the only current NFL game choice people have. Simfball had a post where he stated something to the effect of "if you don't like it don't play it" which is logical advise but can come across as a Richard move considering there is no other current NFL game to play.

Basically everyone should try to respect each others POV and seeing as GCers are in the cat bird seat so to speak, they should be more understanding of the unfortunate current situation of NFL gaming for some, when interacting.

[hanzsomehanz]

How can we give them props if they are no more than props? How is what they represent any diifetent than executives meeting w their frontline employee staff once a month for a roundtable?

I find their purpose to be weak when they appear as a sheild or army barracks for ea spew. Ea staff employees have their own employees that do more to effect the game than the Gcs do.

The gcs appease the stat quo but they cant mute the cries in community. Thats where i see the break in communication: the community expects more from them when really before they got here we should havr expectrd more from the devs and execs which we still should.

The gcs are just along for the ride. No need to heckle them. Should they release sone insider details here hooray otherwise they know more behind the scenes than we do even as props albeit they have guidlines on what can be shared to the community and how.

If ea had a board of governance board that helped them lobby ideas and offered counsel that would be effective. We confuse gcs w that power but they dont have board of governors power. They are a community outreach staff. A go between for ea as eyes and ears in the community no matter how silent and hidden they are here.

If we see them for what they are w.o the title of gamechanger we will see there is no need to expect anymore from them than we do ourselves. B4 they got here feedback was still drlivered and recieved now they handle that role as the delivery carrier. Its like the old days when you had the milkman

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[Hooe]

I'd like to again emphasize that criticism should be voiced in a constructive and respectful manner.

For example, I don't feel that calling the development team "incompetent" or calling the product said team builds "a pile of crap", or so on, is appropriate behavior; those thoughts aren't constructive and actually go against the Operation Sports Terms of Service:

Quote:

We allow all opinions on Operation Sports. But if you want to be negative, it needs to be constructive. Bashing a game developer is not constructive at all, for any reason. Bashing a game period is not constructive. Whining/complaining/acting like a middle schooler is not constructive. If you want to be constructive, say what is wrong with the game specifically. Any negativity that is not constructive will not be tolerated.

Regardless how one feels about the quality of the product, messages such as ones I describe above serve no purpose on this board other than to divide the community and alienate VIPs such as the GameChangers from posting here. It's perfectly fine to not enjoy a game or to find a game not flawless - I have yet to play a perfect game at all, and I certainly see room for improvement in the Madden games - but any criticism of a game should be voiced in a positive and open manner, a manner which doesn't put EA representatives immediately into a defensive mode unnecessarily and a manner which opens discussion with EA representatives as to how changes should be made to improve the game going forward.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Honestly you really don't have to DIRECTLY interact with them. They read everything anyway, they just don't post a lot because they are nothing but a lightening rod when they do post. But if you feel the need to directly post with them, Twitter would be the best bet, since most of them are on Twitter. Not saying all of them will reply to you on Twitter either, really just depends on who you talking to.

Some are way more friendlier then others and reply to pretty much any and all questions. Then you have those who only respond to those people they are more familiar with because they play in the same online leagues. But from my understanding, this is how the communication process works:

1. The Game Changers collect data of the wants, needs and desires of the community from various websites and sometimes direct line of communication via Twitter or simply chatting with guys during game play in their Online Leagues.

2. They then give that message to the developers. I know a few of the Game Changers have direct email access to key members of the development team, but I believe most of them don't and simply hand in their notes when they go down there to Community Day.

That is about it. Clearly EA already have certain features of what they want to do for the year already set in stone and that can't be altered. But anything else that isn't major they will look at it and try to address it as along as it doesn't cause other areas of the game to mess up.

Another Possible Way

I know back in December I believe Deweil tweeted EA was looking for big name Youtubers who play Madden and they were going to get invited down to Orlando to give their input. Keyword being, follower base of thousands of subscribers. Pretty much the same set up NBA 2K did, invited big name Youtubers to give input.

[hanzsomehanz]

Yes CM: we gotta be mindful of how we rep OS.

I see the slanted looks and snarls from being too slanted in our opinions of the GC community.

Lets get it right, it is the devs and execs whi have power to change thr game not the ones w the gamechanger title - thats all a deflection and im not naiive to see it otherwise.

Irvin was a gamechanger. Deion was a game changer - they had the power to manufacture change.

The GC is not in that role on the field. We gotta stop expecting the sun moon and stars from these guys - it was never in their contract to offer us the NEW game.

Bashing them as a raw raw team is not professional and only encourages more hide and seek behavior.

We are here to show value even if they save face. We gotta take care of our end and stop rivaling these guys. To that end we scarcely need to interact w them if they have nothing to share.

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[Hooe]

@Hanz - agreed.

The one thing I'll add to that is that the developers and GameChangers are the ones holding the metaphorical carrot on a stick here; we're the ones that want the information, they are the ones who have it. Like it or not, we must be respectful to the developers and GameChangers first in order to expect respectful communication back in turn. They always have the option to take their ball and go home if they don't feel that this atmosphere is one they can effectively communicate within, leaving the Operation Sports community in the cold and even more resentful.