We Are The Problem.

**Prankster**

A lot of people are on these forums discussing how terrible the game is, how much we pay, how little people there is in the game etc. I'm sure you get the gist of what I'm trying to say.

The main complaint is having new people right? But I think we're forgetting that the first interaction that people have with the game may not actually be the trial version of the game itself. It could well be that this forum is their first interaction with the community and the game.

With that being said, it may be our own undoing when we're on here complaining about how our money is going to waste or how there's no devs and we're being to lazy to make up our own missions (ok not all of us) but have the time to type up a long complaint letter not at all unlike this one.

I for one enjoy the RP in Recursion every once in a while. I am not currently in the game much because of school but when I do get the chance I still find it quite enjoyable. I think the big thing keeping me in game is the faction I belong to.

Anyway, just be sure you understand that when you are posting something on these forums it may be that you are scaring off potential red pills.

**Shinryu**

I think you've definitely got the right idea. Not to say that there aren't things to complain about, or discussions to be had, but there seems to be a rather large contingent of "players" who appear to spend their time just posting negatively on the boards here. If you don't like the game and/or the way things are that much, then you'd be better served finding something else to do with your time. I doubt anyone is truly happy with the way things are but spamming the boards with negativity isn't doing anything but scaring away some of the new people coming to the game for the first time.

**Prankster**

Oh I understand that there are some issues here and there. I'm also aware that this post is more of a hinderance and somewhat of a contradiction to what I am trying to actually change. But I think it's a needed development and revelation for those that do nothing but squable over speculations and wants rather than actually discuss the original poster's intention.

**Garu**

To a certain extent, you're right. However, regardless of how negative the community may be, the root of the negativity stems from having to endure repeated poor decisions from Sony Online Entertainment. As a result we have:

No Developer(s).
No Storyteller(s).
No progression of the game as it is now at a halt.
No news from "high up" whether they will be seeking to supply us with developer(s) and/or storyteller(s).
No Live Events.
No Content.
No Updates.
A virtual world frozen in time with nothing but constant reminders of what was and the absolute nothing we have now.

Frankly, I do NOT encourage new subscribers anymore. All there signing up for is a hollow shell of a game that used to offer a continuation of the Matrix story and incidentally a great community with loads to do.

So we are just a result of the problem, imo. We are the neglected, bitter remains of what used to be an amazing community with aspirations to go great things and be a part of one of the most fascinating stories ever told.

Now, we're just shadows.

**Prankster** · 04/14/2009 09:48:33

And yet, here you are. Still on the forums, still posting, still playing the game. So there must be something to keep you entertained. What is it? Why are you still here?

**QuiDormit**

Naah, there's not one "problem" that is causing this, there's a myriad of them.

While I agree that the excessive forum negativity is a blemish on the community, you can't stop people from complaning about things any more than you can get SOE to give us a few words on the condition and future of our game here. Neither is likely to happen. Someone will always find something to complain about, and the thing is unless they're using faulty data to come up with their opinions, no one is wrong. We can post about how people should either shut up and play or quit, but that won't do anything.

The only way to truly combat the negativity is to give the new players something to do, something to see, something to be a part of. Try to get people together to make positive posts to balance out the negative ones. Host events and fearlessly post them on the forums. Telling people who are bitter and angry to shut up is not going to work. The only answer is to do instead of say. Good luck.

**Fen**

People seem to keep saying that we should be thankful to SOE for keeping MxO open. I'm going to reverse that.

You all should be thankful that those who are disenfranchised with the game are still paying. If we all did as you people suggest and s t f u and leave, then THAT would be the true death of MxO. There are far more people disappointed in MxO right now than there are who are truly enjoying it. And that's the fault of SOE, not the players.

**QuiDormit** · 04/14/2009 10:01:24

QuiDormit wrote:

Try to get people together to make positive posts to balance out the negative ones.

BTW by this, I do not mean start threads like this calling people out, and I don't mean posting in the negative threads with positive words. I mean entirely separate threads that have nothing to do with the state of this game and more to do with events or offerings... Like someone (maybe it was Greymountain?) did a while back... He did a newbie hardline tour and assisted with training. Things like that. Offer the new players an alternative to leaving.

The point I'm trying to make is you have to jump in and do something about it. These sorts of threads just don't work.

**Nintene**

I see a slight correlation between my views of Sony Online Entertainment and the government.

Both seem to have forgotten that WE do not need them to survive.

THEY need us.

Then again if the government can function fine without any practical input from its citizens then I seriously doubt Sony will care about how upset our community is.

On the bright side SOE hasn't started to break up our angry rants up by turning fire hoses on us and letting loose rabid attack dogs...yet. >_>

TheShickle

We are human.

**Garu** · 04/14/2009 10:13:26

Prankster wrote:

And yet, here you are. Still on the forums, still posting, still playing the game. So there must be something to keep you entertained. What is it? Why are you still here?

That's a good question. Sadly I can't answer it because there is nothing left to keep me entertained anymore.

I'm simply a ghost who can't seem to fully let go of yesterday I guess.

**Prankster**

I agree with much of what's being said here. I can't make changes to the whole face of the game and to the forum with a simple post like this one. And the link that was posted by Qui was very helpful. All I'm saying is be weary of how you say things. That's all. I'm not saying it's the downfall of the game because people are still here. I'm saying that there's an opportunity here for people who still enjoy it to add something to it, instead of tearing it apart constantly.
"The only way to truly combat the negativity is to give the new players something to do, something to see, something to be a part of. Try to get people together to make positive posts to balance out the negative ones. Host events and fearlessly post them on the forums. Telling people who are bitter and angry to shut up is not going to work. The only answer is to do instead of say. Good luck."

Pasted from

I think this is the right idea. This is what I was trying to get at. And it's also statements like this that make the game worth playing. People in game need to be willing to do things like this.

**JEasy**

QuiDormit wrote:

The only way to truly combat the negativity is to give the new players something to do, something to see, something to be a part of. Try to get people together to make positive posts to balance out the negative ones. Host events and fearlessly post them on the forums. Telling people who are bitter and angry to shut up is not going to work. The only answer is to do instead of say. Good luck.

QFT

**Shinryu** · 04/14/2009 10:20:48

Fen wrote:

People seem to keep saying that we should be thankful to SOE for keeping MxO open. I'm going to reverse that.
You all should be thankful that those who are disenfranchised with the game are still paying. If we all did as you people suggest and s t f u and leave, then THAT would be the true death of MxO. There are far more people disappointed in MxO right now than there are who are truly enjoying it. And that's the fault of SOE, not the players.

No one is saying you should just shut up and leave (or at least I'm not). What I am saying is that you're ticked off about the state of the game, we get it. I'm ticked off about it too. However, is constant posting about how much SOE sucks and how bad things are changing anything any more than unwarranted positivity would?

If you're playing the game and enjoying even some facet of it then great, keep playing until you don't find it worthwhile any longer.

If you were playing but don't find any enjoyment in it any longer, then quit, even if just temporarily.

Also, as for new players, yes they are coming into a game that is a mere sliver of what it once was and what it could have been, but to them it's probably still pretty special. If they are joining now, they haven't experienced LEs, active liaison teams, a constantly advancing storyline, unique holiday events, etc. To them the storyline is new and unexplored, the constructs/exile dungeons are new, the existing skills aren't things they've seen thousands of times before, etc. It is not fair to compare our experience with their experience, even if I do completely believe that their experience will be less than ours.

Croesis · 04/14/2009 11:58:05

I continue to play because of the people. If it wasn't for them I'd have quit already. Thats why I still play and still post complaints about SOE's treatment of the game that I loved for a long time.

There is no 'why complain and still play' when the reasons for doing both are obvious. I play because of the community, I complain because that community is getting affected by decisions out of it's hands.