Poster: Radim at 3/9/2006 12:34:59 PM PST
Subject: Caydiem: "I'm a Druid"? |
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Dear Caydiem,
I am well aware that your Level 60 Tauren Druid is your character with whom you enjoy role-playing and feel most attached. However, I am also aware that not only do you have three level 60 characters and a host of lower-level toons, all of varying classes, but that you represent yourself in a very public position as one of a select few Community Managers of the general World of Warcraft-playing population.
In particular, you regularly communicate feedback from the community to developers regarding class balance and talent revisions. In order to serve that role, it would seem that demonstrating a complete lack of bias towards any particular class or faction should be an absolute must.
With that in mind, I would like to call to attention, to yourself and the rest of the public community, your repeated public identification with your Horde Druid character in your role as Community Representative, and ask if this display of bias and partiality is befitting someone in your position of regularly soliciting feedback regarding class and faction balance from players and relaying information to the developers.
First, an IRC log from a developer's chat in December:
http://wow.warcry.com/index.php/community/articles/chat12192005.php
Q u o t e:
Tigole: because corpses all over mulgore are fun!
[BCM]Tyren: They are fun
Caydiem: I disagree about the fun factor of corpses in my homeland.
I was upset at the time of this developer's chat, but willing to write it off as a spur-of-the-moment slip. However, I recently came upon a recent post regarding patch notes in the general forums:
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-general&t=7417438&tmp=1#post7417438
Q u o t e:
Yes, the Shadowmeld change did not make it into the patch notes, but neither did dances for Druid feral forms; I'd have no reason to leave that out, either, and since I'm a Druid, you'd think that'd be one of the first things I added, right? ;)
This appears to be a clearly communicated position.
Finally, I would like to point out that this identification of your public persona with your in-game character are in clear contradiction with your role-playing stance put forth in another post:
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-general&t=7326985&tmp=1#post7326985
Q u o t e:
First, I'm a role-player. The character on the screen isn't "me", really -- it's a different entity in another world.
If this is the case, Caydiem, when you say "I'm a Druid" in a post in the General Forums, what are we supposed to think? Which 'character on the screen' is serving your role as Community Manager on the forums, here?
One scenario comes immediately to mind: Did you oversee the 1.9 Paladin changes as Caydiem a public representative of Blizzard Entertainment, or as Caydiem your Tauren Druid, sworn enemy of the Alliance faction?
I assume you see where I'm going with this so I won't belabor the point. I don't have a problem with you playing, enjoying and role-playing a specific character race/class. I just think that, in your position, those displays of affection and identification would be best left in-game and in-character, or confined to the class/role-playing forums at best. Bringing those identifications with you to your public role as general Community Manager will only continue to cause problems and misunderstandings.
The intent of this post is not merely to dig up old quotes in an attempt to tarnish your reputation, I hope to make you and the other Community Representatives more aware of the consequences of your public actions in the future. Even the smallest slip-ups such as these do indeed cause a drastic effect on public perception. I hope that in the future, you can be more cautious and keep your public identification with one of your many toons in check in your attempt to better serve the larger community of players as a whole.
I would appreciate a response whether acknowledgement or constructive justification of your position. Although my purpose will as long as you read and consider what I've said.
I've cross-posted this message to wowcmfeedback@blizzard.com as the concerns I've brought forth are both public and internal to Blizzard. Thanks for your time.
| | | http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-general&t=7447026&p=#post7447026 | | | Poster: Caydiem at 3/9/2006 12:55:05 PM PST
Subject: Re: Caydiem: "I'm a Druid"? |
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I'm a level 60 Tauren Druid.
I'm a level 60 Human Rogue.
I'm a level 60 Tauren Shaman.
I'm an up-and-coming Hunter, three times running (and to answer why I've restarted so many times, it's a matter of community, not the character itself).
I'm an altaholic, having several other characters of all other classes not represented above in their 20s-30s.
I'm a member of a dedicated raiding guild.
I'm a member of a casual guild where Zul'Gurub is the "endgame".
I'm a member of a heavy role playing guild.
All of this, however, can be bundled into one simple statement: I play this game alongside people like you, anonymously, and I'm just as dedicated as you are.
There are a number of potential positions one might take in my situation when dealing with the community. I could take the oft-referenced "Ivory Tower" route, remaining aloof and descending from "on high" when there is information that needs be communicated. Honestly, though? That's not how I like to operate. It doesn't help you understand where we're coming from and gives the impression that we don't play our own game.
The Community Team does play the game a great deal right there with you, and we want you to know that. As such, I do reference my characters and/or relevant experiences in a given situation.
I understand the concern you're getting at, of course -- does any personal bias of my own factor into speaking with the developers on a given issue or class? The answer, bluntly, is no. When I approach the developers on a subject, whether it's a class review or simply an off-hand question, I do so with the information of the players in-hand and present the position of the community in ways the developers will understand and recognize. That does not differ from class to class or situation to situation; that's my modus operandi. In the case of the Paladins, to be frank, the developers had a different direction in mind than what the community was after, and therein lay the perceived "disconnect". They heard what the community had to say, but they were not of the same mind.
To answer your question, the individual behind the Caydiem avatar and the blue text is a Community Manager for World of Warcraft with a wealth of experience playing the game with other players. This individual, in addition to that experience in a number of different playstyles, also has the tools at hand to test any class at any given moment, and when speaking with the developers communicates the views of the community with no personal bias factoring in whatsoever.
I submit to you that you may be underestimating the impact of having someone who recognizes themselves as a player, and thus as one sympathetic to the community's experiences, on the Community Team. This is not a practice that concerns my supervisor and is one that I plan to continue.
Of course, there's a certain subset of people that believe I'm really a brain in a vat of Mountain Dew. :P
Fundeni kuchera.
| | | http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-general&t=7447026&p=#post7447389 | Poster: Caydiem at 3/9/2006 2:01:19 PM PST
Subject: Re: Caydiem: "I'm a Druid"? |
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Q u o t e:
Ha! I =knew= it!! Please name the Blizzard employee that doesn't have a level 60 shaman. <waits> And Carl the Janitor doesn't count.
Drysc, Tseric, Tyren, and Block, for a few -- and that's just among the Community Managers. :P
Fundeni kuchera.
| | | http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-general&t=7447026&p=#post7448415 | Poster: Caydiem at 3/9/2006 2:54:21 PM PST
Subject: Re: Caydiem: "I'm a Druid"? |
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Q u o t e:
OK, Honest question here. Well, two of them, really.
1) What "community problems" have prevented you from leveling a hunter to 60?
2) Do any Blizzard employees have a hunter at level 60? (Not flaming, I'm genuinely curious about this.)
1) I'm not talking community in terms of forums or class, but rather in terms of realms. A few false starts due to guild and/or friend issues, really.
2) Yes, several Blizzard employees have level 60 Hunters.
Fundeni kuchera.
| | | http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-general&t=7447026&p=#post7449116 | Poster: Caydiem at 3/9/2006 12:55:05 PM PST
Subject: Re: Caydiem: "I'm a Druid"? *edited post* |
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I'm a level 60 Tauren Druid.
I'm a level 60 Human Rogue.
I'm a level 60 Tauren Shaman.
I'm an up-and-coming Hunter, three times running (and to answer why I've restarted so many times, it's a matter of community, not the character itself).
I'm an altaholic, having several other characters of all other classes not represented above in their 20s-30s.
I'm a member of a dedicated raiding guild.
I'm a member of a casual guild where Zul'Gurub is the "endgame".
I'm a member of a heavy role playing guild.
All of this, however, can be bundled into one simple statement: I play this game alongside people like you, anonymously, and I'm just as dedicated as you are.
There are a number of potential positions one might take in my situation when dealing with the community. I could take the oft-referenced "Ivory Tower" route, remaining aloof and descending from "on high" when there is information that needs be communicated. Honestly, though? That's not how I like to operate. It doesn't help you understand where we're coming from and gives the impression that we don't play our own game.
The Community Team does play the game a great deal right there with you, and we want you to know that. As such, I do reference my characters and/or relevant experiences in a given situation.
I understand the concern you're getting at, of course -- does any personal bias of my own factor into speaking with the developers on a given issue or class? The answer, bluntly, is no. When I approach the developers on a subject, whether it's a class review or simply an off-hand question, I do so with the information of the players in-hand and present the position of the community in ways the developers will understand and recognize. That does not differ from class to class or situation to situation; that's my modus operandi. In the case of the Paladins, to be frank, the developers had a different direction in mind than what the community was after, and therein lay the perceived "disconnect". They heard what the community had to say, but they were not of the same mind.
To answer your question, the individual behind the Caydiem avatar and the blue text is a Community Manager for World of Warcraft with a wealth of experience playing the game with other players. This individual, in addition to that experience in a number of different playstyles, also has the tools at hand to test any class at any given moment, and when speaking with the developers communicates the views of the community with no personal bias factoring in whatsoever.
I submit to you that you may be underestimating the impact of having someone who recognizes themselves as a player, and thus as one sympathetic to the community's experiences, on the Community Team. This is not a practice that concerns my supervisor and is one that I plan to continue.
Of course, there's a certain subset of people that believe I'm really a brain in a vat of Mountain Dew. :P
Fundeni kuchera.
| | | http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-general&t=7447026&p=#post7447389 | Poster: Caydiem at 3/9/2006 2:01:19 PM PST
Subject: Re: Caydiem: "I'm a Druid"? *edited post* |
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Q u o t e:
Ha! I =knew= it!! Please name the Blizzard employee that doesn't have a level 60 shaman. <waits> And Carl the Janitor doesn't count.
Drysc, Tseric, Tyren, and Block, for a few -- and that's just among the Community Managers. :P
Fundeni kuchera.
| | | http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-general&t=7447026&p=#post7448415 | Poster: Caydiem at 3/9/2006 2:54:21 PM PST
Subject: Re: Caydiem: "I'm a Druid"? *edited post* |
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Q u o t e:
OK, Honest question here. Well, two of them, really.
1) What "community problems" have prevented you from leveling a hunter to 60?
2) Do any Blizzard employees have a hunter at level 60? (Not flaming, I'm genuinely curious about this.)
1) I'm not talking community in terms of forums or class, but rather in terms of realms. A few false starts due to guild and/or friend issues, really.
2) Yes, several Blizzard employees have level 60 Hunters.
Fundeni kuchera.
| | | http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.aspx?fn=wow-general&t=7447026&p=#post7449116 |
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