The search.

Jeez. unless you have fantasies about Orcs or want to fight a dragon, the MMO industry is a wasteland.

I'm in search of an alternative to FML. I have had a quick peek at the other Football games and may save them if I get REALLY desperate. Star Wars doesn't blow my frock up... in fact, I pretty much dislike it (raised and bred as a Star Trek man- although that looks distinctly average).

Does anyone have any solid suggestions.... the alternative is to do something that resembles 'life'.... *shivers*

(did I mention... still gutted, still feel sick its ending)

Its the end of the world as we know it.... but I don't feel fine.

You know... I was wrong. I'm ugly enough to admit that. The game died. I wanted to be positive & because I loved the game so intensely, I thought others would see the huge potential if marketed to, but didn't cater for those that perhaps didn't know a good thing when they saw it. I think those that continually wallowed in their dislike of the game, or elements therein, didn't help things. But then, they would disagree. It matters little now.

I still don't see why it couldn't return to Beta as a paying concern- effectively people also paying to test the FM12 etc ME's... those charges can get passed on to offset etc. I have seen some reasoning 'why not', but a clean slate Beta after so much learnt- and knowing the game is a huge potential- seems an opportunity too good to turn down. Its not a queston, maybe just the ramblings of someone feeling let down and wondering what the hell will replace such an awesome game and people I have chatted to over the last 2 years+.

Thanks SI for an awesome game. I still feel sick its ending, and for that I hate you too. You gave up. You admit is had massive potential, but ran away. You mention FMO as a great next thing, but know this game was a massive bomb of potential. FMO will need testing and related costs. The opportunity to actually offset those costs were here with many willing to pay to do that for you. That is a true testament to how much faith the gamers had in the potential & far outweights the faith SI had in the game themselves.

Nothing lasts for ever. This was a blast. Thanks to the Mods, Orgs, CH's and all that contributed ingame...in essence, the heart and soul of the game. The ones I will miss. Thanks to all the SI staff for making me resent working for a living even more than I had to, when I really just wanted to be playing.

It was the best game I have ever played, and it failed. Damn, I can only imagine what the game that succeeds would look like.....

Shit

Thats it really.... just feel a numb feeling.

Will miss people I never met (now I know how the feckers that 'knew' Diana felt).

To those on the forums that were more keen on moaning and griping over appreciating the game and being constructive. Feel free to bugger off now...  you have bored me enough.

To those I have chatted to on the game, it has been a pleasure- even the jibberers and ones that meant I had to keep PC'ing them in the small hours..... most had good sides.

Damn, SI.... you have ruined my day. Such a bad outcome.

I might be completely wrong, but...

Having a think recently and a chat with a couple of people over the withdrawal from public life of SI- even PaulC has advised he will duck out of front line replies- here (#173)- as ever, the negative tools affecting the majority.

Whatever about the subbie forum- it’s a pain and a massive customer relations own goal, though not a game breaker- but the lack of communication on Beta Forums is bemusing.

Now, Beta is where the testing of the new ME, innovations, fixes etc occur. We have Miller and Coppell. Miller being the initial testing vehicle GW and Coppell ensuring Miller haven’t been too crap. New ideas are vocalised in the forums and often you would get interaction with the Devs etc. picking ideas to pieces in a, generally, constructive way (this is the main difference with Beta, it actually contains most people that have a positive interest in the game. Any trolling and they get kicked from Beta)

And here comes the problem, there has still been no further interaction since I posted a few weeks ago. This is very strange. Even accounting for it being SI holiday time this kind of silence in Beta is in my experience, unheard of.

Normally after an upgrade has been finished it gets ‘locked’ and then is practically ready to roll out. Then Miller gets a few new additions to test, look at, discuss. The last client upgrade of any note was around 6 weeks ago. This again is unheard of.

Now, some people have suggested the game is dying and this is a pointer (yep, normal trolls on the Subbie forums with so little in their lives that they continue to post about a game they have given up on). I am more positive. I think something is coming, some announcement. Kriss says SI are still overseeing on the forums and is still looking forward (or 'east' as he cryptically mentions here). He might be putting a brave face on things, but I’d prefer to think that he either knows something or is just as positive.

If it is an announcement, let’s play for a moment, what could it be? Whatever about the doom-mongers, I’m going to look positively. I’m going for it having something to do with FMO (The Korean Version announced last June/July ish). I wonder if they are finishing that off  and the Devs are helping that project hit the ground running.

I have no proof or evidence, but it just seems the time would be around about right-dev time is not obviously being used on FML (although it might be behind the scenes) and it would explain a lot of the recent occurences.

What impact this might have on FML is to be seen- whether it is happening now nor not, it is going to happen sometime…. It just looks like the stars are aligned.

Speaking sense *shock* *horror*

I have seen a few posts recently where sense is being spoken on the forums. Where the comments made are no vaccuous hyperbole or hysterical ramblings. I know, I can hardly believe it either !!

Without wanting to copy Martin here , but there does seem to be a raft of people that expect and demand the ME is exactly like real life. Chances of this ever being achieved = 0%. No issue with striving to make it better, but if people want a completely exact representation of real life, try real life.

WWfan has made a very welcome return to the forums with an analytical mind and offering insights and reasonings as to why people are getting certain results. This has blown a lot of theories out of the water, seems to have given some managers food for thought (perhaps showing they aren't as tactically adept as they might have assumed), and alligned more managers with Bobby Ball rather than Bobby Robson.

This thread in #150/164/175/178 etc, WWfan gives valid opinions on the ME and tactics. Now, this isn't to say he will always be right- Football is opinion after all- but solid argument and meaty reasoning are more often a more convincing post over 'This ME is shit etc etc'.

The amount of people that I see moaning about the ME ingame when they lose is laughable. Especially when many play at 2.5 speed, MP's making the decisions for them, stealing redballs and then moaning about strength of AI's, playing the same formation and tactics for home/away and regardless of opposition, not looking at the Oppositions formation, not looking at where they are being exploited or where they can exploit.

Football might be full of opinions, but even the FML managers that crawled out the shallowest of gene pools must realise that playing in the above manner is not conducive to permament winning.

18Rabbit makes a solid analysis here (#3) on why a team didn't win its game. The OP (sorry for choosing you, it could have been any number of posters) hysterically saying it might make him quit. Football IS a game of opinions and, quite frankly, unusual results. If it wasn't we would all win at the Bookies each Saturday when we bet on the results of games. But at least look at some of the reasoning first.

The analysis tools I metioned in the last post might help people see some of the faults in their tactics more clearly- this in turn would (possibly) reduce some of the complaining.

We all want to believe we are great tacticians but this ME (where there is no killer formation, no killer instruction or way of getting goals, no way so far (it may be found yet) or manipulating wins) is possibly showing that some managers used the cracks in old ME's as a crutch more than they might like others to think....

I will reitterate. The ME isn't perfect, but it is the best anywhere. People that see faults in it are either part of the solution (by adding contructive and informative posts) or part of the problem.

Feed me with stats, pies and scotch!

As is clear from previous posts, I have no particular issue with morale, just with the ability to know why my team is playing bad. Is it morale, form, tactics, shouts, players, luck.... I just don't feel equiped enough yet to analyse games better.

Then I remembered a post from Marshall a few months ago linking suggestions: http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/225375-More-match-analysis-tools-in-FML
 (post #15)

- it is over 2 months ago, so it was when Cynet was more positive :p

Anyway, I love it. It seems to offer all you might want (immediately anyway… before we imagine up more intricate details) in the way of match analysis, explanation of a lot of match queries we have, opens the immediate analysis of the game up to hardcore and casual and seems to answer a lot of the ‘why’ questions.

Some of this could be answered now by studying match after match, but even then so many (including me) aren’t sure if the luck/morale/form aspect is the real factor. This can negate that to an extent.

I don’t want an assistant manager telling me who to watch, who to mark or what formation to use. I just want to be able to analyse the information. Some people have said that they like the simplicity of FML over the stat driven mass of FM2011. I can empathise with that, but with these kinds of tools you can choose to use them, or not. Dissect them at your leisure and implement at your pleasure. Or just use gut feeling instead of looking deeper.

Win win win win win.

My wife knows more about FML than FM2011 managers.

.... and apart from knowing I have an unhealthy addiction to it (albeit it one that isn't ruining my liver), and the fact I am Spartacus in several different places, she knows nothing. So, poor show brown cow really, regarding FM2011 gamers.

A quote from Wes on the main forum (http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/260542-website-update- #13) 'Just a thought and maybe a bit off topic but have you (SI) ever advertised on the main FM forums? Not so much an ad but a post in the FM subscriber section of what FML is ,what it can offer, probably a bit of a hijack but your playing for the same team, so why not? :D
Cant beleive more FM hardcore players havent come over to FML, I never liked the idea until i accidently stumbled across some info lurking aroung the FM sub forum (havent really touched FM in 3 years of FML).'

Just with this in mind. I was having a very rare wander around the FM forums and posted in this one: http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/260566-Game-involving-FM-community?p=6649540#post6649540
Effectively this guy on FM2011 wanted more of a community experience. Where better than FML, I thought, so posted and was ignored- I supect they have never heard of FML and thought I was a random freak.

The amount of people that come from FM20xx to FML and say they love it are, in my anecdotal experience, quite a high %. Quite why SI don't tap into that is beyond me. I bet loads of people on FML still have a FM2011 box/Steam game. So the demand for FM20xx doesn't leave.

This isn't a moan, this is a positive 'JUST DO IT' message. After a few months of positive additions to Valderrama we are slipping again. We regularly have over 100 online. The chat rooms are often buzzing with jibber. But from 700+ down to 665 again.

When so many potential customers are on your doorstep, you would be mad to ignore them. Then again, there is an element of ignoring their own customers views, suggestions and ideas on the forums. Maybe they are Mick McMad of Madville after all!

It's SI's game. Its understandable they want to retain control, but there are a lot of people willing to help. If there is a shortage of staff, and things can be done by managers keen to pitch in to enhance the game, harness them.

But first of all... make sure all FM2011 managers get the opportunity to buy both products !



All the people I have interacted with at SI have been diamonds. They all appear to be hard workers and have improving the game as a priority. Quite why customer communications have arrived at this position is bemusing ...   :-(



1.7 Huzzaarr... *ponders*

Obviously I have no inside information but the last time I remember SI being this quiet on the forums I seem to feel that it was just before an Upgrade (I reflected at the time that they must need to steel themselves for the abuse they get post upgrade, and the work on bugs that may appear).

I looked last week and Bertie hadn't posted for a couple of weeks, Paul once in a week or so, Rb hadn't been that active and Ov hadn't posted since the end of Jan. No idea where Duffy has gone, PaulC was manning the barracades on the ME thread and Ben was manfully dealing with the Bugs thread. All in all, forum skeleton staffing.

As posted before, I want them more active, but have wondered whether this is really a sign of 1.7 being close. SI have gone all The Third Man on us over recent months, but is this the rest before the chaos?

Where so many good suggestions historically came from the forums, and ideas built upon, too many of the threads have recently been created by moany tools with no concept of 'balance'. I'm hoping SI come back strong after this unnanounced break- because if they don't, the forums lose their main purpose. Creation.

The TV Lounge is a couch potato

The TV Lounge. Does anyone use it?

It just seems to be a ‘chat’ room that shows clips of goals that you generally don't care to associate any time to. A room that only ever seems to be noticeably used by random spammers/spanners. Like re-runs of WWF, whoever watches the goals are either unstable, bored, in denial, desperate or a combination of all 4.

I think it could VERY simply be enhanced if there were a button to stop the goal clips being shown in the TV Lounge so you could just see the current scores. Sometimes I don’t really want to gatecrash a game (or let the other manager know I care!) so seeing the vide-printer style scores appear is handy. This change has been acknowledged in Beta, logged as a potential future change, but that was several months, and 2 upgrades, ago

At the moment I get a few seconds to try and locate the the scores I want... and then the goal clips kick in. It just flaunts itself like a flasher jumping out on you at a tube station entrance. I'm in trauma. Cue re-runs of men in bikinis pretending to fight each other….. I can’t change screen quick enough. The therapist's bills are on the way to you SI !

Emoticon-fest... imagine...

This was suggested again in a beta thread a short time ago, but originates as far back (to my knowledge) to several people when the ideas for RP use were flying around (remember RP's.... RIP etc.... wasted opportunity)

I love the idea. More to personalise the game can only be a positive step- some won't care or use it, but many will. Add in your 'own' homepage as well, perhaps. Add more design to the stadium, goal celebrations, even dug-outs if need be.

Some concerns were on the numbnuts abusing it and creating abusive or crude emoticons but, as ever, I'm sure the rules could apply to this as they do to the written word.

I guess the reality is the time to code such an addition -v- coding the current plans. I suspect that this might be either a long term or never term idea whilst the SI team is thin on the ground with resources.

Control, Control and CON-bloody-TROL

I've been playing FML for over 2 years now. Zola for a year and Valderrama for a year (along with ongoing accounts Miller a year and Nunez for a month). I think any game that keeps the attention of anyone for that length of time is worth a solid regard, huge respect and an acknowledgement that it has grasped the reason why we all love football.... and still follow various teams even if they lose week after week- I say this as an Ipswich fan...

Despite all this time, I would never claim to be any kind of tactical wizard on FML (many would be nodding at this point if they were reading), but in real life I feel like I have a good grasp on tactics. So, I work on gut feeling and try to apply real world tactics to the game (apart from employing the obvious contender of corner banging, but never played 4-6-0 *shows badge of honour*). This works sometimes, and sometimes not. I appreciate football has large elements of luck and 'the unknown', that is what makes it so emotive. Players have personalities and can be utter tools but have uses (Barton), hair-pullingly inconsistant (Torres), can implode on themselves (Rooney), be petulant like a child (Balotelli), and as stupid as a bucket-full of shrimps (Bramble) but the manager tends to know what is wrong, despite not always being able to deal with it.

Herein lies the problem.

Are my playing being inept morons because of the tactics/shouts/morale/etc... or is it just because they, or I (or both) are inept morons. How do I know? Not a Scooby. I suppose it could be me. Entirely plausible. I know it must be sometimes- be it through a lack of time prepping or looking at things- but often I am in the dark. I like to be to blame for winning. Human nature is as it is when I lose and expect it must be the game! :p

Beta has some new features being tested that give a little more clue, but I really feel this needs to be ramped up. I'm not suggesting people get nursed through management.... let people find out themselves. But at least give them the opportunity. Signpost huge errors. Player feedback to say why they are hacked off. More opportunities to interact with players. Some feeling of control.

Many think they might be tactical geniuses (whilst still playing at 2.5 speed, don't look much at stats, use the 'power formation' of the moment, never change home and away tactics and allow silly things like letting their 5ft6 winger mark the best jumper in the opposition), and some of them will always moan. They know football. They live it. After all, they watch it every week, how could they not...  In offering additional signposts FML might actually be doing society a service in proving to these internet warriors that they are sometimes/often wrong.

I try not to blame the ME. It is what it is- the best out there. Not perfect, never will be perfect, but a work of art that is as close to being real as anything in the world has at the moment. As ever though, the FEELING of control is king... and that control needs to be easily accessible, not at the end of a 50 page thesis on stats. I want to make a decision and to know that it had an effect- be it positive or negative -or- whether I win because of it or not. If this brings a reduction to the moans about it being the ME's fault, more the better!

Some work/analysis= Yes.
Reams of analysis= Not casual friendly or, in the main, Hardcore friendly.

Lag Update

Still there/here. Still a pain in the kecks. Jeez, I have a ZX Spectrum in the loft somewhere.... I might go retreive it to compare. 'The Double' used to take 120 minutes to play a 90 minute game weekend.... its not quite that bad, but seems worse due to expectation.

I'm used to it (even though I hate it and it makes me walk away from the PC) but when I get a new user ask why things are going so slow trying to explain sounds so lame.

These types of forum threads are becoming way too frequent:

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/256868-Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggg!

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/256276-Disgusting-LAG

.... I know SI are looking into it, and I'm sure its not simple, but the awesome increase in managers recently could be reversed by this lag.

No idea what this illustrates but it said 'lag' and has pretty patchwork patterns :p

Wage Auctions... sleeping is for wimps.

You know that feeling.... within an hour (or few) of a Wage Auction to end, you have a bid in and just have to wait up.

I could never, whilst retaining any kind of credibility in the 'real world', explain this to people I have met in the flesh & even *SHOCK* touched, but way too often I have stayed up till stupid-o-clock just to SEE that I have won an auction......     I say won, I mean fretted over which arse might jump in and steal the player, that I don't own, off me.

It seems, if only in my small mind, that if you stay awake to see the WA in, you are able to ensure the player becomes yours. I'm not entirely sure the process for this, and whether as well as morale SI have factored in desperation of managers into the ME, but  there I was doing it again last night.

It was around 10:30pm, I popped back onto Valderrama for 15 mins and this (because I was so keen to guide my WA target- a nice 4.5* PA yoof- into the Spartacus harbour) resulted in my eventually getting to sleep at around 1:30am.

That's not the whole story. Sleep was 01:30am, but the wage auction finished at 12:00am. You see, it's not enough to just sign them. You have to play the buggers too. Gaze upon their Atts and ponder the way tactics might work with them (or, in my case, with any player I own). Add in the Lag of 15 minutes from auction end to player arriving and the time mounts up.

Today= knackered (and completely negating the previous relaxing weeks Annual Leave).

I remember doing a nutty one on Zola.... staying up till 4am just to see the great Francesco Metti safely home.

Bloody stupid, tiring FML addiction. Now at work during lunch trying to summon the energy not to leave the office at 3pm and sleep in the car for an hour before I go home.

Like I said, you couldn't explain this to a 'real person'. They would look at you and consider you some sort of mentalist that pokes at snakes with a short stick just to see if they are deadly poisonous.

Regardless, I won the player. He is mine.... and anyone that tries to take him from me will need to stay up late for him.

1 relaxing week away to Ireland and then 3 late nights on FML... has anyone got a couple of aspirin or a weapon of some kind to kill people with... I'm shattered.

Lag

I absolutely hate it. It is the bain of the GW's and, frankly, the main thing that makes me log off.

Post reset, seasons 1 to around 9, it was a 'mare. We kept hearing about how it was being looked into and how it was being taken seriously. I didn't doubt this, just as, over the last week or so, it is undoubted that it is growing again (also in Nunez when logged on there)

It is not numbers on the GW (1 minute to see mail this morning with 30-40 online). It is not my PC- got it newly built in Dec with a super dooper processor. It is also not my provider.... so definitely the Game/Server/FML/SI.

This is a major issue. SI need to address it, and soon. I'm as hardcore on the game as most, but it will cause me to look away...  9 months of frustration was enough. The moans in-game are increasing, and justified.

New Subbie in Nunez :-O

After being able to source 4 x 4 month box sets, I decided to set up a new account elsewhere.

After chatting with several people I decided on Nunez. There is a vibrant community on Valderrama and, despite what other GW’s might desperately pontificate, I find it difficult to see how another GW might be as good. With this in mind I’m trying Nunez and they often state it’s a great community so I can judge that claim- and I know a few people there so I can get some good loans in!

To be honest, it was the best bit of player analysing I have been able to do since I originally joined in March 2009- shield-less I had no PC’s, no chat to look at, nothing to approve and start and no Emails to reply to…. loved it.

On first sight I certainly saw little evidence of the great starter players that have been lauded on the forums- although I have no issue with them for starter teams as they are some way behind in Skills, Money, Stadia, Rep, YA’s and Income already. That said, Nunez is a RS GW and it seems that Fantasy GW’s are more likely to have some of them.

Got several good players all the same (compared to my original Valderrama starting pool anyway). I’m hoping a few managers in Nunez feel the same way and offer me silly money for a couple- I really see it as a big help for new teams, and perhaps vital.

Whether this is fair on longer term managers in Nunez..... well, if they have had x-months head start on me with the aforementioned (Skills, Money, Stadia, Rep, YA’s and Income) then me being able to sell a few players for a £mil or two (fingers crossed) shouldn’t offer them serious problems. If it does, they really need to either look at the way they have set their team up or relish the challenge to show the noob his ‘place’. I always tend to work on a '10 months to get to the top' system anyway.... so care less regardless!

Not sure how much time I will spend in there yet (as Valderrama always takes priority) but if I can work out how to set up a couple of clients at the same time I will have total chance to screw this up….

Inter FA.... Yeeee... (and may I say)... Haaa

IFA.

3 Letters. One success.

Maybe a novel fad, maybe something that will whither and decline in time, but in the meantime a great idea that needs huge pats on the back.

I only speak from Valderrama experience where the relevant Mods and Orgs on this one have spent shed loads of time implementing and facilitating quizzes, comps, predictions, Deal or no Deals, etc. but the community activities whereby people are associating more with their FA’s has been a huge hit.

All of a sudden, and for the first time since reset, I actually give a toss if I win a non-Major game (generally easier to do against EFA). I now really want to win the picture quiz with DFA so we get more points. When other managers in your FA win IFA games or comps you are genuinely pleased- even when the annoying ones win!

There are only 2 initial & potential negative points on this (but even they are small).

1)      Some may feel more reluctant to move away from an FA that doesn’t suit their style of play

2)      It needs a bit more money to make it a tangible ‘win’, perhaps.

Regardless, a good addition. I would recommend this to all GW's that want to harness a bit of community spirit… And yes, Dugout FA is the best...

Youth Academies.... whiney whiney

YA managers + expectation that the youths they get will be good = disappointed managers.

The above calculation is standard. YA's are a gamble. Pure. Simple. Straightforward.

If managers want to ensure the standard of their youths, not have to release the rubbish they get, not 'waste' their money, not 'hate' the YA system.... close the Youth academy- I refer them to Line 2 again.

In my old age I am beginning to understand that many more people than originally perceived are masochists at heart..... because those same whiners never do shut their YA's! :p

Your Youth Academy- get used to it!

Somalian Pirates

Rapid blogging… Jeez…. I could almost be confused for regaining a little enthusiasm. And the confusion would be correct.

As already posted before, I think SI MUST be more active on the forums in responding to suggestions, issues & moans- often from irrational humans that are barely registering on the ‘sentient being’ scale.

Additionally, more Official GW Emails outlining things to look forward to, or explanations, perhaps…. Many people don’t look at the forums- I know in Beta a lot that approaches this is being trialed, I hope it comes out to live and, if so, in an accessible format.

All this aside, something happened. It was deep, meaningful and all very satisfying. I think I have become, over the last 3-4 months, tired of the same arguments, from the same protagonists, and as frustrated with the lack of official response or action from SI… about pretty much most things, until now.

A pro-active decision was made by SI, and action taken. It was like that first appointment that you had with the dominatrix  … oh, errr,  that might just be me.. but in this instance was all about the Somalian Pirates of Valderrama (as per this thread…. http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/249828-The-somalian-cheaters) and some managers that had purposely exploited a bug.

Aside from the teams caught in the crossfire of Somalians being removed due to their over-production of quality players (often 4*+), and the numerous managers that were satisfied with the main protagonist/s getting screwed with their pants on, it was good to see action. Okay, it was slow coming, but action all the same.

Regardless of your standpoint on the Somali YA's, to see a Raft of Super Admins arrive and be executive in decision-making was a joy to behold.


Add in the Emails sent to entice managers back (time will tell if they stay, obviously, but trying to be positive), and things are looking up.

So a plethora of hats off to SI... hmmm.. two positive posts in a row, I'm in danger of becoming a Fanboi    :o

**Hold the Front Pages**

We have an RFA that has increased to 34 teams for the 2nd run!

The last 2 seasons have been dismal for any increase in numbers of new teams, whilst seeing teams leave through natural wastage-although I know that some managers leave on principle of them thinking the game is pants, I think that, bearing in mind a lot managers have been playing for a couple of years, most are just FML burnt out. With that in mind, there is a huge market out there to tap for the next generation of addicts.

Emails sent to old innactive teams by SI, though, have enticed many back with the news of riches in many finance projections- although, if you have lost your players in WA's and have less than £3mil in your account, you might want to consider whether you really should restart.... (with there being a wider range of players to select from when you see the whole database after a restart).

Anyway, hats off to SI, finally a significant and overt attempt to increase the GW numbers. Valderrama still often has 100+ managers on during various evenings, but boosting this was a necessity. Now they need to kick on from this and get the numbers up more, even if by 10-20 a season NET.

I understand further mailshots may be sent out soon. More of the same in increases would be a welcome addition.

The Continued black-out from SI on plans and lack of positivity on the future

I have been trying to stay away from the forums more recently- particularly the Subbie one- but, when I need to look at them to keep up to date with changes, this is difficult. They are awash with negativity but very little rebuttal from SI. This then spreads to the GW’s and, to be honest, to me a little. The lack of SI comment fuels chat of the game being in turmoil, on its last legs, considering reset pending FMO being rolled out in Europe etc. etc. wibble. etc…  

I want to defend the game, I want to refute comments- just by nature this is my starting point as I like playing the game and, although accepting there are some poor areas, would rather it succeed than slate it constantly like some of the imbeciles- but there is nothing I can refer to from SI that holds weight in an argument, as they have said little (Referring to a post made months ago about there being no reset doesn't begin to reason with some people...but I wonder what would....)

I appreciate it takes time out from other tasks, but keeping the positivity and support is imperative for the long term of the game. SI may feel that a blanket ‘no comment’ is a good route but, really, they need to revisit this stance.

Just looking at the Subbie forum today we have titles such as:

The Restart is near :)  (Just say it isn't.... unless I missed a memo)

The somalian cheaters  (Say something.... other than the unspoken 'its fixed now... please forget the issues this has caused')

Manual  (More clarity needed for some time)

.... that are asking either pertinant questions or ones that need to be clarified asap to dispel the negativity.

Then you have the ones either trying to be productive, needing clarification as to why it can't happen or just nice for some comment to offer positivity:

Fast Paced GW.  (Yes/No?)

Fmlive legends  (acknowledge those that put time in....)

Request: Seperate 'real' mail from 'spam' mail  (A valid suggestion... yes/no, acknowledge it)

Suggestions for new features  (More ideas, valid or not, with time taken to post...)

2000 user gameworld?  (Is it possible, I think not, but say so)

etc. etc. etc...

I remember the plethora of posts when RP's were installed. The dozens of good ideas that were taken time over, offered in good detail and then completely ignored. I guess an argument is that these suggestions could be made in Beta Forums, but not all are on Beta and why duplicate?

If people get no feedback = they stop posting ideas

I would suggest a sticky at the top, effectively a general Q & A. Collate quotes, comments, gems of wisdom from SI Devs/Staff, which would be a reference point for both new managers to look at, but also managers to refer others to if they keep asking the same inane questions- to refer though, you need comments to refer to... I may suggest this, so over to SI....