With Gameforge's announcement of a new update focusing on in-game achievements and avatars, it's important to reflect on whether these cosmetic additions are addressing the core issues that players have been facing for a long time.
1. Lackluster Performance:
Many players have continuously reported performance problems, especially on older servers and during peak times. Lag, server instability, and slow load times have been persistent issues that affect the core gameplay experience. Introducing new features like avatars and achievements, while fun, doesn't address these underlying problems that disrupt day-to-day play. Focusing on improving server performance and optimizing the game engine could arguably provide a much more meaningful update for the player base.
2. Transparency Issues:
As discussed earlier in this forum, transparency is a long-standing issue. Many players have voiced concerns about the lack of clear communication regarding account bans, decision-making processes, and even data handling under GDPR regulations. Before adding new cosmetic content, it would have been beneficial for Gameforge to tackle these transparency challenges head-on. Clear communication and the resolution of these issues would help rebuild trust and foster a stronger connection with the community.
3. GO/Admin Tool:
Another key area that could have used attention is the Game Operator (GO) and admin tool functionality. There have been numerous reports of inefficiencies in how tickets and player reports are handled. Players often experience long wait times for responses, or issues that aren’t properly escalated. Improving the tools used by Game Operators could streamline support processes, leading to quicker resolutions for the player base and more efficient management of issues in-game. Instead of focusing on new avatars, addressing these core problems would significantly enhance the overall player experience.
4. In-Game Bugs:
There are several in-game bugs that have plagued the community for far too long. Issues such as fleet bugs, incorrect resource calculation, or display errors have been persistent in the game, affecting gameplay and creating frustration among the player base. These bugs, while reported multiple times, often take a long time to fix or are simply not addressed. Instead of rolling out new content, resolving long-standing issues that affect the stability and fairness of the game would likely have a more immediate and positive impact on the player experience.
In short, while achievements and avatars are a fun addition, prioritizing performance, transparency, fixing in-game bugs, and enhancing administrative tools would likely resonate more with players who have been struggling with these issues for quite some time.
