Valerie Massey, CCP Community Management Summit GDC EU Cologne - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Valerie Massey, CCP vmassey@ccpgames.com

But first…

• Over a decade of online community involvement, including being a player volunteer for Ultima

• Original community manager for EVE Online, Tabula Rasa and Auto Assault.
• Background gives me a better understanding of the strong feelings that connect players to virtual

*Disclaimer*

Raptor references in this presentation are not meant to be offensive. In fact, quite the

• contrary. Raptors were fierce creatures to be

respected, not provoked. And who wouldn’t want to be compared to a badass velociraptor?

The Gatekeeper gets eaten first

If you are in Community Relations or Customer Support

YOU ARE THE GATE KEEPER

Don’t take the bad stuff to heart

• It's not personal. It's not about you. It's simply because you are the first thing in striking distance.
• It is easier said than done, but over time it will be easier not to get rattled by angry/upset players.

• Don't lose your humanity along the way. there is nothing worse than a jaded, hard community rep.
• Build your "karma bank". You'll need to cash in eventually.

Players *

* And children

are like velociraptors

* “Velociraptors are pack hunters. They use coordinated attack patterns. It doesn’t bother to bite the jugular like a lion. The point is, you are alive when they start to eat you.” * “They never attack the same place twice. They were testing the fences for weaknesses systematically. They remember.”

“Oh my God. He’s calling for help!”

Don’t let yourself get sidetracked by the attack methods – threadnaughts, spam attacks, protests,

• etc. –

Find the real issue and address it.

• Remember that the *real* attack comes from the one you *didn't* see as you were

• This is similar to how hacker groups will use harmless DOS attacks to smokescreen the

The Importance of Poo

“I’ll have to see the dinosaur’s droppings.”

• This may look like poop to you, but it's my bread and butter. I have built a career around digging through piles of

• Sometimes you have to dig through a big pile of poop to find the core problem, and you won't have these nifty gloves.

There’s a lot of love in that hate

• Best hate mail we got: "If Iceland had trees, I would tell you to go hang yourself."
• Trolling and hate mail can be helpful if you approach it correctly.
• Would be easier for people to simply walk away without comment. The fact that they took the time to write something says a
• lot. While the message may say, "DIAF," but what they are really saying is, "I want to play but this thing is stopping me. Please

Accept this fact: You cannot please everyone

• You cannot please everyone. (Gold bar analogy) For some, the game is to grief and troll
• thers (including you).
• Don't waste time and energy trying to placate the haters. It's better spent keeping things on-

Remain Calm

“Ooh, ahh! That’s how it always

• starts. But then later, there’s

running and then… screaming.”

Get Off the Fence

“Tim, you’re going to have to jump.”

Time is a Luxury

You Can Rarely Afford

• Prepare before the stuff hits the fan when you can think

• Have a generic "first response" ready to go and pull the

Basic First Response Plan

1Acknowledge the problem in non-specific terms, assuring

that an investigation is underway and promising more information as available. 2 Don’t let more than an hour pass before your next update, even if all you can say is that the matter is still being investigated and you will continue with the updates. 3 Shampoo, rinse and repeat as needed. Players will be less aggravated by the lack of news than by no communication at all. 4 When you can, post a “We found the problem and we’re addressing it” update even if you don’t have all the kinks worked out yet. 5 Do not feel pressured to issue a full explanation until you are comfortable with the information you have to

• ffer.

Planning Ahead

* Pre-deployment extended downtime news items * Downtime news and messaging * Restoration of service/successful deployment announcement

• There are messages you know you will have to publish, and many of these can and should be repurposed.

• Create generic messaging templates so that you can quickly plug in the necessary dates and facts.
• Be sure to share those templates your team and with other groups (such as Customer Support, Web, QA) in

Planning Ahead

The “if $4!+ happens” back-up plan: * Extended downtime message * Aware of/investigating an issue * Small issue identified and handled * Big problem identified/ being handled/fixed

Should Could

“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

Bad stuff happens

Expectthe unexpected

• Introducing new elements into

• In Jurassic Park, things quickly

Always try to think things through to their logical conclusions

• For example, when ramping up towards launch or expansion deployments, don't overreach with too many forum

• Explore every possible angle/scenario and plan for each, but be cognizant of the fact there will probably be things you

Share the Magic Words

“I can’t get Jurassic Park back online without Dennis Nedry.”

Flippy Guy 1: We should tweet about Dork’s fall. Don’t be a Dork. Make sure someone else knows the passwords, plans and procedures. Flippy Guy 2: We can’t. Dork’s the only one with @flippyguys access.

• Hoarding information isn't job security, it's stupidity.
• Store passwords and plans in a secure location but make sure someone knows where they are and can access

“No force on Earth

• r Heaven could

get me on that island.”

Ohai

Avoid Absolutes

Remember these guys?

• They test the fences systematically. They remember.
• Semantics matter.
• What you don't say can be as or more important than

Words are not tasty

and may cause raptor attacks

• Avoid phrases like "cannot", "will not", "will never". Instead, leave yourself some wiggle room by saying, "We have no

• Cunning players will certainly notice this and call you out for it but better to be called out a little now than to say

All or None

“I’m afraid there isn’t enough to go around.”

• What you do for one, you must do for all.
• If you feed one compy, you get more compys. When you run
• ut of sammy, they will eat your face.

Don’t set precedents you can’t or won’t want to sustain.

• Remember: Pack hunters. Experts in pattern attacks.
• They will notice patterns, like if "Hey, [your name], YOU SUCK!"

• Resist the urge to go on the defensive. Don't perpetuate arguments.

Consider:

*Would a change set a dangerous precedent? * Will this benefit the greater good? * How many players are truly affected?

* Can this cause a significant loss of customers?

• Beware the vocal minority. They can make issues seem largers than they really are.
• Be sure everyone's best interests are being considered.
• Compromise when possible.
• Acceding simply to avoid confrontations can carry a dear underlying cost.

What’s Yours is Theirs

“Our satellite infrareds show that the animals are fiercely territorial.”

‘fiercely territorial’

• Once the game is live, it belongs to them. They will guard it,

• They will be experts on its history and memorize everything

They don’t want you to tell them how to play. They don’t care about your ‘vision’.

• "Vision" is a dirty word that has been horribly overused. Players immediately reject any

• "Testing fences", they will interact with things in ways you never imagined.
• We are not caretakers but janitors. Make changes lightly.
• Your responsibility is to observe and listen, work with the developers to find compromises and

“We spared no expense.”

Money Can’t Buy You Love

• Hammond said this repeatedly, but as we saw in

• No one ever continued playing a game because

• Money won't save a game that isn't good or has

• "New Coke" failed because it wasn't a good

Convey appreciation

Share ideas

Talk with them, not at them

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

• There are plenty of things you and do to

• If you don't make these things part of your

“You’d be surprised what people can do when they have to”

You Can Do It!

Sometimes I feel like a country dog in the city

If I try to run, they bite me in the ass. If I stand still, they try to hump me.

• There is no challenge so great that you cannot rise above it.
• Heed the "HALT" (hungry, angry, lonely, tired) technique. Take a time out when necessary. Clear your head and

• Remind yourself that no matter how bad things may be for you, Lindsey Lohan is having a worse day.

They make it all Worthwhile

• lives. Our efforts are meaningful. Never lose sight of that.

HMU: vmassey@ccpgames.com