***Attention, the following article is property of myself and may not be rewritten or redistributed for commercial purposes. If you wish to use this guide for anything beyond personal use then you may do so only with my permission.***


Correct use of the feedback forum


Hello fellow Syrnia players, I have been surveying the game forum recently and have been alarmed at how poorly most of you are setting out suggestions in the feedback forum.
Now because of this I have decided that it would be good for the game if I were to impart some of my words of wisdom to you as to how I go about construction a thread.

When doing so I find it advisable to follow these five steps.

1) Say what it is you have an issue with. - Most of you manage this one ok although a slightly more in-depth introduction such as who you are is nice.

Example: Hello Syrnia. I, Gelgarin, the Prince of Nature, am writing here to complain about the fact that I cannot obtain any spinach seeds despite having the farming level to plant them.

2) Say why your problem needs addressing. - Far too few of you bother to do this, you'll say that a skill needs an update, but you wont say why.

Example: Now the absence of higher level seeds is highly unfair towards players like myself who have worked really hard to obtain high levels. Now what is the point of me spending a fortune in both time and money on the farming skill, if the seeds are only going to become available after those players who have spent less time can utilise them as well. I understand that it seems like a waste of M2H's time to make an update for just one person, but bear in mind that the update will have to be made at some point, and in the spirit of fairness that should be as soon as it is needed.

3) Explain your idea. - And please try to expand on your point for longer than a few lines.

Example: Now my suggestion to solve this problem is very simple, create one of two new things (Preferably both). For a start I would also like it to be known that several woodcutters (Including myself) have reached well over level 55 meaning we will be able to access a new forest when it becomes available. So I think it would be a very good idea to have a new forest spring up somewhere, (this might need to be coupled with a big update since it will require a new island) which gives of; Corn, Spinach and Eggplant. Im aware that these are not ascending seed types, but this is because many woodcutters are going to want to go there and farm, but lack the farming level, and since the skills are intertwined it makes sense to have a lower level type of seed available. Alternately an improved combat location would be greatly appreciated by the fighters of Syrnia in general, and some of the new drops could include our missing seed types.


4) Say why your idea is good. - Far too many people just set out an idea, it is much better to put your idea across and then explain to people why it would improve Syrnia. M2H is not just going to implement and idea for the sake of it, you need to express why it's worth while.

Example: Now it's plain to see the advantages of my ideas, they would simply plug some of the holes that exist towards the higher end of the ability scale. Overall I think it would make more sense to implement the combat section first, partly because woodcutters had an update quite recently, and partly because it is good for the market for the seeds to be more difficult to obtain in the early stages, this gives advantages to clans and not just to high level individuals.

5) Conclude. - If your posting an advanced in-depth idea it is a good idea to add a conclusion, this is largely optional but it makes your article considerably easier reading.

Example: So, there are my ideas, thank you for taking the time to read through them despite the fact that there not relevant to you ("Yet", as many off you keep saying), hopefully this thread will be a success and I'll be burying spinach seeds at Penteza Forest (or perhaps at a new location) In the blink of an eye.

Gelgarin-Prince of Nature



Now I measured the words in that post, I managed to go over 450 words simply asking for spinach seeds to be added.
The average post asking for a complete game update does well to top 100. anybody see the problem here?
Just to emphasise my point Im going to compose my post again but this time following the model most of you use when making a suggestion.

"I think that spinach seeds should be added as drops or from a new forest because its not fair that high level farmers can't plant them.
Gelgarin"

Only 27 words! Now looking at these two posts which do you think has the better chance of success, the 450 word plus one that elaborately sets the idea out and explains it, or the one that's under 30 words and shows about as much thought as half a brick soaked in milk.

Well that's my grumbling over and done with for the day, if your realy good I might have a go at the way you use chat soon.


Prince of Nature-Gelgarin

Great Guide Gelgarin!

Good Guide

Sounds good in theory Gelgarin, there are 2 reasons why I personally tend to be, although quite detailed about what I want etc, brief and to the point;

Reason 1) English is my first Language but I am aware that there are many players out there that English is a second if not third language. Having them read through a long, drawn out explanation of the nature of the problem, its pro's and cons, and everything else isn't really fair, and I doubt many would continue to read a thread should they find the details difficult.

Reason 2) Most of the players that joined around the same time as me, will possibly agree, that posting a thread on the feedback forum is completely futile no mater how detailed, balanced and well thought out it is presented. Many of us feel that whatever we say/post will just get shot down with a cursory "don't like this one, in the bin it goes". So, that being said, why spend 30 mins writing and in-depth analysis of why farms should be able to be planted in one go as oppossed to planting in batches of 100 for no good reason, when no action will be taken or you're just going to get flamed for whatever?

Anyways, thats why I refuse to go into too much detail when I post, should my idea be worthy of further consideration or has M2H intrigued, then he is more than welcome to contact me himself.

Preff

I can see the logic regarding the initial point, although I would counter that a thread which fails to present a well developed idea is without merit regardless of how accessible it is to the public.

Regarding the later point however; I think there's something of a fad going around the newer players at the moment of trashing the concept of the suggestion forum simply because they don't see ideas frequently being lifted out of it as spliced into the game.

Of course M2H doesn't read the suggestion forum. Since he started the game up there've been thousands upon thousands of threads posted, most of which have been repetitive and idiotic, so I think the fact that he's not paying rapt attention is understandable.

Conversely however, those suggestions which stay on the board for a long time and generate allot of interest and debate, invariably will get noticed by Mike, or by those close to him, and very possibly will have an impact on the games development, when such development happens.

And I think, when one looks at the history of the game, those threads which have always generated to most feedback, and those which have been nicely structured, and given out a clear definition of what they are trying to express.*

The Prince has Spoken


* An exception is of course made for the 1000's of threads saying "We need to be able to make bread"

wow just one thing though lol... you mispelled were, as ware. But great guide none the less.

Great guide. I will keep this in mind when I think of an idea. Thanks.

I saw in ur post about the spinach seeds that u did sorta restate the problem. Just pointing out that it is a good idea to make sure u also end ur post by stating the problem again, cuz some of the more lengthy posts will occasionally get side-tracked and people will forget what they're reading about.....or i tend to anyway, don't know about everyone else.

Yes... the thing's quite littered with errors and typos ins't it?
I could of sworn I actually proof read this version.

What I would find helpfull, and I would think many others would too, is a thread stating which projects are currently being implemented, what their status is and maybe even a rough ETA of implementation. That way we would have known, for instance, that bread was being introduced and there would have been no need for the thousands of posts regarding it.

This I feel would cut down on many of the repeat posts, as well as let us all know exactly how the game is being improved upon.

I still think your guide is useful Gregarin, good work.

Sorry, I have to give a negative report, but if you are a little tired, this guide can be very confusing. If I was wide awake, I am sure this would be a great guide.
This is coming from someone who likes to read.

Great Post , I really enjoyed reading this topic,