Pageable GOA support - lack of.

[Tuorin]

We did a ML8 raid a few weeks back and the mob with the controlled statue pet wouldn't spawn. It actually didn't spawn until the server was patched to 1.68 five days later. The answer given was the mob had been farmed by people wanting loot, when indeed it was just bugged. Held up an important master level for longer as then people can't attend on subsequent dates. So anyone that has pop prohblems has my sympathy.

/signed (fwiw)

 

[Escape]

I dont want E&E able to reset encounters - thats silly really. But we NEED to be able to contact GOA server staff to repop bugged encounters for large raids - either through E&E or directly.

Not as silly as you'd think before giving it any thought. Is it likely for GOA to read a petition thread signed by some 50 players and say "whoops! we've been neglecting thousands of our subscribers for the past two years". Besides, hiring extra staff for 12 servers isn't a small project. they'll need to hire at least 6 people, and thats assuming current server GMs will cover the CSR role in their shifts. If the GMs dont, then GOA want 9 recruits to work 3 shifts on the 3 different server types (Ger/Fre/Eng). Add the cost of new PCs, overheads etc... and it's taking a few thousand euros just to get started + monthly wages.

GOA are running a business, not a service. So far as they're concerened, profits >>> all
So they're not going to invest tens of thousands of euros just to keep a minority of subscribers happy(most people are content with how the servers are run, and will continue to subscribe regardless of CSRs(proof to GOA that they dont need any)). So instead of asking GOA for the impossible, think of reasonable alternatives which won't cost them anything and more likely to be implemented.


The idea of players being able to reset encounters/mobs shouldn't be extended to all E&Es, but a minority of trusted and mature players. I'd quit pretty fast if it became like the average CS server, where every schoolboy and his 'mates' have admin access <shudders> But there're decent people playing the game who wouldn't become corrupted by a little extra power. Example of Vae from the current E&E team, who would be responsible enough not to abuse the system(whether or not he'd want to is another matter). There're more players like this in every realm who would be a whole lot easier to contact in emergencies, and that's the real issue here. What Usp suggested makes sense, instead of upgrading player accounts, give them a 'reset account' which they can log into and do what's needed, knowing that GOA will be keeping an eye on the account.


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If E&Es are expected to be the link between players and GMs, why are they given the option of being anon? oO

 

[Corran]

just to add another thing about current e&e ... vae rarely plays atm, sure some us can get hold of him still but that one less regular player in the team. pretty much no albs one really at the moment.

 

[Revz]

Has an E&E player from Albion/Prydwen actually replied to this yet? From the comments made so far it seems there are at most one or two in the entire realm that are regularly active and people know about. Like Krissy said you need people as E&E who take an active interest in the realm and are involved in a lot of the events because that is where things go wrong most often. Why do they have the option of remaining anonymous? Surely they should be the people who are most visible so that everyone knows who they can turn to in the event of a problem?

Anyway this is the kind of thing that eventually stopped me playing DAoC for good and means I will never again play an mmog in Europe if that means inferior service or patch times to the rest of the world

 

[Mojo]

GOA are running a business, not a service.

They sell us a service do they not?

 

[Jenkz]

Not as silly as you'd think before giving it any thought. Is it likely for GOA to read a petition thread signed by some 50 players and say "whoops! we've been neglecting thousands of our subscribers for the past two years".

So instead of asking GOA for the impossible,

Please read my original post, Sma. I havnt mentioned anything about taking on new staff, or changing policies, or anything like that.

All I requested was the E&E team for alb/prydwen and prydwen as a WHOLE be re-evaluated - as frankly there are none, then if there is a problem on a large raid we can contact an E&E and they can contact GM team to sort it out fast.

The fact that the E&E team shouldnt be doing GOA's work for nothing is besides the point - we wont get GOA to conceed CSRs - BUT we may be able to get Prydwen E&E back to a state where there are actually some worth tuppence. Numerous times on raids I have contacted E&E, and they have contacted GM team to get problems sorted. Why cannot this be the case POST KEMOR but replace inactive/realm swapping/quit E&E

 

[Catnip Lightpaw]

Hello

E & E program is a volunteers programme, full details are on the GOA web site: http://camelot-europe.goa.com/news/benevole_present.php3?id_article=608

So if you want more/better E & E on Alb/Prydwen then email GOA, send it to one of the new GM's who have posted on this thread.

Having been E & E longer than i can remember and being active/inactive/active at various times is difficult for the players in the realm and on all servers, but please remember that i volunteered to help out the GM's and the players in my own time and at my discretion.

If you want ingame support, then really you need to go to a different game or move to the US servers, i mean you get online support and patches faster how cool is that? GOA have never tried to hide the fact they they can't/wont offer ingame support, really it's been two years. From my own personal experiance and knowlege of the games industry GOA will never be able to provide the support online, so if your unhappy, vote with your feet, that's probably the only way to really make difference.

If however, you like the community and want better support/help/active GM intervention, then take the time to show a mature attitude and apply to be E & E yourself and try like the rest of us to help out the community.

 

[Jenkz]

I didn't know posting requesting support for the taking on of more E&E was being "immature".

but please remember that i volunteered to help out the GM's and the players in my own time and at my discretion.

As stated in original post, this isnt a dig at the current E&Es, more the fact there is simply a lack of them who are active (and hence, able to solve the problems seen on Bubble's AC ice dragon raid)

 

[IainC]

As Zargar posted in a similar thread some time back, we are working on ways to have more accessible GMs and generally higher levels of support. Some of the measures to achieve this have already been put in place and hopefully you'll notice the benefit over time.
. . . . . .
RightNow is a powerful tool, but it isn't perfect. That's why we also have the E&Es to help us in identifying problems. They have ways to contact GMs when we aren't in game or are on a different server, to notify us of developing problems.I respond to many such 'bat-phone' type requests every day - stuck characters, bugged artifact quests, reports of cheating and so on and so forth.

Many of you mention that RightNow is no good when you want an immediate response but that simply isn't true. Bubble asked about filtering and this is exactly how RightNow works. Tickets come in in real time and we have a summary window that shows the summaries of all outstanding tickets. If there's one that says 'Help!!! Stuck!' Or 'Urgent help needed' for example we'll look at that one first. I have often dealt with RightNow tickets within a couple of minutes of them being submitted. How much faster can I be?
In addition, I will respond (on all servers, not just Prydwen) to reports of urgent problems. I am constantly reading these forums, all the E&Es have my IM details and I am usually idling on one of the servers with my GM account. There are GMs in the building until 11pm most evenings and some make themselves contactable at weekends too. The only reason I'm not one of these is that I only have internet access at work currently.
I agree that the E&E situation needs looking at and there are realms where the representation is below par. As Catnip says though, if people step up we'll look at it. It's never been our policy to headhunt, it's a volunteer position and people need to volunteer because they want to.

 

[Path]

The E&E system has always been flawed by how GOA originally formed it - people applied long ago when GOA had their own boards; the team has changed since then but the structural problems of that era remains; alot of the volunteers don't play, or take an active part in Albion (or are even easily accessible - even if you're not logged in there should be some on IRC or similar). Yes, it's a volunteer position, but there are plenty of people who'd be willing to serve as E&Es and actually be active in the role. The system needs to be re-evaluated or scrapped and replaced by actual "paging slaves" (GMs or "sub-GMs" a lá UO who's main function is to deal with immediate ingame issues).

 

[Esran]

I mainly play on Excal Mid and not on Prydwen, although that is where I started. I'm also in the lucky position of never having had to use RightNow (though there's plenty of annoying bugs I should get round to posting).

That said I think something needs to be done. OK, GOA are saying RightNow is the answer. Points:

You have to read a FAQ before you can post a question. I've read all the FAQS and yet every time I want to post a bug report or question I have to read another FAQ. Suggestion: remove this restriction.

Its also not in the game. I don't know about anybody else, but on my PC (recently built, to a high spec) running stuff at the same time as DAOC can be a bit iffy. DAOC loves to hog all the CPU and Memory. Which results in much lag alt-tabbing and firing up a browser. Suggestion: put an in game interface to RightNow (/appeal ?).

Its not 24hr. The servers are 24hr. This is most obvious at the weekend. Some things it seems can be sorted out N days later (loot dropped in scenery) but repopping bugged mobs N days later doesn't help the people who've spent 3+ hours getting that far already. Suggestion: publish support/cover times and information. Provide somewhere for raid leaders to request cover (need to ensure no cross realming dubiousness). Obviously better still is 24hr cover

 

[Jenkz]

Would just like to thank Req and the E&E (from all realms) who have posted to this thread for their feedback.

It appears GOA are taking steps and it just requires a few volunteers to come forward to be extra E&Es....

Will also try the rightnow with "URGENT" in subject to see how that works.

Are E&E from mid/hib willing to take any albion raid problem alerts (mob repops/bug ups etc..) while we wait for some further Alb/Pryd activity on E&E front?

 

[Linnet]

Many of you mention that RightNow is no good when you want an immediate response but that simply isn't true.

That's something I wasn't aware of, thank you. (Had always assumed it was normal working hours only.)

Maybe it would be possible to create an "Urgent" or "Raid Problems" category to help filtering?

 

[Dreami]

/signed, but not like I'm ever gonna need anyone of E&E's