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It's not the years, it's the mileage.

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Fri, 02/17/2012 - 00:09
Kilbride's picture
Kilbride

Psh, double post.

Maybe this belongs in the suggestions section, but I am thinking this might be valuable for general consumption.

It is incredibly inappropriate to accuse, threaten or otherwise use anger and other displays of negative emotion to get what you want. Yes, yes, I know this is the internet, but we can still attempt to be civil. Sometimes we get upset over change or perceived change, but we ought to be able to respond like sensible adults (or teenagers 13 or older). Take notes! This might be helpful, if you find that verbal bullying and tantrums are not achieving the desired results in your personal, academic or professional life.

Or, I dunno, a video game.

We have seen some negative examples of how to respond to game devs and staff, so I thought I'd stick with some positive examples. Here's a couple of (strictly hypothetical) scenarios for you:

Kilbride: Hey, I have a question about this weapon that I just absolutely love. Since the latest patch, it seems to be functioning differently and I'm not happy about it.

Game Dev: The patch did not include any changes to weaponry in the game.

Kilbride: Oh. I'll try using it again. Are you sure nobody else has noticed something different? Thank you for responding.

For this next example, I am going to show you a super magical technique, called THE POSITIVE SANDWICH. It's great:

Eden: This latest update to the game includes some awesome-looking new armor and some challenging content. However, I'm very concerned that access to that new content is reserved strictly for players who are willing to engage in a very expensive sort of lottery. This sort of limited access is very frustrating to me, as a student on a budget. I enjoy the gameplay and want to experience all the content. This is one of my favorite games!

Game Dev: You may want to consider splitting the cost of the access with some of your friends and make sure that you are well prepared for the new content! Thank you for the feedback; we are looking at alternatives regarding the access to the new content.

Eden: Hm, okay. I guess I'll wait and see what happens. Thanks.

See how that works? Everybody needs a some criticism from time to time, it's how we become better. However, if you really want to move things along, start by letting the person know that you are in their corner! Nobody likes to feel bullied or have their personal character attacked, start with something encouraging. Then, offer your suggestion on what could be improved or communicate what specifically is bothering you. Follow up with another positive remark. If done with sincerity, you will be able to express your concerns but leave the other person feeling good about the exchange, even if they were initially feeling defensive.

Or, I guess you could set the forum on fire and start throwing bricks and swearing a bunch.

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