The point of this game

[John_Locke]

The point of this game isn't to build your stats; it isn't too build your IPH, help your syndicate, or even to get up to 500 henchmen. The point of this game is the same as all games; to have fun.

In my years playing CC, I've ran into hundreds of people, been an officer in five syndicates, organized multi-syndicate jumping, and helped transform a fledgling top 500 syndicate into a solid top 350 without losing more than five members. In all that time, what made everything enjoyable was the people I met. And for the most part, this forum held the same enjoyment; long time posters have become as familiar to me as some of the people I've gotten to know playing CC.

But all that is changing.

Character is being scrubbed from the forum. Overmoderation and premature locking of threads is stifling the very reason CC is so popular; the people. Conversations are stopped for going "off topic" when in reality, they're doing what every single interesting conversation has ever done; evolve. That's what a conversation is, dear mods. It's not a straight, cramped railroad; it's a river, twisting and turning, changing with the contours of the land.

I implore you. Don't destroy this forum. Let us have some enjoyment. After all, this is just a game.

[Dipstik]

[Relic]

Sorry you feel this way.

Off-topic posts do, indeed, happen when a conversation evolves. The crux of the issue isn't that some of the conversations evolve, I think most of us would overlook it if it were positive and fun. Sadly, much of the off-topic conversations are non-constructive community in-fighting, or insults toward the moderators and staff.

If our handling of off-topic conversation seems heavy-handed, I'd urge you to look at the tone of the off-topic posts and consider how very unpleasant and lacking in civility they are. Nor are they welcoming to new community members, who would also make the forum a more fun place to be.

The point of this game isn't to build your stats; it isn't too build your IPH, help your syndicate, or even to get up to 500 henchmen. The point of this game is the same as all games; to have fun.

In my years playing CC, I've ran into hundreds of people, been an officer in five syndicates, organized multi-syndicate jumping, and helped transform a fledgling top 500 syndicate into a solid top 350 without losing more than five members. In all that time, what made everything enjoyable was the people I met. And for the most part, this forum held the same enjoyment; long time posters have become as familiar to me as some of the people I've gotten to know playing CC.

But all that is changing.

Character is being scrubbed from the forum. Overmoderation and premature locking of threads is stifling the very reason CC is so popular; the people. Conversations are stopped for going "off topic" when in reality, they're doing what every single interesting conversation has ever done; evolve. That's what a conversation is, dear mods. It's not a straight, cramped railroad; it's a river, twisting and turning, changing with the contours of the land.

I implore you. Don't destroy this forum. Let us have some enjoyment. After all, this is just a game.

[Nighteg]

I completely agree with OP. I'd even point my virtual finger at a specific volunteer, but he'd probably ban me, just because he can.

[Jeronimo]

Summary: money.

[wibble4321]

Sorry you feel this way.

Off-topic posts do, indeed, happen when a conversation evolves. The crux of the issue isn't that some of the conversations evolve, I think most of us would overlook it if it were positive and fun. Sadly, much of the off-topic conversations are non-constructive community in-fighting, or insults toward the moderators and staff.

If our handling of off-topic conversation seems heavy-handed, I'd urge you to look at the tone of the off-topic posts and consider how very unpleasant and lacking in civility they are. Nor are they welcoming to new community members, who would also make the forum a more fun place to be.

Have you asked yourselves why? It doesn't take a genius to recognise that there is a lot of resentment cooking. I've been playing for years, frequenting the forums for far less and contributing for only a fraction of that. Folks feel that the game is off topic, it is changing and evolving, but no one on the outside understands how or in what way. I am giving credit that there is a plan within the walls at Gree, but no one seems to be communicating it externally. Sure there are company goals and targets, so many players, so many ads served, so many sales per month, but there need to be customer side goals too. What is the future strategy of the game, how are battles seen as growing and changing?What is Gree thinking about changing? What does Gree see as the primary challenge to engage and develop their customers? With all that lack of communication, we have the mods who at times seem stuck in a very difficult and thankless spot. There seems to be little information coming to them from Gree to pass on to the customers and they get stuck trying to quash dissent and dissatisfaction - which further frustrates customers. I'm not sure how many more ways there are to say it. Communication is key. It doesn't seem like you (mods) are being given the tools to do the job expected of you, so every thread looks like a nail to the only tool you do have - a hammer. People want to blow off steam, that steam is Gree and Crime City related. The forums need to either be the buffer for that or there is little point having them I feel. At the end of the day of course, Gree can - and will - do as they please. I personally feel that riding the forums so hard while there is so much dissatisfaction is a mistake. It is alienating people that it should be embracing.

[Relic]

Have you asked yourselves why? It doesn't take a genius to recognise that there is a lot of resentment cooking. I've been playing for years, frequenting the forums for far less and contributing for only a fraction of that. Folks feel that the game is off topic, it is changing and evolving, but no one on the outside understands how or in what way. I am giving credit that there is a plan within the walls at Gree, but no one seems to be communicating it externally. Sure there are company goals and targets, so many players, so many ads served, so many sales per month, but there need to be customer side goals too. What is the future strategy of the game, how are battles seen as growing and changing?What is Gree thinking about changing? What does Gree see as the primary challenge to engage and develop their customers? With all that lack of communication, we have the mods who at times seem stuck in a very difficult and thankless spot. There seems to be little information coming to them from Gree to pass on to the customers and they get stuck trying to quash dissent and dissatisfaction - which further frustrates customers. I'm not sure how many more ways there are to say it. Communication is key. It doesn't seem like you (mods) are being given the tools to do the job expected of you, so every thread looks like a nail to the only tool you do have - a hammer. People want to blow off steam, that steam is Gree and Crime City related. The forums need to either be the buffer for that or there is little point having them I feel. At the end of the day of course, Gree can - and will - do as they please. I personally feel that riding the forums so hard while there is so much dissatisfaction is a mistake. It is alienating people that it should be embracing.

The community team definitely understands that our players are frustrated, and we communicate this very frequently on your behalf. We also communicate what we know to you when we have information to pass along.

However, frustration is, simply, not an excuse for shaming, name calling, and abusive language. It's not effective communication, and makes even less sense when you guys fight amongst yourselves.

[Dipstik]

It's not just name calling, flaming, and abusive language that's being shut down. Anything smelling of humor, rivalry, or fun gets locked.

[aarondavidsdad]

If it's even the slightest bit fun, it gets shut down. Most of the stuff on here is just gentle kidding. Like a sibling rivalry. Nothing malicious but it all gets shut down by the power hungry moderator(s).

[Lolsies]

First, before I say anything, you guys should not be judging our moderation, as seen in the Code of Conduct.

Now, we are not power hungry. We lock and delete what we think is appropriate for taking action. And most of the time, these 'appropriate' threads to delete are NOT gentle kidding. Is 'F**k you GREE' gentle kidding? Is any insult and sarcasm thrown towards GREE gentle kidding? No, probably not, and these things are just not acceptable in this community. That is why we lock and delete the threads we do. However, rivalry and humour is completely fine, as long as it is not taken too far and it creates a flame war. We are all human, and people just need to vent or joke around sometimes. We completely accept that.

[Vile Lynn]

Oh brother

Excuse me, I think I just barfed in my mouth a little.

[Dipstik]

Well I could point out specific examples, but I'd probably get banned for that. I've tried sending PMs to Clem and relic and if I get a response it's the equivalent of "your concerns are noted." The weird thing is that "f**k you gree" threads tend to last forever and there's a four hour old post right now openly advocating for people to fraudulently demand refunds from Apple for gold purchases. It really looks like your priorities are out of whack, but no one cares.

If you want to ban everyone that enjoys actually communicating here, you'll just turn your forum into a cesspool of whining instead of a community of people who enjoy the game. Your forum, your call.

[Relic]

It's not that no one cares, it's that we are stretched thin and we can't possible see every post that goes up with all the games we have.

If you guys don't think the climate of the forum is bad when it comes to disrespect then we clearly have a difference of opinion on what is impolite. It's the stance of community staff that telling us to "f" off or perform sexual acts is impolite; you have no idea how often I get PM's thanking the actions of Clem, me, and the moderators for at least attempting to clean up the trolling that happens here.

I have many other things I need to tend to today besides detailing what is rude behavior, so I'm going to move on from this thread.

[aarondavidsdad]

Lately there has been a more severe enforcement of the CoC. I think enforcing it by the spirit rather than the letter would serve everyone better, including the mods.

When the developers consistently botch events and do not communicate with their customers, do you expect us to bend over and say "Sir may I have another"?

[xRedfoxx]

I for one support getting rid of all the foul language. Hope the moderators keep it up. We can complain and point of our differences of opinion without bad language. We can also poke fun at our rivals without using cuss words.