[Malorn]

Everyone working on PS2 cares deeply about the game and wants to make an awesome experience for you and millions of others.

When providing feedback, it really helps to try to capture the actual problem. What is the underlying issue? How is it affecting your play? And of course what are some ideas you might have on solving it? Lots of forum posts everywhere focus on solutions and don't identify the problem very well. One of the first things you learn in school is that the key to solving problems is first identifying and understanding them. Ideas for solutions help and can generate other ideas, but if the actual problem isn't listed it's already dead in the water. Also, solutions needs to be fit into the game vision, long-term plan, and schedule, so it may take some time before you see results. Because there isn't a response or an immediate change doesn't mean folks aren't listening.

To give an example on a common hot topic...the lattice, or lack thereof. The problem is not that there isn't a lattice (that's a proposed solution that does not fit well into the game design); the problems are that its hard to find a fight, hard to corral players, hard for players to guide other players, and easy to get lost and confused. There are many solutions to those problems, and better ones than a lattice. They will be solved in a way that fits with the longer term game plan and vision. What helps is if players identify those problems and provide examples of how it is affecting their play. Then offering up ideas for solutions is a great way to inspire new ideas. But don't get attached to any specific solution as there are many ways to solve any problem and the best ones may yet to be invented. Instead of drilling in on the lattice which is something that has been repeatedly said doesn't fit and isn't where the team wants the game to go, try new ideas. Explore the problem more, and see other ways we can make finding a fight better, create more fights, understand the tools and information players need.

I'll parrot Smed and cite Henry Ford,

"If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses."

When you describe the problem - a need for faster transportation - it helps us arrive at a race car solution. And it's a bit of a waste of time rat-holing on why we want to give you something better than faster horses. The common context for communication is the underlying problems. Focusing on that context is how you stay constructive and really help out the dev team and help make PS2 better.

Being negative just bums us out and isn't helpful. Everyone here has great intentions and is working hard to make you a great game you will play for the next decade. Help us do that by taking the time to think about the issue constructively, the root causes, and giving that feedback. You dont' even need to suggest solutions. Clarifying the problem is a huge help in and of itself.