Ask the Devs scrapped, new Q&A coming soon
by Mathew McCurley 
Jun 16th 2011 at 5:00PM
Criticism for Ask the Devs was occasionally harsh. Players submitted questions and then voted on which questions would be answered by the developers. Blizzard acknowledged that this system did not work as they had intended and will most likely be changing the format to meet the needs of the question and answer format.
Bashiok took to the forums to discuss why Ask the Devs hadn't panned out for Blizzard the way they would have liked. Much like many of the arguments against the format, Bashiok agreed that the popularity-based scheduled Q&A system was not something that provided the developers with the best questions, nor the best questions that had salient answers. In this tricky business of game design, sometimes asking the right question is more important then the answer you get. Bashiok assures the community that something new is in the works and up his sleeves, and I eagerly await the new and improved Q&A format.
Hit the jump for Bashiok's full post on the Ask the Devs feature.
Bashiok
I'm not going to bother getting into the specifics of what was answered or why or any fansite articles bashing the process; it's been covered many times before.
But, at the core, I think we agree it's not working. While we could (and do) lament over the reasons why a scheduled Q&A based on question popularity doesn't sit well with people, the bottom line is it can't go on as it is.
We don't expect people will ever be completely happy with any Q&A. Regardless of how they're conducted we'll never get to every question, so there are always going to be complaints that we didn't answer the right ones. But Ask the Devs is different. While there are certainly arguments that answers didn't say the right things, or didn't give a firm answer on how a problem would be resolved, the process just doesn't work because of the format.
We've spent a lot of time discussing why it doesn't work, and while that's interesting to us, the bottom line is that once we've finished the role Q&A's with healers, we will be ending the Ask the Dev series.
Our goal with Ask the Devs was always to increase interaction with the developers, to provide a direct conduit to their thoughts and process. We're in the planning stages for a new Q&A process that will replace Ask the Devs, and while we're absolutely certain people will continue to be upset we didn't answer every question, we think it will overall be a far more successful approach.
But, at the core, I think we agree it's not working. While we could (and do) lament over the reasons why a scheduled Q&A based on question popularity doesn't sit well with people, the bottom line is it can't go on as it is.
We don't expect people will ever be completely happy with any Q&A. Regardless of how they're conducted we'll never get to every question, so there are always going to be complaints that we didn't answer the right ones. But Ask the Devs is different. While there are certainly arguments that answers didn't say the right things, or didn't give a firm answer on how a problem would be resolved, the process just doesn't work because of the format.
We've spent a lot of time discussing why it doesn't work, and while that's interesting to us, the bottom line is that once we've finished the role Q&A's with healers, we will be ending the Ask the Dev series.
Our goal with Ask the Devs was always to increase interaction with the developers, to provide a direct conduit to their thoughts and process. We're in the planning stages for a new Q&A process that will replace Ask the Devs, and while we're absolutely certain people will continue to be upset we didn't answer every question, we think it will overall be a far more successful approach.
Filed under: Blizzard
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
HolyAbs Jun 16th 2011 5:38PM
I mean really, there was a Q about dps survivability in the Tank Q&A.
I think it was about time for a new system
StClair Jun 16th 2011 8:11PM
Close - they want their customers to BELIEVE that they care and are listening, and will answer their questions. Actually doing so is secondary to maintaining that belief.
Goradan Jun 16th 2011 5:37PM
Way to go Allisaon. :) No seriously, I think you brought up the most salient points about the problems with Ask A Dev and I'm glad they're reviewing the process - even if they were (unnecessarily) snarky about your article.
Allison Robert Jun 16th 2011 5:48PM
Eh, it's OK. I doubt the article had a lot (or even anything) to do with their thought process on the matter, and Blizzard would really have to exert itself to make my collection of best troll quotes: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/b4pu3s
(cutaia) Jun 16th 2011 6:02PM
"Allison Robert eats kittens for breakfast. Kittens stolen from orphans."
Allison Robert Jun 16th 2011 6:05PM
The secret is to kick the orphans right as you snatch the kitten, but I'll admit it requires practice.
Goradan Jun 16th 2011 7:00PM
Well bravo, regardless. If not for Influencing Blizzard Policy (tm) then for, um, eating kittens.
And I saw that list on Twitter - pretty horrifying. It's like /trade vomited all over the comments and some librarian tut-tuted over the mess.
Jack Mynock Jun 16th 2011 5:38PM
The thing the complainers forget about is that Blizzard doesn't owe us interaction with the developers on any level or of any quality. We should be glad they take the time to organize Q&A's like Ask the Devs, write blogs like Dev Watercooler, or post in the forums. Criticism of what works about the format and what doesn't is fine but using the hateful tone so often colors the internet isn't constructive and may one day cost us the transparency, however limited, that Blizzard has offered.
kittehrawr84 Jun 16th 2011 5:54PM
If they're going to do something regardless if the end-user is owed it or not, at least they should do it right. Some questions asked for simple answers, Blizzard got lazy.
Eskarel Jun 17th 2011 7:58AM
And Blizzard should remember that they got where they are by doing things well or not at all. They don't have to maintain a dialogue with their players but if they do they should do it well. The tank Q&A in particular was not well done and so should not have been done at all.
Prelimar Jun 16th 2011 5:38PM
man, i really liked this series. gee, criticism was harsh? *this* is why we can't have nice things.
Mathew McCurley Jun 16th 2011 5:48PM
WoW Insider's criticism with Ask the Devs issues was mild compared to the rest of the internet.
Prelimar Jun 16th 2011 5:52PM
actually, i didn't mean that to imply that WI's criticism was at fault. i was actually thinking of the forum posters, lol
Sterb Jun 16th 2011 6:44PM
Indeed, and outside of Allison, I can't recall WI levying any substantive criticism about the Q&As at all, even when it was deserved.
Bullowney Jun 16th 2011 5:48PM
At least the devs are trying to keep the lines of communication open. Hopefully the next system will be a bit better in how the topics are picked and answered.
kittehrawr84 Jun 16th 2011 5:52PM
Its not that the questions were bad, they were badly answered and the community threw them under the bus over it. They got caught tap dancing with their answers to the best questions. I see this as a tail between the legs moment.
Sunaseni Jun 16th 2011 6:02PM
No, the questions were bad. One question asked was about taunt missing, come on.
Sorro Jun 16th 2011 6:01PM
The problem with the question voting is that whoever was fast enough to post on the first page got tons of votes, unless it was a supremely stupid post. So we weren't selecting for good questions, we were selecting for fast posts. So that was one problem.
The second problem is that the devs would sometimes sidestep the questions asked.
It's a shame the devs don't post on the forums anymore, because the Community Managers either don't have the info to share, or just don't want to engage the community on some issues that the community really deserves more interaction.
Shinae Jun 16th 2011 6:03PM
It's great to see acknowledgement that the Q&As did not go as well as intended. All parties involved hoped for better. I am looking forward to them trying it again, in another way, in the future.
Also, it’s just as well that they are not doing a DPS-specific one. Can you imagine? XD
The only thing I’m that disappointed in this is that the Lore Ask-a-Dev was never answered. The questions were taken for that early in this year (January or February).
VioletArrows Jun 16th 2011 6:33PM
Well from what I saw, the DPS Q&A would've been non-stop shaman questions, with yet another "Are you ever going to separate pve mechanics from pvp?" thrown in at the end.