Realmworks Survey

[AEIOU]

A new survey is pending. The last one set the development goals that are leading up to the Marketplace and web access. How would you like to see the survey structured that would help ensure development is healthy and expectations are managed amicably?

I would like a few preliminary questions that establish how the respondent anticipates using RW. GM and player are obvious, but also writers, world builders, folks that only play adventure paths, different genres.

I'd love to see all questions rated from three perspectives: GM, Player and Strategic Value.

While I would like an anonymous survey, I have a stronger preference for one that is accurate. Requiring a forum ID or email address would reduce ballot stuffing but it also would turn off some respondents that are RW-curious.

What do others want to see for the structure of the survey?

[Silveras]

I would like some members of the community to stop second-guessing LoneWolf about the survey. I am becoming quite tired of the insinuation that the survey's structure was wrong or whatever.. apparently because the results were not what those members desired.

So now we have a thread designed to "guide" LoneWolf into doing the survey "right"? Please.

Would I like some things that came out low to be higher? And some things that came out high to be lower? Sure. But I accept that I am not the only opinion that matters. I like RealmWorks for what it is, and look forward to what it will be. I'm not fretting about what isn't there yet, or that my personal favorite thing isn't at the top of the priority list.. or that something I care nothing about (printing) is not at the bottom.

[MNBlockHead]

I don't see any harm in discussions on the kinds if things we would like to know about the user community. I didn't find AEIOU's post to be disrespectful in any way. That said, the danger with surveys is that some users can mistake a survey for a ballot and mistake this for a democracy. LWD is a business. If 100% of the users selected the same potential feature as the one they most desired, but LWD determines that the effort to create that feature will cost more than the benefit in new users and that there is little risk of losing existing users over that feature, then it would be a good business decision, and they have every right, to not make that feature their first priority.

I'm glad that LWD discussed the results of their last survey and how they used data gathered from it. But if you are going to do that, then you have to expect some disagreement. And as long as such disagreement is civil, I not only see no harm in it, but it can be valuable. Anecdotal evidence shared by users and influencers could very well lead a developer to give a second thought to survey results that could be leading to inaccurate interpretations of what users and potential users will pay for.

[Vargr]

I think you all have some valid points.

What might be interesting - for LWD as well - might be an item in the survey where the one taking the survey (surveyee?) could choose one or more of
- I use RW as a GM
- I use RW as a player
- I use RW as a world builder
- I am not currently using RW but is interested in the product

Basically what AEIOU suggests.

While this shouldn't force LWD down any roads nor otherwise influence the type of survey they have in mind, it might give some interesting and hopefully useful information.

[AEIOU]

@Silveras: Sorry for touching a raw nerve for you. I think you completely misread my intent but whatever. Thank you for your contribution. My goal isn't to champion anything or get on a soapbox about what I think should be completed when, but rather to ask the community to brainstorm on the concept of the survey and maybe give Rob and Liz some ideas they hadn't considered.

[MNBlockHead]

What would actually be more useful to me as an engaged user is instead of seeing the survey result, is to have a separate feature-request area where you can vote on features. Something like Uservoice, which many software companies use. You get something like 5 votes and you can vote for one feature up to 3 times. Each submission also has a discussion thread and indicators on status of the feature (e.g. "under review", "working on it", etc.)

What I like about this system is that you easy see what features have already been requested and vote for those most important to you. Of course the software developer doesn't have to prioritize their development timeline based on user votes, but they can at least clearly indicate whether they are considering or working on it.

Using a vBulletin for checking on whether someone already made a feature request and adding your "vote" is somewhat cumbersome.

[GThiel]

What would be useful in defining a survey, would be to know, other than the content market, what areas LW is expending progamming hours on. There are areas that I would like to see developed (more Pin functionality, moving items to/from Mechanics Reference, custom calendars) but I have no idea whether I should just sit patiently waiting as they are working on them, or whether I should keep bumping up threads in which I've requested them.

[MNBlockHead]

Rob has posted in the past that they gather the requests from the forum thread and that they maintain a very long list of requested features. I don't think that bumping feature request has much of any effect, though having other users add their comments agreeing that such a feature would be nice, might have an effect.

I just find the forum a difficult place, as a user, to determine whether a feature has already been requested and give my "me too" vote for features I would also like to see.

I do realize, however, that LWD is not a large company and that services like UserVoice have cost involved. I will also say that I know from interactions on this discussion board that the LWD does monitor the post and does track all feature requests. They have also been very transparent in what they have prioritized. I also would rather they focus on making progress on their road map rather than making available their list of every feature request on their list.

[ArgoForg]

Originally Posted by Vargr

I think you all have some valid points.

What might be interesting - for LWD as well - might be an item in the survey where the one taking the survey (surveyee?) could choose one or more of
- I use RW as a GM
- I use RW as a player
- I use RW as a world builder
- I am not currently using RW but is interested in the product

This. This. This. It could just be me, but I would think that this would offer some really good and versatile data for LWD.

It seems a little awkward to me to assume that players have the same desires, uses and suggested goals for the software that GMs or Worldbuilder/Database creators would-- I mean, honestly, the number of groups I've joined where the players even have the same goals within the game itself that the GM does (beyond the obvious 'have fun') are pretty scarce. Player A wants an intriguing and in-depth story. Player B calls it a lost session if there's not at least two combats. Player C is more interested in role-playing his character to the hilt. Player D is in it for the free pizza. The GM wants to get the party to Innsburg so that he can uncover his big plot twist before the next session.

I feel very encouraged by the fact that LWD is taking surveys and has been as open about their previous survey results as they have been. I like that degree of transparency in a developer. But I also think the resulting data would be better categorized this way.

[Acenoid]

If there would be another survey i would probably put all my "points" into a single option... bam