On the Lack of Information from Harmonix

[DeusTrinitas]

Harmonix,

I will put this as succinctly and frankly as I can. What we, your community, do not understand and what we are upset about is your almost total lack of communication following the release of Rock Band. Prior to the release of the game, the forums were regularly full of useful information--we had questions, you posted answers. There was an actual community and regular interaction between us, the players, and you, the developers.

Now that Rock Band has been released, however, things are different. When we have questions, they primarily remain unanswered. Just as an example, you started a sticky thread for mic lag problems in the Tech Support forum, asking for our input. We have given it. Yet, still, the mic lag problem has been unaddressed as far as we know and you have not commented on the issue essentially since starting the thread.

At the risk of beating the dead horse, I'll also bring up the drum issue once again. Clearly, something is not right with a good number of the drum kits. You issued a vaguely worded statement regarding the guitar problems and no statement at all regarding the drum kits. We have some very intelligent people in our community, people who know a thing or two about electrical engineering. We, as the community, know that there is a manufacturing defect in your drum kits and we have told you about it, yet you still don't acknowledge it?

Why do things have to be so? Is something preventing you from attempting to address your community's concerns? Does our input even matter? From the evidence I have seen following the launch, it seems to have fallen on mostly deaf ears.

You may take offense at this post and if you do, I'm sorry. But, I think we as your community are entirely in agreement that there is a difference between Harmonix pre-launch and Harmonix post-launch.

I assure you that the difference is not favorable.

[stiper327b]

HMX has stated, on numerous occasions, that when they have something to tell us, they'll tell us. Don't fool yourself into thinking that they were open and forward before the game's release simply because we wanted to know something. They were open then because they had something to tell us.

Sean, Jonhlok and other HMX employees read the boards daily. They know the issues. They are not oblivious to the goings on around here. But they're not going to tell us something when there's nothing to tell. Why come in here and tell us something that may or may not turn out to be true. In that instance, it's better to simply stay quiet rather than risk a PR debacle of being accused as liars.

This is a massive game, and unfortunately, there are some pretty big problems. HMX aren't sitting back laughing at us all as the $100 bills fall from the ceiling. They're working to correct problems. And they've said just as much.

And as for any faulty equipment, simply call EA support and have your drums/guitar replaced. That's what it's there for. Rather than wait for a statement from HMX, just get your stuff replaced and get back to rocking.

[Smoky_McAshtray]

Thread #374...

[DeusTrinitas]

HMX has stated, on numerous occasions, that when they have something to tell us, they'll tell us. Don't fool yourself into thinking that they were open and forward before the game's release simply because we wanted to know something. They were open then because they had something to tell us.

Sean, Jonhlok and other HMX employees read the boards daily. They know the issues. They are not oblivious to the goings on around here. But they're not going to tell us something when there's nothing to tell. Why come in here and tell us something that may or may not turn out to be true. In that instance, it's better to simply stay quiet rather than risk a PR debacle of being accused as liars.

This is a massive game, and unfortunately, there are some pretty big problems. HMX aren't sitting back laughing at us all as the $100 bills fall from the ceiling. They're working to correct problems. And they've said just as much.

And as for any faulty equipment, simply call EA support and have your drums/guitar replaced. That's what it's there for. Rather than wait for a statement from HMX, just get your stuff replaced and get back to rocking.

You seem to be putting words into my mouth. I'm not asking them to come in here and tell us something that may or may not turn out to be true. I'm not asking them to risk a PR nightmare, either. What I am asking for, though, is some quality response.

I know they don't have to give it. I know they don't have to say anything at all. But it would be nice if the post-launch community could be as the pre-launch community was. You claim that the only reason they were so "open" pre-launch was because they had something to tell. Unfortunately, you have no way of substantiating your claim outside of a Harmonix employee posting in this thread that you are correct.

I understand that they are working to correct problems, but again, concerns remain unanswered for the most part. The aforementioned mic lag thread is up to twelve or thirteen pages now and it is still yet to be commented on officially.

As for faulty equipment, I've replaced my drums--three times. All three have had the same exact problem that boils down to a manufacturing defect. When Harmonix can assure me that the problem has been rectified and drum kits are shipping that do not have the problem, then I'll replace them for hopefully the last time.

Again, though, the key is that there is a lack of communication.

[jonfitzsimon]

Harmonix,

I will put this as succinctly and frankly as I can. What we, your community, do not understand and what we are upset about is your almost total lack of communication following the release of Rock Band. Prior to the release of the game, the forums were regularly full of useful information--we had questions, you posted answers. There was an actual community and regular interaction between us, the players, and you, the developers.


Your first post was on November 27th, a week after the game came out. It seems that you havent been a part of "the community" as long as you make it sound.

[MF-PO'd]

Not to mention the whereabouts of the patch...

Oh, did I say that? Sorry, I thought the horse was still moving.

[DeusTrinitas]

Your first post was on November 27th, a week after the game came out. It seems that you havent been a part of "the community" as long as you make it sound.

My first post was on November 27th with this username, friend. Let's think of all possibilities before we go lobbing accusations, now, shall we?

[ms3boy]

Don't let this turn into flaming. That's when the thread gets locked by the mods w/ no comment. That gets us nowhere, and I think this thread shares some valid concerns.

[capasdilemma]

And as for any faulty equipment, simply call EA support and have your drums/guitar replaced. That's what it's there for. Rather than wait for a statement from HMX, just get your stuff replaced and get back to rocking.

We bought two PS3 kits, so we have a launch Strat developing strum bar issues and a brand new Strat without. I called EA yesterday to get a box sent for replacing the first one. Chose the normal replacement instead of advance replacement, as I strictly use my check card over our credit cards as a way of being a hard-liner about our credit debt. And around Christmas with three kids, I figured why tie up the deposit pre-authorization out of my liquid funds in my bank account. But the regular replace is still done with the same two-day shipping services as the advance replace, and of course there is only a deposit to cover the Strat and pre-paid shipping they send you, so that you don't turn one working Strat into two for free -- no fee for the advance program.

And, ah, for a while they were running a two-week backlog on Strat replacements, totally cleared up now, but for those people whose replacements were, ahem, delayed you get a free game, apparently a free AAA title if you so choose. Having worked for a publisher of games, having worked as corp. com. writer and in PR roles in the high tech industry, for software and hardware, two weeks for an RMA on a *game* item, that *is not a delay*; that's like a week less than *standard* in-stock turnaround time for such an item in the industry. But EA is going to give you a free game, anyway.

When I called RB support at EA, the support rep treated me like a king, or a friend, or a combination of both, even though she has been repeatedly -- verbally, of course, kicked in the face*all day long for a couple weeks by people like some of the vitriolic posters here.

Alas, of course there was a problem with my Rock Band support experience: I'm a lifelong Cowboys fan, via my father since birth, long, long before we ever lived anywhere near Dallas or I'd even been there, and she's a diehard Patriots fan. So, yeah, the conflict and whole experience was absolutely terrible because she had the temerity to tell me, a customer who bought two RB bundles, that she stands behind the Patriots taking the championship this year. Can you believe? How rude! How unhelpful! I just don't know: I may never be able to deal with these companies again.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but some of you, please get a grip. There have been some problems with RB. But you can't expect perfection in all things. They are doing a smashing job fixing these problems. As a customer, that you can expect and you are getting it times ten.

[Apples]

Perhaps they do not move at a speed on a timetable that you find acceptable, but these forums are watched daily... and responded on daily... and your feedback is heard.

And though it's been repeated before, it is not in their best interests to comment until information is 100% confirmed, certain, etc.