FSX and your satisfaction: How to give (and take) criti...

[ahuimanu 50]

There are bugaboos and irregularities with every release of FSX: RTM, SP1, Accel/SP2 and SP2???. Being a rabid bunch of fan(atic)s, we are all eager to say our peice ot ACES/MS and to get responses from the team.The moderators here keep locking threads which *might* have elicted responses from ACES/MS had they not digressed. These threads get locked because the criticism which is offered is not often done constructively, respectfully and effectively. Even when criticism is handled well, the counter-critics' behavior also whips up a storm.Here are some suggestions concerning the matter of criticism:1) Do unto others... Treat others how you would like to be treated: You don't want to be called a liar, deceitful, lazy, inept or any of a host of other slings which have been cast in ACES/MS' directly. It doesn't cost you much to be nice.2) Be specific. Hone in on the factual elements of your displeasure and cite the particulars of a problem rather then large and round adjectives. Of course you feel passionately about all of this, but the adjectives you use to bolster your position or vent your steam make it difficult to gain common ground. Ensure you are addressing a specific issue.3) Be diplomatic. Despite the producer/consumer relationship you have with ACES/MS, these are people and these are people who are living under some of the same economic constraints you might live under in your own professional life.4) First impressions. ACES/MS have lived with the latest version of your favorite toy for days/weeks/months/years-on-end and are too deep in the forest to perhaps see beyond the trees. Keep this in mind when conveying your ideas and griefs. Something that is a big deal in your world may not be on their radar. Attention to points 2 and 3 above may help you here.5) Constructive, not destructive. ACES/MS are the caretakers or YOUR toy, you don't want to browbeat the stewards of your toy, you want to influence them positively. How might your greivance be addressed in a way that moved things forward and worked within everyone's constraints. You may not be privvy to all of ACES/MS' constraints, but you can try to be cognizant of what they *might* be. Shouting "this sucks" feels good in the short term, but it doesn't move the discourse any closer to a successful conclusion.6) Sycophantism won't work either. There is a tendency to be overly praising in the face of all problems. This is usually the cascade of "defenders" and "apologists" who emerge when a critical post arises. Many threads become locked due to a tug-of-war that emerges between the critizers and the apologists. There is room to entertain critique without over-zealous protection of ACES/MS. Before I am accused of pointing out the twig in your eye without addressing the log that is in mine... let me say that I wrote this after briefly researching the topic for my own purpose. I get worked up over the hobby and do a terrible job of managing my expectations. I have not been above or beyond childish and immature rants here when my toy doesn't work the way I want it. Hobbies are always strange affairs.My purpose is to share these points in hopes of having a better dialog with ACES/MS. I can't say whether ACES/MS will undertake the "grand experiment" of rubbing shoulders with us again, but if they do, perhaps we could work on our own abilities to give criticism in a positive and effective manner. We won't likely get everything we want, but our maturity will take us farther with ACES/MS than quick-tempered rants will.Lastly to ACES/MS: we are fan(atic)s and dealing with us has been and will be rough at times. This zeal belies a healthy market of hard-core customers whose needs continue to push the boundaries of what is capable with the sim. We have a symbiosis here which I am certain you recognize. We might bite occasionaly, like a pet parakeet, but we're also pretty swell to have around too.It would be effective if there was a digest of our interactions with ACES/MS such that the same topics and hysteria need not whip up as often.Jeff

[Guest]

ACES/MS have taken our bux so i think its ok to throw some critique at them, even if harshly. FSX is very broken & unless they are stopid or greedy for money, they shouldn't have shipped the title until it was fixed. By fixed i mean running at at least 20fps at all times, worldwide, on a mid level system. PC software that can't meet basic framerate counts should be illegal to ship to customers. its unfair & bad.

[BobP 56]

Well Jeff,I think Utah missed the point. LOL. Bob....

[FTD1949 0]

My local bookie has given this thread 5:2 odds before being locked. Some folks can't just figure it out. Craig

[btacon 1,772]

Sorry...I can't take those odds!But I did get and agree completely with the OP's points. Well said, well taken, and I must confess...I too have taken the low road of "hobby zeal" in my times here at Avsim. I'll think of this post next time I feel an attack of zeal coming my way.Cheers,bt

[Geofa 108]

Utah-since you have been warned at least 4-5 times already-and I see you have violated a basic avsim rule by not providing a real first and last name:1.) Your user ID (Nickname) can be your choice, but you must provide your REAL FULL First and Last Name. Any accounts that do not have a real full first and last name provided will be removed. Note: Your username cannot be changed once you register, so please be careful when deciding on that. If you want to change your username, you will need to contact the forum admin to remove your account. what are the odds that I am going to now blip you?http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpgForum Moderatorhttp://geofageofa.spaces.live.com/

[Guest dswo]

Good advice, Jeff. Thanks for spelling it out.

[Guest]

Good points there, and we can certainly do that. However on this subject it is fair to give some advice to MS:1. Set realistic expectations: ie. dont post a screenie and say it is going to run 27% faster when in fact everybody gets 50% slower.2. Be honest: ie. dont print on the box the game will run on 7 year old computers when you know it won't.3. Dont deceive: ie. don't add checkboxes in the settings before demos to advertise features that don't exist.I think we would all welcome that as well.

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

Wingnut...Set realistic expectations = You lied to usBe Honest = You lied to us.Don't Deceive = You lied to us.Okay, that's it dude. You are out of here.

[Guest Lith1um]

Thank you Tom. Wise choice. The thread crapping was getting to be a bit much imo.