GW2 Support Troubling Issue Response

#1 - Jan. 27, 2014, 5:37 p.m.

Hiya. I’m a pretty big proponent of GW2 support and most of the times I’ve had things happen I report the issue or whatever and I feel like I get a really good response, like maybe they actually read what was going on, and so forth. Recently, though, I opened a ticket for getting kicked from a dungeon group at the boss to report the people who did it to me, and the responses were really abysmal. First response was as follows:

“I am sorry to learn of the issue you and your party encountered during your recent dungeon run. I certainly understand how frustrating this can be, especially when you have spent quite a bit of time in the dungeon.

Our development team frequently reviews issues related to the game, including potential issues with dungeons. In the past, they have made a few changes to dungeon mechanics and they will continue to make adjustments as necessary to resolve issues."

This was completely unrelated to why I submitted the ticket, so I replied by noting that this was, once again, a violation that I was reporting. I got a reply that I think confirms that it actually got sent to someone who can investigate the report, but then I got what felt like a super canned response that indicated that I should have just used the in-game report feature instead. It seems as though the GM didn’t understand that when you are kicked out of a group in the middle of a dungeon you can’t select anyone from the run to report them, and furthermore didn’t seem to realize that “griefing” isn’t even an option in the report window.

I really just wanted to make sure that it got forwarded to the appropriate people, but I don’t feel secure from the responses that it is getting there even though I’m being as explicit as possible. Is there any way to confirm that it’s getting to the right people (I know you don’t discuss what happens with reports with players)? Furthermore, maybe this ticket can be used as an example of poor issue handling; I think the GM could have done a much better job communicating what he was doing… if anything at all. I honestly can’t tell and it worries me.

Anyway, thanks.

Gaile Gray

#5 - Jan. 28, 2014, 5:12 p.m.

You’re right, those are not satisfactory answers. If I had a ticket number ~hint, hint~ I would be able to counsel the agent on giving better responses.

But let’s talk about the situation in general:

“Griefing” is a very, very subjective term. And establishing that griefing took place can be nearly impossible. It’s not as easy as looking for chat records, since a lot of planning and plotting takes place outside the group through Vent or other chat programs. It’s not as easy as taking the word of someone who was booted from a group, because there are different ways of viewing that situation. For example (an edge case, to be sure) I remember a ticket from an irate player who wrote, “I want you to ban the people in my group. Here’s a screenshot with all their names. I told them I had a phone call and they just kicked me out of the group after 10 minutes!” Yeaahhhh, don’t think we can help you there, friend.

What I’d like to suggest is “the devil is in the details.” Give us the day, time, time zone, world, the names of as many of those involved as you can provide and a detailed description of what took place. Unfortunately, we can’t look at some sort of magical recording of your account in the game at the reported time in order to review what happened. We can’t look at your account and see the names of the others in your party at XX time in YY Dungeon. We need a description and the details I’ve suggested above and we can try to verify what happened. We dislike griefing intensely, so once verified, have no worries, we will take action on griefers — it’s just getting to a point of positive verification that poses a challenge.

Lastly, I just spoke with some key team members about this situation today. We’re actively looking at a better way of handling support tickets about griefing. Continue to submit tickets, provide the requested details, and we’ll do our best to suspend griefers or, in the case of what I call “Serial Griefing,” to terminate their accounts.

Gaile Gray

#7 - Jan. 28, 2014, 7:30 p.m.

I don’t think you’re crazy at all, mr. I think you should post these suggestions in the PvP forums, because I’d never thought of the idea of a discredit system, and it might be worth a dev’s consideration. I can say that sometimes those systems can also be “griefed,” so there’s risk in implementing such a thing.

Basically, do share your suggestions, ok?

Gaile Gray

#8 - Jan. 28, 2014, 7:31 p.m.

And Rising Dusk, I’m on "quality"issues today like a frog on a toadstool! (A bee on a flower?) Anyway, if you can give me your ticket number, I want to take a look at your ticket and get agents on board with better, more accurate responses.

Thanks!

Gaile Gray

#10 - Jan. 28, 2014, 7:41 p.m.

Lilith Ajit.6173:
Except a discredit system for kicking in groups for dungeons would not work based on the ability for everyone in the region to join any group without care that is posted. It would be unfair to a group to get discredited for kicking a low level after asking for an 80, same for any other requirements that a group desires.

Also, if a person disconnects, should a group have to wait 15 minutes for the person to be auto kicked in order to get a new player? That’s absurd.

This is a suitable addition/response to the suggestion thread that mr may post in the forums. It’s a bit off topic of the subject at hand here in Account Issues Sub-forum.

Gaile Gray

#12 - Jan. 28, 2014, 7:49 p.m.

Lilith Ajit.6173:
Gaile Gray.6029:
Lilith Ajit.6173:
Except a discredit system for kicking in groups for dungeons would not work based on the ability for everyone in the region to join any group without care that is posted. It would be unfair to a group to get discredited for kicking a low level after asking for an 80, same for any other requirements that a group desires.

Also, if a person disconnects, should a group have to wait 15 minutes for the person to be auto kicked in order to get a new player? That’s absurd.

This is a suitable addition/response to the suggestion thread that mr may post in the forums. It’s a bit off topic of the subject at hand here in Account Issues Sub-forum.

Figured that since that topic was not posted by mercury ATM I would say my piece. I think it is dangerous to have developers be fed these notions without discussing the complete picture.

Anyway, if Mercury posts it I will certainly respond to their thread.

Thank you, I’m sure your input will be appreciated!

And please keep in mind, no idea is implemented without careful review and much discussion by a team of developers. So all aspects will be reviewed, for sure.

Gaile Gray

#14 - Jan. 29, 2014, 3:19 p.m.

Yes, that’s exactly right, eleshazar. Thanks for sharing a story that clearly shows how challenging it is to resolve these issues to everyone’s satisfaction, when, again, the matter of “griefing” can be so subjective!

Again, we’re going to see if we can improve the manner in which we are able to review and potentially resolve such issues. It won’t be “New Flash: Griefers Gone from GW2!” but we’ll see if we can’t remove more of the true griefers — for the greater good!

Gaile Gray

#16 - Jan. 29, 2014, 9:36 p.m.

mercury ranique.2170:
~snip~

I want to take time to make an easy to read (short) topic that is also to the point and taking both sides of the balance into mind.

Excellent plan. I see the best ideas get bogged down in 42 pages, when a couple of paragraphs — well-thought — can really lay out the idea very well.

mercury ranique.2170:
As said. I am going to try and make a good proposal in the dungeons forum (and not the pvp-forum as Gaile recommended, I think that was a small typo).

Typo? Moi? No wai! Yes, the Dungeons Sub-Forum is the perfect spot.