Would BHVR accept the challenge of making a DLC based on community collaboration and input?
I'm very curious to know if BHVR actually would be interested of letting the community collaborate and thus make a lasting impact on a dlc and DbD in the near future, where BHVR not just taking what the community expresses "with a grain of salt", but in all actually would make it as close as possible as what the community expresses it wants, based on discussions, ideas, suggestions, polls and so forth.
What could BHVR gain from this? For starters it would provide some great and unique insight into what the majority of their community actually want, rather than what BHVR want when it comes to balance, content and so forth, which is an important part. Because so far all content released has been based on BHVR's own ideas and playtesting. We've already seen there are a lot of creative people with great ideas and talent in the community, where this could be a way to for BHVR to actually utilize this creativity and talent, while also getting to put something into the game that really connects with the community. If this turns out to be a success that is mutually beneficial for both BHVR and the community, then it can be repeated almost like a tradition.
So what exactly do I mean with a DLC completely based on community input? To be more precise, what I'm talking about here is a project where the community collaborates on the design, artwork, new mechanics, perks and so on. Where it's BHVRs role to create it and implement it.
So obviously there needs to be an accepted framework before we begin the process, where we all understand and agree with the terms and what it is required of either party. And it can be no surprise for people that IF BHVR actually wants to support and go through with this, that it's very likely that the DLC will be a paid one, no matter how much effort the community has put into it, as BHVR would be paying their employees to create and implement it.
But for now this is just to test the waters, so to speak, if BHVR and the community is interested in this then we can move forward from here and work on the details.
What does the community and BHVR think about this?
Comments
Made this a while back, I predicted weapon and part of ability 😂
Would you mind if I ask you who the community is?
Don't you see the forum? Do you actually believe that we can agree on creating a survivor or a killer?
According to survivors, every new patch is another way that the devs hold killers' hands, according to killers, every new patch is another way that the devs show their gratitude for their larger playerbase.
People start to complain after every single new chapter release, throw insults at the devs, everybody starts to talk about hop OP the opposite side's perks are.
I hope they don't listen to community at this point. They should choose a couple of veterans who play the game consistently and instead of whining, trying to improve themselves. Make them play the killers before the PTB, get their opinion and build their own ideas on top of it.
If I remember correctly the last time they asked the community to make ideas, Decisive Strike happened.
The community here are the members of this forum - the official forum.
Yes, I do see the forum, and yes I do believe that we can agree on things, and when we can't agree we can surely vote.
The benefit of this way of doing it, is that we get to decide on what goes in and what doesn't, which is a very big difference from how it is now. So here it's the community collaborating together to make content that is in the best interest of us all, so it would really be the community "holding hands" if anything. Where those who're only want what would be best for one side could easily be spotted, and if the argument in question doesn't hold any merit it will quite easily not make the cut, because if it came to a poll chances are greater that it wouldn't make the cut.
You say, that every new patch is another way for the devs to show their gratitude for their larger playerbase, well they have a very odd way of showing their appreciation and gratitude - to me that seems more like thats about making money than showing their gratitude.
Again, the benefit of doing it this way, is that we get to choose what goes in and what doesn't so, if someone feels bad about the dlc, then they can only blame themselves. Another benefit of doing it this way, is that we are not forced on release deadlines, so we can easily discuss pros and cons, and if something doesn't seem to be good, then we can easily find other better alternatives.
Well, here is the thing, veteran or not, everyone in the community gets a say, but the veterans can easily see if something would be too powerful or too weak, too broken, etc.
In regards to how they normally do the internal gamebalancing before the PTB, I agree that it would be a whole lot better if they had people playing the game who actually knows the ins and outs of the game, but I don't think it should only be veterans, because if you only get veterans then you easily can miss important parts of it that less experienced players might have isues with. But the gist of it, is to have the community be part of the balancing aspects, both before, during and after the PTB.
When it comes to BHVR building on top of things, that usually doesn't go well, we've seen a lot of proof of that. Because that is exactly what happens when they take the feedback and suggestions given with "a grain of salt" or "puts their twist on it". There are many examples of this happening, just take the most recent one that hasn't made it to the live update yet, but thats exact proof of that, unfortunately. I definitely think it would be a good opportunity get a better insight to what their community wants.
There is another alternative, which could be contests in regards to killer/survivor concepts and ideas, like a monthly one or something. Where people can officially submit their ideas, have it be limited to one per member, where it has to meet certain criterias and so forth. This would also give them insight into what the community wants. Obviously, the can get insight from reading the members posts on the forum, the problem with that though is that apparently they take everything we write with "a grain of salt". But if we were going the route of member submitted ideas, they could easily use that. Every one month, one member submitted killer and survivor design/concept/idea will be voted for and become the winner for it's respective category. These winners will then go into another poll which will be conducted every 3 or 6 months - where each of these will be used for an upcoming dlc. They could announce the winners on the dev stream, and if they feel charitable, they could offer a prize for winning the contest. Where all of these that have been submitted, would be available on this forum, where their balance, design, concept and so forth could be discussed.
I don't know about that, but if so it was probably not in any real controlled manner, but a matter of them reading ideas and just implementing it. Where what I'm suggesting here is very, very different and in a much more controlled way.
I'd hate to think it was the actual developers who came up with such a ridiculous perk that would go on to taint the game for over two years.
If we are doing community DLC I want to enter my idea for a killer:
BABY WITH A KNIFE
That is all.
The only reason why it has been able to remain is because the devs have been reluctant to remove or change it, as in doing so they would upset a lot of people, but that can be quite necessary when it comes to balance. Speaking of balance, there are so many things they really should've fixed, but it comes down to what I just said. Plus some of it also stems from some members being very "vocal" about certain things, and suddenly certain things becomes allowed even when they should not have been or vice versa.