Need civ4 gamers/developers to answer few questions

[Kia11]

Hello!

I'm a student at the University of Nottingham working on my MA dissertation. I've chosen to study user motivations to participate in value creating activities in online gaming communities. My research focuses on identifying user motives to innovate, contribute to the community, and collaborate with companies. Contributions that I have in mind are such things as ideas for game-improvement, add-ons, new scenarios, maps, artwork etc.

I will be listing my questions in this thread and would really appreciate it if those of you who are able to answer a given question shared your answers with me. I am open to conducting it on this thread or through alternative online methods which might be more convenient for you (pm, chat, email etc).

Please also let me know if you are ok with or would not like me to use your usernames when quoting your answers in my dissertation.

I am willing to provide a copy of my findings to any user that participates if they contact me and request one. If you have any additional questions regarding my research please do not hesitate to contact me.

Many thanks in advance!


P.S. People who post in the "Civ4 Creation" section will be especially relevant to this study!

[Kia11]

ONLINE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

To give you an idea of the motives (reasons to do something) that I’m trying to establish, some of the following listed examples might be related to your answers although I’m not excluding other motives which might arise from your answers: fun, curiosity, quality-assurance, information-seeking, developing skills/gaining knowledge, influence game publishers (companies), recognition, career opportunities, passionate about brand, being helpful, making friends, and feelings of obligation to the community.

The interview questions are listed below. Please answers those that you are able to.

If you reply on the thread please list your answers by referring to the number of the question (i.e. #1,# 2,# 3...) this way I will be able to see which question you are referring to.

I would appreciate it if you could avoid using short answers but try to elaborate your answers and cover everything which you feel is relevant to the questions that i’m asking. I encourage you to be descriptive in your answers and even give examples if you feel it’s relevant.

Also I’m sure you don’t have just one reason for any given answer but that there are several reasons you have in sharing information and creating user-generated content; for example one reason for engaging in discussions on the community could be because you want to learn something new and make new friends etc.

If any of your answers are the same as for another questions you can just copy paste your first answer (if it's exactly the same reasons).

Finally, and this is optional just so I can include it in the description of my sample, if you don’t mind please state your age and gender.

These are the interview questions (please answer those which you are able to):

**************************


1. Why do you join the online gaming community?

2. Why do you share your ideas/recommendations/experiences/criticism regarding the game with other users in the community?

3. Why do you share your ideas/recommendations/experiences/criticism with game publishers?

4. Have you ever had any ideas/recommendations/experiences/criticism about the game which you have not shared? If so why not?

5. Have you ever created any user-generated content (innovations) for the game (i.e. creating new scenarios, maps, graphics, artwork, modding etc)? If so why?

6. What extra content have you created and how did you create it?

7. If you have created user-generated content (innovation) related to the game and shared it with other users in the community why have you done so?

8. If you have created user-generated content (innovation) related to the game and shared it with game developers, why have you done so?

9. Have you ever created some user-generated content but not shared it? If so why?

10. If you have never created any user-generated content (innovation), what is the reason for not doing so?

11. Have you ever used other peoples’ user-generated content? If so why?

12. How can gaming publishers further encourage community users to share ideas/recommendations/criticism and share user-generated game content with them on gaming communities?

13. Do you have any other comments which you feel relevant as to why you share your ideas and user-generated content (innovations) related to the game with other users in the community or game developers?

[LDiCesare]

Hi,

I'm 36, male.

1. Why do you join the online community? (physical, emotional, social aspects)?

I first joined apolyton because I thought Call to Power 2 ai was very bad. I looked for a place where I could either get a better ai or build one. Now I've found the online community is interesting for socializing (Off topic) but mostly because you can share user content, get patches, scenarios, etc.

2. Why do you share your ideas/recommendations/experiences regarding the game with other users?

Because I came here to find some clues, to make a better game for myself. For the community to be able to make the game better for me, it needs users to answer to others, build and share stuff. So for the relation to be reciprocally beneficial, I must answer and share when I can.
Why I want this relation to be reciprocal is more of a moral question, let's just say I can't think of it otherwise.

3. Why do you share your ideas/recommendations/experiences with companies?

To get better gaming experience.

4. Have you ever had any ideas/recommendations/experiences about the game which you have not shared? If so why not?

Many. Ideas and recommendations are worth talking about only if they are doable, or seem likely to be done. So if it's just ravings, there are way enough ideas out there. I believe there are too many ideas to be found around here to clutter the fora with more unless it's quality.

5. Have you ever created any user-generated content (innovations) for the game (i.e. creating new scenarios, maps, graphics, artwork, modding etc)? If so why?

6. What extra content have you created and how did you create it?

Yes. My contributions mostly include the tectonics map script which has been included in latest BtS patch, but I've done other tidbits (no barbs on ice mod, mod to always have floodplains in deserts) and worked for a few years on Clash (see sig). I worked on The Clash of Civilizations because I wanted a game with good ai, and the project looked interesting. I also wanted to keep my coding skills up to date as I stopped doing java at work to do C++. A tiny part of Clash was a map generator. When Civ IV came with hooks for map generation, I ported my code to python so I would be able to play maps I would find nice (with mountain ranges). Putting it on the web was kind of thanking people here who provide ideas, mods, scenarios and whatnot.
(It also showed beyond any doubt that you get way more feedback from an 'official' game, particularly inside a patch, than you'll get making an indie game, but I digress.)
I've also done some maps for other games (Dominions series).

7. Why did you spend your time and effort in creating it?

To get a better gaming experience. Some parts are fun by themselves too. It also helps diversify coding skills, and my job is programming (true mostly of Clash, which is not a mod though it's free).

9. If you have created user-generated content (innovation) related to the game and shared it with other users in the community why have you done so?

Because I downloaded stuff from others and want to give back what I received.
Also because it will show game designers that it's a good idea to make their games moddable so I can mod more and get more mods from others.

10. If you have created user-generated content (innovation) related to the game and shared it with game publishers (companies), why have you done so?

So they can redistribute it to most people. Also in order to be able to brag, but that's not as important. Mostly because it's recognition of good/popular work.

11. Have you ever created some user-generated content but not shared it? If so why?

For content, I haven't shared unfinished stuff or very minor modifications (who besides me would be interested in a mod that changes the HRE into Lotharingia by just renaming leaders, civ and some cities for instance?)
So either because it's unfinished or because it doesn't look like anyone might be remotely interested.

12. Do you have any other comments which you feel relevant as to why you share your ideas and user-generated content (innovations) related to the game with other users in the community or game publishers (companies)?

I think ideas are interesting to share in the form of 'The List' so you can get some of them implemented in a next game (though here I'm more thinking of civII->civ IV than the 3rd iteration). Content is why I keep coming here (though there's more on another board concerning civ IV) and is what can make other games better because game designers and coders will learn and take from these contents.

[snoopy369]

1. Why do you join the online community? (physical, emotional, social aspects)?

I joined the community to find some answers about Civ3 Conquests back in the day... (actually, I signed up earlier than that, to find out why I was losing so horribly at vanilla Civ3, when I discovered you actually need to build horsemen, shock of all shocks, but anyway)

2. Why do you share your ideas/recommendations/experiences regarding the game with other users?

Because I enjoy doing so I guess it gives me a sense of pride to be able to answer questions and help people.

3. Why do you share your ideas/recommendations/experiences with companies?

Partially because I like the idea of being able to affect the product (make the game actually better), and partially because it's nice to meet the people behind the game and know that real people exist in these companies.

4. Have you ever had any ideas/recommendations/experiences about the game which you have not shared? If so why not?

Nothing significant, no

5. Have you ever created any user-generated content (innovations) for the game (i.e. creating new scenarios, maps, graphics, artwork, modding etc)? If so why?

Nothing major. I've done a lot of small mods for people who asked how to change some element of the game (more barbarians, for example). I've not done anything that would be a full mod.

6. What extra content have you created and how did you create it?

Editing the XML files, primarily. The only complex creation of mine is the C4DG mod which involved creating custom flags for the different teams, which involved several tools (a bmp to dds converter, among others).

7. Why did you spend your time and effort in creating it?

To help others, and to make the C4DG more interesting, in that case.

8. If you have never created any user-generated content (innovation), what is the reason for not doing so?

I haven't created any major mods, because I don't have the time or the creativity to develop something complex.

9. If you have created user-generated content (innovation) related to the game and shared it with other users in the community why have you done so?

(Same as above)

10. If you have created user-generated content (innovation) related to the game and shared it with game publishers (companies), why have you done so?

Again, I like the idea of improving the game, so I get a better game to play...

11. Have you ever created some user-generated content but not shared it? If so why?

No.

12. Do you have any other comments which you feel relevant as to why you share your ideas and user-generated content (innovations) related to the game with other users in the community or game publishers (companies)?

No, not really.

[Blaupanzer]

1. In highly complex games, it seems unlikely to me that one player in SP can come up with all the strategic options available in game play. Discussing with others brings these out. Also, in a game that requires many hours of play to gain one outcome, it helps me to mitigate the social and personal consequences if I can discuss these with a sympathetic audience composed of other users. Additionally, This forum is composed of intelligent folks who think much like I do.

2. Civ is a very complex games, I am unlikely to in SP to come up with all the strategic options available in game play. Discussing with others brings these out. My theory is if I share openly with them, they will do the same with me. A reinforcement technique.

3. On this site we do see company reps and testers in relative abudance. Sharing ideas sometimes results in actual code rewrites improving the value of the game, making it even more addictive.

4. No, except for one period in which I had inside knowledge as a potential tester. The adoption of that role obligated not to discuss possible new developments and fixes that were down the pike.

5. I tried doing some modding, but I don't have the patience for it. Probably because I work as a data architect and software developer. Creating new content for civ seems too much like work.

8. Because my work as a data architect and software developer makes creating new content for civ seem too much like work.

11. Where I have worked on this, the time needed to smooth the content and balance the scenario was beyond my willing commitment. Frankly I would rather play.

12. Talking to the company, Firaxis, even indirectly, has resulted in positive developments making it seem foolish to me to shy away from that. As to sharing ideas, where else does a fairly narrow community get a chance to share learned information except on such a forum as Apolyton?

I am 59, male, have played civ since 1991, have engaged in paid work as a game consultant on a couple of wargames where I did contribute to development and game content, and you may use my user name in your study, if any of this has value to you.

Good luck!

[Supr49er]

1. Why do you join the online community? (physical, emotional, social aspects)?

shared experiences, commonality.

2. Why do you share your ideas/recommendations/experiences regarding the game with other users?

everybody needs help and new ideas or ways of thinking.

3. Why do you share your ideas/recommendations/experiences with companies?

to develop/deliver a better product.

4. Have you ever had any ideas/recommendations/experiences about the game which you have not shared? If so why not?

No.

5. Have you ever created any user-generated content (innovations) for the game (i.e. creating new scenarios, maps, graphics, artwork, modding etc)? If so why?
6. What extra content have you created and how did you create it?
7. Why did you spend your time and effort in creating it?

Not for Civ IV.

8. If you have never created any user-generated content (innovation), what is the reason for not doing so?

time constraints, unfamiliarity with python.

9. If you have created user-generated content (innovation) related to the game and shared it with other users in the community why have you done so?

Have not.

10. If you have created user-generated content (innovation) related to the game and shared it with game publishers (companies), why have you done so?

Have not.

11. Have you ever created some user-generated content but not shared it? If so why?

No.

12. Do you have any other comments which you feel relevant as to why you share your ideas and user-generated content (innovations) related to the game with other users in the community or game publishers (companies)?

I am very appreciative of the talented modders at this site, and have enjoyed their creations very much.

[Kia11]

Thanks for the replies!

I will need some time to actually code and classify the answers you give me according to "motivations" - i will most likely get back to you though either on here or through PM to follow up on any given answer which i might need some more information on or simply clarification.

Good work guys!

[Kia11]

To elaborate on my sample characteristics could one of the moderators let me know whether this group is self-regulated or whether the publisher of Civilization runs it? Thanks in advance.

Are there any other users who could spare a few minutes to reply with their answers to my questions

[rah]

If this group means Apolyton, then it's self-regulated

1. Why do you join the online gaming community?
Because I played multi player games and wanted to connect with other players


2. Why do you share your ideas/recommendations/experiences/criticism regarding the game with other users in the community?
It makes for a stronger community and it's fun. There's also a little ego involved also.


3. Why do you share your ideas/recommendations/experiences/criticism with game publishers?
It might make a diff in future games.


4. Have you ever had any ideas/recommendations/experiences/criticism about the game which you have not shared? If so why not?
Sometimes a new strategy may not be shared right away.


5. Have you ever created any user-generated content (innovations) for the game (i.e. creating new scenarios, maps, graphics, artwork, modding etc)? If so why?
Nothing of note.

6. What
extra content have you created and how did you create it?
NOthing of note.


7. If you have created user-generated content (innovation) related to the game and shared it with other users in the community why have you done so?
no

8. If you have created user-generated content (innovation) related to the game and shared it with game developers, why have you done so?
n/a

9. Have you ever created some user-generated content but not shared it? If so why?
no

10. If you have never created any user-generated content (innovation), what is the reason for not doing so?
n/a

11. Have you ever used other peoples’ user-generated content? If so why?
I've played mods. For a change of pace.

12. Do you have any other comments which you feel relevant as to why you share your ideas and user-generated content (innovations) related to the game with other users in the community or game developers?

It's fun talking about different strategies and game changes with other people. It's a good learning experience.

[Kia11]

LDiCesare
Snoopy369
Blaupanzer
Supr49er

I've sent you guys some follow-up questions through PM. I'd appreciate it if you could take your time and reply to them either through PM or here on the board.

Many thanks again and looking forward to your answers!

[Krill]

[q=RAH]If this group means Apolyton, then it's self-regulated[/q]

Not entirely true. Some posters who could answer are beta testers who are under NDAs that would be legally obliged to either lie or not answer certain questions (well Q10, maybe some of the others if they were in deep).

[Kia11]

BTW Guys could you elaborate on your answers rather than giving short answers - this way I don't have to get back to you and ask you to expand more. For example try to give me contexts and examples of your answers so that when I quote you in my dissertation I can quote two-three sentences rather just a yes/no reply

[Krill]

Dude, you better ask the admins to disable editting of posts in this thread if you're going to quote peoples posts in a dissertation.

[Kia11]

Originally posted by Krill
Dude, you better ask the admins to disable editting of posts in this thread if you're going to quote peoples posts in a dissertation.

Hi,

I'm not sure what you mean by disabling editting? Why should they do that?

[Krill]

Well, what if one of your markers decides to check your sources? They come here, check the thread, and one of the quotes you've written in your dissertation has been editted. Technically, as that is the source you are quoting, and you misquoted it, it counts as plagiarism. And you don't cite this thread as a source, and you quote it, you'll get called up on it and lose marks and possibly more.