When, Why, Where and How to Suggest Game Changes
So you have a great idea and you want to get it heard. It's awesome you want to contribute to the development of Torn! This guide will help you do it right.
Gamers are one of the toughest consumers in the world, and Torn gamers are no different. Much needs to be considered before presenting your idea if you want it to succeed.
When to Make a Suggestion
If your suggestion is a fix to a game bug, it should be posted in the Bugs & Issues (B&I) forum, not the Suggestions forum.
Players should ensure their suggestion adds fun, improves function, or improves player quality of life for much of the player base.
Suggestions should also consider game balance - particularly if the game will become less balanced if the suggestion were to be implemented, or otherwise have a negative impact on game play. Play styles other than your own must be considered.
Players should refrain from offering up game changing suggestions until they've got a general understanding of how Torn works and a strong working understanding of key features.
Run your idea by other experienced players, like your faction leader, before posting it publically. This provides valuable insight which can help you ensure you've met the other criteria so far.
Is the idea new? Extentions to existing features (more of the same) is often denied by developers. For example, more education courses have been requested many times over, as have more travel destinations. These areas are more likely to see total overhauls than additions of more of the same.
Done the above? Run a forum search of the Suggestions forum with a key word relevant to your suggestion. For example, "Racing." Check results to ensure your idea hasn't already been suggested. If it has, contribute to that thread instead of starting a new one.
Why Make a Suggestion
There are a few camps for worthwhile suggestions.
- Really cool feature X isn't in the game, but it fits with the game style, lore, and player interest.
- It would be so much better if X did this instead, or that also.
- Feature X is terrible and annoys players; here's how to improve or replace it.
Where to Make a Suggestion
The first place should be with other players you know, such as faction mates. This will help you develop your idea and draw out issues players or developers may have with it.
Once your idea is flushed out, you can post it in the Suggestions forum.
Be sure to consider if you're suggestion is actually a request to fix a bug or issue with the game. If it falls in that category, head over to the Bugs & issues forum.
How to Make a Suggestion
This is the meat of this guide.
Anyone can (and does) post the first thought that comes to their mind, without any detail, consideration of impact, or prior feedback. Suggestions like these are a waste of everyone's time; none more so than the player posting said suggestion.
First and foremost, don't repost a suggestion which is already posted. Do some basic investigating by looking at the Suggestions forum and asking experienced players what they think of your idea.
A good suggestion should answer these questions for anyone reading the first post:
1. What value does this bring to players: game balance, functionality, fun, quality of life, etc.
2. What gameplay could or will this disrupt? For example, mug protection created disruption for mugger play styles while adding protection and improving fun for other (especially newer) players.
3. Will this benefit a large proportion of the playerbase?
4. Is the idea easy to understand? Will players easily grasp it? Will developers understand what you're asking for?
5. Is the idea simple enough to implement and affordable? Will the impact be worth the developer resources?
6. Why this idea is right for Torn? As in, how has it met Torn community expectations? Is it lore friendly? Is it "realistic" to the Torn universe?
How to Promote a Suggestion
Sometimes it's not enough to simply post your amazing suggestion that met all this criteria and more. Thisnis especially the case if you are not a well established player.
In addition to posting in the Suggestions forum, you can:
- post in your faction chat and forums
- add it to your forum signature
- add it to your personal profile
- post an ad in the paper
- bump your thread or ask others to
- reach out to players you think the idea appeals to
Not recommended due to trolling and forum standards:
- posting in public chats, such as global, about your suggestion
- posting in forums other than your faction and suggestions forum
So you have a great idea and you want to get it heard. It's awesome you want to contribute to the development of Torn! This guide will help you do it right.
Gamers are one of the toughest consumers in the world, and Torn gamers are no different. Much needs to be considered before presenting your idea if you want it to succeed.
When to Make a Suggestion
If your suggestion is a fix to a game bug, it should be posted in the Bugs & Issues (B&I) forum, not the Suggestions forum.
Players should ensure their suggestion adds fun, improves function, or improves player quality of life for much of the player base.
Suggestions should also consider game balance - particularly if the game will become less balanced if the suggestion were to be implemented, or otherwise have a negative impact on game play. Play styles other than your own must be considered.
Players should refrain from offering up game changing suggestions until they've got a general understanding of how Torn works and a strong working understanding of key features.
Run your idea by other experienced players, like your faction leader, before posting it publically. This provides valuable insight which can help you ensure you've met the other criteria so far.
Is the idea new? Extentions to existing features (more of the same) is often denied by developers. For example, more education courses have been requested many times over, as have more travel destinations. These areas are more likely to see total overhauls than additions of more of the same.
Done the above? Run a forum search of the Suggestions forum with a key word relevant to your suggestion. For example, "Racing." Check results to ensure your idea hasn't already been suggested. If it has, contribute to that thread instead of starting a new one.
Why Make a Suggestion
There are a few camps for worthwhile suggestions.
- Really cool feature X isn't in the game, but it fits with the game style, lore, and player interest.
- It would be so much better if X did this instead, or that also.
- Feature X is terrible and annoys players; here's how to improve or replace it.
Where to Make a Suggestion
The first place should be with other players you know, such as faction mates. This will help you develop your idea and draw out issues players or developers may have with it.
Once your idea is flushed out, you can post it in the Suggestions forum.
Be sure to consider if you're suggestion is actually a request to fix a bug or issue with the game. If it falls in that category, head over to the Bugs & issues forum.
How to Make a Suggestion
This is the meat of this guide.
Anyone can (and does) post the first thought that comes to their mind, without any detail, consideration of impact, or prior feedback. Suggestions like these are a waste of everyone's time; none more so than the player posting said suggestion.
First and foremost, don't repost a suggestion which is already posted. Do some basic investigating by looking at the Suggestions forum and asking experienced players what they think of your idea.
A good suggestion should answer these questions for anyone reading the first post:
1. What value does this bring to players: game balance, functionality, fun, quality of life, etc.
2. What gameplay could or will this disrupt? For example, mug protection created disruption for mugger play styles while adding protection and improving fun for other (especially newer) players.
3. Will this benefit a large proportion of the playerbase?
4. Is the idea easy to understand? Will players easily grasp it? Will developers understand what you're asking for?
5. Is the idea simple enough to implement and affordable? Will the impact be worth the developer resources?
6. Why this idea is right for Torn? As in, how has it met Torn community expectations? Is it lore friendly? Is it "realistic" to the Torn universe?
How to Promote a Suggestion
Sometimes it's not enough to simply post your amazing suggestion that met all this criteria and more. Thisnis especially the case if you are not a well established player.
In addition to posting in the Suggestions forum, you can:
- post in your faction chat and forums
- add it to your forum signature
- add it to your personal profile
- post an ad in the paper
- bump your thread or ask others to
- reach out to players you think the idea appeals to
Not recommended due to trolling and forum standards:
- posting in public chats, such as global, about your suggestion
- posting in forums other than your faction and suggestions forum