@Community I’m sorry, but I feel you are incorrect to have closed the thread ‘A problem with the new claim spam rules’. I think I understand why it was done (there were several replies within the thread relating to specific ban situations) - but the thread itself was legitimate criticism/feedback. (Other similar, but less legitimate threads make perfect sense to have been closed.) I might not agree with it - in fact, I found much of the thread a little annoying, but there should always be a place for legitimate criticism even if we disagree.
While I am confident that your intent was not to stifle criticism, but rather to deal with the growing infractions within the thread, it does make it harder to argue that Funcom doesn’t silence criticism when the other side of the argument is able to point to threads like this one. I hope that you will consider reinstating the thread (consider - not necessarily do - I leave the decision in your hands - if you feel the infractions to be too much, then that is understood, but I hope you can find a way to let the criticism stand.)
We encourage everyone to share their feedback with us.
If you wish to do so, please make sure you post your feedback in the following forum category: Feedback - Funcom Forums
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Hi @Dana thanks for replying.
The problem is that it does not feel like you are encouraging everyone to share their feedback with us - that was the point of my original post - it looks like you closed a previous thread (that I disagree with) because it was critical. I do not believe it to be the reason you closed the thread, but the appearance of a reason is also important - there was legitimate feedback and criticism in that thread, from the original poster and others - and I do not believe that should be silenced.
As for posting in the feedback section of the forums - the instructions in that section are quite clear:
“You may use this section to provide us with your valuable feedback and share any concerns regarding the game’s mechanics and balance.”
Since this was not feedback about the game’s mechanics or balance, but was instead feedback regarding a specific instance of forum moderation, I felt it belonged in general discussion - tagged as ‘feedback’ (since it is feedback, but not on the game) and ‘off-topic’ (since it is not directly about the game mechanics or balance). I’m not sure why the ‘feedback’ tag even exists in General Discussion, if it is not to be used for feedback of this nature?
To be honest - it doesn’t really. It rather gives the impression of not having read or considered the point I was making at all. Which is unfortunate, because that point was about actions of this sort making it harder to defend Funcom in future. You have every right to close threads, without discussing reasons, (it is a private forum) and I do not believe that your intent is to silence criticism. But when that is the result, it is perhaps better for appearances to be a little clearer about why, and not rely on stock answers.
@Ashlumtam Please don’t do that. I know you are frustrated, but I also know you can argue better than that. The problem with those sorts of comments is that they are a big part of why Funcom does not communicate with us as much as they did this time last year.
Most of those threads devolve into argumentative salty tears and verbal abuse back and forth. Of course the people that want to verbally abuse Funcom and any player that defends Funcom , or just common sense, will point out that their thread was closed. They are always the victim, never the guilty party.
They do indeed. And I’m familiar with the cycle. But, that said, this one hadn’t (though possibly may have been closed to forestall that), which means that those arguing that Funcom silences critics will now have a legitimate example they can point to - we may understand that it was most likely closed for other reasons, but it just looks bad.
And yeah, there’s people who are always gonna play the victim - but in the end, they’re not the ones we can hope to convince - it’s the ones wavering somewhere in the middle that can maybe be reached with reasoned argument.
I understand why Funcom so rarely communicates here, and I really don’t know what solution there can be. I wish I did
Yeah, but doing stuff like this just plays into their hands. I mean, just look at all the threads that popped up due to the TOS changes. Of all those threads, the one they chose to close now was the one that was made to discuss the gameplay ramifications, the one that hadn’t actually devolved into pointless bickering and name-calling before it got closed.
It was a civil, polite thread, it was in the right category, and there was seriously nothing wrong with it. I agree with @DanQuixote, it was an error to close that thread, and the official reply to @DanQuixote here was even more disheartening. It was pretty much a canned response that didn’t touch on anything related to what this topic is about.
And the reason I’m personally upset about it is because I know for sure that this will be thrown in my face the next time I try to politely explain that community flags are not Funcom’s censorship, even though this has nothing to do with flags.
Honestly, it makes it look like Funcom-bashers are right when they attack me. After all, why should I go on believing that we could all have a civil, polite discussion about the game if we stopped being toxic towards each other, when topics that actually contain civil and polite discussion get closed?
OK, so the good news (except for JJ ) is that Funcom have reopened one of the threads (not actually the one I was talking about, but close enough to make no difference (except this OP started out aggressive, lol)). I figure that’s a good sign and I’ll take it as such.
All I know is two things here.
1st, they never say no to polite requests.
2nd, A lot of angered users create multiple accounts just to support their angered posts.
It is not easy for the moderators here to follow everything and keep the order. No matter what we think is feedback, they can use everything as feedback for other departments except gaming. So if they have to proceed in these actions, again it is not always easy for them too.
We must not ever forget our goal here, witch is to help the company to go forward with this wonderful game… And have some fun ofcurce .
I really hope we help and I surely have a lot of fun here.
love you guys
) is that Funcom have reopened one of the threads (not actually the one I was talking about, but close enough to make no difference (except this OP started out aggressive, lol)). I figure that’s a good sign and I’ll take it as such. 
.
