Director's Cut: The Community Manager Discussion from My Interview with Scott

[schild]

Here's the bit that was cut out of the interview due to length. Figured it was topical here. As such, posted!

Eric Schild: Which brings me to another topic I wanted to discuss. Community Management. Recently, with Hellgate and Age of Conan (or further back with Vanguard and Star Wars Galaxies), we've seen how bad community management can destroy a games image.

Do you think that people don't understand the position? Or is there something more that you learned after going into the industry?

Scott Jennings: Well, all of those games had issues well beyond what community management could solve.  I mean, Hellgate WENT OUT OF BUSINESS. A forum mod isn't going to help there. But yes, very very few understand what community management is.

They think it's public relations, or board moderation, or rumor management. Good community managers are none of these - they are canaries in the coal mine. They are in your office saying "HEY YOU MADE A MISTAKE AND YOUR PLAYERS ARE GOING TO KILL YOU IF YOU SET FOOT OUT OF YOUR BUNKER." They also have to be able to put up with a ton of very, very, vile shit and just chin up and take it with a smile. Few can do that, and almost NO developers can, which is why the position exists to begin with.

Someone has to be able to represent the community - delivering the concerns they have - without BEING part of the community. They have to have the seperation there necessary because they are not a partisan - they are your company's representative to the player base.

Eric Schild: Admittedly, that's the hardest part, not being part of the community, hell, even the developers you work with want to be part of the community! it's fun to be a frothy dipshit! I know that! You know that!

Scott Jennings: Yes. And one of the community person's biggest hassles is telling the developer who just wants to be loved that no, you can't go out on the boards and be a frothy dipshit.

I know! I often am that frothy dipshit!

Eric Schild: It's an interesting position though. In the industry, many companies have community management but the dynamic in MMORPGs is entirely different. Players want information. They want to know what's coming up, what's coming after that, the exact second they'll be able to play it, and why you nerfed their <insert imba class here>. Obviously they expect these things because developers continually screw up and start feeding this information, whether it be through the odd interview, magazine article, convention conversation. Everything gets out there. Do you think it's about time developer's adopted the idea that maybe, maybe, the only people that should be talking to the public are community managers or a PR mouthpiece?

Scott Jennings: Well, ideally from the developers' standpoint that exactly is what will happen. But of course the players would HATE that and rightfully so. it's a very fine road to tread, and probably involves a lot of boring planning of what to talk about, who to bring out to talk about, and when.

Eric Schild: Players hating you for that, in my opinion is OK, as long as you deliver. It's that 'delivering' part where things often go to hell, fast. In some ways, players knowing you really do HAVE A PLAN, is a good thing. Or I would hope so, if you got that across to them.

Scott Jennings: but just being able to hassle the class balance guy on the boards about your Panzerfaust class is a dying art - because there's just too many players and they're all turning into Xbox Live denizens - shouting for their mom to bring milk in between telling you what a complete fuckup you are.

It's very important, when talking about your game, to be absolutely sure that what you talk about WILL be in the game, and WILL be the way you talk about it. Which, again, is why you won't see much bloviating about games before release - too much can change in the interim.

[Nonentity]

Ah, community management.

 

I salute those of you who do it.

[Ingmar]

You are getting rave reviews as an interviewer in Scott's comment thread over at brokentoys, Schild.

[schild]

Yea, it's pretty awesome.

[Engels]

Maybe I have rose coloured glasses, or just feel I know what Scott's gonna say, since A) I've been reading his stuff for years and B) his sense of humor is identical to my sisters, but I don't see how schild did that interview 'wrong', or asked the wrong questions, or didn't probe deeply enough, or something. What's the complaint? Just schild suxxorz? I mean, we all knew that. But the interview seems pretty good to me.

[Ingmar]

Given that one of the complainers used the word 'journalist' I assume its something about professionalism or something. Interviewers injecting their own opinion into the process is apparently VERBOTEN for some people.

[NiX]

I prefer Schilds style to anything else out there.

Question for anyone who knows, red names included, but how does one get into Community Management? What makes you qualified?

[Trippy]

I prefer Schilds style to anything else out there.

Question for anyone who knows, red names included, but how does one get into Community Management? What makes you qualified?

Managing a forum is one way.

[MahrinSkel]

The most effective community managers have been people who rose out of it in one way or another.  You have to be an effective communicator, both online and in-person, and able to operate with one foot in the bunker and one in the weeds.  Empathizing with the community without forgetting you're no longer one of them, and never losing your temper when anyone is watching (that last being where I fail at community management).

IOW, the best way to show you can manage a community is to manage one.  Trying to manage communities purely by PR/Marketing methods has not worked out well.  The closest parallel is to an Ombudsman.

[schild]

Question for anyone who knows, red names included, but how does one get into Community Management? What makes you qualified?

[sam, an eggplant]

Qualifications for a MMO CRM job:

- female
- grew up with lots of brothers
- can take a punch
- overpowering sense of self-esteem

[NiX]

If you're implying you, I don't know. You're pretty jaded.

Thanks for all the replies. Was always something of interest to me, but never quite found out what made someone qualified.

[schild]

If you're implying you, I don't know. You're pretty jaded.

Compared to what? Other CRMs? Yea, not really.

[Kirth]

According to (community releations):
http://eu.blizzard.com/en/jobs/com-frenchonlinecomrepresentative.html

Excellent written and spoken communication skills in French and English combined with a passion for gaming
In-depth knowledge of World of Warcraft
Strong customer-service skills and a professional attitude
Diligence to consistently follow up on open subjects in the forums
Proficiency with MS Office

http://eu.blizzard.com/en/jobs/com-englishassistantcm.html (Community managment, assistant):

Strong written and spoken communication skills in English combined with a passion for gaming
Strong time-management and organization skills
Ability to efficiently produce high-quality web site announcements and updates
Strong customer-service skills and a professional attitude
Diligence to consistently follow up on open subjects in the forums
A strong motivation and high level of commitment, willingness to work long hours, and be available on call
Available for occasional travel
Proficiency with MS Office

[schild]

Those jobs aren't community manager.

They are:
Moderator
Community Manager's Bitch

Here's a better one:

Primary Responsibilities
• Assists and oversees a vibrant pre and post-ship website that features franchise content, community-generated content, forum discussions, downloads, and other interactions.
• Collaborates with internal departments to ensure that community feedback is addressed.
• Helps develop community assets such as podcasts, developer interviews, product updates, game tips and tricks.
• Maintains consistent presence and promotes user-friendly environment on community message boards.
• Works in collaboration with the Quality Assurance and Customer Support teams to ensure a positive player experience.
• Helps conduct private and public tests to gather community feedback that will help improve final product quality.
• Drafts and distributes community reports including community reaction, metrics, and research.
• Assists with the company's involvement in trade shows, exhibitions, and other events.
• Assists other members of the community team with community-related tasks.
• Generates reports regarding the online community and customer reviews; analyzes the results.

Qualifications
• BS degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations or equivalent experience
• 3+ years Massively multiplayer community experience or social networking community experience required
• Familiarity with Web 2.0 experience
• Technical knowledge of online community platforms, systems and software
• Strong understanding of popular social networking trends
• Knowledgeable on latest technologies and techniques used in building and maintaining successful gaming communities
• Drive to innovate community practices and bring community management to the next level
• Proven history of maintaining and developing an online community
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
• Demonstrated initiative and positive spirit in a rapidly changing environment

From Bioware (Assistant Community Manager). Of course, given what they've titled the job and the pay that goes along with it, they're going to get a burnt-out cretin or worse. That job simply doesn't pay enough for someone with a BS and 3 years of experience. And I'm fairly sure the actual community manager position had the same if not lower requirements.

Edit: Ok, done with the stealth edits - added job title and removed a word for clarity.

[Yoru]

• Familiarity with Web 2.0 experience

Like, ohmygod, I, like, totally once knew a guy who had totally worked on Web 2.0 stuff! 

[Yoru]

If you're implying you, I don't know. You're pretty jaded.

Thanks for all the replies. Was always something of interest to me, but never quite found out what made someone qualified.

Given that this immediately preceded it:

Qualifications for a MMO CRM job:

- female
- grew up with lots of brothers
- can take a punch
- overpowering sense of self-esteem

I think he's implying he lacks a penis. Kitchen knife accident, mayhaps?

[schild]

Given that this immediately preceded it:

Precede doesn't mean what you think it means.

[Yoru]

It's funnier my way.

[schild]

It's funnier my way.

You'd like to hope so.

[Yoru]

Did someone mention Hope?

[schild]

Oh god damnit. No more emotes. Vetoed.

[kildorn]

The hardest part of being a CRM must be the overpowering urge every morning as you sip your first cup of coffee to not ban the whole fucking lot of your customers.

This is likely why I'm never allowed near customers, even on con calls.

[Kirth]

The hardest part of being a CRM must be the overpowering urge every morning as you sip your first cup of coffee to not ban the whole fucking lot of your customers.

This is likely why I'm never allowed near customers, even on con calls.

This is why I'm a fan of nonofficial forums that can be run like the worst kinda of dictatorship, EJ vs the WoW general boards is a good example of this.

[Stephen Zepp]

The hardest part of being a CRM must be the overpowering urge every morning as you sip your first cup of coffee to not ban the whole fucking lot of your customers.

This is likely why I'm never allowed near customers, even on con calls.

You have no idea.

The peak of my career as Torque Community Manager: I took on Serek Dmart about InstantAction. Theoretically at least, I won.

The mantra of an outstanding community manager is, in my opinion, "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer". In today's intardnet when any idiot can blog, it's better to keep the blogging where you have authority, and can edit it if absolutely required. Once they start posting about you in their home court, you're screwed.

[kildorn]

I figured the mantra would be closer to "it's a crime to kill them, it's a crime to kill them, it's a crime to kill them.."

[cevik]

The peak of my career as Torque Community Manager: I took on Serek Dmart about InstantAction. Theoretically at least, I won.

Why would you say that name?  Why!?

[sam, an eggplant]

bloody mary bloody mary bloody mary

[Slayerik]

• Familiarity with Web 2.0 experience

Like, ohmygod, I, like, totally once knew a guy who had totally worked on Web 2.0 stuff! 

Hahah, thanks for the laugh.

[Ironwood]

I always thought the point of an Interview was to ask questions and let the subject answer them.

Where's the rest of this one ?

[schild]

Joke post?

[Ironwood]

Nope.  Found it by heading to Brokentoys tho.

Reading it at the moment.


Lol.  Shit.  Didn't realise it was frontpaged.  Which makes my whole post and subsequent edits look like jokes as well.

Not intended.

Arg.

[Khaldun]

This is where my standard obsessive point about the need for live management teams to see themselves as involved in governance of their worlds (or governace + godhood) comes in. "Community management" is a failed term from the outset because it doesn't capture how players look at development teams, how they form groups and constituencies, and it implies that all you're doing is managing (e.g., placating or schmoozing) your players. There's a whole raft of misfires embedded in the entire idea and it leads even the competent community managers into trouble now and again, when they fundamentally misunderstand what they're hearing or seeing. Once a game goes live, developers are sovereigns. You can be an autocratic sovereign, or even a cruel one, and probably still flourish in some ways. But live management has got to understand: they have responsibility for these worlds, and the players are citizens or a body politic of some kind. When you make "community management" into nothing more than a few people who reply noncommitally to forum complaints, even if your forum respondents are good at their jobs, you're still going to negatively affect your potential retention. Because players can't really relate to or engage with the future of the gameworld in that fashion. They sense a vacuum, an absence: they don't know what the stewards of the world intend, or what their core design principles really are.

[kildorn]

Nope.  Found it by heading to Brokentoys tho.

Reading it at the moment.


Lol.  Shit.  Didn't realise it was frontpaged.  Which makes my whole post and subsequent edits look like jokes as well.

Not intended.

Arg.

oblig "there's a front page" post?

[Signe]

God, that kitty makes me laugh.  The very first time I ever saw it, I named it Schild which I then re-named Mr. Whiskers.  Now they are both
Mr. Whiskers to me.

PS  You can only see the top of him because he is also Eric the Half-A-Cat.