Forked Thread: layoffs? Randy Buehler's last column from today

[Admiral Caine]

I will try to explain what VCLs over there do.

First, as noted, we are not moderators per se. We cannot edit someone's post, nor can we delete posts or threads on our own. The actual moderators (ORCs) do that.

What we are in charge of is ensuring appropriate editorial content in the areas for which we are responsible. That is to say, if a thread is in the wrong area, we can ask the ORCs to move it. If a thread is wildly off-topic, we can ask that it be closed.

We cannot ask for posts to be deleted, nor can we ask for posts to be edited.

We are also tasked with keeping WotC up-to-date on the mood/feelings of the community. More than once, Solice contacted me before she had meetings about DDI to ask if there is anything that she should be hammering them over. More than once, the things I mentioned were responded to in a Digital Insider column.

Thank you for that. Seriously.

May I make a request?

Will you tell your next contact person that you have heard that people enjoyed the regular weekly updates, especially when you we got them on a specific day. Also tell them that we're concerned that things are going to fall apart without some clear leadership. Perhaps goals were not met last year, but progress was being made in recent months. There was inertia going forward, and we're loathe to lose that now.

I would be most appreciative if you did that. I am a DDI Subscriber and we have spoken before on the WOTC boards.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Thank you for that. Seriously.

May I make a request?

Will you tell your next contact person that you have heard that people enjoyed the regular weekly updates, especially when you we got them on a specific day. Also tell them that we're concerned that things are going to fall apart without some clear leadership. Perhaps goals were not met last year, but progress was being made in recent months. There was inertia going forward, and we're loathe to lose that now.

I would be most appreciative if you did that. I am a DDI Subscriber and we have spoken before on the WOTC boards.

I agree. The past few weeks seemed to have given us a lot of faith back in DDI. The content of Dragon & Dungeon, the Beta release of the Character Generator, the clearly established schedule. Whoever takes over, keep on that path!

 

[mudbunny]

That I will do.

 

[Dragonblade]

Hey mudbunny, can you also convey my feelings towards the WotC powers that be?

I too agree that over the past couple of months we have seen a lot of improvement in the DDI. The Character Builder Beta was impressive, the magazine content is spectacular, and I enjoyed the regular Digital Insider updates that we got. For the first time I felt like WotC really cared about quality and the community. It was this turnaround that got me to subscribe.

I expect whoever succeeds Mr. Buehler to continue to improve the quality of DDI and to hit release dates going forward. Additionally, I expect his successor to continue this trend of transparency, openness, and responsiveness to the community.

Anything less would be a severe step backward.

 

[justanobody]

The only thing I saw usefull from an insider was when Randy accepted fault for things being so far behind schedule and screwed up. There were a couple of ads in place of insider updates, and one I think was just like a family blog.

So other than those I don't know what he did, but the insider updates themselves were not very helpful since you got more information from VCLs in the forums as well as developers themselves.

I guess Ken Troop will pick back up doing the updates if Randy is now gone?

Gamer_Zer0 was giving more info near the end than Randy seemed to give out to me.

For the record the column was up on time, and actually ahead of one of the other ones, just was not listed on the site, the archives, or the RSS feed, but was clearly both versions accessible form the feedback thread link from Bart.

A big question will be if Randy is gone, and he wasn't quite up to the level of information passing that GZ got to, then how long will it take for the WotC community to train the new guy to give decent information rather than stale or no information?

I like how Randy can admit the systems faults (WotC, not DDI), but dislike the advertising. People are already looking at the DDI to see these updates so you don't need to advertise to them anymore. Advertise to people that don't already know about DDI, all 12 of them in the arctic that are studying penguin migration.

Next week will be very telling as to what is going on with DDI, Randy, and a slew of other things. I can only hope the information gets better.

 

[mudbunny]

I will try to stay up-to-date with the DDI comments here on ENworld to pass them onto the DDI devs. I know that the DI columns was something that a lot of people pushed for, even if they said stuff we didn't want to hear, it was communication, and from my point of view, that is one of the most important things that the devs require. People are les likely to attack and/or flame a dev if they have some sort of contact, no matter how nebulous, with them.

If there is something that is important enough that you want to ensure that I get it, you can try AIM (I am almost always on from 9 to 4:30 M-F (EST)), or you can email me (which ensures I will get it) at the email address in my profile.