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  • Tremayne4260Tremayne4260 Posts: 3,126 Member
    I have seen people who create mods to fix a specific issue. If you all are tech savvy enough to do this and correct something that EA may have missed, why not share your information with them on AHQ? I think you can PM folks there and share your information. It would go a long way to helping all players.
    Second Star to the Right and Straight on 'til Morning.
  • jolinplaysjolinplays Posts: 5 New Member
    edited November 2018
    :'(

    Not intending to add fuel to the fire, but I think the apparently ineptitude of the EA team when it comes to tech/customer support MUST be highlighted, due to a particular (previously ongoing) concern of mine. I once posted it in the Forum titled "ROCK BAND/MUSIC GAME PACK OR EXPANSION" and was promised by the Customer Support team member that someone would take the issue more seriously if I did so. But nothing happened.

    Anyway, just to give you guys a backstory, basically I saw the promo option in my Origins app that I could still get the Grim's Ghoulish Guitar if I wanted to, so long I sign up for the EA newsletter. I did that on October 8, 2018, and nothing happened. I filed a report about this on 11 October 2018, and nothing was resolved (although the customer support team marked my case as "Resolved"). I was promised that I should see the guitar in my Objects panel and that I would receive a notification about it being in-game (like all the other news of the game), but nothing of the sort happened. And then on 14 November 2018, again, I contacted EA Help about this, Resuming my case, and this time, I was told the 🐸🐸🐸🐸 guitar should be in my game within 24 hours, and I shouldn't click on Resume for the case because it would only delay the help process.

    Whatever it was, it still did not happen. It seemed to me that my sim would never be a Rockstar of the Living Dead at this rate. So I Resumed the case just now, today, 19 November 2018, five days after the previous EA Help contact, and this is what happened (I'm posting the transcript here to remove any implications of bias on my part:

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
    General Info
    Chat start time November 18, 2018 10:39:46 PM EST
    Chat end time November 18, 2018 11:48:06 PM EST
    Duration (actual chatting time) 01:08:20
    Operator Sorav
    Chat Transcript
    info: Your approximate wait time is 0 minute.
    info: Thank you for contacting us. Sorav will help you soon.

    Sorav: Thank you for contacting EA HELP, my name is Sorav, may I start with your first name please?
    you: Jolin
    Sorav: Nice to meet you, Jolin!
    Sorav: I can see that you’re contacting us regarding Ghoulish Guitar that you have not received yet, right?
    you: yes. it's been 5 days since I last contacted you guys, and have been told the issue would have been resolved within 24 hours.
    you: and please don't tell me to check my objects panel under Activities again, because it's not there.
    you: and yes, I have already signed up for the EA newsletter, on October 2018.
    you: Please look at all the file attachments, there should be 8 new ones which I just uploaded
    Sorav: I do know how confusing this must be for you. I am glad that you have contacted us, I will help you with that, let me ask you few questions to help you better today.
    you: Okay, make it quick, please
    Sorav: May I know the email address that is linked here so that I can check some details?
    you: [gives email address]
    Sorav: Thank you, just give me a minute please to check some information.
    you: yes, please also check to see if i have actually signed up for the newsletter too
    you: because i'm tired of being asked to do it, as if I didn't already do it in the first place
    Sorav: Sure, please be with me.
    you: ok
    Sorav: Thank you.
    you: I can't hear any notifications so pardon any delayed response
    Sorav: Jolin, I am discussing this with my team, So I would request please bear with me for a while.
    you: Okay, thanks.
    you: Please let them know that I would appreciate your team resolving this case by sending me the Guitar without any further ado. As you can see it's been dragged on long enough.
    you: I don't see why this can't be resolved within the hour, even. It's one small file.
    Sorav: Jolin, I have take permission from my team and I will grant the item now.
    Sorav: Here's the code for the same - [gives code].
    Sorav: Can you please check if it has been granted?
    you: wait
    you: what do i do with the code?
    Sorav: You can redeem the code within the Origin and the guitar will be added to the game.
    you: It says The product code you entered is not valid. Please re-enter the code.
    Sorav: Let me check please.
    Sorav: Jolin, I'm going to send you a verification email on this email ID for the security reasons. Please confirm and verify the verification code that you will receive in this email.
    you: sure
    Sorav: Thank you.
    you: let me know here when u have sent it, thanks
    Sorav: Sure.
    Sorav: Please let me know the code.
    Sorav: Are you there, Jolin?
    you: yes
    you: sorry i had to grab something AFK just now
    you: [tells Sorav the code]
    Sorav: Thank you for the code, I have checked the details and also tried adding the guitar in the game manually, however, it could not been added as this promotion was from 2 years back and have ended. That is why we were not able to add the item to the game.
    Sorav: [digressing convo about Security features]
    you: Also, can you just send me the package file for the guitar?
    Sorav: [something about security features]
    Sorav: I had sent you the code that should be redeemed on the Origin to get the guitar, however, I have tried myself to redeem the code and it didn't simply worked since this promotion has ended so it won't be added.
    you: No, I mean to say, have your technician send me the package file
    you: it's a file that contains data of the object or item itself
    you: it's how people modify the game
    Sorav: Jolin, it cannot be sent as to get the item you would have to redeem that code and we have the option to share the code with you only. That is the only way we can add the item, if anything was possible our specialist team would have informed me about that too. However, they were also unable to add that from their end too.
    Sorav: Is there anything else I can do for you today?
    you: But that guitar is an EA item which I'm pretty sure your programmers still have access to.
    you: it's not the official way to do it, sure, but as a modder, I know it's possible to have the file. If your specialist team would really bother to look for it, that is.
    you: I mean, if it's a single gift item you can offer to the players.
    you: it's not even a whole lot or game feature
    you: anyway, I understand if your team doesn't feel it's worth the trouble
    you: I mean, it's only a guitar
    you: What I do wish is that your Customer support service team could be better informed about this in the first place, and not have me chase about it with empty promises from weeks ago until now
    you: also if it's unavailable, it shouldn't have been an option for me to try and get it from my Origin panel in the first place. It was very misleading
    Sorav: Joli, it's not about the trouble, we have tried every aspect to add the item to the game and it didn't work, this would have been automatically added if the promotion would not have been ended, however, we still tried to add the item manually and it could not be added.
    you: ok
    you: either way, maybe your team could have tested that a long time ago
    you: especially when i first filed the report for help
    you: you guys have wasted my time, essentially
    you: because you all weren't on board about the issue
    you: Keep in mind that as a customer I wouldn't have any idea what goes on behind the scenes
    you: or what's possible and not possible.
    you: and the communication as a whole could have been streamlined and more clear from the start
    you: It's not my first time trying to ask about this after all
    Sorav: I can understand the frustration Jolin, however, I have tried my best to help you out here and that is why I didn't want to waste your time anymore. I would have helped you with the best way possible if anything could have been done here. You can also visit this link to more about this promotion as it dated back to 2016-08-18 - [links to the EA news about GrimsGhoulishGuitar]
    you: Okay
    you: I understand, it's not your fault. It's your marketing and communications team's fault
    you: and again, as a customer, I would expect everyone in the Service department to be on board about the promotions, including the promotion period
    you: so I would suggest that your team edits that article to say it's no longer available
    you: and that future promotional articles which items have deadlines
    you: better be listed as such
    you: otherwise you get players like me who have no idea that it's no longer available, trying to get it
    Sorav: Sure, Jolin! I will have my team listed about the same and I'm sure there must be something done to remove any confusion among the customers. You can also help us by posting this feedback on the game forums as well. Here's the link to share the feedback - [link to this forum's main website]
    info: Your chat transcript will be sent to [my email address] at the end of your chat session.
    you: Thank you.
    you: Which forum specifically should I post to?
    you: you have many forums. Please help to find the most relevant and useful one which will be very obvious to the key people in charge
    Sorav: Here's the link where you can post this feedback - [again, he links to the general website of this forum. very helpful. sure]
    you: does this go under Help Center or Feedback?
    you: I don't know which is the best thread
    Sorav: It should go under feedback.
    you: and then you have so many sub-categories
    Sorav: You can choose the sub-categories relevant to the topic.
    Sorav: It should do it if you post it under any relevant sub-categories.
    Sorav: Is there anything else I can do for you today, Jolin?
    you: Yes, I'm asking you which is the best specific forum thread to post to. You gave me only the general option. I would appreciate it if you help me save time by pointing me in the right direction.
    you: i don't know if anyone else has faced the same issues and i don't want to post unnecessarily if someone else has asked about it
    you: or open a duplicate thread
    Sorav: Yes, I have checked and you can post it under this - [he links the forum titled "DATE ISSUE ?" . Right.]
    Sorav: This is a relevant thread. [[Uh, seriously? How?]]
    you: but they are talking about dates
    you: is it okay if I post about the guitar issue there?
    you: and general comments
    Sorav: Yes, you can mention the same there. No problem with that.
    info: Your chat transcript will be sent to [your email address] at the end of your chat session.
    Sorav: Is there anything else I can do for you today?
    you: No, that is all
    you: thank you
    Sorav: You are welcome.
    Sorav: Thank you for contacting EA help. Have a good day/night, Jolin. You may also visit help.ea.com. You can also tweet us @EAHelp, or visit [answers.ea], where you can get help or gameplay tips from our community 24/7.

    ___________________________________________

    Let's just say that not only did the Guitar issue not get resolved because of a marketing error (the EA marketing team should have made it clear if there's any deadline to claim the Guitar, and the Tech Specialist and Customer Support team should have been onboard about this promotion deadline from the start), the Customer Support even directed me to a forum thread that was seemingly unrelated to my issue at hand (uh, that thread is talking about game time/clock for Seasons or whatever. Seriously, guys?)

    Please, Moderator/whoever's-in-charge, help me get EA serious about this. As a paying customer, I feel like I've been taken for a ride.
    Post edited by EA_David on
  • ReksohReksoh Posts: 303 Member
    jolinplays wrote: »
    :'(
    Not intending to add fuel to the fire, but
    Gosh please don't take offense but you just sound like a difficult customer. And this issue has nothing to do with the concern this topic is about. Literally completely unrelated
  • jolinplaysjolinplays Posts: 5 New Member
    I understand I might have sounded difficult, but if you would just put yourself into my shoes for a good moment, you'd see that it's annoying to feel misled, for weeks on end, especially when the case could have been resolved during the first hour of my first report to EA Help. All this miscommunication and confusion and trouble could have been avoided if they would streamline their interdepartment communications to begin with.
  • IngeJonesIngeJones Posts: 3,247 Member
    edited November 2018
    I think AnswersHQ, clunky as it feels in use, is probably the best platform for bug reports. My main objection is that now the Help forum redirects there also, and imho it totally is NOT the best platform for user to user help and advice as it doesn't get enough passing traffic. There are a couple of people there, notably dear Crinrict who works hard for us, who try to offer advice, but they don't always know the answer, and the person who might have known doesn't come there until they need to report a bug. That means I have to actually post my question on a third-party fan site to get enough people reading it. Or post off topic in the wrong section here and hope a moderator doesn't close it before I have had a reply.
  • To7mTo7m Posts: 5,467 Member
    edited November 2018
    Reksoh wrote: »
    jolinplays wrote: »
    :'(
    Not intending to add fuel to the fire, but
    Gosh please don't take offense but you just sound like a difficult customer. And this issue has nothing to do with the concern this topic is about. Literally completely unrelated

    Yeah I agree... the second they said ‘I’m a modder I know how this works’ they sounded like a superior know it all and I would’ve disconnected on them had that been me. I read that whole thing shaking my head lol

    Plus note to Jolin; you’re not missing anything with the guitar (the grim reaper one right?). I wouldn’t waste your breath with them tbh.

    —T
  • MikiMiki Posts: 1,692 Member
    To7m wrote: »
    Reksoh wrote: »
    jolinplays wrote: »
    :'(
    Not intending to add fuel to the fire, but
    Gosh please don't take offense but you just sound like a difficult customer. And this issue has nothing to do with the concern this topic is about. Literally completely unrelated

    Yeah I agree... the second they said ‘I’m a modder I know how this works’ they sounded like a superior know it all and I would’ve disconnected on them had that been me. I read that whole thing shaking my head lol

    Plus note to Jolin; you’re not missing anything with the guitar (the grim reaper one right?). I wouldn’t waste your breath with them tbh.

    —T

    I can see where her telling him that she was a modder might look like a grab for superiority but, ---(not referring to the above conversation specifically)-- I have had nuisance software issues where the tech on the other end fed me baloney about completely unrelated "possibilities" until, running out of time, I told the individual "Hey, please skip the Computers 101 baby talk that might work on a newbie, I'm a Microsoft-certified IT tech working on a customer's open ticket and the issue I am calling you about is not on our end."

    The dude quickly switched gears and we got to the problem in a much shorter period of time than we would have if he still considered me a clueless new-user. It's actually more common than people want to believe. Most of the time, and again I can't speak specifically to this case, the repair facility/customer service rep/etc. really doesn't want to delve into the specifics of an issue so they try to discourage the customer with buckets of technical double talk (security features are a tech favorite).


    Soooo in her case informing "Sorav" she was "not new to this" should have helped cut through the nonsense and get addressed more directly-

    -- but in this case "not so much".


    I, for one, would love to know where in the original gimmick it gave an expiration time to claim the guitar.
  • jolinplaysjolinplays Posts: 5 New Member
    edited November 2018
    Thank you, Miki. That's all I want to say.
    Post edited by EA_David on
  • invisiblgirlinvisiblgirl Posts: 1,709 Member
    IngeJones wrote: »
    I think AnswersHQ, clunky as it feels in use, is probably the best platform for bug reports. My main objection is that now the Help forum redirects there also, and imho it totally is NOT the best platform for user to user help and advice as it doesn't get enough passing traffic. There are a couple of people there, notably dear Crinrict who works hard for us, who try to offer advice, but they don't always know the answer, and the person who might have known doesn't come there until they need to report a bug. That means I have to actually post my question on a third-party fan site to get enough people reading it. Or post off topic in the wrong section here and hope a moderator doesn't close it before I have had a reply.

    Yes, that's my complaint. Some bugs aren't bugs - a user might not know how to get something to work, and just needs game play help. Other bugs are related to specific mods and cc, so it's helpful to hear from a user who will tell you which one (and whether there is an update), rather than be told to empty the mods folder.

    I'd hate to report a 'bug' when, in fact, I'm just 'doing it wrong' or don't have an option because it's only available with an add-on pack. On the other hand, I've been told (at the AnswersHQ site) that a real bug wasn't an issue, because only a few users were reporting it. (If you can't complete an aspiration due to a bug, it shouldn't matter whether one or 300 users are reporting it.)
    I just want things to match. :'(
  • To7mTo7m Posts: 5,467 Member
    edited November 2018
    I only came here to say that the new mod doesn’t work for me. I have no other mods so it’s that.

    It did fix the cas aging but threw off all my ages, and I can’t stand being not in sync. My twins were a day apart. As soon as I removed the mod they went back to how they were supposed to be. This is why I hate mods.

    Any news on a fix from EA? I’m in the U.K. so don’t get into as quick as you guys over the pond.

    —T
    Post edited by EA_David on
  • Tremayne4260Tremayne4260 Posts: 3,126 Member
    I'd like to remind folks that here in the US this coming Thursday is Thanksgiving so that means a three day work week for most companies.

    On the subject of AHQ, all games published by EA are supported there, not just the Sims. Some issues like for instance a refund or problems with an Origin account must be dealt with by EA and not the volunteers. @crinrict and others have moderator access to try and keep "order" on the forums. For example 10 people all start different threads about the same issue. These 10 threads are usually merged into one thread to keep information on the topic in one place. EA then can gather the information or ask for more information in one place. It really is a help section.

    If you want to suggest ideas for Stuff packs or Expansion Packs, this forum is the ideal place for it. AHQ really isn't set up to do that.
    Second Star to the Right and Straight on 'til Morning.
  • Noree_DoreeNoree_Doree Posts: 1,470 Member
    edited November 2018
    I only came here to say that the new mod doesn’t work for me. I have no other mods so it’s that.

    It did fix the cas aging but threw off all my ages, and I can’t stand being not in sync. My twins were a day apart. As soon as I removed the mod they went back to how they were supposed to be. This is why I hate mods.

    Any news on a fix from EA? I’m in the U.K. so don’t get into as quick as you guys over the pond.

    —T[/quote]

    No new news yet. I'm thinking we won't hear anything until after the Thanksgiving holiday. Possibly next Monday I am really hoping I'm wrong though as even with MCCC and Deaderpool adding the fix to his mod, my aging is also off. Anyway I can go to Twitter to double check if anything new has been said and I will report back here with my findings, if any at all.
    Post edited by EA_David on
    "Bada su the gorn bada su the brawn bada bady oda aba donk donk donk gerbits gerbits vo gerbits".
  • crinrictcrinrict Posts: 18,771 Member
    Just popping in to say: If you're unsure if it's a bug, you could also ask at the tech forum first: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/bd-p/The-Sims-4 before reporting stuff as a bug (I know it's titled tech but the splitting is a bit different then it was here. Here we had Bugs & Issues and Tech, there we have more Bugs and Tech & Issues). No form to fill out but would still be nice if you could give as much info as possible. We also have a game info forum for game questions but that's usually not for users that already use this forum cause you can ask your questions here :D

    Also, Don't think that threads that ask for help understanding something usually get closed here.

    I try to keep up here on expansion release and when I see something that's been reported over at AHQ, I try to link stuff or if it sounds like an issue I ask to make a thread.

    I know the whole system is a bit complicated at times and with so many places to post, it's overwhelming what goes where.

    I have a thread at the bug forum that gives you some insight on how the bug forum currently works: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/INFORMATION-How-does-this-forum-work/td-p/3445107/ and if you have questions/suggestions about it, feel free to use this thread: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/PLEASE-READ-Information-Questions-about-the-bug-forum/td-p/6361358/

    As for the amount of people over at AHQ: You can all help change that. Come over, chat with us, give insight in issues so we have as many opinions as possible. Especially with issues that need a long time to achieve (like aspirations or career stuff), I'm always happy if people come and chime in if something is indeed not working or if it's something different.

    AHQ is about users helping users and while we do have CM and QA helping out and chiming in, we're not EA Help (which is strictly EA Support through Chat and Phone). we're the community just like you guys are.

    Feel free to tag me here too if you have further questions (answer might be slow as I'm a bit busy over at the bug forum atm but I try to explain everything as good as I can).

    We as a community need to work together to get info out there but also collect as much as possible and give pass it on.

    :D







    Crinrict's Help Blogs -- Twitter
    Please do not send me PMs/post on my wall if you're looking for help. I can't attend to those. You can find me at AnswerHQ.
    How to report bugs at AnswersHQ
    AHQ Tutorial

  • Noree_DoreeNoree_Doree Posts: 1,470 Member
    @To7m From what I saw on twitter Since the Thanksgiving holiday is coming, they're going to be very quiet but they are still working on bug fixes, however, cannot comment on much else as far as how long it will take and when a patch will be released. Or at least that's what I took from it but you can judge what is meant for yourself.





    "Bada su the gorn bada su the brawn bada bady oda aba donk donk donk gerbits gerbits vo gerbits".
  • To7mTo7m Posts: 5,467 Member
    @To7m From what I saw on twitter Since the Thanksgiving holiday is coming, they're going to be very quiet but they are still working on bug fixes, however, cannot comment on much else as far as how long it will take and when a patch will be released. Or at least that's what I took from it but you can judge what is meant for yourself.






    Thanks, I’ll check back again tomorrow. I’ve had enough for today.

    —T
  • EA_DavidEA_David Posts: 282 EA Community Manager
    edited November 2018
    Hi guys, there's plenty going on here, so we wanted to chime in. First, thank you for the feedback, anything constructive is helpful, and there's a lot here. Also, please remember to be respectful of others, there's no need to insult folks.

    @jolinplays It appears the promo page may lead to the wrong signup page, we'll look into that. Can you try signing up using this link instead? https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/the-sims/the-sims-4/pc/newsletter
    Once that's sorted the guitar should show up in the Creative section of build mode. If it isn't, it might be related to the mods. We can't share specific files to add content, but hopefully this link will sort things out.

    Also, could you DM me your case numbers, we'd like to take a closer look.

    As there were some great questions and answers EA_Lanna has gathered some of them together. Please let us know if you have any questions we can clarify.

    Accepted Solutions and Solved threads
    Questions asked/Points made
    Mendota wrote: »
    There are posts that are closed with "solved" by so called high level members, that are not solved, but are just hanging.
    Mendota wrote: »
    In my humble opinion it would be better to just say acknowledged rather than solved. And why would it be a hardship to just visit the forums for the devs? That is just an excuse. And yes, Crinrict works very hard, this has nothing to do with her. However in my experience having used both the Sims forums for issues and the EA support, the forums were a much better option. To a point I learned about the aging bug on the forums here.
    Answers given
    Cupid wrote: »
    they would want to use a platform designed specifically for reporting bugs to find and fix bugs. It's an excuse that they don't want to spend time sifting through forum topics of varying detail and circumstance to figure out what issues people are having? Time they could actually be using to fix those issues? On AHQ everything is merged and organized (so all the reports on a bug are in one single place), bug reports are required to be filled out with certain detail and people are forced to mention whether or not they're using mods; three things that make the forum incredibly disadvantageous in comparison.
    Posts are sometimes marked as solved for visibility purposes in certain threads when the issue is a major bug. This is to ensure that users reading the thread can see the status of the bug straight away without having to trawl through all the posts where people have reported the same issue. The Accepted Solution is always the second post in a thread. You say you would like it to be acknowledged rather than marked as a solution, are you therefore prepared to read through pages and pages just to find a post by a CM, QA or Hero? Because most people aren't and typically only read the first and possibly last page.

    In the case of the ageing bug and the Father Winter bug, you can immediately see that the EA QA team are aware of the issue and actively looking into it.

    In the case of the mouth and eyes showing in First Person Camera, you can see that there is a temporary fix. This is marked as solved so users can see a workaround has been posted so they can fix the bug themselves until a patch is released. Again, you can see that EA QA is aware and working on it.

    When these issues are fixed the solution will be changed to show that the issue was resolved in patch X.

    Having the technical forums at AHQ means that all issues are in one place, rather than spread over two forums. There is a bug reporting system in place that works well at AHQ and gives the CMs, Devs and helpers a lot of the information they need to help troubleshoot an issue.

    Bugs Getting Fixed/Not fixed
    Questions asked/Points made
    Zasz wrote: »
    I want the bugs fixed regardless where they are posted. We have topics with dozens of pages with gurus looking into it but they havent been fixed like the simulation lag with bigger households, (vampire) sims with random outfits that we cant edit and many more. They did receive sufficient reports and even savegames. The problem isnt the process anymore. The problem is the lack of action based on the reports.
    Zasz wrote: »
    If the reporting doesnt increase the chance of it getting fixed then another like under the bug report wont improve the chance either. This isnt facebook.
    @BluebellFlora

    The impression still given is that they streamlined where we can be ignored. There are bugs still in this game since it launched that I want fixed ASAP. It just proves that they really do not care. I have reported bugs and DO NOT see little "work arounds" as an acceptable solution.
    Answers given
    The Me Too button in the opening post of a thread is one of the most helpful and powerful features as it enables EA to see how many are experiencing the same issue. It's all very well moaning about issues and ranting but the user should also make the effort to report the problem and provide specific information if asked for it.

    Posting but getting ignored/lack of communication
    Questions asked/Points made
    Evie0602 wrote: »
    I don't bother to report bugs there anymore because every time I've posted something, it gets labeled as "needs input" and then it's ignored.
    Evie0602 wrote: »
    I don't see how it needs more information. Here's one bug I posted: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/NEEDS-INPUT-GTW-Weird-object-on-the-ground-in-Magnolia-Promenade/td-p/6948263
    Multiple other people have confirmed that they see the same thing in their games, so it's not a problem with my computer. I ended up moving my sim out of Magnolia Promenade, even though I liked living there, because the object bothered me too much. It's probably never going to be fixed because most people don't play in Magnolia Promenade so they wouldn't notice it.
    Same here. They said they needed more input about the bug I posted. I see duplicates of uploads in the Gallery all the time. I posted multiple screenshots, showing them exactly what I see in the Gallery. It's been a month since then and no response. Lack of communication is a major pet peeve for me. It may not be intended, but it implies that my issue isn't relevant, and I don't feel very encouraged to post in AHQ. Gallery duplicates aren't a big deal in comparison to game breaking features, but getting crickets for a response doesn't motivate me to post if I ever have another issue.

    Here's the bug I posted- https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/NEEDS-INPUT-Gallery-contain-duplicates/m-p/7090028#M73535

    BTW, @BluebellFlora, I play vanilla. I haven't played with mods for over 2 years now. I also troubleshoot and research issues I encounter before posting in case there's other information available. Which is why I posted at AHQ. During a self-imposed hiatus from Sims there was a thread posted about the Gallery duplicate issue, and it was closed, thought to be resolved, but with a message from Crinrict to post a new thread if anyone still had the issue. I didn't start playing again and noticed the issue until after the thread was closed, which is why I posted the new thread. Honestly, since it seemed like it was a past known issue I thought there would be more response and momentum on my thread. I'm surprised and disappointed at the lack of response.
    Answers given
    Because more information is needed, simple. If everyone had the same attitude and didn't report a bug then nothing would get fixed.
    @Evie0602
    I think if a small object on the ground bothers you so much then unfortunately the game will never be up to your impeccable standards. Crin has answered you directly with why it has 'needs input' in the title:

    "Cause I want to see how many people are actually bothered by this. Basically want more input from others
    I can see it there in my game and it's weird but basically it's to find out what other people's' thought on it are.
    Maybe you can go into some more details yourself why it's a problem in your game."


    It seems like not many people are bothered by it and it's not a game breaker. I appreciate that doesn't mean it isn't important to you although it's purely cosmetic.
    crinrict wrote: »
    Hi everyone :D

    Why is needs input something bad ? It doesn't mean it wasn't forwarded and it's also added to the list (maybe not forever but for the time being) and it also doesn't mean you weren't taken seriously.

    It's just something that needs either more me toos or actual input cause it can't be duplicated. I know that it's no ones job here to test and figure out the bugs themselves but by doing so, you help them getting squished. Every bit of information you give can helps them get fixed faster. Sims is a complex game and everyone has their very own and unique play style. Some bugs are fast discovered and many have them, others need a very specialist play style to occur and if you report what you did, it's much easier to duplicate. Saves also help a lot. Since the new template where people describe what they did, it's been so much easier to go in the game and try.
    crinrict wrote: »
    If people just click me to and never post, it's hard to know if

    a) a problem is still around (there's ninja fixes in patches)
    b) how to replicate something in some cases
    c) I don't have the capacity to test everything and everyone reports. So why not use the community to help ? QA has their own way of working and I try to provide them as much info as possible while also trying to provide you with as much info as I find. I don't work for them so I don't have insight what's going on with these issues.
    crinrict wrote: »
    Maybe there's no feedback sometimes but you're allowed to bump a thread after a while and saying that it's still an issue (just not every week). I also need feedback from you guys, especially to see if something is really fixed cause again, I can't test everything. Some of these things take a very long time to even achieve.
    crinrict wrote: »
    There are many issues and the devs have to decided which they have to fix in what order. So, issues that aren't that game breaking or less popular are usually also tagged as needs input to make people chime in .. say they want it fixed, give their opinion and give reasons why it's bothering them. It's a bit like feedback threads you post here in the feedback forum for stuff that is actually by design but for smaller bugs.
    crinrict wrote: »
    I didn't want to have yet another tag as there are so many so needs input does have a double meaning but I usually say why I tag something the way I do.

    I also go through my list on a regular basis (as I'm doing right now) and either remove issues that haven't had any input in 4-5 month and very little me toos or change their status if they have more. Again, this doesn't match the way QA treats them. This is mostly to keep the list at a manageable size.
    crinrict wrote: »
    The changing back of the popular now to latest on the gallery is an example of something that got changed. It was reported as bug and then deemed by design even and yet still changed because lots of people said they want it changed back.
    crinrict wrote: »
    I also invite everyone to go to any of the other bug sections at AHQ (BF, Fifa, whatever) and see how much we Simmers have actually achieved when it comes to communication. We have actual QA answering while you will see mostly: Thanks we have forwarded this in other sections.

    Layout
    I agree that the layout and general look of AHQ isn't that great and that the layout of these forums is easier on the eye. But at the end of the day, if you have an issue do you want to find a fix or at least know that EA are aware and looking into it? Or do you just want to read about it on a nice looking forum? If you want the fix/assurance that EA is looking into it, then AHQ is the more active place to look.
    I'm not a fan of the website design and layout but it has a huge amount of information for the Sims games all organised into sub forums which are clearly named.

    Low Volume/Bandwidth issue for responses/help/expertise
    Questions asked/Points made
    IngeJones wrote: »
    I think AnswersHQ, clunky as it feels in use, is probably the best platform for bug reports. My main objection is that now the Help forum redirects there also, and imho it totally is NOT the best platform for user to user help and advice as it doesn't get enough passing traffic. There are a couple of people there, notably dear Crinrict who works hard for us, who try to offer advice, but they don't always know the answer, and the person who might have known doesn't come there until they need to report a bug. That means I have to actually post my question on a third-party fan site to get enough people reading it. Or post off topic in the wrong section here and hope a moderator doesn't close it before I have had a reply.

    Posting without knowing if you have a Bug
    Question/point made
    IngeJones wrote: »
    I think AnswersHQ, clunky as it feels in use, is probably the best platform for bug reports. My main objection is that now the Help forum redirects there also, and imho it totally is NOT the best platform for user to user help and advice as it doesn't get enough passing traffic. There are a couple of people there, notably dear Crinrict who works hard for us, who try to offer advice, but they don't always know the answer, and the person who might have known doesn't come there until they need to report a bug. That means I have to actually post my question on a third-party fan site to get enough people reading it. Or post off topic in the wrong section here and hope a moderator doesn't close it before I have had a reply.

    Yes, that's my complaint. Some bugs aren't bugs - a user might not know how to get something to work, and just needs game play help. Other bugs are related to specific mods and cc, so it's helpful to hear from a user who will tell you which one (and whether there is an update), rather than be told to empty the mods folder.

    I'd hate to report a 'bug' when, in fact, I'm just 'doing it wrong' or don't have an option because it's only available with an add-on pack. On the other hand, I've been told (at the AnswersHQ site) that a real bug wasn't an issue, because only a few users were reporting it. (If you can't complete an aspiration due to a bug, it shouldn't matter whether one or 300 users are reporting it.)
    Answers given
    crinrict wrote: »
    Just popping in to say: If you're unsure if it's a bug, you could also ask at the tech forum first: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/bd-p/The-Sims-4 before reporting stuff as a bug (I know it's titled tech but the splitting is a bit different then it was here. Here we had Bugs & Issues and Tech, there we have more Bugs and Tech & Issues). No form to fill out but would still be nice if you could give as much info as possible. We also have a game info forum for game questions but that's usually not for users that already use this forum cause you can ask your questions here :D

    Also, Don't think that threads that ask for help understanding something usually get closed here.

    I try to keep up here on expansion release and when I see something that's been reported over at AHQ, I try to link stuff or if it sounds like an issue I ask to make a thread.

    I know the whole system is a bit complicated at times and with so many places to post, it's overwhelming what goes where.

    I have a thread at the bug forum that gives you some insight on how the bug forum currently works: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/INFORMATION-How-does-this-forum-work/td-p/3445107/ and if you have questions/suggestions about it, feel free to use this thread: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/PLEASE-READ-Information-Questions-about-the-bug-forum/td-p/6361358/

    As for the amount of people over at AHQ: You can all help change that. Come over, chat with us, give insight in issues so we have as many opinions as possible. Especially with issues that need a long time to achieve (like aspirations or career stuff), I'm always happy if people come and chime in if something is indeed not working or if it's something different.

    AHQ is about users helping users and while we do have CM and QA helping out and chiming in, we're not EA Help (which is strictly EA Support through Chat and Phone). we're the community just like you guys are.

    Feel free to tag me here too if you have further questions (answer might be slow as I'm a bit busy over at the bug forum atm but I try to explain everything as good as I can).

    We as a community need to work together to get info out there but also collect as much as possible and give pass it on.

    :D
    Post edited by EA_David on
  • February11February11 Posts: 12,608 Member
    I found the help center here very helpful. I could come and see what problems people were having and be aware in advance IF anything happened to my game. Any problems I've ever had have been sorted out swiftly, by people already familiar to me/us. An abundance of people wanting to help
    The EA site to me is very intimidating and impersonal. I feel any post I make gets lost among the hundreds of post or even just gets ignored. I've even got lost reading the threads for solutions and also find a lot of the threads say they've been solved when in fact, they haven't been at all.
    I go there reluctantly. Thankfully I've had no issues for quite some time.
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  • catitude5catitude5 Posts: 2,537 Member
    Why did you make it so complicated? I tried to put something in there, but it didn't get in. The problem is the make out animation is not working in my game and I wanted to know if anyone else is having this issue. The sims move apart and the animation just disappears off the left side which shows what they are going to do.
  • unmogunmog Posts: 54 Member
    I haven't had any animation issues with my game, are you using any mods? If so have you tried disabling them? Hmm, well thats not entirely true, I did have an issue where my sim froze after trying to pet her dog... but if you hold shift and have basic cheats enabled you can right click a sim to reset them which will help. If all else fails, you could load up the game again.

    As an aside... have you tried restarting your computer? Compys do strange things when they don't get any sleep for a long time kupo.
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  • rosemowrosemow Posts: 163,519 Member
    Hello
    Try moving your whole mods folder to the desktop. Delete the cache files
    https://sims4.crinrict.com/en/2014/09/delete-cache-files/
    Then start the game and test to see if that helps the issues. If it does help, then put your mods/CC back into the newly generated mods folder in the sims 4 folder one by one or in batches and testing the game after each one to see which is the cause of the problem.

    This link thread and link post explains how to report issues on the AHQ EA site
    https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/INFORMATION-How-does-this-forum-work/m-p/3445107#M69064
    https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/16860000/#Comment_16860000
  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    I think this topic, apart from having this particular issue, might also be a cry out for EA/Maxis to make the help center a bit more user friendly. When simmers keep turning here with their frustrations, knowing they should mention bugs over there and declaring they know, maybe they should do something about it.
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  • Tremayne4260Tremayne4260 Posts: 3,126 Member
    @JoAnne65 People are so used to posting here. If anyone has suggestions on how to make AHQ more user friendly, please, please post over there and give your ideas. EA wants to help, but can't if they don't know there is a problem.
    Second Star to the Right and Straight on 'til Morning.
  • ZaszZasz Posts: 806 Member
    JoAnne65 wrote: »
    I think this topic, apart from having this particular issue, might also be a cry out for EA/Maxis to make the help center a bit more user friendly. When simmers keep turning here with their frustrations, knowing they should mention bugs over there and declaring they know, maybe they should do something about it.
    The idea always was to outsource the problem into someone elses hand. We tried to point out the problems but such feedback went nowhere. But this gives me an idea.
  • catitude5catitude5 Posts: 2,537 Member
    I can't work that thing, I'm going to HAVE to come here. I don't know if everyone is having this happen or it's just me. It's not a really big thing, and I'll try the suggestions.
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