So I'd typed out the below response to Sending A Bug Report To Dtg Can't Be A Full Time Job. | Dovetail Games Forums, but DTG had closed the thread down prior to me being able to hit send so here is my comments. Really dont understand the draconian response by DTG on closing this original thread down quite frankly, its as if they dont want feedback on their own support process
You're more than welcome to discuss Support and provide feedback; Chris has responded to the original poster with the details related to their query. As Chris mentions in the response to the thread you link above, we get a variety of responses with differing degrees of information (not players' faults, of course - we don't expect everyone to be able to provide information straight off the bat). We'll do our best to try to help, given the information we're sent through - sometimes that's possible, sometimes that's not. Sometimes we're able to resolve the issue there and then, sometimes we'll have to log it with the team to investigate further. Here's where having the extra information (i.e. videos) is super-helpful for us, and we're really appreciative of them - as, as you mention, you don't need to spend the time doing it. We will only ask you to do extreme things like uninstalling/reinstalling if we've run out of other options to eliminate issues. Given the information provided with a support ticket, it's the best way to report issues to us - the Technical Issues forum, whilst great for collaborative help, can take a while to get to the crux of the issue, whereas more 1-to-1 messages can allow us to engage a little more effectively. https://dovetailgames.freshdesk.com...000896131-experiencing-technical-issues-guide (this is our usual process of elimination, which has 8 steps before asking for a reinstall). Sometimes having more detailed information (specs, etc.) helps, and sometimes it won't. Sorry you've had a bad experience. We do strive to provide everyone with timely, helpful support - and we've seen lots of great feedback from players who we've been able to help get into game, work around issues, and platform issues. Sometimes we do have to say 'thank you for the information, we've shared it with the team for investigation' though.
I have also given up creating tickets. The best result you can possibly get is them saying "OK, thanks, we will now close this ticket and we will have our developers look into it". If we didn't know better, we would be happy with this outcome. However, experience shows that the issues we raise end up on a "list" that nobody seems to look at. Fixing bugs is not on the roadmap, which means it is not done. Their words, not mine.
Thanks a lot, JD. Understood... But that doesn't explain why the original thread ( mentioned by OP ) was closed abruptly !
I'll check with Chris tomorrow - I would imagine force of habit, as this is a similar process we'd take within the ticketing system when closing a ticket. We do sometimes do the same when Technical Reports are solved in the forum there (where Chris resides a lot of the time). FYI - I've unlocked the thread.
I can honestly vouch for that. When I recently contacted the help desk for assistance my requests were handled politely, quickly and efficiently and I have nothing but praise for Chris and the team regarding the way it was dealt with. Similarly a little shout out for JD and the community team regarding the great job they do putting up with people (like myself) sometimes getting over emotional about matters and shamefully resorting to rude and hurtful comments or getting into full blown juvenile thread bun fights. I am no obedient fan boy (fan person?) who blindly defends every naff decision made by DTG management but would like to thank JD, Chris and the community and tech support teams for the very professional way they do their jobs in often extremely trying circumstances.
Thank you, Chas - much-appreciated. We just want to make sure you all have the best experience whilst playing our games.
I dont think anyone is expecting miracles, but when you provide a support ticket with details of a well known bugged scenario, to get a condescending replay suggesting its user error and to search Youtube for examples of others completing the service(without actually providing any links to such mystical videos) is simply bad customer service. At the very least the support team should be furnished with a crib-sheet of proven impossible to complete scenarios OR given links to videos which show how the service can actually be completed.
Yes, that is very annoying. I sent a bug report for a timetable service that does not work and if someone actually read the bug description and took a look at the 4 pictures I sent, he would have known that none of the possible causes for the problem from the standard CSR copy/paste response applied except that I could have forgotten to check the "I used a savegame" box in the report (of course I did not use a savegame). If I spend my time writing a bug report, I expect someone to read it carefully before coming back to me with any kind of suggestion about what I should or should not try.
False. They say to people asking if desired features and routes are being worked on that if it's not on the roadmap, then assume it isn't. But bug fixes as a category aren't put on the roadmap, so that exclusion doesn't apply. The bolded statement above is definitely yours.
It is an exaggeration, of course. As you said, the "not on roadmap" comment was related to features (routes/trains). There are some vague "improvement" items on the roadmap (save game, red lights, performance). And they are working on bug fixes, but it seems only for recently released routes. What I find odd is that there was no rebuttal from DTG staff. And JD has posted twice in this thread since my exaggerating comment.
I taken the time to record YouTube videos (viewable only with the link) which I've sent link and they've had zero views. Why ask for a video of you ain't going take the time to look at them?
The person who asked for the video is someone like DTG-Chris, whose job is to collect the information and create a ticket on their internal tracking system. He probably added the link to the video on the ticket, but didn't look at it. The lack of views means nobody on the development side has picked up your ticket yet. And this is the kicker: we have no idea how many tickets they have in that internal system ("the list"), what are the priorities applied when sorting those tickets, nor the progress, if any, being made in resolving them.
If I'm being made to jump through hoops in order to get a bug even logged then I expect that over 3 months later someone has bothered to look at the ticket and the supporting evidence provided and from my experience that ain't happening. If tickets aren't going to be looked at for months then support shouldn't be asking for evidence at the logging stage but rather when it's actually made its way up the list to be actioned then reach out and ask for videos etc. The issue may already be resolved by this point and by asking for up to date videos evidence rather than relying on evidence 3 or even 6 months old, it would save DTG time by not reviewing old bugs already fixed.
We constantly fix bugs, it's a regular process. Items on the Roadmap are more all-encompassing though, and including everything we improve and/or release from a patch notes perspective isn't feasible.
Now with TSW3 i feel kind of had and bought the same still buggy and slightly sick horse, without the old one being veterinaired properly. As for graphics it looks the same as TWS2 and also has the same childish interface looks probably forced due the xbox demands. Especially on a 4k monitor windows 10 system it looks like a real kindergarten playground for 4 year olds .
