What is the DDO Players Council? 

The DDO Players Council is a focus group consisting of active players from the Dungeons & Dragons Online community that allows the development team to gather feedback on ideas and potential changes earlier in the development process than we are typically able to share with the general public.  

Council members have access to a special section of the DDO Forums where developers will post proposal threads looking for feedback, and a Discord where we can engage in further conversation. Players Council members are legally obligated to accept and agree to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in order to participate. Violating the NDA can have serious consequences, including having your game account permanently banned. 

One thing we like to make sure people understand is that the DDO Players Council is not a voting body, and members are expected to provide feedback based on their own personal experience rather than speak on behalf of the wider community. We do our best to gather diverse feedback that considers as many voices as possible, and we want players of all styles and skill levels to participate.  

There is no pre-set “term” for membership. You can choose to leave the council at any time, and you are welcome to stay for as long as we and you are interested, for the most part. Periodically we refresh membership to give more people an opportunity to be a part of it. We keep the council structure flexible to best suit the needs of the development team. 

Finally, a word of caution: While the DDO Players Council is interesting and rewarding, it isn’t suited for everyone. Seeing how video games get made can take patience and long-term thinking. Not every idea we bring to the council is a good one! Sometimes, bringing early ideas to the council is the point, as we’ll get feedback we hadn’t considered. If you read something on Lamannia that you don’t like, for example, and you feel like you need to warn others about it, this program probably isn’t for you. You will see things that never happen! As previous Council members will tell you, that's part of the process. For the right person with a good ability to provide quality feedback and a high level of interest in Dungeons & Dragons Online, the DDO Players Council can be extremely rewarding. If that is you, please apply!

How to Apply:

If you would like to apply, please fill out the following application: 

DDO Players Council Application. 
 
Current application status: OPEN through February 28th, 2024

We will have application opportunities at various times moving forward, but any applications sent in when we are not actively seeking applicants will be ignored. 

Who is Eligible: 

Anyone that plays DDO can apply; this includes people who have been a part of the Players Council in previous years or even people that have only just started playing recently!  

Frequently Asked Questions and the Non-Disclosure Agreement 

FAQ 

Here are answers to some Frequently Asked Questions about the DDO Players Council: 

What is the DDO Player Council? 

The DDO Player Council is a group of players selected to provide targeted feedback and valuable suggestions to the DDO Team. Often the topics covered will be elements of game design at their earliest stages, well before they are committed to development or appear in our preview programs like Lamannia. 

Does Standing Stone Games determine the makeup of the DDO Player Council? 

Yes.  

The forums are only one portion of the player base, how will the larger community be heard? 

We extend invitations to players based on a variety of factors to determine their ability to be a good sample of the general player base. Anyone can apply whether they like to post on the forums or not! Please note, however, that most conversation is done through text. 

What if I don’t live in North America? 

We ask that all applicants be capable of participating in the council in written and occasionally spoken English, but your geographic location does not matter. 

Will my participation be kept private? 

Yes and no. The DDO Player Council is covered by a Non-Disclosure Agreement that all participants must accept before being added to the council. It will be up to you to decide whether you wish to tell others that you are a member of the council or not. You may say that you are a member, but you cannot provide details about topics being discussed nor provide any information to the public about conversations that took place. Please note, however, that other members of the Players Council will see your forum name and read anything you post, so it is likely that your general membership status will become known by the wider community over time as players enter and leave the program. We will not publish a list of Players Council membership.  

I haven’t played DDO in a long time, but I really want to be part of this! 

We’re sorry, but the Player Council is for active players. 

How will the Council be held accountable to the full community? 

The role of the council is to provide feedback as requested, and suggestions as appropriate. It is not an elected body answerable to a constituency. We believe the size of the council is sufficient to ensure a majority of views are represented. The Players Council is just one way we collect feedback, and our Lamannia public preview program is also highly valuable to us. Lamannia also provides a great opportunity for the entire player community to offer us direct feedback. 

What if I’m chosen for the council and people harass or grief me in game because of my participation or if they don’t like suggestions the council made? 

Harassment is harassment and a violation of the EULA, TOS and Community Guidelines. Players engaging in this behavior for any reason are subject to action based on the existing prohibitions against harassment. Please reach out to us through help.standingstonegames.com or directly to us through a private message on the forums if you are being harassed due to your membership on the DDO Players Council.  

NDA and Confidentiality Reminder 

Acceptance into and participation in the DDO Players Council requires you to accept the following Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA): 

Your participation in the DDO Player council is voluntary and carries with it a non-disclosure and confidentiality agreement in addition to the normal terms of service, EULA, and community guidelines. During your participation in the DDO Player Council, you will have access to non-public information concerning the Game, including without limitation the Game design, look and feel, computer software, game concepts, storylines, features, screen shots, characters, graphics, audio, images, virtual items, Feedback, business methods, Standing Stone Games updates, release schedules, information about other players or other information that is not generally known (collectively, the “Confidential Information”). 

The Confidential Information is proprietary to Standing Stone Games (or its affiliates, publishing partners, licensors or licensees), and you agree to treat as confidential all Confidential Information of which you become aware in connection with your participation in the DDO Player Council, regardless of whether it is in written, oral, electronic or other form.  

As a participant, you must maintain all Confidential Information in strict confidence, may not disclose or permit access to Confidential Information to anyone other than Standing Stone Games, or discuss Confidential Information with anyone except within the DDO Player Council’s private discussions.