Pathfinder
Member
Excellent article. This should really be required reading to be able to post on NeoGAF, IMO.
SOURCE: http://kotaku.com/10-big-myths-about-games-debunked-by-the-people-who-ma-1737839268
Kotaku: 10 Big Myths About Video Games, Debunked By The People Who Make Them
- Thread starter Pathfinder
- Start date
Excellent article. This should really be required reading to be able to post on NeoGAF, IMO.
SOURCE: http://kotaku.com/10-big-myths-about-games-debunked-by-the-people-who-ma-1737839268
They aren't lazy.
Like alot of art and crafts, when it's good it's good. Some teams are masters at creating things so well and hiding or overcoming flaws and obstacles.
Once the bar is raised so high it becomes the standard. Now everything that isn't perfect is easily viewed at the quality of garbage. Vision, budgets and skills can be tricky to manage.
I think sometimes frustration comes quickly because the gods of the industry make it look so simple. Then when something is rough - "they must have been lazy" attempts to rationalize it.
The above is relevant to teams engaged with passion. There are absolutely lazy developers that just piss out something for monetary gains with no respect to players or the craft.
Like alot of art and crafts, when it's good it's good. Some teams are masters at creating things so well and hiding or overcoming flaws and obstacles.
Once the bar is raised so high it becomes the standard. Now everything that isn't perfect is easily viewed at the quality of garbage. Vision, budgets and skills can be tricky to manage.
I think sometimes frustration comes quickly because the gods of the industry make it look so simple. Then when something is rough - "they must have been lazy" attempts to rationalize it.
The above is relevant to teams engaged with passion. There are absolutely lazy developers that just piss out something for monetary gains with no respect to players or the craft.
WrenchNinja
Member
I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty great
NullPointer
Member
"in many cases". But what about the rest? And how can we possibly make the distinction?article said:
Definitely agree with their last point, and am sure I'm guilty of it dozens of times over. Sometimes what sounds good doesn't actually work when you play it. And sometimes something sounds crazy or stupid but actually playing it shows that it works wonders. And often players don't know they've wanted something until they've played it.
The other points are all very straight foward.
WrenchNinja
Member
*cough*Javik*cough*
To me Day 1 DLC will always mean that they chose to remove some content from the game in order to sell as DLC.
Don't remind me.
They might not take away from the core game, but I miss the days where games had unlockable costumes or other secret/extra's, for free. These days, that stuff is mostly day 1 DLC or pre-order DLC. If you want all the costumes and optional items, you'd have to pre-order at five different shops and buy the regular edition, the special edition, the limited edition and the collector's edition. And maybe even a webshop exclusive edition.
This only splits that content, making it almost impossible to get all of it.
ZeroGravity
Member
At least half of these seem entirely made-up simply to have an article.
"Game Development Is Easy? A Good Idea Is All a Game Needs? All Game Developers Are Rich?"
These are in no way common misconceptions.
"Game Development Is Easy? A Good Idea Is All a Game Needs? All Game Developers Are Rich?"
These are in no way common misconceptions.
I still remember the first time I slept under my computer desk using couch cushions taken from a couch in another room for one of the first things I ever worked on. If I worked in a studio where that was the norm (like how Crytek was supposedly in crunch for Ryse for an ENTIRE YEAR) I might just actually go insane.
Pathfinder
Member
The "game developers are rich" one is the only one that sounds a little far-fetched to me. All the rest I've seen and heard with my own eyes and ears.
ZeroGravity
Member
I'm not saying no one has ever expressed those opinions. You can come up with any absurd opinion and find someone who shares it. I just wouldn't call them "myths" because they're not perpetuated by a large percentage of the gaming audience.
hodayathink
Member
If you really think that, you don't read that many threads.
There are. Mostly in indie games where there flexibility to exercise a vision.
Scientist Supreme!
Banned
Your right.
Sucks that most people aren't though.
Seemingly just as common as these misconceptions are, just as many if not more know that none of those maxims are valid.
Daffy Duck
Member
Thought the same thing to be honest. Surely rational people don't actually think these things.
Me too. It does bother me, and I've never bought Day 1 DLC for that reason.
I mean...there's an explanation right there about how that's not the case. Have some games done it? Absolutely. Especially when it's seen in the data that it is on disk. But not all of them do, and assuming that everyone that does day one DLC is cutting it from the main game isn't accurate.
AnthonypUK
Member
Thats Kotaku for you, one great article yesterday, then filler junk like this today.
Robert at Zeboyd Games
Banned
Every time you see someone say "I have a great idea for a game but I'm not going to tell anyone because someone might steal it," they're showing that they believe in this misconception.
akidnamededdy
Banned
Yeah I might actually give half a shit about an Assassin's Creed game for the first time since Brotherhood if this were the case.
Pathfinder
Member
Care to explain?
Pinko Marx
Banned
So basically "10 Things Anyone Reasonable Would Already Know About Gaming".
TemplaerDude
Member
What the fuck. Is this guy just trying to brush aside all complaints leveled at the industry as a big misconception? Nobody of relative sanity is wandering around screaming that "all developers are lazy!" And "all DLC is evil!" There are sure as fuck plenty examples of all of these "misconceptions" in the industry.
What a fucking load of garbage. Should be customary reading on "How to not write a worthwhile article".
What a fucking load of garbage. Should be customary reading on "How to not write a worthwhile article".
the_korben
Member
There certainly are misconceptions about how difficult it is to write any kind of software on such a scale. I'll give them that. But the "DLC is good because our working conditions are so horrible" or "broken games are a thing because our working conditions are so horrible" or "XYZ our working conditions are so horrible" just makes me think: why don't you go on a fucking strike. Unionize. Picket lines.
Most suits working at a publisher can't even write a "Hello World" program or make a working level in Little Big Planet, so how about you use the fact that they need you to improve your working conditions? Then again, I'm a stupid European software developer living in a country where you aren't even allowed to work more than 50 hours per week, so what the hell do I know about the reality in Game Developer Land.
Most suits working at a publisher can't even write a "Hello World" program or make a working level in Little Big Planet, so how about you use the fact that they need you to improve your working conditions? Then again, I'm a stupid European software developer living in a country where you aren't even allowed to work more than 50 hours per week, so what the hell do I know about the reality in Game Developer Land.
Bolded the key phrase here, I don't think a lot of people who think that are rational at all
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
But this is NeoGAF, where 90% of these will be hand waived. Need we link to the Skullgirls DLC thread again, where Joe Q. Public was calling bullshit on actual budget numbers?
Yes. That's exactly what it is. 65% of Republicans also think Obama is a Muslim.
This is a good reply, though.
As soon as I can, I'm moving my operation out of California. Fuck our rates.
This happens regularly, so I don't understand how it's a surprise.
No, I'm not sure where you would get the idea he's trying to brush aside criticisms against the industry as all misconceptions either, that seems like you're stretching just to make that fit.
I always love the argument of "just move." If only things were so simple.
ClayKavalier
Banned
That could have been worded better but I've also never understood this. If you're starting a company why locate in one of the most expensive places possible?
Scientist Supreme!
Banned
Not to call anyone out but the article is written by a woman. I see people using "he"
Pathfinder
Member
Then you didn't read it very carefully. Try to not skim it next time.
Sure, but then why should these people be taken seriously? It isn't like an article of this kind would influence them.
Good article. Specifically because the writer reached out to a lot of different devs to get their take. As obvious as these things may be to many of us, looking at the comments on any site (yes dumb idea, I know and this is exactly why) are filled with people who don't understand these basic things. So this is a worthwhile PSA, though it's doubtful many of those guilty of making these claims will learn anything.
Gentleman Jack
Member
Haha you think people read the article.
Seriously this.
Also while many of these points are valid that does not make games and developers immune too criticism. I hate when journalists often blame publishers and blindly defend the developers. Yes they work hard and using the term lazy too describe bad game design is well... lazy, but there most certainly are incompetent people in the video game industry on all sides.
Triggerhappytel
Member
Interesting article, but some of these 'misconceptions' aren't things I've ever seen complained about or even mentioned before reading this article:
These all seem tenuous at best in my opinion. I certainly don't think anyone believes that all developers are rich, nor that realistic visuals make for a better game.
These all seem tenuous at best in my opinion. I certainly don't think anyone believes that all developers are rich, nor that realistic visuals make for a better game.