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corwin
On the Razorblade of Life
Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Posts: 8376
Location: Australia |
| Why PC Games are in Trouble |
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Over in the Dreamcatcher Dungeon Lords Forums, I came across this fascinating post by a former game developer. It's well worth reading, if only to appreciate how difficult game development is in the current economic reality. Here's the introduction.<BR>
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<!--StartFragment -->
<BLOCKQUOTE><i>I wanted to take a moment and talk about this movement on the forum that seems to largely consist of the end-user and customer sense of entitlement for those who bought Dungeon Lords. Please read on and see my 10 points below.<BR><BR>You don't know me but I used to make video games. Now I manage a large non-profit company in the healthcare industry here in North America. Why? I earn more money per year than I would earn in a decade making computer games and I actually have a great deal more time to play them.<BR></i></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
You'll find it all on this <A href="http://dreamcatcherinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21644" target=_blank>page</A>. |
Thu May 12, 2005 3:21 pm |
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yeesh
Keeper of the Gates
Joined: 03 May 2002
Posts: 113
Location: Unofficially representing Queens |
What a depressing read. I admit that for me the most surprising notion is that many game developers love games so much that they're willing to give up playing them to make them. That's the ultimate sacrifice right there.
It seems absurd to me that improving technology makes it HARDER to develop games instead of easier. I wonder if there's any way to fix that. |
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Thu May 12, 2005 3:39 pm |
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PraetorJudis
Village Leader
Joined: 05 Sep 2001
Posts: 78
Location: MotherShip 2c457z |
I am so sick of people proclaiming the death of PC gaming. They've been doing it for years and it hasn't happened yet. PC gaming isn't dying, it's evolving.
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*gniltrohc yawa srednaw* |
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Thu May 12, 2005 7:12 pm |
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Guest
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That article was written by an arrogant and misguided person. What arrogance to suggest that consumers are to blame for wanting to spend their money on quality product. Only creative people think the world owes them all a favor in order to fulfill their dreams.
I own my own business and no one is going out of their way to buy my products or pay more for them. They want the quality for a low price. That's the nature of business. Only someone who couldn't handle this reality would make the kind of self-centered and misguided post as that ignorant former developer. |
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Thu May 12, 2005 7:23 pm |
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PraetorJudis
Village Leader
Joined: 05 Sep 2001
Posts: 78
Location: MotherShip 2c457z |
While I agree with your post in principle, I think your tone isn't that different than the fellow you're talking about. I also think the following quote:
quote:
Only creative people think the world owes them all a favor in order to fulfill their dreams.
...is perhaps a bit too broad and slightly off mark. Only lazy people feel that way, I'd posit. I know plenty of lazy non-creative people who feel the world owes them something and plenty of hard working creative people who expect honest recompense for their hard work.
The current game publishing market is focused on profit and profit alone. I know that's frustrating for a lot of developers to accept. The point is, we're being presented with more and more options every day. Options we can take advantage of to bypass the "evil" publishers.
Hm. I think I'll write a point by point rebuttal to that guys post and toss a link here when I'm done.
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*gniltrohc yawa srednaw*
Last edited by PraetorJudis on Thu May 12, 2005 11:28 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Thu May 12, 2005 8:08 pm |
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tolgerias
High Emperor
Joined: 15 Jul 2004
Posts: 770
Location: The Netherlands |
quote:
Originally posted by PraetorJudis
Hm. I think I'll write a point by point rebuttal to that guys post and toss a link here when I'm done.
Would be fun to read, this guy is just to pessimistic about things!
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If you can't debate without namecalling then don't bother visiting us. -Myrthos |
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Thu May 12, 2005 8:55 pm |
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Amelia
City Guard
Joined: 18 Jun 2004
Posts: 141
Location: Ong's Hat, New Jersey |
I don't know. There are some real problems coming to light that the industry needs to take care of. For instance, the current distribution system inplace for games is broke out. Millions of dollars and thousands of hours are poured into games to be put on the shelves for several weeks and then, *poof*, they're gone to the back shelves or off the shelves completely. Two years of work and somehow now we have places like WalMart practically making decisions for publishers. They don't have a long timescale for peak sales so now every game has to be a 'blockbuster'. This stifles creativity as publishers aren't as willing to take risks on a game.
I don't think this spells death for gaming of any type but there are some issues that need to be confronted.
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The real secret of magick is that the world is made of words. And that if you know the words that the world is made of, you can make of it whatever you wish. -Terence Mckenna |
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Fri May 13, 2005 4:02 am |
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PraetorJudis-
I agree with everything you said about my post above. Chalk it up to lack of sleep due to a two week old baby.
I also agree that "lazy" people is the correct term for those with a sense of entitlement towards the world. However, it does seem to be people in the arts (where I used to work and which I still love) that not only are people lazy, they become incensed that the world is not madly interested in whatever venture they have going next.
On a gaming note, I think you can look at the developers that set themselves up to not release games until they are done. Those tend to be the developers that are successful, and can after a period of time, define their own destinies. Blizzard is the master of its own destiny. Bioware is getting there. Spiderweb Software is there.
This guys post basically admitted that he set up his company to capitalize on the blockbuster title because he decided that making a lot of money was more important than making the best games he could. He may have felt trapped by the system, but there are more than enough examples of people being successful and having integrity.
He is, in laymans terms, a tool. |
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Fri May 13, 2005 7:48 am |
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PraetorJudis
Village Leader
Joined: 05 Sep 2001
Posts: 78
Location: MotherShip 2c457z |
quote:
There are some real problems coming to light that the industry needs to take care of
Amelia, I absolutely do not argue that the industry is broken. I also feel that "change is a-comin". Steam, Garage Games, Popcap, Three Rings, Spiderweb, all indicators that alternate routes are very possible.
quote:
He is, in laymans terms, a tool.
I absolutely concur. The problem seems to be that people are getting into games because it "represents big money." Then, when they find out that the big money is in publishing, not developing, they act like they were betrayed. I tell people that I'm designing a game and their first reaction invariably is, "Oh! There's a lot of money in that right now!" I typically stare at them blankly and say something along the lines of, "I just have these stories in my head that I need to get out."
If you make money your master, you don't have a right to scream when money makes you its b****.
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*gniltrohc yawa srednaw* |
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Fri May 13, 2005 8:19 am |
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PraetorJudis
Village Leader
Joined: 05 Sep 2001
Posts: 78
Location: MotherShip 2c457z |
As promised, here's my response. I'm afraid I get a little heated.
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*gniltrohc yawa srednaw* |
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Fri May 13, 2005 11:55 am |
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TheMadGamer
High Emperor
Joined: 03 May 2002
Posts: 487
Location: Southern California |
While I'm always the first one to point out the stupidity when so called reviewers proclaim 'the death of PC gaming' I found this guy's post very insightful.
Clearly, he has a lot of experience with the financial forces within the PC gaming industry.
That he has a slightly pompous tone to his post shouldn't necessarily derail some of the excellent points he made.
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The Poster Previously Known As NeptiOfPovar |
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Fri May 13, 2005 3:16 pm |
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PraetorJudis
Village Leader
Joined: 05 Sep 2001
Posts: 78
Location: MotherShip 2c457z |
His points were valid in the context of the problems that face developers who wish to break the mold. His points were completely invalid in the context of supporting his argument. Not to mention that some of his "facts" were flat out wrong. For every point he brought up, there are counter examples that refute or disprove his claim. Add to the fact that his overarching point seemed to be that consumers of games have no right to complain about them, his post is pretty intolerable.
I feel that I gave him credit for the good points in my response, even when I was busy bashing the context.
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*gniltrohc yawa srednaw* |
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Fri May 13, 2005 3:24 pm |
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tolgerias
High Emperor
Joined: 15 Jul 2004
Posts: 770
Location: The Netherlands |
Good job on your article, praetor! 
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If you can't debate without namecalling then don't bother visiting us. -Myrthos |
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Fri May 13, 2005 5:58 pm |
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PraetorJudis
Village Leader
Joined: 05 Sep 2001
Posts: 78
Location: MotherShip 2c457z |
Thanks tolgerias!
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*gniltrohc yawa srednaw* |
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Fri May 13, 2005 7:36 pm |
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Raldor
Keeper of the Gates
Joined: 27 Sep 2001
Posts: 107
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quote:
Originally posted by PraetorJudis
I'm afraid I get a little heated.
He deserves even more heat imo, but your tone drove the point home better than I would. Great response.
edit: and thanks for lots of interesting links to look at. I hadn't heard of most of these yet |
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Sat May 14, 2005 7:38 am |
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