Should Developers Listen To All Gamer Feedback?

Thanks to GameSpy for their 'Spy/CounterSpy' editorial discussing whether the videogame developer should listen to all fan feedback regarding in-development titles. The writer suggests: "Who in their right mind ignores advice from the people who are going to pay for your product? And in the end, that's what it comes down. Fans pay the bills - and they deserve respect." Bit he also points out the negative angle: "Fan suggestions are usually what would make the game better for that one individual. Developers need to consider the global effects of any suggestion and work to keep the majority happy." Are there some game titles or genres where a vocal minority's agitation for change has resulted in an inferior title?

Comments

Re:90% rule

[Anonymous Coward]

Sturgeon's Law: 90% of everything is crap.

Also Jedi Knight II

[smcv]

In response to (a vocal minority of) players whining, Raven Software tweaked the game balance (force powers, lightsabre moves) in each released patch for JK2. Since they overreacted to perceived problems, the result was that the "overpowered" force powers and techniques became completely underpowered in the next patch.

Good criticism and bad criticism

[wrinkledshirt]

Obviously you have to listen to criticism about hardware issues and general performance.

As for the creative element, though, it's the same as workshopping any artwork. You really just want to listen to the BEST criticism, and that's the kind where the audience senses where the producer intended to go with the game, and can offer intelligent advice on how close the product is to getting there. Stuff like "Well, I don't think this is a good RTS because it's not more like Total Annihilation" is bad criticism. Even stuff like "It's not a good RTS because you have to spend too much time micromanaging resources" isn't the greatest criticism because it doesn't take into account whether or not the producer wants to have made an RTS that focuses on micromanaging resources, as well as the fact that many gamers might like such an RTS. What THAT producer needs to hear is "It's not a good RTS because the resource management isn't fun -- it's repetitive, I don't have ways of automating my units, etc.".

Good advice comes from a producer being clear about their intent for the game, and finding the sort of people best able to offer advice on how to fulfill that intent. It's when the producer ignores this advice that they commit hubris.

Re:Should Developers Listen To All Gamer Feedback?

[MORTAR_COMBAT!]

Remember, you can please some people all the time, but you can never please everyone.

Wrong. You can please everyone some of the time. You just can't please everyone all of the time. :)