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Data Harvesting From a Developer's Perspective

Posted by Soulskill on from the line-in-the-sand dept.

cliffski raises some questions about the need for game developers to have some amount of data from the users who play their games. He says, "PC Games connecting to a central server to send information (outside of MMOs) have gotten a (deserved) bad reputation in recent years. The huge outcry about Mass Effect and Spore are evidence enough of that. But in gamers' hurry to prevent intrusive DRM systems and dubious privacy-breaking data harvesting, are we throwing out the good with the bad?" Clearly, some aspects of games could be improved by having a better knowledge of average PC specs or knowing which parts of the games are more entertaining to the users. Input from customers helps to improve almost any product, as indicated by the usage of countless surveys and focus groups. But where do we draw the line between being inquisitive and being intrusive? What can game developers do to prove that the collection techniques or the data themselves wouldn't be abused?

5 of 130 comments (clear)

  1. How about *asking* the user if they want to share? by LighterShadeOfBlack · · Score: 4, Funny

    Shockingly, new studies suggest that people may be able to make decisions all by themselves without a company or a government or anything!

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    Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and stupid comments are intentional.
  2. Re:How about *asking* the user if they want to sha by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 2, Funny

    While we're talking about opt-in and opt-out systems, how about a preferences system for Slashdot which allows you to decide whether you'll allow morons to post mangled quotes of your posts followed by inane phrases like "fixed that for you"? There could be three options: "no", "yes", and "yes, as long as he acknowledges that by doing this he is a complete asshole."

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  3. Good Times by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
    "which allows you to decide whether you'll allow morons like me to post in the first place

    There. Fixed that for you.

  4. Re:How about *asking* the user if they want to sha by morari · · Score: 4, Funny

    I like it when my quotes are used out of context!

    There, fixed that for you.

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    "He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing." --Paul Atreides, Dune
  5. Re:How about *asking* the user if they want to sha by basscomm · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is data from over a million and a half samples not useful?

    Who's the wiseguy that sent in the half a sample?

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