10 replies to this topic

[IMG News]

In a new post on his Bottom Feeder blog Spiderweb Software's Jeff Vogel discussed why developers should avoid visiting their own forums. The veteran RPG developer detailed the sometimes overly negative comments posted and the unhealthy emotional response they can create.

From The Bottom Feeder:

Over the years, I've developed a pretty thick skin. And yet, if you read lots of people dumping on you, unless you have super-human emotional control, it's eventually going to get to you. Sometimes I'll get weak and look at a forum and see some nasty cheap shot and it'll throw me off my game for hours.

When I read the forums for, say, World of Warcraft or xkcd, I'm always amazed at how nasty things get. It makes me think, "If you hate it so much, why are you there?" But that's just the way it is, and excess exposure to insults can really get under your skin, make you doubt yourself, and interfere with your work. It's very sad, but you sometimes need to just protect yourself by staying away. Keep your brain clean.

Read the full blog at the link below.

Return to Full Article - InsideMacGames News

[ikir]

This happens on any tech website. Not only fro ma dev viewpoint in his forums. Check Macumors forums and comments.... it seems more a Apple haters community. Some users have too much free time, they are too much negative or paranoic.

[the Battle Cat]

There is no shortage of haters on the Internet.  In real life, you get a fist in your face, on the internet there are no consequences.

[Janichsan]

the Battle Cat, on 08 January 2011 - 09:46 AM, said:

There is no shortage of haters on the Internet.  In real life, you get a fist in your face, on the internet there are no consequences.

...unless Jay and Silent Bob come around.*


*NSFW

[ltcommander.data]

I think it just needs to be recognized that being satisfied with a product is the default expectation when buying something and isn't worth commenting on if it's the final result. It's people feel something is exceptional or are dissatisfied with a product that they'd talk about it, with the later being more common and more vehement given that people feel they are owed something more for their money or potential money. Plus whether you like something or not, everyone has "constructive criticism" which is no doubt widely differing and is still criticism. Between dissatisfied customers being more vocal than other costumers and "constructive criticism" from all parties, it doesn't surprise me that forums tend to be more negative than not.

[Sargiel]

There are a surprising number of regulars who don't like Apple or their products - but post constantly. I was pretty surprised at first given how Macrumors is not exactly PC World But some people clearly have too much time on their hands.

[Wumpus]

I think this is correct in context, in that its not a universal rule, but one for particular people or devs. Wolfire Software for example maintains a very strong community presence, as does the guy(s) behind Eschalon RPG's, and its turned out in their favor. Of course Wolfire really does have a community person (John Graham) who doesn't develop the game itself, is just part of the group. If I was just a solo developer like Spiderweb Software, I would probably take his approach. Just use a close group of testers etc to take feedback on.

[Tesseract]

The Steam forums are just like this too, except there's also a contingent of the defenders of mediocrity. So there's the people who just rant about how X sucks, the people who bring up genuine issues, and the people who spend their time claiming that the issues are either by design, not that big a deal, or not worthy of being fixed because Valve has better things to do.

[Smoke_Tetsu]

It also doesn't matter which they fall under either those people see it all the same and see the person as ungrateful or that they are harassing the developers and possibly demoralizing them. This is especially true in the Mac steam forums even if it's genuine issues they tell you you must be grateful that you even have a game at all.

[Cobra]

Janichsan, on 08 January 2011 - 10:01 AM, said:

...unless Jay and Silent Bob come around.*

[Matt Diamond]

High school friend of mine is now a high-profile writer for Marvel. He's done some amazing stuff. But he puts up with exactly this kind of crap. People post on forums pretending to be him, or dump on things he wrote that they clearly haven't even read, accuse him of being racist, etc. They use his Twitter address in messages so he'll be likely to see them, and so on.

He's tried to address this stuff in a patient, forthright manner, by sending polite replies, asking for actual examples of his supposed missteps. But it doesn't make a dent.

So he also has found that staying away from the forums is a necessary move. When he wasn't as well known he got kudos for being accessible to the fans, but now it's a different ball game.

The point being, this isn't unique to computer game developers by any means.