Poll: Is User-Suggestion-Based Development a Good Idea, Really?

[DrDeath3191]

As none of you know, I like High Voltage Software. Mainly because I like the Conduit a lot. I am anxiously awaiting their upcoming The Grinder and Gladiator AD games. Especially since I have actually gotten around to sending suggestions to HVS regarding these games. HVS is very good about listening to their fans. There is a problem here, though: the majority of fans, like myself, are not game designers.Yes, normal people on occasion can think of some creative ideas, but the vast majority of suggestions are likely to be crap.

I wish that HVS would release some footage to show what they've been doing since E3, but there's none to be found. Why? Because the dev team actually went backward in their schedule to implement fan ideas. This may seem like a good thing, but that can severely lengthen development time. And what if more ideas come around that contradict their current direction? Will they go back and change it again? How long can HVS keep changing their code?

So my question to you is: Is Suggestion-Based development really a good idea?

As for my own opinion, I say yes, within reason. Take only the good suggestions that make sense (like mine), and leave the rest.

 

[Flying-Emu]

Fans are not game designers. We can create levels, mods, but most of us simply lack the ability to comprehend the kind of effort that goes into something as simple as making a semi-realistic economy.

Frankly, I think that they should take suggestions at face value; ideas from people who are not trained, not educated, and know next to nothing about programming.

 

[Valate_v1legacy]

If it's based on selective ideas that appeal to a reasonably high percentage of the population, and its feasible, then go hog wild. If it's absolutely retarted, then heavens no!

 

[Samurai Goomba]

I don't like to parrot a Yahtzee opinion, but it's not a good idea. Don't ask the kind of people who have made YouTube what it is today to contribute to the development process of your game.

The absolute WORST thing a creative game developer (like Lorne Lanning) can do is listen to "fans" when it comes to designing games.

 

[Robert632]

some people have good ideas, but the vast majority suck asschunks.

 

[Kuchinawa212]

If it's based on selective ideas that appeal to a reasonably high percentage of the population, and its feasible, then go hog wild. If it's absolutely retarted, then heavens no!

I have to agree with 'valate' here. If it sounds good and enough people want it then make that game! If just sounds stupid it probably is and just should be avoided.

 

[topsyturvy]

If the fan can make criticism off maybe gameplay to make the game batter, sure but otherwise no.

 

[TxMxRonin]

Know what you gotta ad? Zombies.

 

[quack35]

It's a bad idea because users have horrible, horrible ideas.

 

[luckshot]

If it's based on selective ideas that appeal to a reasonably high percentage of the population, and its feasible, then go hog wild. If it's absolutely retarted, then heavens no!

this, also you can look for constructive criticism from existing games. but of course people tend to shift back and forth on what they like and dont like

hmmm, its starting to look like my "maybe" is more of a "no"

 

[Captain Ninja]

i think user ideas are great! that is.. if they know something about games, i have found that if you play games for so long you kinda start to figure out how hard it is to program somethings.

of course there are some people who just choose to remain ignorant about something and there ideas would probably ruin the game, but if the user can see something and say, i am glad i did not get, it would make the game way to easy, then i think they would have valid input into a game

 

[traceur_]

I think it could work, I don't see the point in stating that users don't know exactly how these games are made when an architect doesn't have to know exactly how to build a tower, just that it can be built within a reasonable time-frame and budget.

It's not like they're including all the retarded "bigger boobs" or "more zombie-ninja-panda bears" suggestions. Some of the ideas could be quite good and make the game better.

After all, it's the consumer's money they're after so it's a good idea to make sure it has what they want.

 

[YuheJi]

I've seen people talk about their ideas before, hell it happens a lot of the time on here. And they think it's the greatest thing in the world, etc etc. What a lot of people don't even think about; selectively or not, is the fact that their ideas.. have probably been thought of before and could not be used simply because it doesn't fit into what is planned for the game, there isn't enough time for it... any number of issues.

Everyone has little tweaks that they would make to a game, to make it better.. more personalized to the way that they want to play the game. But it's going to appeal to them. For the most part, game desingers are looking to put out a product that a lot of people will enjoy. I trust them WAY, and I mean WAY more than random joe internet commentor.

Basically this. Fans are not game developers, and they do not understand what does or does not work. The vast majority of the suggestions would probably be personal taste anyways.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

It CAN be useful. It helps you gather demographics information that you can use to refine your product, just don't take it as gospel.

 

[Slayer_2]

It depends. As a modder, I have an idea what you mean about the contradictions. One guy will ask for more realism, another asks for a "win game" button.

 

[WickedArtist]

It not a bad idea to pay attention to one's audience, but there's a difference between noting general trends and reactions to specific suggestions. Like other said, most fans are not game developers. It's one thing to draw your own conclusion from your audience, and another to take what they say at face value.

Keeping in touch with your audience helps developers know what they like and what they don't like, what works and what doesn't, it's a form of quality assurance, but I think it has to be taken into context of of the developer's own expertise for anything fruitful to come out of it.

 

[s001911]

Depends;

I think EVERY suggestion should be reviewed from "Assault Rifle is too inaccurate pls fix" to "OMG wudn't it be t3e 3p1c to put Solid Snake in a leotard!!!11!!onehundredandeleven!!"

HOWEVER comma, They should be whittled down to a valuable pool and reviewed by the developers (and the solid snake image "accidentally" leaked) which is what i believe is actually done

BUT all extra content should remain to canon

 

[Bilbo536]

Perhaps it's best not to ask what fans would like to see in a future game, but should be instead asked to give their opinions about what they liked/disliked about their previous games. Then they can incorporate these opinions into their games in their own creative ways that remain uncorrupted by the often-stupid fans' ideas on what they should do with future games.

I Hope this was worded understandably.

 

[Kollega]

When ideas are proposed,one should not just implement them as he goes. You have to pick best ones. But fan suggestions are certainly good source of ideas,or at least inspiration.

 

[squid5580]

I voted no but not for the reason in the poll. Just look around here. Look at all the different opinions about any game. One person says "well it is great because of this". The next comes along and says "hell no that is the worse idea in history". This is not even factoring in griefers who would probably spam the poor devs with crap ideas just to attempt ruin it for others since they have no intentions of buying it. And dear lord if it is only for 1 console the army of fanboys that would march on them with shit ideas to try and validate thier moronic hate of the console it is for. Devs should turn a deaf ear to us for anything pre production because we as a whole, sitting in front of our keyboards, are a bunch of immature spoiled brats. And only listen to us when we mention glitches or bugs that need to be fixed. Leave the pre production stuff up to a group of trained game testers to get ideas from. And only when they can look them square in the eye.