Blogs - Starisolator

This will be a quick one, not that anyone is reading right? ... . . . right?

I grew up playing games on C64, and then Amiga. When I was young I'd be happy to have a new game that someone (usually one guy sitting at home) decided to make - whether that was to simply make it or to actually make a living was not important to me at the time. The point is someone, with love and dedication made this game.

At no point during it's development did he (or she) take time out to construct an advert in DPaint, write suitable copy, and have that thing posted in the local paper or computing magazine asking for ever 'idiot' on the planet to tell them what they want in the game. No. They just made it the way they wanted it because they wanted it that way.

Today, we have funding sites. We also have forums, blogs, Steam Green light, public alpha & beta testing, and other ways to invite those 'idiots' into your house. Don't get me wrong, some people want it that's why they ask, that's why they send out the invites. However, for me it's setting a dangerous mood. One of entitlement.

I posted something else previous to this, talking about the passion and devotion in developers and how they must feel when they read some 'idiots' comment on a forum simply saying 'this game sucks', or similar base-instinct wording. It's with this thought that I approach this subject.

Unless a developer is asking for feedback, or inviting commentary on his or her game, what gives anyone the right (or entitlement) to start giving them 'free advice' or comments such as 'this game sucks' or 'if I made this game I would make it this way'. The point is you didn't make it, someone else did, they make it their way, not yours.

Maybe I'm way off the mark here but we seem to have landed ourselves in a land of entitlement. If someone is buying a game they feel they have every right to criticise it every step of the development way. And if you do not directly respond to their comments and make them feel self-worth, then 'your game sucks'. If I walk into a computer shop today and pre-order Microsofts Hologlass, does that give me the right to tell them how to make it? Nope. If I walked into a car dealership and pre-ordered 'insert new car here' does that offer me to hope that they will make it in exactly the right colour I want it? Nope.

It (kind of) angers me. If I make a game I hope people like it, I really do. But do I want their input on how the levels look or function, do I want their thoughts on characters, will I completely forget that it's my game and I want it to work in a way I would enjoy and feel others would also?

No. I essentially want the game to work and function the way I've designed it.

Constructive criticism. That's a whole other blog post ;)

ps. when I say 'idiot' I just mean.... an uniformed individual with little sense of self-worth and possibly jobless ;)

Kidding! Sort of.

This is more of a rant, hopefully constructive...not that anyone's actually reading this (are they?)

I've no idea how you guys do it, indie game developers I mean. You pour your heart and soul into producing something you believe in, you may seek help, you may go it alone, but either way you are making something out of nothing.

So what's the problem?

So many times I go onto places like 'Green Light' and see you trying to get your game noticed, to get backing, or to just get some feedback, and the comments I read would make me stop building any game, format my life, and put a bullet in my brain.

I just 'love' how these commenters sit there, scratching their arses, surfing the internet with one hand in their pants fondling their junk, passing judgement and comment on things they have no clue about.

I've just read through one guys comments on Steam about 10 different indie games, and it seems his only purpose in life is to shit on anyone's idea. Admittedly he does it in a calm and rational manner with lines like 'well, the game is ok but I'm not sure this place is the right vehicle for releasing it' - or - 'if I was making this game I would make it less boring by adding in more diverse enemies' - or my favourite - 'this game looks great but I no one will buy it'. WHY? WHY won't they buy it you prick!

If I had a hat on, I'd take it off to all developers and anyone in general who tries, and tries (and tries) to build something from nothing. I've no idea how you do it when you have 100+ idiots on every thread beating you down. Quite frankly, there aren't enough bullets in the world to deal with all those comment owners.

I guess it's easier to pull someone down, even with one hand in your pants, than to get off of your arse and do something constructive with your life.

I work a lot. A lot. I mean... a lot. (ok, yes, I get it ... 'a lot')

I teach (IT / English), I write, I learn how to code, I watch videos on Physics and try to understand the gibberish that comes from Brian Green's mouth, I write music, I play with and review VST and other audio products, I build websites, I help startup companies, I even publicly speak about education and the use of IT in classrooms. I work... a lot...

In those spare moments when I don't work, I play games, not the ordinary variety of sitting in front of a screen clicking a mouse games. No, I mean tabletop's, fake painted trees, the lingering smell of undercoat paint, and a reliable tape measure. Wargaming. Ok, not quite 'War' more skirmish.

I'm a huge fan of Flames of War, Malifaux, Bolt Action, Infinity, Warmachine, Mordheim, hell I even still love my trusty Heroquest board game. I could look at miniatures all day long and just wonder at the amazing cost of some of them ;)

Last time I was at an event, playing Flames of War, there was a guy making sound effects, tanks mostly. But on occasion he'd look up and check who was looking at him and sheepishly look back down again remembering where he was. A few minutes would pass and you'd hear the almost inaudible sound of a grown man making the sound of a Tiger tank once more. So, it kind of struck me that it might be nice to create something that actually made those sounds at the push of a button. Less childish stigma, more atmosphere. Win win?

So, I made one, well, a prototype. It went well, I learned coding on iOS, I enjoyed making the sounds and even sold a few. Now however, I'm taking it to a whole new level and building a complete genre covering app. I'm aiming to build one app on both iOS and Android that can provide spot sounds and soundscapes to horror, WW2, fantasy, crime, sci-fi and hopefully more. You can see the progress here:

[link removed - I'm a failure]

My hope is that with a little backing, I can focus on producing this app rather than ALL those other things, at least for a few months anyway.

If you like this idea please do pledge. If you can't pledge maybe you can pass the link around your gaming groups. All promotion takes me one small 3 inch movement forward, hopefully with some fully-loaded lazer charged dice!