Why Developers Don't Open Up to Us About the Games They're Working On
about developers aren't more open and candid with the gaming community about the projects they're [...]
Influencers Are Influencing
We *love* to talk about development, the challenges we face, the problems we solve, the shortcuts we take. But it's almost never worth it.
— Charles Randall (@charlesrandall) September 24, 2017
"I did a public talk a couple weeks ago to a room full of all ages kids," he continues, "and afterwards, a kid came up to me and was talking about stuff. And I shit you not, this kid (somewhere between 13-16 I'd guess) starts talking about how bad devs are because of a youtuber he watches. He nailed all the points, 'bad engines,' 'being greed,' you name it. I was appalled."
These YouTube personalities are highly visible. They're right there in your recommended feed with bold, neon graphics and gaping mouths which signal that "you won't believe" what you're about to see. They speak your language. They don't bog down the conversation with boring stuff like memory management, algorithms, or budget limitations. They'll let you know in five minutes or less what this developer or that developer could have done better, and why the fact that they didn't do better is an indication that they want nothing more than your money.
Next time you don't like a game, maybe consider just... moving on? What is the value of helping spread hate and toxicity?
— Charles Randall (@charlesrandall) September 24, 2017
His advice? Just move on. If you can't contribute something positive to the conversation, or there's a chance you're speaking out of blind ignorance, just find something else to do.
What do you think? It's hard to argue when this very Twitter thread is filled with angry comments and ignorance. It's depressingly ironic, to be honest, though not unexpected. How can we expect developers to open up to us when the public discourse is so dominated by rash ignorance?
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