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Updated Wed, Sep 08, 2010 by Shayalyn
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A while later I presented my daughter with my creation. She was expecting a simple choker on a leather cord, so I was excited to reveal what I’d made for her. She looked at it and, whether she intended to or not, she made a disappointed face (or maybe it was just puzzlement, but I read it as disappointment) and poked at the dangling ruby beads saying, “What are these supposed to be, blood drops or something?”
I’d been expecting a different reaction—one of effusive praise more along the lines of, “Wow, Mom! This is the coolest thing ever!”—but her actual response crushed me. I reacted badly. I may have been a little immature, and I may have suggested that my daughter was ungrateful. I didn’t mean it, and of course I explained myself later and apologized, but at the time I certainly felt it.
When we create something with another person in mind, when we put our whole heart and head into making that something special, it’s only human nature to hope that the recipient will be pleased with the results. No child brings artwork home from school to hear his parent tell him that he’s made his giraffe’s neck unrealistically long. No mother makes a piece of jewelry for her daughter hoping to hear, “What’s this supposed to be?” Because we put so much of ourselves into the creative process, we are not only hoping that our intended recipient will like the end result, we’re also, by extension, saying, “Please like me!”
In the years I’ve spent roaming the official forums for various MMOGs, I’ve seen many a developer respond to criticism and flat out abuse from players with an admirable grace under fire that I could’ve only hoped to have emulated with my daughter. I’ve observed besieged community managers behave as models of diplomacy. (And, although this is far rarer, I’ve also seen a few devs and CMs snap and suggest that certain members of their communities are ungrateful trolls.) I’ve never been part of a development studio, but I can imagine the mindsets of the people working away in the trenches to create stunning environments (which are inevitably called “too brown”) or fun-to-play classes (which are inevitably marked as over- or under-powered) or smoothly functioning mechanics (which are inevitably labeled hopelessly broken) are very similar to the mindset I experienced when I was creating something for my daughter—we want that something to be liked and appreciated, and we look forward to feeling liked and appreciated, too.
There’s one little fly in the ointment for some game designers, though. (And by game designers I’m talking mostly about the people on the lower rungs of the payroll scale who bust their fingers coding or writing or rendering.) While I was in complete control over the necklace I designed for my daughter, some game designers have little control over the end result of their collaborative project. At best, they’re part of a team effort where their input is valued, and then weighed and measured against the company’s goals. (The MMOG realm boasts success stories to prove that this type of management style exists.) At worst, they’re simply the gears churning toward the agenda of some…higher powers.
And yet, the little guys—the code monkeys, the quest designers, the artists--still pour themselves into the creative process. They’re still thinking, “Please like this game!” and, by extension, “Please like me!” I understand these feelings all too well (writing is another “Please like me!” endeavor), and that’s why I feel a twinge of sympathy when I see a blog post like Luke Halliwell’s frustrated missive. Despite the best efforts of the designers working to make a fun game, it appears the management types pushing their own agendas (very often a bottom line that has little to do with creating something fun) have managed to steer APB off course. The same thing happened, infamously, with Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment and Stargate Worlds. And Sigil and Vanguard.
It’s easy to vent frustration at the nearest target, something we’re all guilty of from time to time. It’s much more difficult to acknowledge that behind every project are people who care, people who want the creation they took part in bringing to life to be liked by the masses. I’m certainly not saying that we should withhold our criticisms from game development teams, or that we should be overly-generous and blindly accept every game that comes our way, I’m simply suggesting that we stop automatically assuming that no developer cares about our complaints. I assure you, for every MMOG developed there are people who care more than you realize.
Got comments? Hit the Loading... forum.
HOT! Guild Wars 2 - Hands-On, Part 2
http://www.tentonhammer.com/gw2/previews/pax2010/hands-on-part-two
This weekend at PAX Prime in Seattle, Ten Ton Hammer was fortunate enough to get plenty of hands-on time with the live demo for Guild Wars 2. In fact, we even managed to play through full demo sessions of both the low level human experience in and around the village of Shaemoor, as well as the mid-level charr content including the epic Shatterer event and a whole lot more.
Since the overall breadth of content to consume in the Guild Wars 2 demo encompasses far more than what a single article could properly cover, we have a two part look at the game in action. First, Ethec shared his experiences as a human ranger, and for the second half of our two part feature Sardu gives an in-depth look at mid-level charr necromancer gameplay. How is the game shaping up so far?
HOT! A Tale of Two TERAs - A Hands-On Look at TERA's Group Play
http://www.tentonhammer.com/tera/previews/pax-hands-on
Of the numerous hands-on demos Ten Ton Hammer had the opportunity to experience at PAX Prime, one of the more interesting among them was focused on the group experience for TERA. In this updated look at the newest group demo for for the game, Sardu shares his thoughts on how TERA has held up against his expectations based on two recent gameplay experiences. Is the gameplay as epic as he'd hoped it would be?
HOT! BETA GIVEAWAYS
LEGO Universe Beta Key Giveaway
http://www.tentonhammer.com/giveaways/lego-open-beta
Ten Ton Hammer is pleased to bring you beta keys. Grab them while they're hot and soon you'll be in the game saving Imagination with the best of 'em.
Keys are limited! For your chance to win, simply fill in the form. But, there's a twist! You'll have to tune into this week's Ten Ton Hammer Live podcast to find out the secret phrase. The phrase was told to audiences live Saturday night, but you can catch the archive to find out the pass phrase. Only correct entries will be put into the draw to win.
Ministry of War Beta Giveaway
http://www.tentonhammer.com/giveaways/ministry-of-war/beta
Ministry of War, from Snail Games, takes MMORTS browser games to the next level with spectacular graphics, a huge world map, epic PVE and PVP battles, GvG combat, and comprehensive questing and leveling systems, In the beta, players will be able to choose an Ancient Empire (Rome, Egypt, China, and Persia), marshal resources, and buildup your forces. 'I'm not in the beta!' you say? Fix that with a free beta key from Ten Ton Hammer!
Craft of Gods Free-to-Play Code Giveaway
http://www.tentonhammer.com/giveaways/craft-of-gods/f2p
Craft of Gods may not be the only MMORPG based on Slavic mythology or the only one that allows players to make pets and mounts of just about any animal you find in the world, but it's certainly the only MMO to do both. Yesterday, the makers of Craft of Gods launched a free-to-play server, so you too can join the battle between light and darkness without a pesky subscription.Ready to start your Craft of Gods free-to-play experience with a few extra Kun in your pocket? Grab an special giveaway code first at Ten Ton Hammer!
PREVIEWS
HOT! Rift: Planes of Telara First Hands On Preview – Part 2
http://www.tentonhammer.com/rift/hands-on-preview-part-2
Ten Ton Hammer was among the first group of gamers to get some hands-on time with Trion Worlds' upcoming MMORPG, Rift: Planes of Telara. In the first part of our hands-on preview, we got the chance to learn more about souls (the game's classes), character progression, and to take a look at the starter area, Shadowlands. In part 2 of our hands-on preview, we explore the functionality of the rifts system and the dangers and rewards that it will offer players.
WoW Cataclysm: Azshara Preview
http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/cataclysm/azshara-preview
Azshara, once an untamed wilderness, has become the home to the Goblin race thanks to the prejudices of the new Warchief, Garrosh. What have the Goblins done with the new place they call home? Will Azshara meet the same fate as the Goblin’s last home? Join us as we take you on a journey through Azshara to answer all these questions and more!
INTERVIEWS
Sony Online Entertainment Plans for the Future of MMOG Forum Communities
http://www.tentonhammer.com/features/soe-forums-2.0
Surprisingly Sony Online Entertainment's most talked-about upcoming project at SyndCon 2010 was their plans to improve on official forums. "O-forums" have been an invaluable tool for developing companies and game communities for some time. As the MMOG genre forges ahead with new features and exciting concepts, SOE plans the same advancement with their forums.
REGULAR FEATURES
Ten Ton Hammer Live Episode 18 - LIVE from PAX 2010
http://www.tentonhammer.com/podcasts/live/18
This week on Ten Ton Hammer Live the boys return from a month off to bring you all the coverage from....the bajillion conventions and conferences Ben, Jeff, and Reuben went to. We also learn that Ben REAAAAALLY flew the "friendly" skies back from Germany...if you know what I mean.
Also, Jesse tells tales of a "Krispy Kreme Burger" and Dav apparently decided to buy a million dollars worth of books. Some month off!
In the news: Stargate debacles, Star Wars promises, FFXIV has Jesse massively confused, and apparently EQ2 is doubling up the EXP.
Also, MASTER LOOTER returns with a hilarious conversation with little Timmy.
Welcome to the 1,414th edition of Loading...
It’s all too easy to criticize, but often much harder to realize that there are people behind any creative endeavor—MMOGs are just one example—who care more than we know about whether or not we enjoy and appreciate the fruits of their labors. Karen “Shayalyn” Hertzberg explores the desire to impress and issues a plea for understanding in today’s Loading… “Please Like Me!”
The PulseYou vote with what you view at Ten Ton Hammer, and the result is the Ten Ton Pulse (What is The Pulse?). Today's top 5 Pulse results:
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6270
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Osatox
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8032
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6009
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7721
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5981
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Frostwizzard Lvl 80 Human Mage |
7655
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4
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Ajantis Saurfang (US) |
5874
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5
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Kaisun Lvl 80 Tauren Druid |
7618
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5
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Mind
Games Illidan (US) |
5851
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Loading... now with half the MMOG calories.
One of my many occasional hobbies is jewelry making. I’m not terribly proficient (if my life were a MMOG, I’d probably be crafting tier 2 stuff), but it amuses me. Yesterday, my daughter asked me to make a necklace out of a charm she’d picked up. While she was in school today, I plotted out what I thought would be a kickass design, one she couldn’t help but love. My daughter digs vampires (the Hellsing anime series kind, not the sparkly kind), so I thought it would be cool to dangle a couple of ruby-colored beads, which looked like blood droplets, from the choker. I puzzled out the technicalities, paid a visit to the craft store, and then, after picking my kids up from school, I got to work.A while later I presented my daughter with my creation. She was expecting a simple choker on a leather cord, so I was excited to reveal what I’d made for her. She looked at it and, whether she intended to or not, she made a disappointed face (or maybe it was just puzzlement, but I read it as disappointment) and poked at the dangling ruby beads saying, “What are these supposed to be, blood drops or something?”
I’d been expecting a different reaction—one of effusive praise more along the lines of, “Wow, Mom! This is the coolest thing ever!”—but her actual response crushed me. I reacted badly. I may have been a little immature, and I may have suggested that my daughter was ungrateful. I didn’t mean it, and of course I explained myself later and apologized, but at the time I certainly felt it.
When we create something with another person in mind, when we put our whole heart and head into making that something special, it’s only human nature to hope that the recipient will be pleased with the results. No child brings artwork home from school to hear his parent tell him that he’s made his giraffe’s neck unrealistically long. No mother makes a piece of jewelry for her daughter hoping to hear, “What’s this supposed to be?” Because we put so much of ourselves into the creative process, we are not only hoping that our intended recipient will like the end result, we’re also, by extension, saying, “Please like me!”
In the years I’ve spent roaming the official forums for various MMOGs, I’ve seen many a developer respond to criticism and flat out abuse from players with an admirable grace under fire that I could’ve only hoped to have emulated with my daughter. I’ve observed besieged community managers behave as models of diplomacy. (And, although this is far rarer, I’ve also seen a few devs and CMs snap and suggest that certain members of their communities are ungrateful trolls.) I’ve never been part of a development studio, but I can imagine the mindsets of the people working away in the trenches to create stunning environments (which are inevitably called “too brown”) or fun-to-play classes (which are inevitably marked as over- or under-powered) or smoothly functioning mechanics (which are inevitably labeled hopelessly broken) are very similar to the mindset I experienced when I was creating something for my daughter—we want that something to be liked and appreciated, and we look forward to feeling liked and appreciated, too.
There’s one little fly in the ointment for some game designers, though. (And by game designers I’m talking mostly about the people on the lower rungs of the payroll scale who bust their fingers coding or writing or rendering.) While I was in complete control over the necklace I designed for my daughter, some game designers have little control over the end result of their collaborative project. At best, they’re part of a team effort where their input is valued, and then weighed and measured against the company’s goals. (The MMOG realm boasts success stories to prove that this type of management style exists.) At worst, they’re simply the gears churning toward the agenda of some…higher powers.
And yet, the little guys—the code monkeys, the quest designers, the artists--still pour themselves into the creative process. They’re still thinking, “Please like this game!” and, by extension, “Please like me!” I understand these feelings all too well (writing is another “Please like me!” endeavor), and that’s why I feel a twinge of sympathy when I see a blog post like Luke Halliwell’s frustrated missive. Despite the best efforts of the designers working to make a fun game, it appears the management types pushing their own agendas (very often a bottom line that has little to do with creating something fun) have managed to steer APB off course. The same thing happened, infamously, with Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment and Stargate Worlds. And Sigil and Vanguard.
It’s easy to vent frustration at the nearest target, something we’re all guilty of from time to time. It’s much more difficult to acknowledge that behind every project are people who care, people who want the creation they took part in bringing to life to be liked by the masses. I’m certainly not saying that we should withhold our criticisms from game development teams, or that we should be overly-generous and blindly accept every game that comes our way, I’m simply suggesting that we stop automatically assuming that no developer cares about our complaints. I assure you, for every MMOG developed there are people who care more than you realize.
Got comments? Hit the Loading... forum.
Today's Hottest Articles, Guides, and Features from Ten Ton Hammer
9 new Ten Ton Hammer features today! 25 Ten Ton Hammer features in September! 980 in 2010!
FROM PAX 2010HOT! Guild Wars 2 - Hands-On, Part 2
http://www.tentonhammer.com/gw2/previews/pax2010/hands-on-part-two
This weekend at PAX Prime in Seattle, Ten Ton Hammer was fortunate enough to get plenty of hands-on time with the live demo for Guild Wars 2. In fact, we even managed to play through full demo sessions of both the low level human experience in and around the village of Shaemoor, as well as the mid-level charr content including the epic Shatterer event and a whole lot more.
Since the overall breadth of content to consume in the Guild Wars 2 demo encompasses far more than what a single article could properly cover, we have a two part look at the game in action. First, Ethec shared his experiences as a human ranger, and for the second half of our two part feature Sardu gives an in-depth look at mid-level charr necromancer gameplay. How is the game shaping up so far?
HOT! A Tale of Two TERAs - A Hands-On Look at TERA's Group Play
http://www.tentonhammer.com/tera/previews/pax-hands-on
Of the numerous hands-on demos Ten Ton Hammer had the opportunity to experience at PAX Prime, one of the more interesting among them was focused on the group experience for TERA. In this updated look at the newest group demo for for the game, Sardu shares his thoughts on how TERA has held up against his expectations based on two recent gameplay experiences. Is the gameplay as epic as he'd hoped it would be?
HOT! BETA GIVEAWAYS
LEGO Universe Beta Key Giveaway
http://www.tentonhammer.com/giveaways/lego-open-beta
Ten Ton Hammer is pleased to bring you beta keys. Grab them while they're hot and soon you'll be in the game saving Imagination with the best of 'em.
Keys are limited! For your chance to win, simply fill in the form. But, there's a twist! You'll have to tune into this week's Ten Ton Hammer Live podcast to find out the secret phrase. The phrase was told to audiences live Saturday night, but you can catch the archive to find out the pass phrase. Only correct entries will be put into the draw to win.
Ministry of War Beta Giveaway
http://www.tentonhammer.com/giveaways/ministry-of-war/beta
Ministry of War, from Snail Games, takes MMORTS browser games to the next level with spectacular graphics, a huge world map, epic PVE and PVP battles, GvG combat, and comprehensive questing and leveling systems, In the beta, players will be able to choose an Ancient Empire (Rome, Egypt, China, and Persia), marshal resources, and buildup your forces. 'I'm not in the beta!' you say? Fix that with a free beta key from Ten Ton Hammer!
Craft of Gods Free-to-Play Code Giveaway
http://www.tentonhammer.com/giveaways/craft-of-gods/f2p
Craft of Gods may not be the only MMORPG based on Slavic mythology or the only one that allows players to make pets and mounts of just about any animal you find in the world, but it's certainly the only MMO to do both. Yesterday, the makers of Craft of Gods launched a free-to-play server, so you too can join the battle between light and darkness without a pesky subscription.Ready to start your Craft of Gods free-to-play experience with a few extra Kun in your pocket? Grab an special giveaway code first at Ten Ton Hammer!
PREVIEWS
HOT! Rift: Planes of Telara First Hands On Preview – Part 2
http://www.tentonhammer.com/rift/hands-on-preview-part-2
Ten Ton Hammer was among the first group of gamers to get some hands-on time with Trion Worlds' upcoming MMORPG, Rift: Planes of Telara. In the first part of our hands-on preview, we got the chance to learn more about souls (the game's classes), character progression, and to take a look at the starter area, Shadowlands. In part 2 of our hands-on preview, we explore the functionality of the rifts system and the dangers and rewards that it will offer players.
WoW Cataclysm: Azshara Preview
http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/cataclysm/azshara-preview
Azshara, once an untamed wilderness, has become the home to the Goblin race thanks to the prejudices of the new Warchief, Garrosh. What have the Goblins done with the new place they call home? Will Azshara meet the same fate as the Goblin’s last home? Join us as we take you on a journey through Azshara to answer all these questions and more!
INTERVIEWS
Sony Online Entertainment Plans for the Future of MMOG Forum Communities
http://www.tentonhammer.com/features/soe-forums-2.0
Surprisingly Sony Online Entertainment's most talked-about upcoming project at SyndCon 2010 was their plans to improve on official forums. "O-forums" have been an invaluable tool for developing companies and game communities for some time. As the MMOG genre forges ahead with new features and exciting concepts, SOE plans the same advancement with their forums.
REGULAR FEATURES
Ten Ton Hammer Live Episode 18 - LIVE from PAX 2010
http://www.tentonhammer.com/podcasts/live/18
This week on Ten Ton Hammer Live the boys return from a month off to bring you all the coverage from....the bajillion conventions and conferences Ben, Jeff, and Reuben went to. We also learn that Ben REAAAAALLY flew the "friendly" skies back from Germany...if you know what I mean.
Also, Jesse tells tales of a "Krispy Kreme Burger" and Dav apparently decided to buy a million dollars worth of books. Some month off!
In the news: Stargate debacles, Star Wars promises, FFXIV has Jesse massively confused, and apparently EQ2 is doubling up the EXP.
Also, MASTER LOOTER returns with a hilarious conversation with little Timmy.
Today's Top 10
- Guild Wars 2 - Hands-On, Part 2
- Guild Wars 2 - Hands-On at PAX Prime Part 1
- A Tale of Two TERAs - A Hands-On Look at TERA's Group Play
- PAX 2010 Hands-On Preview of Torchlight II
- A First Look at Red 5's Firefall at PAX 2010
- LOTRO Early Acess Giveaway
- Top Reasons to Try the EQ2 Extended Server
- Half Elves, Time Travel, and a Demonic Vultron? - A PAX 2010 Video Preview of DDO Update 7
- Rift: Planes of Telara First Hands On Preview – Part 2
- Minifigs, Start Your Engines! - A First Look at Racing in LEGO Universe from PAX 2010
Thanks for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network!
- Karen “Shayalyn” Hertzberg and the Ten Ton Hammer team
Press Release, News, Official Announcements
Tue, Jan 24, 2012
Martuk
Video, News
Thu, Jan 05, 2012
Martuk
Press Release, News, Official Announcements
Fri, Dec 16, 2011
Martuk
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News, Official AnnouncementsWed, Feb 08, 2012Martuk
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Press Release, News, Official AnnouncementsTue, Jan 24, 2012Martuk
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ReviewsTue, Jan 10, 2012Stow
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Video, NewsThu, Jan 05, 2012Martuk
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Press Release, News, Official AnnouncementsFri, Dec 16, 2011Martuk
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Press Release, News, Official AnnouncementsThu, Dec 08, 2011Martuk
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Press Release, Release Date, News, Official AnnouncementsFri, Nov 25, 2011Martuk
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Press Release, Video, NewsMon, Nov 14, 2011Martuk
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Video, NewsMon, Nov 07, 2011Martuk
Genre: Near Future
Status: Published
Release Date: December, 2011
Fee: Free-to-Play with Premium Option
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