It's All Good: Why Devs Get Good Grades From Me

By Darkgolem

I can't say I agree with everything the developers of Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach (DDO) do. I am not about player versus player (PvP) combat, and the new Enhancements don't seem to be offering much more than cosmetic changes. On the other hand, I have to give the developers credit for two things: they are productive, and boy, do they have patience!

I read the forums regularly, and I see a lot of criticism of the developers from community members. I'm sometimes critical of the developers myself. I try to be fair and frank. I realize that I cannot see their side of the development of the game: I am not down in Westwood, Massachusetts listening to their conversations; I don't know how to code; I don't know Turbine's financial situation, or their future plans (After all, the devs can't discuss their plans ahead of time until those plans are verified and the information is ready to be released.) But despite flack from forum members--people who seem to believe it's okay to accuse developers of what is tantamount to theft and lies--the devs are patient. Though the majority of the people on the forums aren't quite that hostile, criticism has a way of getting to people more than it should, and most times the devs seem immune.

Another thing I have to compliment the developers of DDO on is that they are productive. While there are plenty of bugs in the game, Turbine has done a lot to remove them. They also add nice aesthetic touches (Lightning Bolt and Fireball lighting up the area…good stuff!). New quests, new monsters, PvP (meh), new Enhancements...all sorts of things are brought in regularly. Turbine has promised level cap increases and prestige classes, and I believe they will be on time. Just guessing, but I bet a lot of lunches are eaten at desks over there in Westwood.

It seems sometimes that the work the devs do is sort of random...as if they had a big pile of notes in a bingo cage, each one with something on their to-do list. They spin the cage, pull out a slip, and put it next on their list of things to do. But wow, do they do a lot of stuff! Even though I don't seem to like about half of the things the devs implement, the sheer volume of changes they make is immense.

So when you read the forums, you may see me posting criticisms, complaints and reasons why this, that, or the other is a bad idea. You might sense some impatience in my viewpoints. But keep in mind when you read that the developers have my respect for the patience they show toward their (sometimes rude) critics. Frankly, I wouldn't have their jobs for anything. I understand that sometimes, in any job, you have to accept rudeness, but to deal with it so often?  No way. And while I don't always see Turbine's side of things in the development process, I admire their passion and dedication to the game. A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes at Turbine, and I am confident that their interests are toward improving the game experience.

And that's pretty impressive.

---