Comments on: Don’t do what your users say … http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say User Interface , Art, Design, Games Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:17:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 Comment on Don’t do what your users say … by: MM Eternal http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-219422 Sun, 25 Nov 2007 03:59:15 +0000 http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-219422 I dont really have many complaints about either the classic or the new version of MaidMarian in the sense of playing and graduating to higher levels etc. However I do take exception to players not playing and fighting fairly (backstab, hit u when ur are down, etc., Additonally the dating scene chat is not what the game is intended in my belief (other than making cordial friendships). The potty mouth, spamming, website tricks that are really very filthy porn sites, need to be left out of the game. Furthermore, the use of hacks and cheats is very annoying, especially to someone like my self who spends many hours gaining my exp and weapons etc. the right way. Keep up the good work! MM Eternal I dont really have many complaints about either the classic or the new version of MaidMarian in the sense of playing and graduating to higher levels etc. However I do take exception to players not playing and fighting fairly (backstab, hit u when ur are down, etc., Additonally the dating scene chat is not what the game is intended in my belief (other than making cordial friendships). The potty mouth, spamming, website tricks that are really very filthy porn sites, need to be left out of the game. Furthermore, the use of hacks and cheats is very annoying, especially to someone like my self who spends many hours gaining my exp and weapons etc. the right way.

Keep up the good work!

MM Eternal

]]> Comment on Don’t do what your users say … by: axcho http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-119740 Fri, 06 Jul 2007 16:39:47 +0000 http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-119740 Very true. :) But I wish it were easier to figure out what they're telling you from what they say! The most common complaint I've gotten about Braids is that the controls are bad. I know the main problem is that they are hard to learn, but I don't know yet if there is a deeper issue than that. Very true. :) But I wish it were easier to figure out what they’re telling you from what they say!

The most common complaint I’ve gotten about Braids is that the controls are bad. I know the main problem is that they are hard to learn, but I don’t know yet if there is a deeper issue than that.

]]> Comment on Don’t do what your users say … by: Hanford http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-92308 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 20:17:09 +0000 http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-92308 The funny thing is looking back, there's still a lot of feedback that I didn't fully understand, and when I play the game today I see all sorts of things I'd change. Rocknor's Bad Day was a real learning experience. The funny thing is looking back, there’s still a lot of feedback that I didn’t fully understand, and when I play the game today I see all sorts of things I’d change. Rocknor’s Bad Day was a real learning experience.

]]> Comment on Don’t do what your users say … by: Marty Plumbo http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-92303 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 20:06:00 +0000 http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-92303 I agree, Hanford, et al. Players/testers will generally articulate themselves in terms of what they think needs to be added/removed/fixed: "Get rid of X", "Add a Y". In reality though, you should generally filter their comments to hear what isn't working but then come up with the solutions yourself. After all, you're the game designer. I made a similar mistake once by assuming that my testers would "get" an unconventional play mechanic that I was developing (http://martyplumbo.com/?p=32). They didn't. Instead of evaluating the new approach, most just told me how to "fix" the game and make it more like various games that they were already familiar with. I agree, Hanford, et al. Players/testers will generally articulate themselves in terms of what they think needs to be added/removed/fixed: “Get rid of X”, “Add a Y”. In reality though, you should generally filter their comments to hear what isn’t working but then come up with the solutions yourself. After all, you’re the game designer.

I made a similar mistake once by assuming that my testers would “get” an unconventional play mechanic that I was developing (http://martyplumbo.com/?p=32). They didn’t. Instead of evaluating the new approach, most just told me how to “fix” the game and make it more like various games that they were already familiar with.

]]> Comment on Don’t do what your users say … by: maninalift http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-92180 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 08:46:36 +0000 http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-92180 Yes, verily. UI by democracy can never work. This also relates to the basic task of finding the simplest way to implement all of the desired functionality in one interface rather than just piling feature on feature. Yes, verily. UI by democracy can never work. This also relates to the basic task of finding the simplest way to implement all of the desired functionality in one interface rather than just piling feature on feature.

]]> Comment on Don’t do what your users say … by: Adam http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-91907 Mon, 23 Apr 2007 03:30:29 +0000 http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-91907 Wow, on the mark. I'm gonna show this to a UI friend, who will undoubtedly approve of the idea and example as well. This also highlights the difference between developers / companies who follow (what's "hot" for users today) vs. those who lead (innovating new user interfaces, new ways of looking at things, completing tasks, etc.). The latter: more risk, much more potential to gain :). Wow, on the mark. I’m gonna show this to a UI friend, who will undoubtedly approve of the idea and example as well.

This also highlights the difference between developers / companies who follow (what’s “hot” for users today) vs. those who lead (innovating new user interfaces, new ways of looking at things, completing tasks, etc.). The latter: more risk, much more potential to gain :) .

]]> Comment on Don’t do what your users say … by: Hanford http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-90292 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:58:42 +0000 http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-90292 Yeah, you were totally on-board! Yeah, you were totally on-board!

]]> Comment on Don’t do what your users say … by: RohoMech http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-90283 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:28:02 +0000 http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/04/16/dont-do-what-your-users-say#comment-90283 I *think* I agreed with you during GDC, but your post crystalizes your point much more, so nice post :-) Hopefully people will listen to what you're saying. I think I agreed with you during GDC, but your post crystalizes your point much more, so nice post :-) Hopefully people will listen to what you’re saying.

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