This follows on from the chat I had with CyberPrime in the TBM forums.
People not following that may have a hard time understanding the tone, however I am trying to stick to the nature of that thread.
CyberPrime, you know me better than to dangle moldy carrots, or talk down to me. I've been around as long as Death, Dontar and Shiznit. I do not expect to be 'entertained'. Adults entertain children, and that is not the position of a developer in a user-developer relationship. While many of TBM's users may be what is considered children, it must be duly noted that I am not one myself, and that we are all clients, of a sort. It is a consultation, perhaps, but not entertainment, as a clown does to a gaggle of screaming tots.
I am not protesting that I will become a 'simple user', or that the forums will be 'not like these ones'. Its a question of atmosphere (props to alex for that word. It fits the idea well). I also believe that TBG/FB should have its own forum, given the amount that users have generated here, over the years. If one considers the idea, you are aiming for success here, presumably, so why tuck the forum away so far hidden that noone could find it, given the root url?
If I were to advertise to a game magazine that you, as an 'indie' developer, had made TBG, I would not be content to consider that forumal attic corner as a website and nerve center for such an idea. You must also project an image. It doesn't attract people, it has just been placed on the virtual bookshelf with the rest of the ideas. If you wished to promote an idea to be a great success story, surely it would require a suitable area for it to be displayed from.
Also consider where are the myriad of users that FreeBuild will have. They are mostly here. (If you'd like to imagine that Retail will yield a few along with Cemetech, be my guest.)
Seeing as its a fair assumption that the players from this forum would contribute to a major part of the future community, it may be safe to say that they are the ones that you should be listening to. The demands of the people ought to be met for a good product to succeed. Fulfilled needs do generate some dedicated users, but satisfied wants take care of a good deal of others, and will ensure that they choose over Retail and the competition. (Which, despite the assurances of Death don't exist, are there. Retail is the natural benchmark, logically, as well as perhaps, Lego Universe, but that is an unknown quantity as of yet.)
People not following that may have a hard time understanding the tone, however I am trying to stick to the nature of that thread.
Quote:
You're not really in a position to make demands, simply requests.
CyberPrime, you know me better than to dangle moldy carrots, or talk down to me. I've been around as long as Death, Dontar and Shiznit. I do not expect to be 'entertained'. Adults entertain children, and that is not the position of a developer in a user-developer relationship. While many of TBM's users may be what is considered children, it must be duly noted that I am not one myself, and that we are all clients, of a sort. It is a consultation, perhaps, but not entertainment, as a clown does to a gaggle of screaming tots.
I am not protesting that I will become a 'simple user', or that the forums will be 'not like these ones'. Its a question of atmosphere (props to alex for that word. It fits the idea well). I also believe that TBG/FB should have its own forum, given the amount that users have generated here, over the years. If one considers the idea, you are aiming for success here, presumably, so why tuck the forum away so far hidden that noone could find it, given the root url?
If I were to advertise to a game magazine that you, as an 'indie' developer, had made TBG, I would not be content to consider that forumal attic corner as a website and nerve center for such an idea. You must also project an image. It doesn't attract people, it has just been placed on the virtual bookshelf with the rest of the ideas. If you wished to promote an idea to be a great success story, surely it would require a suitable area for it to be displayed from.
Also consider where are the myriad of users that FreeBuild will have. They are mostly here. (If you'd like to imagine that Retail will yield a few along with Cemetech, be my guest.)
Seeing as its a fair assumption that the players from this forum would contribute to a major part of the future community, it may be safe to say that they are the ones that you should be listening to. The demands of the people ought to be met for a good product to succeed. Fulfilled needs do generate some dedicated users, but satisfied wants take care of a good deal of others, and will ensure that they choose over Retail and the competition. (Which, despite the assurances of Death don't exist, are there. Retail is the natural benchmark, logically, as well as perhaps, Lego Universe, but that is an unknown quantity as of yet.)
