Mass effect dev: "Stop thinking you're the producer."

[Rumpsteak]

While I do feel some sympathy for developers with all the restrictions placed on them by publishers this is a pretty poor way to go about addressing complaints. I know in almost any other sales medium I would stop purchasing their products if this response came up.

 

[somonels]

http://kotaku.com/5892199/stop-thinking-youre-a-producer-former-mass-effect-designer-tells-gamers

Well, as the people who buy your games and pay for your salaries, I would say we do have some sort of control in what we want.

that is like saying because you pay for a movie ticket you get to demand the director change th movie.

How can people be so entitled?

Because videogames are not an artform, they are designed products made for consumption. This is a customer complaining that there is spit on his burger or telling Michael Bay his films suck.

 

[Fappy]

Hahahaha Bioware is so bad at PR.

You guys realize Christina Norman left Bioware over a year ago right?

 

[albinoterrorist]

*See another wave of ME3 rage threads hit the Escapist forum shores*
*Return to playing Atlus games, while chuckling malevolently*

"Just as Planned."

 

[Kahunaburger]

Hahahaha Bioware is so bad at PR.

You guys realize Christina Norman left Bioware over a year ago right?

Yeah, of course. See my above quote about how a competent company would set clear expectations as to what sort of public statements by its former employees are and aren't helpful.

 

[Bostur]

How about I just stop thinking I am your customer and take my money elsewhere. How ya like that idea?
Devs need to get their heads out their asses and stop thinking we owe them sales. We don't like your shitty practices, we have the right to tell you to get fucked. Don't like it? Get another job.

I am sorry what?
Did you read the thing at all?
What part of "Stop thinking you are the producer" becomes "You ow us money"?

Every single thing she said is reasonable.
"Judge our games based on what they are. Judge the DLC based on what it is." is more reasonable than any of the shit the "fans" have been spouting.

They are not telling you to like them. They are telling you to judge their product on the merit of the product.
Not on the idea of Day 1 DLC.
Not how you believe games are made.

Just the product.

If people have a bad experience with DLCs from their previous products, isn't it fair to assume that it may be an issue in ME3 as well? The problem with judging the product on the merits of the product, is that people have to buy it first at which point it's a bit late to criticize.

 

[lapan]

Hahahaha Bioware is so bad at PR.

You would think they would have to learn something from the mess their PR and forums were for the last year.

 

[Kahunaburger]

They are not telling you to like them. They are telling you to judge their product on the merit of the product.
Not on the idea of Day 1 DLC.
Not how you believe games are made.

Just the product.

That's a pretty silly request on their part, then. As a consumer, I buy products for more than one reason. If I think an aspect of a corporation's pricing structure, manufacturing process, political activity, etc. is unethical or something I don't support, I'm not going to buy their stuff.

 

[Defective_Detective]

I agree with the man. Quit all your whining...

 

[jezcentral]

Hahahaha Bioware is so bad at PR.

Maybe you should read the article. She's not not with Bioware. This is not Bioware being bad at PR.

Really? When is the last time you saw a former Valve employee arguing with fans in support of their former company? This reminds me of the DA2 metacritic review by a Bio employee or their employees' conduct on the forums in that it's emblematic of their employees and/or former employees not having a clear understanding of professional conduct.

Nah, you didn't read the article, you just posted a knee-jerk reply like a true sheep and got proved wrong.

And now you're trying to justify it, by tying it back to an old employer. Don't bother.

 

[Fappy]

Hahahaha Bioware is so bad at PR.

You guys realize Christina Norman left Bioware over a year ago right?

Yeah, of course. See my above quote about how a competent company would set clear expectations as to what sort of public statements by its former employees are and aren't helpful.

I didn't read much farther down page 1

Anyway, I am sure she had something in her contract regarding this... though she is technically defending them so i don't really see why they would be mad at her beyond just face palming.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Hahahaha Bioware is so bad at PR.

Maybe you should read the article. She's not not with Bioware. This is not Bioware being bad at PR.

Really? When is the last time you saw a former Valve employee arguing with fans in support of their former company? This reminds me of the DA2 metacritic review by a Bio employee or their employees' conduct on the forums in that it's emblematic of their employees and/or former employees not having a clear understanding of professional conduct.

Nah, you didn't read the article, you just posted a knee-jerk reply like a true sheep and got proved wrong.

And now you're trying to justify it, by tying it back to an old employer. Don't bother.

Dude, maybe you should calm down a bit, stop trying to put words into people's mouths, and actually participate in the discussion.

If, for example, you feel that a smart corporation shouldn't set clear expectations over what sort of statement by former employees is helpful, say so and explain to us why you believe this. Getting mad at someone for having a different opinion than you isn't going to accomplish anything other than making yourself mad.

 

[Artemicion]

You know, Norman, there was a time when games were released with all the content included, and any ideas the development team had were implemented before the game went gold. They also didn't completely enrage a massive part of their fanbase, and provided controller support for the PC version.

So shut the hell up.

As it happens I have no issue with their Day-One DLC, although giving it out for free with only certain game editions is about as slimy as you can get.

 

[Vrach]

People are not telling them they should release that content later, they're telling them that if they have content when they release a game, that content should be in the fucking game itself, not sold separately to nickle and dime players.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Hahahaha Bioware is so bad at PR.

You guys realize Christina Norman left Bioware over a year ago right?

Yeah, of course. See my above quote about how a competent company would set clear expectations as to what sort of public statements by its former employees are and aren't helpful.

I didn't read much farther down page 1

Anyway, I am sure she had something in her contract regarding this... though she is technically defending them so i don't really see why they would be mad at her beyond just face palming.

Yeah, she clearly wants to help them. I'm just surprised that given how prominent she was (forums, twitter, etc.) in responding to questions and concerns about ME2 gameplay, she would be under the impression that this sort of statement is helpful to Bioware.

 

[Frostbite3789]

Christina Norman: "Stop thinking you're a producer and telling us when and where we should be building our content."


Gabe Newell: "The customer is basically our CEO."

One of those people is the head of the company still.

The other was just an employee there in the past and no longer is.

It's almost like there's a difference. Derp derp.

 

[distortedreality]

http://kotaku.com/5892199/stop-thinking-youre-a-producer-former-mass-effect-designer-tells-gamers

Well, as the people who buy your games and pay for your salaries, I would say we do have some sort of control in what we want.

that is like saying because you pay for a movie ticket you get to demand the director change th movie.

How can people be so entitled?

Because videogames are not an artform, they are designed products made for consumption. This is a customer complaining that there is spit on his burger or telling Michael Bay his films suck.

Um, what?