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vindex · 05-10-07, 03:54 AM

As someone who has been tempted into a few flame wars myself, despite my better judgment, I think it's not a bad idea.

Having said that, I do think it's hard to police the boundary between reporting an error and expressing some frustration over that error, which is how a lot of these threads get going.

I also think there is a positive role this forum can play in discussing the future of gaming and how the industry should be servicing its customers. The issue of bugs, patches, mods, and moddability are all hot topics not just on this site but ones devoted to other games. I have a sense that the old business model is starting to break down under the pressure of technology improvements and rising customer expectations, and I suspect that communities such as these will play a major role in what will eventually replace that model.

I mean, in one corner you have very talented devs who don't always know the subject matter deeply and don't have any marketing resources. In another corner you have publishers, which are essentially sales organizations that care neither about the subject matter nor, sadly, any long-term relationship with the customer. They want to turn a fast buck, which means making the cheapest possible game in the quickest possible time for the largest possible audience. I really wonder whether they're going to keep making PC games at all, when it's so much easier to do console games for the masses. Then in this corner you have a rag-tag group of highly motivated customers who bring a wide range of skills and knowledge, and in their spare time, free of charge, are able to cobble together significant game improvements, to the point where they are almost a new release of the game. Rome Total Realism was the first mod that really hit mainstream (it's the first one I ever saw reviewed in a magazine) and completely rejuvinated a game title. Grey Wolves did the same for SH3. I suspect something similar will come out for SH4. So what does all this say for the future? I think the answer is pretty interesting, and worth discussing.

:hmm:

05-10-07, 03:54 AM	#2
vindex Planesman Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 192 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	As someone who has been tempted into a few flame wars myself, despite my better judgment, I think it's not a bad idea. Having said that, I do think it's hard to police the boundary between reporting an error and expressing some frustration over that error, which is how a lot of these threads get going. I also think there is a positive role this forum can play in discussing the future of gaming and how the industry should be servicing its customers. The issue of bugs, patches, mods, and moddability are all hot topics not just on this site but ones devoted to other games. I have a sense that the old business model is starting to break down under the pressure of technology improvements and rising customer expectations, and I suspect that communities such as these will play a major role in what will eventually replace that model. I mean, in one corner you have very talented devs who don't always know the subject matter deeply and don't have any marketing resources. In another corner you have publishers, which are essentially sales organizations that care neither about the subject matter nor, sadly, any long-term relationship with the customer. They want to turn a fast buck, which means making the cheapest possible game in the quickest possible time for the largest possible audience. I really wonder whether they're going to keep making PC games at all, when it's so much easier to do console games for the masses. Then in this corner you have a rag-tag group of highly motivated customers who bring a wide range of skills and knowledge, and in their spare time, free of charge, are able to cobble together significant game improvements, to the point where they are almost a new release of the game. Rome Total Realism was the first mod that really hit mainstream (it's the first one I ever saw reviewed in a magazine) and completely rejuvinated a game title. Grey Wolves did the same for SH3. I suspect something similar will come out for SH4. So what does all this say for the future? I think the answer is pretty interesting, and worth discussing. :hmm: