Oh! The places you'll go...

trueprestige · April 2014

Hey Guys,

So this downtime I saw a lot of mixed feelings, I'm not sure if some of us are aware of the inter workings on what it takes to be a game developer; especially on a MMO. A lot of people don't realize some of the staff for this game have been working on ESO for years and will continue working on this MMO for many more years. so it's kinda safe to say this is a life project filled with plenty of emotions. And for someone to come and make peculiar or mean comments in a way to put down kinda sucks. This is separate than providing constructive criticism which the intent is to help inspire productive growth. One should probably know briefly what it takes to be a game developer. I know, I used to believe it was cokes and smiles - fun time in the office. It's largely not.

Many game developers don't even play the games they make and don't ever want to look at them again after spending years making them. What we see as fun they saw as work. (Many hours of meeting crushing deadlines that meant not going home for the night and sleeping in the office -or no sleep at all. It happens I've seen it. Try reading some of the comments in credits staff make for proof if you question it).
There are reasons for instance (not to bash the company) EA games (Electronic Arts) is called under the table as Eat Artist - where developers go to die. Now don't get me wrong, i'm not saying its grueling slave work. They love what they do.

All i'm trying to say is it doesn't hurt just to say thanks. Thanks for continuing the amazing elder scrolls series. Thanks for making what were dreams we could do in the previous games (like play with others) a reality. Thanks for the sacrifice. I appreciate it and i'm excited to see how this game matures. SO, with glasses brimmed with spirits or ales, Thanks.

"Oh! The places you'll go..." - Dr. Seuss quote fits this game so well.

Thanks,

Shere Khan Bagheera

(Toon Name)

lolage · April 2014

I'm not thanking a company for selling me a product. Nor am I thanking people employed to make that product for letting me pay money for it. I'm a programmer myself and don't expect or require thanks to do what I'm employed to do.

I will however enjoy the subscription I have purchased.

SirPuppingtonVonHat · April 2014

This needs to be read by more people.

jircris11 · April 2014

lolage wrote: »

I'm not thanking a company for selling me a product. Nor am I thanking people employed to make that product for letting me pay money for it. I'm a programmer myself and don't expect or require thanks to do what I'm employed to do.

I will however enjoy the subscription I have purchased.

You may not be asking to be thanked for the projects you develop but admit it when you hear "hey thanks for the hard work" you feel better about the time spent working on said project am i right? I work on many mods for TES games from morrowind to skyrim and when i get a "thanks for the awesome armor or house" i feel good about my work. It makes me feel as if i did something right, even if its just one person it shows that we are not all blinded by a false sense of entitlement that many..many gamers have now days

lolage · April 2014

jircris11 wrote: »

You may not be asking to be thanked for the projects you develop but admit it when you hear "hey thanks for the hard work" you feel better about the time spent working on said project am i right?

No, not for work that is literally my day job I don't.

jircris11 wrote: »

I work on many mods for TES games from morrowind to skyrim and when i get a "thanks for the awesome armor or house" i feel good about my work. It makes me feel as if i did something right, even if its just one person it shows that we are not all blinded by a false sense of entitlement that many..many gamers have now days

That's admirable, you're doing something you enjoy doing in your spare time. However, I think I'm just tired of seeing people voice their rose-tinted view of game develop(ers|ment). Working for EA is not as terrible as people make it sound and not all game developers care about the games they are making. People literally thanking the employees of a business for doing what is expected of them blows my mind.

jircris11 wrote: »

It makes me feel as if i did something right, even if its just one person it shows that we are not all blinded by a false sense of entitlement that many..many gamers have now days

If people have paid for a product from a business and they feel it falls short of their expectations and this leads them to complain, then they have every right to do so; it's dismissive to call that a false sense of entitlement.

That said, I really do enjoy the game and look forward to more of it in future.

Gedalya · April 2014

Many game developers don't even play the games they make and don't ever want to look at them again after spending years making them. What we see as fun they saw as work.

Perhaps for games that are not good. The games I enjoy I know for a fact are played by the developers who made them. WoT & WoWP are great examples; and I have not doubt TESO is no exception.

Dahlia_Bristow · April 2014

lolage wrote: »

I'm not thanking a company for selling me a product. Nor am I thanking people employed to make that product for letting me pay money for it. I'm a programmer myself and don't expect or require thanks to do what I'm employed to do.

I will however enjoy the subscription I have purchased.

I say thanks to just about everyone I buy services or goods from as a form of appreciation for good work because in my experience it makes the exchange personal. Cash talks but a sincere thank you can often say far more than cold hard currency. Likewise, when I'm sincerely thanked for doing my job well, it means a great deal to me. Most people thrive on that kind of validation.

If you don't appreciate whatever it is you've purchased enough to humanize the transaction, that's your option. If it's your option 100% of the time, I feel a little sad for you.

Having said that, I'd like to thank the techs who are working to set the game right so I can enjoy it once again. Good on ye!

jircris11 · April 2014

lolage wrote: »

jircris11 wrote: »

You may not be asking to be thanked for the projects you develop but admit it when you hear "hey thanks for the hard work" you feel better about the time spent working on said project am i right?

No, not for work that is literally my day job I don't.

jircris11 wrote: »

I work on many mods for TES games from morrowind to skyrim and when i get a "thanks for the awesome armor or house" i feel good about my work. It makes me feel as if i did something right, even if its just one person it shows that we are not all blinded by a false sense of entitlement that many..many gamers have now days

That's admirable, you're doing something you enjoy doing in your spare time. However, I think I'm just tired of seeing people voice their rose-tinted view of game develop(ers|ment). Working for EA is not as terrible as people make it sound and not all game developers care about the games they are making. People literally thanking the employees of a business for doing what is expected of them blows my mind.

jircris11 wrote: »

It makes me feel as if i did something right, even if its just one person it shows that we are not all blinded by a false sense of entitlement that many..many gamers have now days

If people have paid for a product from a business and they feel it falls short of their expectations and this leads them to complain, then they have every right to do so; it's dismissive to call that a false sense of entitlement.

That said, I really do enjoy the game and look forward to more of it in future.

As i said you may not need to be thanked but it is still nice to be thanked. And working for ANY company as a developer is not a walk in the park. you have long hours some times i would not go home that night because of some stupid deadline i had to meet. I also do not flaunt that i worked on games in the past because though i enjoyed it i HATED the higher ups who forced many members to clock in more then your normal 9-5. Yes i got paid for doing my work but it is still nice to see gratification from others. Perhaps I'm one of the strange ones or perhaps you have grown to jaded to remember how you use to feel. Ether way lets stop the little bicker war before it gets out of hand. And on a side note, when i make mods for TES games its not a hobby. i don't work on it for an hour here and there. some of them i work on 5-7 hours a day for months on end. and if you were actually a developer that has had to deal with any of the 3d rendering programs you would know its not something you enjoy after a while. it is when you release that finished product and watch people enjoy it that you realize "hey it was worth it in the end"

lolage · April 2014

jircris11 wrote: »

you have long hours some times i would not go home that night because of some stupid deadline i had to meet. I also do not flaunt that i worked on games in the past because though i enjoyed it i HATED the higher ups who forced many members to clock in more then your normal 9-5.

I'm from and work in the UK. EU law protects us from crazy crunch time, it can be waived in the contract you sign for jobs such as game development but it can't be legally enforced due to EU human rights directives. I do a 9-5 work week, have flexitime, good amount of annual vacation and sicktime leave. Deadlines exist, but unrealistic deadlines are a fault of management; good communication between developers and management through line managers/supervisors is key.

jircris11 wrote: »

Yes i got paid for doing my work but it is still nice to see gratification from others.

It may be nice, but I disagree with the view that players should thank developers for work they have/will pay for.

jircris11 wrote: »

And on a side note, when i make mods for TES games its not a hobby. i don't work on it for an hour here and there. some of them i work on 5-7 hours a day for months on end.

It's great and as I said that's admirable, I've done it myself and worked on a few games myself as that used to be my main area, but it's a hobby if you aren't actively being paid for the work.

jircris11 wrote: »

Ether way lets stop the little bicker war before it gets out of hand.

I agree, we have different opinions and that's ok. Servers are nearly back up, I'll send you a sweetroll if I see you in game as a renumeration for reading my chunks of text.