Game design, principles and catering player base

Due of various rather game changing features in 2.1 there's lot of discussions around why ED is designed way it is, and mostly it is followed by threats (I will leave, others will leave, casuals will leave, y/z/x will never consider buying game, etc), confusion and anger (expressions how devs have ruined the game for players), opinions on game design stated as facts (this is obviously wrong, no one does it anymore, no game does it, everyone does it but it sucks, etc.), and ending with requests to change something because reasons (I paid for the game, I will request refund, I won't buy Horizons before this is changed, etc.).

To sum it up most people that find something they dislike (now or after upgrade) react in very harsh way - even if they later proven wrong that their emotions are displaced - and major follow up is requesting to mitigate situation.

As we know, games have bugs. And games have design decisions. People, especially people described above, frequently mix both up. However difference is very important. Games are designed in specific way. It is intellectual product, sum of all thoughts put into framework provided by designers. By this definition alone, sorry gamers, there won't be game to end all other games. Never. It is not possible. Well, it is, but no one will be satisfied in result.

Thus major ruling over ED design domain is done by FD. Experiencing/consuming intellectual products isn't a restaurant where you can order cook to make up new exciting foods. It is like a song, rock concert or painting. You know how it feels like, you pay fee to see or buy a painting, get a digital copy of a song, or go experience performance. In the end artist (and games are art) will make what makes sense for him/her. So whatever design decisions are done, they are done by FD. They don't follow polls, they don't follow active threads.

They take in feedback - for certain people it is in job description to gather well written posts and use it as source of influence and inspiration for new ideas. They definitely take in also criticism and "this doesn't feel right" stuff. However, same with feedback, they aren't bound to act on it if they feel they have done right thing. And that's an essence of it - opinions differ. In the end, it is FD who offers us this game and updates as they are ones who make it happen. At the end of the day what really matters do you dig their vision for the game or not.

So do FD caters to anyone? Well, to certain extent. Their game design is quite solid, they have rarely backed off from what they feel is right. I think anyone complaining about NPC AI should understand this first hand. Fact FD has underlined several times they won't go back to AI previously implemented should give you enough information about future prospects. They however want to make it work as much as possible for everyone - again, not going fundamentally against design of the game. That's why bug reports and detailed feedback (even negative) is all cool and welcomed.

So if you fundamentally feel this game is wrong...and you feel it might go in even more wrong direction...and you don't feel like trying to understand and what is their concept...then most likely things will stay that way. There are people who have discovered new ways to play ED. But as it is entertainment and "finding joy and fun" in playing computer games, no one should be really forced...if you feel like letting go, let it go. You most likely have sunk incredible amount of hours at this point already. Don't look back in anger.

ED will live on. No, it is not end of the game, nor the world. Fact you find you can't find fun anymore...it is ok. Nothing much else matters to you and that's fine. I know you all use big words because you want to express frustration that suddenly it is not just fun anymore. But that's how life it is...we outgrow things, or just leave them behind and move on.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom