tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577405488165152910.post8930307375185599553..comments2023-09-08T11:06:25.282-05:00Comments on Of Course I'll Play It: Focus in Game DevelopmentAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07841034885738903494noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577405488165152910.post-92068269416995971382011-09-04T11:12:54.790-05:002011-09-04T11:12:54.790-05:00From the standpoint of putting together a small te...From the standpoint of putting together a small team for building mods, for example, I don't think you'd be hamstrung at all in having a philosophy of getting people's buy in. In fact, in a small team environment, I really think this is a great way to go. But you still need someone to hold the vision, and to keep the vision on course when design starts to go off into the weeds. It's a delicate balancing act of getting the right amount of input and iteration, while holding a fairly straight course.<br /><br />I was there during Age III, and worked on that project throughout. I've never felt Age III's design felt watered down or compromised, but it was an attempt to take the RTS design in some new directions. And any established franchise with a well established fanbase that attempts to innovate in any way will be met with resistance. <br /><br />It's the age old problem (if you'll pardon the pun) of finding new directions in which to grow, without alienating an established customer base. And if you do, then is that okay.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07841034885738903494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577405488165152910.post-15433052612025038422011-09-03T21:20:02.058-05:002011-09-03T21:20:02.058-05:00Hmm...
As a modder looking to put together a team,...Hmm...<br />As a modder looking to put together a team, this is pretty interesting. Was Ensemble Studios particularly hamstrung by their "Everybody has Input" philosophy? And how did that philosophy stress-test when it came close to releasing the game? Or worse, when the publisher moves the date up?<br /><br />I seem to recall that Age of Empires III had a lot of "Watered down, compromise-based" gameplay. Were you at ES back then? Any light you can shed on that impression?Quirelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04303351174239494385noreply@blogger.com