I was writing a reply to a thread on QT3 (sorry for the general derail) and so re-reading the few lines I stole from Darniaq. Every time I read those I go: “Ouch!”. His rants are harsh and strong in an effective way that I can actually feel for SOE. From a side I grin and from the other I read those and think I wouldn’t like to be in their place and receive so precise and effective critiques aimed straight at me. Painting targets is rather easy but watching a big target being painted on you it’s different.
You can usually escape from the rants by putting the situation under a different light and offer a different point of view, but sometimes the critiques are so much direct, honest and absolutely true that they reveal something you cannot negate and cannot counter. Any reaction would be just inappropriate. It would just make things worse because some arguments and critiques need to be admitted, considered and accepted. They must trigger some thoughts and not just a direct reaction to negate and dismiss the same arguments.
This just to say that sometimes it happens that you develop and somewhat more intimate relationship with a game or a company. You become so much passionate and involved (and dedicated to it so much of your time) that you build a more intimate, love-hate relationship. With the result that you know rather well how to stab in the right spots. Something like: “Just say or do anything and I’m ready to dig that in no time”.
The quickest way NOT to be hired at a game company: show up at the interview and tell them how badly you think they failed and how you’re ready to start fixing things. If you don’t understand why this is counterproductive, go work in the real world for a few years and then get back to me.
None of us is actually writing on a blog to hunt for a place in the industry (as I wrote in my replies to that comment). We just share a passion and write about what we subjectively think is interesting and useful. The actual use of what we say is not even our responsibility or worry.
But going back at the starting point, when I read Darniaq’s rants or critiques I always think how the games would benefit of those observations if they were actually accepted, considered and discussed by the developers, instead of being ignored or dismissed. From my point of view they are important and help to focus on what matters. Harsh or not, they can be useful. And it’s again not Darniaq responsibility to put those in practice. The following thought was that Darniaq is so much more effective when he writes about SOE. He can write good rants or observations even about other games or companies, but when it comes to SOE he just shines. I believe this is the result of the dedication and I somewhat identified myself with him when it comes to Mythic.
Obviously Darniaq is thousands times better than me and I’m sorry that Mythic has to suffer just a mediocre version. Or maybe they are lucky because a Darniaq would be way more direct and effective, without even the need to kick and scream all the time. He just doesn’t need that because what he writes is so much sharper and deadly without being loud :)