If I Were A Halo 2 Vista Developer

[Dole]

2. No Demands. Yes, you want your problem fixed and yes, you want it now. No, you should not demand it. The minute someone demands something of me, as opposed to kindly requesting it, is the minute I stop caring they have a problem.

In theory, as nice and dandy as this sounds in writing, and as benevolent as your aspirations are and as much as I admire your sentiments... You're forgetting that they're not a freelance mod team; these are experienced people getting paid to make a decent (modest terminology) port of an existing game [that was a smash hit for years on X-Box and was a good enough, if not better game, mind you] to a brand-new Windoes OS.

People who already had the game for X-Box want to know that their fifty bucks spent buying the same game over again for a new console is well worth it: if they were promised special user-editable features, they damn well want them. Hell, some people even moved over to the buggy new Vista OS primarily in anticipation of this game's release. Once again, they want to know their expenses weren't in vain.
The fact that half of the features of the map editor they purchased is unusable is advertising under a false pretense, and so those who produced the port are directly and immediately responsible to accede to the demands of the comsumers and are obligated to make amends ASAP, especially considering how many times this game has been delayed and recalled already.

Then add to that the fact that they are being employed by a corporate giant whose aim is to build revenue and attract business for Windows Vista, and then this situation is unexcusable and the complaints are justified. Capitalism, my friends: supply and demand. This is bigger than a bunch of college students budgeting time for some video game mods, this is business. The customer is ALWAYS right.


No, if you were a Halo 2 Vista developer you wouldn't be whining; you'd be glad you had an opportunity to work on this project or that you even had work at all, and you would be striving to get this done to make sure you're signed up for another project in the future. If people are satisfied and the game is successful, likewise your studio will prosper and game companies will recognize you to produce their games and so is your only option to get ahead... otherwise you're dead in the water. The minute you stop caring there's a problem is the minute your ass gets fired.
Besides, how many individual people are there who would actually be so nasty as to address this problem directly to the studio without taking a formal approach? Anything less than that isn't even considered valid communication; on the intermediary level between supplier and consumer, a professional, humble demeanor is implicit.
However, when the tacit, ubiquitous message of an entire community imposes demands, the studio has no option other than to react accordingly.

Don't flout benevolency, don't get too full of yourself in matters of conscience, and don't get yourself carried away by the rants of twelve year olds.