For the game developer, I guess that it all boils down to self respect, eh? Heck, its that way for everyone.
Self respect?
Nah... I'd say it boils down to paying the bills. Self respect is a nice thing to have, but when you have a mortgage, house payments, kids to feed, etc... self respect takes a back seat sometimes.
Shoddy games are being made and sold. No one can dispute that. I'm not buying them. Are you?
Yep. I've bought shoddy games, good games, games somewhere in between.
Your example about the number of nails in the sole of a boot is ridiculous to say the least. No one here is talking like that. You know, I've never seen anything like that, ever. No one is nit-picking here. We're trying to help. Not whine.
I disagree with you.
I think you guys are whining. Let's assume the game play is fantastic for the sake of argument. Will the gameplay change one iota if an austrian soldier is wearing periwinkle pants or an indigo hat shapped like a derby? I see nothing helpful about a discussion over a shoulder strap or a should epaulette after they gave their reasons why the soldiers look the way they do. How will gameplay be improved over that issue?
When (any) game developer presents something like a 3D figure on a horse and says it is a figure representing Napoleonic cavalry when it clearly does not look Napoleonic, someone who loves this hobby has to speak up about it. No one knows everything and speaking up about it in a respectful manner is a service to the game developer, plain and simple.
This is where I disagree. I don't feel one has to speak up. However, if one should do so and be told that due to financial and/or time constraints or due to gameplay reasons of accessability, then that hobbiest should, if they are truly trying to help, consider the matter resolved and 'move along' to the next issue of 'help'. What I see here is a bunch of whining
after the explanations of why the uniforms were the way they were. If I were engaged in some yard work and my neighbor comes over to offer help by telling me what I am doing wrong or how something should be done, I'd listen to his advice. However, after I explained to him why I'm doing my yardwork in a particular way he continued to push the issue, then he'd promptly be sent home.
You should know that feedback is very important to a game developer. It is pretty much the purpose in releasing screenshots. Isan't it? I've read stories where motion pictures have been changed beacuse of the audience's reactions to the film at an early screening. Game development is no different, it would seem.
Let's not confuse feedback with whining.
Feedback to me is this:
Developer: Here are some screenshots, what do you think?
Gamer: I think the australian uniforms are wrong because of this, that, and the other reason.
Developer: I hear you, but due to accessibility reasons for the gamer so that we could convey information to those who are not as familiar with the uniforms, we've decided to standardize them to certain criteria to match the overall game system.
Gamer: Ok, no problem.
That is an example of feedback imo. It crosses over to whining when someone basically continues.
Here is an example of whining imo because the issue of what they were trying to convey isn't addressed, just the aesthetic issue is being pushed yet again:
You are conveying information to the player in the 3D images, but I respectfully submit that you unfortunately are conveying the incorrect information. As I look at that screen, I see no Austrian uniforms at all.
Some orange (or ochre rather) color did exhist in the Austrian uniform. The trouble is that it was in the uniform for their artillery gunners. For Austrian troops, here has to be white or it just doesn't work.
Now, that guy on the horse looks weird too. What's up with that red horse tail plume coming from his head? I don't remember seeing any Napoleonic cavalry with one of those.
The information they were trying to convey is this:
This meant, for instance, making the guard units and light infantry units of each nation look similar to the guards and lt infantry of the other nations. We wanted to make sure that the units had some of the national color in them -- the color we use to shade the main map -- so that units would be easily recognizable to players: we did not want to require that players have the expert knowledge of uniforms that you have in order to be able to recognize units.
So the question is why bring up this:
As I look at that screen, I see no Austrian uniforms at all.
Some orange (or ochre rather) color did exhist in the Austrian uniform. The trouble is that it was in the uniform for their artillery gunners. For Austrian troops, here has to be white or it just doesn't work.
This issue is familiarity across all nations for light and guard units. It doesn't matter whether austrian troops wear green, purple, or the latest in jc penny's fashions so long as they are similar to the light and guard units of other nations.
I do think they should strive to represent the armies of the day as faithfully as possible, however if they have reasons where they must make alterations in the interest of accessibility for gamers outside of the niche within the niche of a niche, then I for one can accept that reasoning enough to
not continue to point out where they are wrong on their historical abstracts.
Now when you reply, I hope that you will note the difference between initial feedback where I have no criticism and subsequent 'feedback' after the reasoning has already been explained.
Edit:
And let's just add in one more quote from the developer:
I understand completely why other game companies release only bits of information! I sympathize.
Heh... any guesses why he might sympathize? [;)]
