Comments on: Never Use These Words

By: SasQ

SasQ — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:31:21 +0000

People like to be directed, but don’t like to know they’re directed ;)

By: Juuso Hietalahti

Juuso Hietalahti — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:34:17 +0000

See what’s happened? This is (perhaps?) the first time I used word NEVER and expressed the post in very black-white way I see many people getting uncomfort with this.

Avoid the extremes.

By: Savant

Savant — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 13:54:53 +0000

While I appreciate the basic sentiment expressed here, I think it’s wrong. Basic, direct language is the best way to get a point across and to take a position of authority. People don’t want to listen to waffling – they want to hear what you think.

By: Tim Fisher

Tim Fisher — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 12:45:09 +0000

I think that you should always give consideration to what every reader of this blogg says and never discount their feedback, at all! :P

By: Juuso Hietalahti

Juuso Hietalahti — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 09:44:37 +0000

@Ian: Thanks for the feedback. People often simply stop reading without telling a reason why the quit.

@Rio & Duncan: Yeh, it was supposed to bring that kind of thoughts up. As you can see – the words I use “never” in the title and list of *forbidden* words are extreme. And extreme ~~is always~~ can be sometimes bad.

@Rick: Yes, it allows exceptions. :) And the problem with “most” is this: “most studies show…” or “most indies use directX 7″ or “most of us do this or that”… ‘most’ is (sometimes) a generalization that really simply states what we are thinking about something. It’s like a generalizing that “if we think of something, then most of the people think that something as well”.

By: Rick

Rick — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 22:38:13 +0000

What’s wrong with ‘most’? It allows exceptions, right?

Ian, don’t throw away a fish just because it’s green. Same as killing a pig, just because it has no ears. You get the point.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 19:21:30 +0000

I kinda like the irony of using “never” in the title… and then having it on the list. It’s true though, try your best not to use absolutes. We get used to saying them, offhanded, in conversations. I catch meself doing it. It is a slippage of the English language that we are not careful of what we say, and tend towards extreems and hyperbole until the words we use lose their meaning and power.

Instead of never using these words, use them properly, but rarely. They will be more powerful then. Guard your words and speak (or write) carefully. It is not an easy task.

By: Rio

Rio — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 15:13:35 +0000

This post has merit though the opening sentence could’ve been better worded. If you think about it, you as a indie developer are representing yourself and your company. If you use absolute words such as those listed, you may come across as taking a strong stance on a subject or as an ignoramous. More likely, you may come across as the latter which won’t earn you any more respect from your peers – and if you make those types of statements in your press releases or interviews – won’t endear you to your customers as well, particularly if you go back on your word or attack something they may like themselves.

:shrug:

But whatever… gameproducer is all about advice. It still eventually falls on each person whether they’ll follow it or not. (Personally, I’ve never liked absolute’s – it leaves you open for counterpoints…. )

By: Ian

Ian — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 10:46:55 +0000

This is the post that has finally made me unsubscribe from Gameproducer.net. I am absolutely fed up of patronising crap like this.