How do you cope with non-constructive critique and haters?

[hmortensen]

My game “Do no harm!” was online for less than a day before a user calling himself “DieHenningDie” showed up on the game leaderboard.. That wasn’t fun and kind of disturbing to read, what could I have done to piss off someone to make them do this?
I’m told I’m the most harmless and friendly guy ever, so what did just happen?

I know the internet allows people to write whatever they want, but still it kind of hit me.. Why would anyone write something like that? Well it was in beta and the leaderboard was deleted.

Two days later I uploaded the final version, and lo and behold, another name showed up on the leaderboard “ThisGameSucks”. Well ok, you are entitled to your opinion, but I would have loved for you to have posted it on my blog, twitter or by email so I would be able to find out what part sucks so much. It’s only my second Unity game and I really want to learn, and I do know my first games are going to be “less than good” but it’s a learning process.

It shouldn’t have bother me so much as it did, and after a good night sleep, I know I have to get used to non-constructive critique like that, as it most defiantly always will be there in some form or another.

So, my shields are now up, for more crappy games are bound to come

Have a great day out there!

[Scurvy Lobster]

I know PopCap games (Bejewelled, Zuma, Peggle) don't have online leaderboards because of this and because the scores tend to get hacked anyway. At least they reported this a few years ago.

And their games sell fine without them one might say...

[hmortensen]

I know PopCap games (Bejewelled, Zuma, Peggle) don't have online leaderboards because of this and because the scores tend to get hacked anyway. At least they reported this a few years ago.

And their games sell fine without them one might say...

And here I thought an online leaderboard would be a great thing to have.. Guess my next game won't have one!

[jonaz.dk]

Sad to hear. But that's the name of the game.

Could you do a Facebook Connect leaderboard registration?
Would root out the worst.

Or were you posting it on some online gamer portal?

[hmortensen]

Sad to hear. But that's the name of the game.

Could you do a Facebook Connect leaderboard registration?
Would root out the worst.

Or were you posting it on some online gamer portal?

Haven't thought about FB, just wanted to keep it super simple. Maybe next time (if I ever make a leaderboard again)

The current leaderbord it done using php on my own site so I have full control to delete it if I want to.

[Morten Brunbjerg]

In your headline you ask how to deal with non-constructive criticism and haters. That's two very different things. What you experienced does not qualify as non-constructive criticism, it's - as you wrote in your headline - a hater or troll. Even though though your guy used your name he's still just a hater.

We go through a creative process and even though we're professionals it will, in some way or another, hurt when haters show their faces. At least the first times. There's a principle in business saying that about 2% of your customers will never be satisfied. Ever! No matter what you do. We can't satisfy everyone at once. Haters, like the guy you're writing about, will hate your game no matter how it looks or feel. Keep calm and carry on. He’s useless. There’s nothing to do but ignore him.

It's a lot easier to deal with people giving non-constructive criticism. A question you ask in your headline as well. That's people saying stuff like: "I just didn't like it. It no good." But not telling you why. That's pretty simple. Don’t tell them they were rude. Tell them that you appreciate their opinion and you want to make the game better, but you need more information. Then ask them something specific about the game. And that's very important! After letting them know that you value their opinion ask them something specific about the game. Ask anything! Ask about the controls, the visuals, the music, what ever! Asking them a “technical” question will take the personal angle out of the conversation and reset it to be centered about the game and not about you. Every time the conversation gets personal or resets to stuff like: "It's just bad!" you ask a specific question about the game. If they are still non-constructive after doing this 3 times put them in the Hater/Troll category and ignore them.

-
Morten Brunbjerg
http://mortenbrunbjerg.dk

[hmortensen]

In your headline you ask how to deal with non-constructive criticism and haters. That's two very different things. What you experienced does not qualify as non-constructive criticism, it's - as you wrote in your headline - a hater or troll. Even though though your guy used your name he's still just a hater.

We go through a creative process and even though we're professionals it will, in some way or another, hurt when haters show their faces. At least the first times. There's a principle in business saying that about 2% of your customers will never be satisfied. Ever! No matter what you do. We can't satisfy everyone at once. Haters, like the guy you're writing about, will hate your game no matter how it looks or feel. Keep calm and carry on. He’s useless. There’s nothing to do but ignore him.

It's a lot easier to deal with people giving non-constructive criticism. A question you ask in your headline as well. That's people saying stuff like: "I just didn't like it. It no good." But not telling you why. That's pretty simple. Don’t tell them they were rude. Tell them that you appreciate their opinion and you want to make the game better, but you need more information. Then ask them something specific about the game. And that's very important! After letting them know that you value their opinion ask them something specific about the game. Ask anything! Ask about the controls, the visuals, the music, what ever! Asking them a “technical” question will take the personal angle out of the conversation and reset it to be centered about the game and not about you. Every time the conversation gets personal or resets to stuff like: "It's just bad!" you ask a specific question about the game. If they are still non-constructive after doing this 3 times put them in the Hater/Troll category and ignore them.

-
Morten Brunbjerg
http://mortenbrunbjerg.dk

Need a like button Thanks Morten.

[Code]

In your headline you ask how to deal with non-constructive criticism and haters. That's two very different things. What you experienced does not qualify as non-constructive criticism, it's - as you wrote in your headline - a hater or troll. Even though though your guy used your name he's still just a hater.

We go through a creative process and even though we're professionals it will, in some way or another, hurt when haters show their faces. At least the first times. There's a principle in business saying that about 2% of your customers will never be satisfied. Ever! No matter what you do. We can't satisfy everyone at once. Haters, like the guy you're writing about, will hate your game no matter how it looks or feel. Keep calm and carry on. He’s useless. There’s nothing to do but ignore him.

It's a lot easier to deal with people giving non-constructive criticism. A question you ask in your headline as well. That's people saying stuff like: "I just didn't like it. It no good." But not telling you why. That's pretty simple. Don’t tell them they were rude. Tell them that you appreciate their opinion and you want to make the game better, but you need more information. Then ask them something specific about the game. And that's very important! After letting them know that you value their opinion ask them something specific about the game. Ask anything! Ask about the controls, the visuals, the music, what ever! Asking them a “technical” question will take the personal angle out of the conversation and reset it to be centered about the game and not about you. Every time the conversation gets personal or resets to stuff like: "It's just bad!" you ask a specific question about the game. If they are still non-constructive after doing this 3 times put them in the Hater/Troll category and ignore them.

-
Morten Brunbjerg
http://mortenbrunbjerg.dk

Good stuff
Also I can understand that "dieHenningdie" would be quite disturbing to see, but you should probably not worry that anyone is actually coming after you Some people just hate because they don't have better things to do.

[Chrono]

I know PopCap games (Bejewelled, Zuma, Peggle) don't have online leaderboards because of this and because the scores tend to get hacked anyway. At least they reported this a few years ago.

And their games sell fine without them one might say...

Actually, for their social network games they have hired people specifically to combat cheating.

[sbn]

Good stuff
Also I can understand that "dieHenningdie" would be quite disturbing to see, but you should probably not worry that anyone is actually coming after you Some people just hate because they don't have better things to do.

Think of it like this: One person is expending the effort and skill to actually make a game, the other is spending his time playing that game enough to climb the board just to make juvenile "threats". Out of those two, who would you say is the loser?

[Jesper Kondrup]

Sry, forgot about writing in english, will translate later

Kunne være, at han havde samme argumentation som Sideshow Bob og at det altså ikke er i ond mening?


Klip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMkzdn2TDuI

Spøg til side, så er der alt for mange på nettet idag, der har skræmmende lidt netetikette og det bliver sikkert kun værre?
Det er så nemt at sidde tilbagelænet derhjemme og slynge gloser imod alt og alle på nettet når der er 500km kabel imellem.
Men møder man dem offline, er det nok kun en meget lille %del af dem, der ville sige det samme til ens ansigt.

[hmortensen]

Sry, forgot about writing in english, will translate later
Kunne være, at han havde samme argumentation som Sideshow Bob og at det altså ikke er i ond mening?

Damn..!! I'm big Simpson fan but I don't remember that sequence!! With the people I know, it sure could be.. Thanks for pointing that out.

Last look on the leaderboard had some funny names on it And I'm glad I didn't delete the DieHenningDie..

[Code]

Sry, forgot about writing in english, will translate later
Kunne være, at han havde samme argumentation som Sideshow Bob og at det altså ikke er i ond mening?

Damn..!! I'm big Simpson fan but I don't remember that sequence!! With the people I know, it sure could be.. Thanks for pointing that out.

Last look on the leaderboard had some funny names on it And I'm glad I didn't delete the DieHenningDie..

Well, you could have deleted him. He would have spent a lot of time reaching top score, but he broke "the rules", so if you removed him his time would be so wasted