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twesterm on 28 December 2009
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SaviorX said:
twesterm said:
SaviorX said:
twesterm said:
SaviorX said:

I see your point, but I do not agree with it.  Somehow if you delve deeper into this, we could get a wealth of different things to argue about, so I'll leave it alone......unless your down for that 

meh, I'm on vacation this week so I got nothing going on and don't mind derailing threads. 

 

 So I'm guessing if you don't mind the parents buying these games for their kids, you encourage the purchase of shovelware right? 

Yes, as I said, shovelware has its place.

I absolutely agree that these games are *terrible* but they were never made to be games of the year or even decent games.  They are games made with minimal talent, minimal team size, and minimal budget.  The publisher says make a game on the cheap kids will eat up, see you in 6 months and then leaves.

The developers aren't worried about making a fun game, they're just making something that more or less works and that kids will eat up.  Since the game has a minimal budget, it can sell for a minimal amount and make money. 

They know exactly what they are making, there are no aspirations for a good game with your general shovelware game.  This isn't Too Human or Haze, this is a bunch of entry level people getting their foot in the door until they can get a job at a real studio.

So, with all that, what does shovelware get you?

  1. A generally terrible game that the best you can say is it more or less works
  2. A game any gamer or anyone over the age of 10 should avoid like the plague
  3. A game made on zero budget that will make money
  4. A game that helps developers get their foot in the door (for good or bad) by allowing them to put a shipped game on their resume
  5. A game that is made for kids that they will eat up.
  6. A game that is CHEAP for parents that can't budget a $50 game.

So yes, gamers should avoid these games.  They are terrible and a complete waste of time.  But kids, like six year olds?  Shovelware games are perfect for them.  They're cheap so the parents don't have to bend over backwards to pay for them and the kids will like the game just as much as something like Super Mario Galaxy.

So as a gamer, I don't buy shovelware and would never tell another gamer to buy a shovelware game (unless it somehow happens to be good).

If I was a parent of three young kids like my sister, I would absolutely support shovelware.  It keeps the kids entertained just as much as the AAA games and it's 1/5 the price.

It's fun to go on and on about shovelware and how it's ruining the industry and it's so terrible, but as much as you hate it, it does have its place.  The simplest way to show your hate for shovelware is to just not buy it and leave it alone. 

It being there does absolutely nothing to you because the teams making those shovelware games are never going to be the teams making Brawl, Devil May Cry, Gears of War, or any of the other big games.  You are missing out on nothing and nothing is being destroyed because of shovelware.

What if the companies already established (let's say Capcom or Konami) resort to making these games, even though they have developed and experienced teams, capable of better work but choose not to.

 

2nd question: Wouldn't you rather people spend more money on games? It only helps the industry right? Plus, it isn't your money to spend.
  1. It's a studios choice to develop whatever game they develop.  Those studios could develop those games if they wanted to, it would be completely up to them.  I doubt they would since you can make more money off the AAA games though assuming you're well established which they are.  Also, I doubt most of their developers would choose to work on Chicken Shoot after working on Metal Gear Solid 4.  It would be a waste of their talent and doing that would result in losing a lot of that studios talent.
  2. It's funny you say it isn't my money to spend yet you're the one who hides lesser games trying to get people to spend money your way.  And I wouldn't rather people spend more money on games, I would rather them just buy games.  As long as they're supporting the industry how they can, I'm cool with that.  Some people can't afford to blow $50 on a game and I completely support them buying shovelware if that's what they can afford.  As long as their kids are happy, what else could you ask for?

@Nord

ew.

-edit-

I should add, AAA games are a *HUGE* risk for a huge return while shovelware games are a low risk for a low return.  If a studio like Konami is well established and has franchises like Metal Gear Solid, it significally lowers that HUGE risk of making a AAA game.  Whatever they decide to make, they are in the business of making money and the AAA game they know they can make and sell will be their choice.

Now if you're talking about some not huge established studio, think of shovelware as them paying their dues until they can afford to make that AAA game they've always dreamed.  The only real caveat with that is that if they make shovelware game after shovelware game, their studio will get a reputation and publishers won't be so quick to give them money for a huge game.

Knowing that, it's not likely any studio in the business of making games for gamers, isn't likely to suddenly switch to shovelware.  They might make some lower budget games that are lower risk and low return, but established studios that are making the games you love aren't likely suddenly switching to shovelware.