You've got to have a tough skin to be a designer: Reading numerous comments about a game that isn't even released yet, with folks already calling it a 'tired, uninspired design'. Wow, thanks buddy, its not like I spent months working on the game, trying to balance publisher and IP wants. Argh. 🎲✂️
Every week I promise myself I'll stop reading BGG comments and every week I break that promise 😭
It’s so hard! I follow the forums so I can answer questions, hard to ignore everything altogether.
My favorite was a review of my first published game “if you enjoy playing [different game]… play THAT.”
Ouch :( I’m sorry. That sucks.
Obviously didn't feel great as the reviewers laid the breadcrumbs to lead up to that punchline, but it was a v v popular game at the time, so perversely, something of an honor to even be compared to it negatively 😂
Yeah, you really need thick skin for every part of the journey. Self-critique Playtester critique Publisher critique Reviewer critique Consumer critique It's essential to listen to much of it to learn and improve, but sometimes people will be wrong. And sometimes they’ll be right but hurtful.
Sitting here with our first game design, anticipating/dreading pitching it. It’s Schrödinger’s Prototype at this point—both great and garbage.
Just remember you can't make everyone happy. Some people live to be critical. It's not you, it's them.
I will be the first to complain about a bad game, but complaining about a game in active development is like pulling a cake out of the oven halfway through and complaining it isn't baked right.
Or one that hasn't been released yet, for that matter.
Sympathy. I generally don't get negative comments, but rather no comments at all. Casual disregard sometimes hurts just as bad.
Yeah that can be really tough as well :(
Toughest part of the job. Hang in there!
My favourites are the ones that presume some sort of creative insider knowledge and call your thing a cash grab by intent 😂
I need to get way better at designing cash grabs, I don't even have the tech to make a robotic arm come out of the game box and swipe someone's wallet
That part is doable; I just have to find a way to mail the game box with the wallet back…
Cash Grab is the mechanic that many designers really struggle to implement
I just was looking at your BGG profile. You did Guilds of Merchant Explorers! That game is amazing. I bought some nice poker chips just for it. In my Top 10 games played. Just love it.
Thank you so much! That’s so kind of you to say - and glad it brings you so much fun!
I've increasingly learned that many commenters on BGG jump to conclusions from the perspective of a narrow slice of the hobby game market. Trick taking was a "tired, uninspired mechanic" until we re-explored the design space. Trust real people over random BGG commenters.