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0 pointsBloodyIron2mo ago0 comments

Collecting analytics like this is effectively the same as play-testing physical board games in-development. People play a game, information is gathered, and the game is tuned in response to that. If zero information were ever gathered, games could not be balanced or tuned for other things like unforeseen problems.

Please, show me a piece of software, or game, that is perfect the first time it is made.

0 comments

wat100002mo ago

It's effectively the same, except people volunteer or are paid to play test.

This whole industry really needs a lesson on consent.

adventured2mo ago

So long as personal information is not collected, consent is not morally necessary.

If I collect information on how often a coin-op Street Fighter II game is played in an arcade, while collecting no personal information, consent is not needed.

wat100002mo ago

Because using someone else's hardware in a public space is clearly equivalent to using your own hardware in the privacy of your own home.

3 more replies

jelder2mo ago

Indie games don’t have a budget for playtesting, but they can probably swing a GA account.

BloodyIronOP2mo ago

There are games that let you opt-out, hell even ones that ask you when you first open the game. There are bad apples, but there are plenty of good ones too.

jader2012mo ago

I think the argument is that they shouldn't be opt-out, but opt-in.

If I want to play a game and provide my feedback, the default should be that that doesn't happen unless I explicitly say it should.

Opt-out means that, by default, you're collecting metrics from my plays, until I find the means to opt-out.

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0 pointsBloodyIron2mo ago0 comments

Please, show me a piece of software, or game, that is perfect the first time it is made.

0 comments

wat100002mo ago

It's effectively the same, except people volunteer or are paid to play test.

This whole industry really needs a lesson on consent.

adventured2mo ago

So long as personal information is not collected, consent is not morally necessary.

If I collect information on how often a coin-op Street Fighter II game is played in an arcade, while collecting no personal information, consent is not needed.

wat100002mo ago

Because using someone else's hardware in a public space is clearly equivalent to using your own hardware in the privacy of your own home.

3 more replies

jelder2mo ago

Indie games don’t have a budget for playtesting, but they can probably swing a GA account.

BloodyIronOP2mo ago

There are games that let you opt-out, hell even ones that ask you when you first open the game. There are bad apples, but there are plenty of good ones too.

jader2012mo ago

I think the argument is that they shouldn't be opt-out, but opt-in.

If I want to play a game and provide my feedback, the default should be that that doesn't happen unless I explicitly say it should.

Opt-out means that, by default, you're collecting metrics from my plays, until I find the means to opt-out.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse