Steam Greenlight - Land of Hate Thread

Ehhhh... GameDev feedback at its finest. Steam alone makes me want to quit deving.
Steamcommunity.com

In less then 2 days, I've been called all sort of names. Raging from fagots, to idiots, people telling me to die, people telling me that I am a disgrace to my family, people telling me that my 4yo son should commit suicide having a father like me.

So I started to delete those over-the-edge comments. Guess what? Apparently, I am forbidden from using the tools the Steam is providing me with. I am forbidden from deleting comments under my own Greenlight. At least that's what people on Steam said. And the outbreak started. So I started talking back.

And that was my next mistake.

Those people are like freaking sharks! The moment they get a smell of blood drop in the water they start swarming around you.

Never in my entire internet life I have encountered so much hostility and hate. Well actually I did. Once, on 4chan /r/. But that's a place you actually expect to boil with hatred. The worst part is that I am really not in a position to quit. But every particle of me wants to. But GameDev and GD related skills are all I have at this point. And I have a wife and 4yo son. Leaving the stage is not an option.

But bit by bit - I am starting to understand why Phil Fish (Being a total jerk he is) cashed and run after FEZ success. I am starting to hate what supposed to be my dream. I always wanted to make games, even as a kid. I've looked upon the game creators as they would be Gods. Ubersmiths of my dreams, which they weave into an interactive medium for me to play with. Being a betatester or getting an autograph was a privilege. And now... Its becoming the other way around.

The players feel like they are doing you a fucking favor that they'll play your game. Imagine that...

And some part of me really thinks this guy from the comment might be right. At this point, some part of me would actually enjoy a regular job. Even if it would be McDonald's. And believe me, if I would be alone and without a family - I think I would go for it. But at this moment of my life it can only be the Game Dev. Its the only way to fulfill the dreams of those I love and care for. My only ticket to a better future and a better life for my son. I life, I had no chance to experience. So I've came to you, to whine and cry. And after I am done here, writing this - I will go back and take another gulp of this poisonous toxins.

Life sure is fun this day and age.
Isn't it?

BTW: No, I am not after your pity or advices. Just... wanted to vent. And maybe by doing so - warn people who are going Greenlight of what they might be dealing with.

Kudos

Edited by: Vilehead

You are developing a game, which is very polarizing. I wonder how you could not see this coming. Sure, the amount of hate you receive is totally out of proportion, but why do you even give those people a voice? Right now, you are drawing even more attention to them, which makes the troll successful. Is that really what you want here? I have friends, who suggested their games for Steam Greenlight and some of them were successful. But none of them did receive such hate, so I would not blame it on Steam Greenlight that much.

Best wishes,

Kjell

@Drone_Locker

SERIOUSLY?! I really would not have guessed such stuff would go down on a place like that!

Wouldve figured being a multi million dollar entity thats over that service. They'd have better moderating going on. Oh wait. Scratch that. As that doesnt even make a difference even on other places. IE: the official MS XBox forums =\

But sorry you had to deal with that. It almost makes me embarrassed as a dev and a gamer to see other act out like that. But, 1 thing for sure. You really shouldve just ignored those guys. Feeding trolls really paints a huge bullseye on your chest. Just still cant believe that type of behaviour is allowed there. Forgive me if you're wondering how I DIDNT know it goes on. As im not on Steam.

iQew wrote:

You are developing a game, which is very polarizing. I wonder how you could not see this coming. Sure, the amount of hate you receive is totally out of proportion, but why do you even give those people a voice? Right now, you are drawing even more attention to them, which makes the troll successful. Is that really what you want here? I have friends, who suggested their games for Steam Greenlight and some of them were successful. But none of them did receive such hate, so I would not blame it on Steam Greenlight that much.

Well I was prepared for some degree of negativity. I've already seen some of it my last time I tried on Greenlight with my game Antumbra 2. I've also endured the initial shitstorm on Newgrounds where I published Antumbra 1. As sad and painful as it was back then - I could manage. Specially because for every 1 negative coment there was 20 positive and constructive. The thing here, which got me by suprise, was the amount of that negativity. Treating someone else life? Wishing for him and his faimily to die? Thats 4chan material. But its preety normal there. I really thought higher of Steam Greenlight.

SERIOUSLY?! I really would not have guessed such stuff would go down on a place like that!
Wouldve figured being a multi million dollar entity thats over that service. They'd have better moderating going on. Oh wait. Scratch that. As that doesnt even make a difference even on other places. IE: the official MS XBox forums =\

But sorry you had to deal with that. It almost makes me embarrassed as a dev and a gamer to see other act out like that. But, 1 thing for sure. You really shouldve just ignored those guys. Feeding trolls really paints a huge bullseye on your chest. Just still cant believe that type of behaviour is allowed there. Forgive me if you're wondering how I DIDNT know it goes on. As im not on Steam.

Exactly that. 4chan is 4chan. You really can't expect more. But I assume a multimillion dollar moloch such as Steam would be able to secure more friendly field of interaction. And thats why I leave this rant of me here and elsewhere. Because it was a suprise to me. And you guys going to Greenlight might bump something like this too. Of course maybe my case is special (but I really don't know how) and you'll be fine. Just be prepared for the worst.

Edited by: Vilehead

Drone_Locker wrote: Of course maybe my case is special (but I really don't know how) [...]

The content of your game is not very tasteful and probably disgusts quite a few people. From what I have seen from the trailer material, it seems like you do a good job on the game mechanics and know how to create a fun game. Why you chose such a theme for the game is beyond me. The only reason I see for this is the goal to provoke and that's pretty cheap. I can understand the negative critiques for this. Of course, the way the people reacted was way too extreme, but if you decide to create a game with the goal to provoke, you have to be prepared for hate. You cannot take people in the comment section serious, if they threaten you. If you play a game online and someone threatens to kill your family, you just think to yourself that that's one poor guy and ignore him, don't you? You definitely should. Like I said earlier, you seem to know how to create fun games and you have all my respect for doing every part on your own. For the future, ignore negative comments, which don't have any real critique in them and delete them, if they're out of proportion. If there are technical issues, contact the support and ask them why the function is not working. I get your frustration, because indie developers always put all their heart in their work, but try to keep it more professional next time.

Best wishes,

Kjell

Edited by: iqew