re: working in a vacuum

[luvcraft]

The ancient Greek sculptor Polyclitus once performed an experiment where he worked on two sculptures simultaneously, one in his private workroom and one in the room where he often entertained guests. Whenever someone commented on the viewable sculpture, Polyclitus would change it as they suggested. When both sculptures were finished and showed to

Comments

[dorukai]

That's a great story.

Using that method in game development is a seductive idea, but probably the path to hell if you're working in anything but the smallest of teams in my opinion.

What do you think?

[luvcraft]

yeah, I think you're right. it's a good counter argument to "don't work in a vacuum", but I think the best solution is usually somewhere between the two; soliciting feedback, but being critical of it and only applying the feedback that you think would improve the project.

[striderhlc]

The morals I derive from this story, in roughly ascending order of abrasiveness, are:

- Too many cooks spoil the soup.
- Trying too hard to please everyone will result in pleasing nobody.
- Consumers don't really know what they want.

- HC