Posted Jan 21, 2008 at 11:51AM by Isaac C. Listed in: Interviews, Opinions & Analysis Tags: WiiWare, Jon Hare, Sensible Software
Ó

Sensible Software's Jon Hare: Quality of programming has gone down - Image 1


Jon Hare has been around for quite a while. He was one of the co-founders of Sensible Software - the studio behind the Sensible World of Soccer - back in 1986 and since then has had a solid and prolific career in the video game industry.

His standing with the industry is one of the reasons his opinion carries a lot of weight and why ears perked up when he remarked in an interview that he "honestly believe[s] that the quality of programming has gone down."

The reason for this, he believes, is that today's current games need larger teams to work on it as compared to before, when developers could "virtually [do] the big games on their own":

It was a different environment back then because the hardware was more stable. You didn't need loads of people running the graphics, programs just ran at 60 frames per second - so the onus was on the creative and not about fighting with the display.


You had a smaller team and that meant you started to get some of the subtle little things done that made such a difference to the final game.


Basically, the rise of the video game industry had an unexpected consequence, which leads us to one of the current issues with game development: gameplay versus graphics.

He adds that mediums like WiiWare and Xbox Live (whose games require smaller teams to develop) are "
the best chance we have of seeing new and original games coming out." Perhaps this may extend to indie and homebrew game developers as well.


[Via Computer and Video Games] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!

Bookmark / Find this article on:


12 Comments


Sort by:
   by Ginjin - 2008-01-21
 » Truer words where never spoken.....

Now I've never heard of this guy but his point is the same point that I've screaming ever since the whole buggy Assassins Creed/ Madden, mess began. And its not JUST programing thats taken a backslide over the years. Quality control on hardware, software and overall attitude toward the consumers simply is NOT was it once used to be. There's no way in the world anyone would have sold a game with freezes and collision glitches on it back in the daylike we saw in Madden.

Its like companies feel safe about selling us junkware because they know that when it all comes down to it, most of us are gonna buy their stuff regardless of WHAT they sell us or HOW they treat us.

Man we gotta be THE most complacent consumer group on the face of marketing to still be giving some of these guys our 50 - 60 buck a game :p


   Re: Neuromancer - 2008-01-21
 » Ginjin is so right

Totally agree. Anyone remember before the Internet when games were actually finished and tested like crazy, because once mastered it was too late to change anything? Nowadays, why bother finishing the product - we can just release a patch later! Massive bugs? NO PROBLEM! Just wait a few months.

   Re: hush404 - 2008-01-21
 » I'm sorry

But games such as Assassin's Creed are insanely more complex that the crap he was referring to. Of course stuff ran at 60fps all the time cuz there wasn't software out there that pushed the hardward in that way. Hell, is there even such an issue as frame rate issues in 2D games? Give me a break.

I do agree that with the consoles as they are, companies seem to be more lenient about quality control due to the ability to release patches and I also agree that they should be getting it done right the first time (ready for release) it's not like they're not working like f'n crazy to some up with these games. I f'n love Assassin's Creed, glitching and crashing or not, I think it's wonderful.

Lastly, the hardware (ok, excluding the 360) has no problem with "quality control". Thats why I love consoles, they just work.

@NA1NSXR

- I think what you describing is Nostelgia, plain and simple. A time where you were younger, less jaded and enjoyed games for what they were. If someone had shown you Assassin's Creed back when you were installing you 6 floppy disc game your would flip out.

I think the main problem these days is that everyone goes for the nostalgic feeling that they got when they were first into games. That feeling of "OMG THIS IS INSANE" even though the game your were playing was crap compared to some other titles you've played since. That aside, every one is a f'n aficionado of the game industry, simply because they like playing games. It all of a sudden entitles them to ridicule and pick apart the happenings of games and their creators. It's retarded.

   Re: Ginjin - 2008-01-21
 » @hush404

Now I hear what your saying about Assassins Creed. I think its a great game as well. But only AFTER the patch was made. And attitudes like "I f'n love Assassin's Creed, glitching and crashing or not, I think it's wonderful." Is exactly why game companies feel they can get away with selling us something that NEVER should have left the beta stage.

And as for this line....
"Thats why I love consoles, they just work."
The more we take this concept for granted the less we'll see of it. Because if it were REALLY true
then maybe we wouldn't be having this discussion.

   Re: hush404 - 2008-01-22
 » RE Ginjin again

I get ya 100%. They should have games finished before the launch... but I dunno I just guess I put up with it? I think you comment about a game NEVER leaving beta is also just wrong. AC's got those said problems but it is far beyond a mere beta build.

Also, my comment about consoles just working, is still valid. With the exception of AC I suppose, I don't have problems with any games.
   by tacopalypse - 2008-01-21
 » indeed

technology is evolving much faster than the human mind. games will require more and more complexity as time passes and human's just can't keep up with the demand. this is essentially what the article's saying and there's absolutely nothing we can do about it.

   by NA1NSXR - 2008-01-21
 » Remember when

There was a fabled time when games came in giant boxes adorned with beautiful artwork with stacks of floppy disks inside. Installation could sometimes take half an hour but it was awesome because it got you all psyched about your new game. Then, you could show off your Soundblaster compatible card and non-general MIDI and VGA graphics mode with a mouse and blow everyone away. Its funny how games take up several GB in space now and are usually less fun than games that took up several MB.

I disagree on hardware with ginjin though, I think the hardware industry has kept up well and it is easier now to buy a decent piece of hardware and have it working the way intended, compared to 10 or 20 years ago.


   Re: Neuromancer - 2008-01-21
 » Back when...

Remember when you had to have the game disc in the drive, because the system was running the game from the disc? Today, we still have to have the disc in the drive, even though today's comps have plenty of space, just for copy protection. Paying customers deal with copy protection. People downloading the illegal version don't have to.

As far as game boxes go, remember when the industry switched to the smaller DVD-footprint boxes? Weren't we promised that games would be $5 cheaper because of it? Instead, oops, it's up to $60!
   by Advertising -
   by Escutcheon - 2008-01-21
 » Franchises and sequels

Its worse with big franchises and sequels. They know that fans are going to buy the game no matter how many bugs it has. Remember Madden? EA dropped the ball on almost all the recent Madden versions - except maybe for the Wii version.

   by VgSlag - 2008-01-22
 » ...

Yep, you can say that again... Their SWOS game on XBLA the other day didn't even start when it was first released.

   by Raqoon - 2008-01-22
 » i think

that assassins creed would be of the charts experience if the developers were given a year more to develop, but big game publishing companies like ubisoft and EA screw things like this up..games come out unfinished and also..they take out things like violence and harder ridles out so all games could be acceptable for kids..it sux

   by shabghai360 - 2008-01-22
 » Ginjin rulz

Sorry guys, I agree with this comment from Ginjin.
It may come across as arrogant but what he states is quite true. I remember playing games that just worked and if a patch was released it was because the developer or a fan had implemented something new to share with others. The patches 10 years ago were an extra, not a fix.
Today as the market is expanding so fast too many offer too much too quick just to earn a buck.
Don't get me wrong there are some great games out there but they are a minority when we truly look at how much is being released.





Featured Content
QJ.NET Blog Network RSS Feeds
MyQJ Feed / PDA
MyQJ RSS / PDA
Blog of Blogs Feed / PDA
QJ.NET RSS / PDA
Gaming Consoles Feed / PDA
Nintendo DS RSS / PDA
PlayStation 3 RSS / PDA
PSP Updates RSS / PDA
Wii RSS / PDA
Xbox 360 RSS / PDA
PC Gaming Feed / PDA
Age of Conan RSS / PDA
Games for Windows RSS / PDA
MMORPG RSS / PDA
Tabula Rasa RSS / PDA
World of Warcraft RSS / PDA
Science Feed / PDA
Science RSS / PDA
Technology Feed / PDA
Apple RSS / PDA
Gadgets RSS / PDA
iPhone RSS / PDA
Mobile RSS / PDA
Photography RSS / PDA
Tech RSS / PDA
Add QJ.NET
Add to My Yahoo!
Google Reader Subscribe with Bloglines
Add  to your Kinja digest Subscribe in NewsGator Online
Subscribe with Pluck RSS reader Add 'www.qj.net' to Newsburst from CNET News.com
Subscribe with SearchFox RSS del.icio.us www.qj.net
Add to Technorati Favorite! Add to My AOL
furl! it Stumble for Treehugger!

 Username: 
 Password:
Forgot password
New user registration



Poll
Which is the greatest handheld of all time?
Categories

Emulators
Titles
Archives