<body>

Discolor Online

Weblog of the sweetest person you never want to piss off.

 

Useless Lessons from the Game Industry

1) When at a convention and wearing an exhibitor's badge it is extremely rude to try and bully a discount out of another exhibitor by saying, for example, "How many of these have you sold? None, I bet. How about giving me a discount?" One might expect this behavior from clueless fans. From fellow exhibitors, it's unforgivable. Lesson: the bar to entry in this business is just too damn low.

2) In some circles, calling someone childish, moronic and flip, insulting both their motives and intelligence while simultaneously grandstanding about how great you and your gang are is considered "more than pleasant," a warm welcome as it were. Lesson: you can try politely calling him "sir" while you try to salvage the conversation, or you can just skip to #3.

3) In some circles, addressing someone as sir, "is a synonym for 'you fucking asshole.'" Lesson: skip directly to just calling him a fucking asshole, he deserves it.

4) I was recently asked by a rabid anti-fan to pass on the hate mail he'd written to an author who worked for me several years ago, about a book published by another company that we had nothing to do with. Lesson: people really don't think there are other living, breathing people on the receiving end of their hateful internet screeds.

Ah, gaming. Refuge for emotionally stunted egoists the world over.

 

for this post

 
Anonymous Dr John K Says:

For Lesson 1, the corollary is that living well has to be the best revenge against unprofessional so-called professionals.

Regarding Lesson 4, I can only agree with your assessment. I can also imagine the quality of said screed. . .

 
 
Blogger Alan Kellogg Says:

Ever get the feeling half the industry's problems with expanding beyond the base will only end when the industry starts to ostracise the a-holes.

 
 
Blogger Jason Says:

Sadly, none of this is unique to gamers.

 

Leave a Reply