Online vocal minority isn’t an accurate representation of the overall community as a whole according to Treyarch’s David Vonderhaar. It’s mostly due to the weapon balancing issues that he has to oversee and it’s a tough thing to do because the community says one thing and the data shows another.
“In Black Ops 2 right now, people are saying that the millimetre wave scanner isn’t strong enough. Again, we’re in alpha, we’re still tuning, that’s important – but if you walk around the emotional reactor, some people think the scanner needs to pulse faster. ‘I need to see guys through walls better’,” he said to OXM.
“But the data doesn’t bear that out. That thing is badass and guys that use it are badass with it. There’s always a balance between your emotional and visceral reaction for how something feels, and the truth about how much it helps you or not.
“I have the fortunate or unfortunate position of being judge, juror and executioner on all those decisions, and it puts me in an awkward spot. Because I have to look at people who think very passionately that it should pulse faster, show targets for longer, or maybe it shows them even when they’re moving.
“All these are things we can tweak and tune, and they’re telling me this, and I’m looking at them, saying: “I appreciate your feedback young man, but the data shows the truth about this.” And that’s game design and part of being a game designer, and it’s fucking hard.”
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