Jeff Vogel, the lone proprietor of [URL=http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/]Spiderweb Software[/URL], offers some sage advice to other developers: [U]never read your own forums[/U]. He backs up this rule with three reasons why it's not a good idea. Spider web Software makes the excellent Geneforge, Avernum, and Exile series of indie role-playing games for PC and Mac.

His first rule is "It's Not Productive To Read How Much People Hate You." A self-explanatory rule, but he offers a quote from a hater to back it up.

The second rule is "It's Not Going To Be Helpful." Vogel says that, beyond finding out about bugs in your game, the forum is a maelstrom of bad ideas - even from well intentioned users. "Forums contain a cacophony of people telling you to do diametrically opposite things, very loudly, often for bad reasons," says Vogel. [URL=http://www.gamepolitics.com/2011/01/06/why-game-developers-should-avoid-their-own-forums][B][COLOR=#8e0505]Read More[/COLOR][/B][/URL]

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