When the kiddies start saying they want to make games, software development isn't the first thing that comes to mind for most. Producing a better pile of poo for customers? Probably not high up there, either, but anyone who's played a significant number of games can attest to the high poo-to-product ratio for games released to retail every single year.
Starting with an overview of the evolution of software development, Danc of Lost Garden has produced an insightful primer on why software projects often go wrong, particularly for anyone new to the study of human-computer interaction, usability, and the benefits of a product design process. For game devs, it's all about meeting gamers' needs.
One interesting hypothesis: the game industry was a great innovator early on thanks to intense competition and the ability of small, properly constituted teams to build "products focused entirely on serving emotional needs." Now it would be easy to draw parallels between the wise and foolish moves of the major game publishers and console manufacturers with the examples given in this article, but a more productive approach would be for companies both large and small to embody this broader (and better) product design methodology when creating their games and choosing the feature sets to focus on.
Results? How about a much higher commercial success rate, market-dominating products, cost savings (while avoiding feature creep), and a loyal fanbase to spread the word? Doing more with less... almost sounds like the philosophy of a certain "technically inferior" platform we're all familiar with. Of course, every platform's got its share of stinkers; it's only a question of who's got the amazing products that make everyone happy versus offering customers better piles of poo. Shovelware, indeed.
But change won't come easy, even when companies are willing to try something new, as corporate culture can be notoriously difficult to change. If this is the cure the industry needs, however, then here's to a little necessary trauma to the status quo. May the next generation see a new era in the games that get designed and the games we actually play.
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