Feature: SpyParty's Chris Hecker On Balancing Originality, Marketability

In a new Gamasutra feature, SpyParty creator Chris Hecker says he doesn't see any inherent conflict between a project being interesting to work on and being marketable to the masses. "I have this Venn diagram that I draw sometimes," Hecker explains. "There's the stuff that is interesting to work on and there's the stuff that will sell. And those two things overlap, so why not work on something in the intersection of those, you know?" Since the stuff in the "interesting" circle isn't necessarily less interesting just because it's marketable, Hecker says there's no reason not to work on projects that fit both criteria. "Why not just work on the ones in between, that are both? I mean, there's no downside to it, because definitionally you started with what you want to work on, and it just seems like a healthy thing," he says. Working on a project for a mass market doesn't mean watering things down just so they'll sell, though, Hecker says. "Obviously, you want to have a very strong internal compass, right? You don't want to shift in the winds," he said. "That's why I think focus groups are not just a waste of time, but are actually detrimental, because having a bunch of people tell you what to do, creatively speaking, is a way to get a game with all of last year's bullet points." That doesn't mean you should totally ignore all feedback either, however. "I know a lot of people -- and I, in fact, used to be this way -- who don't take feedback for shit," he said. "And it's just like, why would you not take feedback? People are giving you free ideas. That's awesome! You can listen to them. If you think they suck, it's still fine to listen to them. Worst case is, you took five minutes out of your day, and heard an idea that you didn't like." The full interview feature includes Hecker's thoughts on balancing the SpyParty's gameplay, making games more artistically resonant, and the larger direction of the industry.