This isn't my cup of tea, but...

[TFM]

... do you guys know how much it bores to read sentences like this?


Cool, go on telling everybody who developed a new game (or whatever) for the CPC crap like this, and soon we got Zero game development, because instead of getting some appreciation we have to read nonsense like 'This isn't my cup of tea...'.

IF you don't like it then at least appreciate the attempt, but don't put em down for actually doing something for the CPC.

[tastefulmrship]

[mr_lou]

What a wonderful world it would be if everyone loved everything everyone did. 

I prefer everyone to be honest - just be polite while being honest.

[Shaun M. Neary]

Oversensitive much? 

"This isn't my cup of tea" isn't so much a jab at the product. It's more a persons way of saying "Doesn't particularly interest me despite giving it a try". Which isn't the worst thing to have said to you. At least it was looked at and then an opinion was formed as opposed to just crapped on without even being given a chance.

Now if the stuff that came after "but..." wasn't so polite... then that's a different story. 

[||C|-|E||]

In many cases I admit that something is "not my cup of tea" but I try and then enjoy it  . Maybe is more about the way of saying things, since many of us are not native english speakers. For example, I tend to use the expression when I like a product although it belongs to a class of, let´s say games, that I usually do not play. I am not very fond of strategy games, but I remember playing some that I really liked 

[TFM]

Jepp. A lot of things are not my favorite thing, like most things are not top notch for most of persons. That's the case since humans can count to more than two I guess.

However, it can't be so hard to give some nice positive feedback without some side sentence relativating / killing it all. Of course we always get the same customers here bitching at others while being 0% productive by themselves.

And no I don't accept any excuses here, because IMHO it's all about motivating somebody. You can be 'honest' or what ever you call it later, but stop stepping on people that rude way.

And it's not being oversensitive here at all, else I wouldn't hang out here any longer anyway! Nobody attached me, an nobody (of value) will ever do. But I see that 'new' people get attacked and that's just very bad! For the person, for the reputation of the forum, for the game development process, for any future projects.

Think about it! And show some appreciation towards others, ever if their game is something you think it's boring. It ain't that hard to be nice once in a while! 

[FloppySoftware]

Think about it! And show some appreciation towards others, ever if their game is something you think it's boring.

Or slow? 

[TFM]

Or slow? 

Right! 

[reidrac]

"It's not my cup of tea" is not that bad, because it usually comes with a positive. Not everybody likes all games, and if you still managed to get someone that doesn't like one genre or type of game to play your game, that's brilliant!

In my experience when I release a game for free after a lot of work, in my free time, because I like doing that, sometimes you may get some silly feedback.

My favourite is the line of "replay value", or perhaps "X is OK, but could be better". Well, too bad. I don't do this for money, but I don't mind refunding some nothing if that's necessary

Anyway, I can't complain with the people around here. With the two games I've released I got very good feedback (and that doesn't mean only positive feedback!).

[SRS]

I don't drink tea I drink coffee - so, it is NEVER my cup of tea. 

I may not be here every day, but I finde people interested, very helpful and still get surprised how active most are. If I do not like a new game/prog etc., I just stay silent.

Can I have some sinalco with my popcorn ? (popcorn &copy pc schneider international (1988))

[andycadley]

Maybe it's a cultural thing. In England, at least, the phrase "not my cup of tea" is used to indicate that the writer is aware of their own personal bias. So they are in effect saying they're probably not the target audience, but can appreciate that others will and that they're probably not best placed to give entirely constructive feedback.

I certainly wouldn't have ever taken it to heart, but then if you said anything I did was "crap", I'd probably agree. 

[||C|-|E||]

I learnt the expression in UK indeed and, as you say, here people use it to communicate that although they are not very fond of that particular kind of things there really appreciate what they are looking at. I actually remember that somebody told me exactly the same about our little adventure to express that, although the genre was not his cup of tea, he liked the game .

[dodogildo]

I actually remember that somebody told me exactly the same about our little adventure to express that, although the genre was not his cup of tea, he liked the game .

Your game's genre is definitely my cup of tea
I can't wait to play the final release as well getting my hands on a possible boxed edition!

[TFM]

Haha! Eventually we're getting there. 

[||C|-|E||]

Yes, we still need a bit more time, but everything will eventually come 

[Shaun M. Neary]

It ain't that hard to be nice once in a while! 

Given that you've answered many people's threads (mine included) in a rather rude and condescending manner, I dunno, is anyone else seeing the stinging irony of this statement coming from TFM?

#justsaying 

[VincentGR]

English is "isn't my cup of tea" to me and many people can write things not as the ment to be.
But yes I have to agree. If a person is giving his time to make even a moving dot on the screen on a dead machine it is just rude to ask for something in your tastes.

Also giving a score is bad too.

I think you can say your opinion if the author asks for it.
Personal taste can be said though but the wrong thing is to give 2/10 for that.

Imagine a judge to give 1 point cause he hates chicken and your plate could be awesome 

[1024MAK]

I'm not sure what to say, other than I like tea, but HATE coffee.

In terms of the expression "this isn't my cup of tea", I read that as "this may well be good, but I am not a good judge, as this type of thing (genre) is not what I like".

In terms of criticism, of course people like it when something is well received. But constructive criticism can be useful as well. As a developer (software, hardware, whateverware  ) you will find yourself only able to see things from your own blinkered point of view. Other people may suggest things to improve what you are producing. And certainly with open software and hardware designs, peer reviews often result in mistakes being found. Saves trouble later 

Mark

[AMSDOS]

Personally I thought "This isn't my cup of tea" was in reference to something your not good at, so personally I'm no good at Adventure Games, so that isn't my cup of tea, even though it's good to type them in because it's good touch typing practice, which is my cup of tea, but if people find errors in the programming, then the accuracy needs to improve.


So you cannot be great at everything surely?!?   

[FloppySoftware]

Given that you've answered many people's threads (mine included) in a rather rude and condescending manner, I dunno, is anyone else seeing the stinging irony of this statement coming from TFM?

#justsaying 

For me, this thread is a big irony by itself. 

But it seems irony isn't the cup of tee of some people. 

[arnoldemu]

I want to say what others have said:

"not my cup of tea" just means that the person who said this is not interested in it but knows others will. It is just another way of saying "I'm not interested in this kind of game but you will be".

In this case, I think it means that the person is not interested in this type of game, they are not giving their opinion on how good or bad it is.

[Bryce]

Yes, I fully agree. There are often misunderstandings when it comes to phrases like this. "Not my cup of tea" isn't a negative statement. It just means "It's not the type of game I like to play". So for example, any text adventure would not be my cup of tea, but I still might think that it has been fantastically written or that the graphics are extremely well done.

On criticism generally, I always like to hear both positive and negative feedback about my hardware. If I only got positive feedback I could assume my hardware was perfect (which I am very sure it isn't). And what's perfect for one person, might be missing something important for someone else, so negative feedback is important. How else does the creator know what they should try and improve for the next version?
It's also important to grade the criticism. If many people say "you should have done... X" then it probably would have been a good idea. If one person says "I don't like... Y", then that's just their personal opinion, which they are entitled to, but hardly a reason to consider their suggestion.
What's more important is that you don't over-react to criticism. Don't take criticism personal and don't try to aggressively defend your product. At most, just explain why you chose or had to choose certain aspects/features. The design decisions you made were your choice.

Bryce.

[CraigsBar]

I'm sorry, I have been away for a few days, whose cup of tea started this? Perhaps a nice calming earl grey with lemon and honey will settle things down

[chinnyhill10]

How dare anyone offer an opinion! It can't be of any use......


Take for example my recent review of the new game Jim Slide on the Atari 8 bit. I made a few minor criticisms of an otherwise great game which the coder has taken on-board and fixed in the new version.


On the other hand we could all sit back, never say anything, and nothing ever gets fixed.

[mr_lou]

Constructive criticism is good, as long as you don't go "The guy who made this is a moron for doing it this way I don't like".

As I said, just be polite. Should be simple enough.