Green Monster Games (Curt Schilling)

[Big W Powah!]

Originally Posted by Zehn - Vhex

It sounds like you were more in love with the perks and benefits of job A then anything having to do with the actual scheduling. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big fan of draconian time schedules but your post came out a little slanted there.

It'll be mostly anecdotal either way anyways.

Anyways...

Personally for me, it's never really been about the culture or environment. Sure that influences it obviously, but I can code for 10+ hours a day easy. However, after about 20 minutes of debugging I'm ready to go find something small to punch, no matter how many free soda's you give me.

My point was that the perks, and the fact that the company went out of their way to do that stuff for us, made those long hours bearable and it didn't really feel like work; I put in my full day there socializing with my co-workers, enjoying my time. Even after 2 months solid of 75+ hour weeks, I felt refreshed every morning on my way to work.

[Flight]

Originally Posted by Teclisen

That Mike Capps quote was taken completely out of context. I know for a fact epic crunches less than a lot of companies, and the output = ferraris in the parking lot, consistently.

People can say all they want about poor management being the cause of crunch, or that good games can be made with 0 crunch, but the reality is that is NEVER true.

The universal rule of you get what you pay for couldn't be more applicable in game development.

If anyone's interested in what was actually said:


IGDA Leadership Forum 08 - "Studio Heads on the Hotseat"

Thanks for that Tec, I found it so interesting I sat through the whole thing - sadly it was gone 3am when I clicked the link, so I'll put some of the thoughts I have on it down sometime after I've had some sleep (its now 4.55am

[imready2go]

Originally Posted by ToeMissile

If you know your supervisor/management will take care of you while/after you've busted your ass, you're going to work as hard or harder and be much less disgruntled.

Heh, I remember years ago when I was working for the DoD during Desert Storm, people at my agency were busting 16-hour days for months. We did the work because it was important, but we figured in the end there would be ... something, some nice reward of some kind, you know? And there was - for upper management. They gave themselves nice $25k bonuses for their hard work. The grunts like me who did the shit work? We got coffee mugs. MF'ing coffee mugs. Hell, we would have settled for a sincere "thank you", but instead we got token crap.

Morale at that agency went in the toilet after that. It was never the same again really.

The managers who think a coffee mug - or any token crap "reward" - is an acceptable method to "take care of you while/after you've busted your ass" should be publicly beaten. The reward for a job well done doesn't have to even be tangible, but it better be more than just an afterthought.

[Ayeshala]

Watching the 08 leadership forum video knowing what happened at Big Huge Games a few weeks after is amazing...

And Curt's guy comes off very grounded, much more than I expected looking at his profile on the 38s website.

[Flight]

Originally Posted by Ayeshala

Watching the 08 leadership forum video knowing what happened at Big Huge Games a few weeks after is amazing...

And Curt's guy comes off very grounded, much more than I expected looking at his profile on the 38s website.

I've always believed Brett Close is a MASSIVE 'asset' as far as 38S are concerned - moreso even than Curt, Todd or RA. More to come from me on that when I'm done chewing some things over, including the IGDA forum (yeah another multi-part, epic, QA and ethos in the industry post inc from Flight - be sure to miss it ).


edit : Posted the following on another forum just last night, coincidentally. (First time I've ever talked about Brett )

If I had to describe myself further, it would have to be as Brett Closes' long lost twin, in a shorter, heavier set, less good looking body Seriously though, listening to Brett speak and the ethos that just flows out of him is like listening to me thinking out loud, which is one of the main reasons I have such a fondness and admiration for the company and a belief in what they are going to do. It would be an absolute joy to either have him work for me or me work for him.

[karuden]

Originally Posted by imready2go

Heh, I remember years ago when I was working for the DoD during Desert Storm, people at my agency were busting 16-hour days for months. We did the work because it was important, but we figured in the end there would be ... something, some nice reward of some kind, you know? And there was - for upper management. They gave themselves nice $25k bonuses for their hard work. The grunts like me who did the shit work? We got coffee mugs. MF'ing coffee mugs. Hell, we would have settled for a sincere "thank you", but instead we got token crap.

Morale at that agency went in the toilet after that. It was never the same again really.

The managers who think a coffee mug - or any token crap "reward" - is an acceptable method to "take care of you while/after you've busted your ass" should be publicly beaten. The reward for a job well done doesn't have to even be tangible, but it better be more than just an afterthought.

What DOD agency were you at that the management was able to give themselves bonuses? I am sure that Congress and the IG's office would interested in that little violation of standards of conduct. Or is that all BS......I vote BS.

[Tananthalas]

Working for the DoD does not imply working under the DoD. It sounded more like a private contractor that he worked for, which do indeed receive bonuses and overtime.

[Palum]

Yea I know a lot of defense contractors who are paying minimum wage these days... oh wait.

[Big W Powah!]

Originally Posted by imready2go

Heh, I remember years ago when I was working for the DoD during Desert Storm, people at my agency were busting 16-hour days for months. We did the work because it was important, but we figured in the end there would be ... something, some nice reward of some kind, you know? And there was - for upper management. They gave themselves nice $25k bonuses for their hard work. The grunts like me who did the shit work? We got coffee mugs. MF'ing coffee mugs. Hell, we would have settled for a sincere "thank you", but instead we got token crap.

Morale at that agency went in the toilet after that. It was never the same again really.

The managers who think a coffee mug - or any token crap "reward" - is an acceptable method to "take care of you while/after you've busted your ass" should be publicly beaten. The reward for a job well done doesn't have to even be tangible, but it better be more than just an afterthought.

I whole heartedly agree; Even if its a quick 10 minute gathering of all the guys and saying "Hey, we really appreciate what you guys did. You pulled us through; Helacious time and you guys kept plugging away. Damn good job, everybody" would be better than a fucking coffee mug.

[karuden]

Originally Posted by Tananthalas

Working for the DoD does not imply working under the DoD. It sounded more like a private contractor that he worked for, which do indeed receive bonuses and overtime.

I notice he said my agency, which sure as hell doesn't imply a private contractor.

Never seen a private contractor in my 23 years working for DoD that ever refered to themselves as an agency.

[Tananthalas]

I suggest you be more observant then. I was in the military for all of 14 months when I met a group of people not directly affiliated with DoD but performed...services for them.

[ToeMissile]

It's all semantics really. agency - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

• 4 : an establishment engaged in doing business for another
• 5 : an administrative division (as of a government)

[Citten]

In Curt We Trust

/hide

[column]

Vaporware till proven otherwise.

[Draegan]

So is Carbine Studios. Ooooooh snap.