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I really don't understand why they don't quit. Maybe making games is their dream, but obviously it's not as good as they imagined. Switch to web dev and find wo

by bdr 17y ago

I really don't understand why they don't quit. Maybe making games is their dream, but obviously it's not as good as they imagined. Switch to web dev and find work instantly.

city41 17y ago
Or go make their own games? If word got out a bunch of Rockstar employees broke off and started their own deal, it'd get loads of free hype and press. Maybe even enough to make it viable. Isn't that pretty much what the original Diablo team did with Torchlight?
- patio11 17y ago
  All the free press in the world won't pony up the 7 or 8 figures in capital they'd need to make a game, though. Imputed deferred wages if nothing else. Torchlight, for example, clearly cost over a million to bring to market. (Take a look at the length of their credits.) I think it is just a bad, bad industry to be in... and yet I feel its siren's call for my next app, too.
- potatolicious 17y ago
  This phenomenon is actually responsible for practically all of Vancouver's game industry presence - nearly every shop in town is formed by pissed off ex-EA employees. It is now almost expected for a junior dev to cut their teeth at EA, and graduate to one of these studios where they will be treated like human beings.
malkia 17y ago
Because you've accumulated experience that's most usable in game development. The procedures, process and even testing is quite different from other places. Also it's not like that you decide to quit, and go to another work. I have a friend that moved from Heavy Iron studios to that exact same one, and he drives 100 miles back and forth (Santa Monica -> Carlsbad/OceanSide/San Diego - not exactly sure where the studio is). He moved away from Heavy Iron studios because they were told that all salaries would be halved. He's with kids, and has to react quickly. He can't let himself be laid off (on half salary), and then search. He needs to quit (so no compensation) and has to find job in maximum one two months. So here you go. He went over there, and although he's driving much - does he has much choice? Or should he start his vacation days back from a two weeks, until it accumulates to a full month and more? And at some point one would have to settle at one place - buy a house, etc.
- bdr 17y ago
  Accumulated experience isn't an end in itself. I guess I don't know the salary situation, but web development pays fine.
adamhowell 17y ago
I'm guessing cause they have wives, kids and mortgages. Now, why they don't line up another job is a good question. But 70+ hour weeks can get in the way of job hunting.
- potatolicious 17y ago
  "Now, why they don't line up another job is a good question." Probably because most other studios in the area are just like this also - this is a persistent problem in any industry where there is a lineup a mile long of suckers who want the glamour of making video games. Just look at Hollywood.
  - gamble 17y ago
    Game studios in California typically have nasty reputations, in my experience. The rest of the industry isn't renown for good working conditions, but I can't think of many studios in CA with a good reputation. Could be that the huge programming and artistic talent pool in the state makes it easy for the studios to abuse employees.
    - potatolicious 17y ago
      I don't know since I'm not in the industry - but I can hazard a guess. Like Hollywood, California is essentially the birthplace of video games - and in many ways is still considered its Mecca. Like the other HN post about the aspiring web dev who moved to CA to "make it", I'm sure others do the same to break into the games industry. Low supply of jobs + huge influx of desperate glamour seekers = massive drop in pay and benefits, and more incentive to abuse (there's a guy who's spent years honing his experience right outside the door ready for you to burn out and quit).
      - gamble 17y ago
        I agree, but it seems ironic since your chances of breaking in are probably a lot better outside CA these days. It's become common for studios to clamp down on hiring in high-cost locations, while ramping up in cheaper cities. If I was trying to break into games today, I'd go to Montreal - thanks to gov't subsidies, they're the cheapest place on earth to make games, and the studios have noticed.

by bdr 17y ago

I really don't understand why they don't quit. Maybe making games is their dream, but obviously it's not as good as they imagined. Switch to web dev and find work instantly.

city41 17y ago

Or go make their own games? If word got out a bunch of Rockstar employees broke off and started their own deal, it'd get loads of free hype and press. Maybe even enough to make it viable. Isn't that pretty much what the original Diablo team did with Torchlight?

patio11 17y ago
All the free press in the world won't pony up the 7 or 8 figures in capital they'd need to make a game, though. Imputed deferred wages if nothing else. Torchlight, for example, clearly cost over a million to bring to market. (Take a look at the length of their credits.) I think it is just a bad, bad industry to be in... and yet I feel its siren's call for my next app, too.
potatolicious 17y ago
This phenomenon is actually responsible for practically all of Vancouver's game industry presence - nearly every shop in town is formed by pissed off ex-EA employees. It is now almost expected for a junior dev to cut their teeth at EA, and graduate to one of these studios where they will be treated like human beings.

malkia 17y ago

Because you've accumulated experience that's most usable in game development. The procedures, process and even testing is quite different from other places. Also it's not like that you decide to quit, and go to another work. I have a friend that moved from Heavy Iron studios to that exact same one, and he drives 100 miles back and forth (Santa Monica -> Carlsbad/OceanSide/San Diego - not exactly sure where the studio is). He moved away from Heavy Iron studios because they were told that all salaries would be halved. He's with kids, and has to react quickly. He can't let himself be laid off (on half salary), and then search. He needs to quit (so no compensation) and has to find job in maximum one two months. So here you go. He went over there, and although he's driving much - does he has much choice? Or should he start his vacation days back from a two weeks, until it accumulates to a full month and more? And at some point one would have to settle at one place - buy a house, etc.

bdr 17y ago
Accumulated experience isn't an end in itself. I guess I don't know the salary situation, but web development pays fine.

adamhowell 17y ago

I'm guessing cause they have wives, kids and mortgages. Now, why they don't line up another job is a good question. But 70+ hour weeks can get in the way of job hunting.

potatolicious 17y ago
"Now, why they don't line up another job is a good question." Probably because most other studios in the area are just like this also - this is a persistent problem in any industry where there is a lineup a mile long of suckers who want the glamour of making video games. Just look at Hollywood.
- gamble 17y ago
  Game studios in California typically have nasty reputations, in my experience. The rest of the industry isn't renown for good working conditions, but I can't think of many studios in CA with a good reputation. Could be that the huge programming and artistic talent pool in the state makes it easy for the studios to abuse employees.
  - potatolicious 17y ago
    I don't know since I'm not in the industry - but I can hazard a guess. Like Hollywood, California is essentially the birthplace of video games - and in many ways is still considered its Mecca. Like the other HN post about the aspiring web dev who moved to CA to "make it", I'm sure others do the same to break into the games industry. Low supply of jobs + huge influx of desperate glamour seekers = massive drop in pay and benefits, and more incentive to abuse (there's a guy who's spent years honing his experience right outside the door ready for you to burn out and quit).
    - gamble 17y ago
      I agree, but it seems ironic since your chances of breaking in are probably a lot better outside CA these days. It's become common for studios to clamp down on hiring in high-cost locations, while ramping up in cheaper cities. If I was trying to break into games today, I'd go to Montreal - thanks to gov't subsidies, they're the cheapest place on earth to make games, and the studios have noticed.