4 ms·

This relates only to a particular type of games - the ones that are shipped and forgot, or the ones that need minimum upkeep costs. So, perfectly understandable

This relates only to a particular type of games - the ones that are shipped and forgot, or the ones that need minimum upkeep costs. So, perfectly understandable, and this is (almost) analogous to complaining why some hotel staffs 30 during winter instead of 100 people during the summer season. As a game company owner myself, I've found a way to do efficient damage control (with regards to morale) on this - announce the "cuts" as early as project pitch! It's not incomprehensible that you know how many people you'll need for the game's upkeep and how many for development stage. Throw an "if game is successful" and "if game is !successful" clause in there, and that way everyone knows what's the playing ground for your game. I've noticed that these policies of mine have attracted fast-moving employees, the ones that will find it perfectly understandable if I, right now, scrapped every project and said goodbye to everyone. Which, in game industry, is a frequent occurence.

Sniffnoy 12y ago
Isn't this more or less how movies get made in Hollywood? You're always hired just for a particular project? (Going by memory here, may be way off.)
- dsirijus 12y ago
  Of course. There's a bit of delusional idea that games are somehow sustainable business model (admiteddly, they _are_ for some genres). But, yes, that's the nature of business. This, to me, is a bit like complaining how war-time journalists don't get to spend enough time with their families and are at life risk. It's the biz, and, I'm sorry to be slightly verbally violent, get tougher skin or gtfo. Plenty of sustainable software/design/management roles in various spheres for you if you can't take it.
  - Retric 12y ago
    Games are a sustainable business model. The problem is games are a highly competitive market so where most startups get some traction and keep executing that for years the game industry moves fast and you need a new hit every time. IMO, Pixar is probably the most sustainable model for a hits industry. At a minimum you need a multistage pipeline, rock solid management, and a focus on customers.
- watwut 12y ago
  The difference is that Hollywood is up front about it and you sign temporary contract etc. Game companies tend to sign normal employment contracts, promiss long term employment and heaven, exploit you during development and fire you later on (occasionally just before you would collect benefits). Maybe I'm wrong, but I think that game developers did not used to be hired for one project in the past. It is a thing of last years. They used to be hired by company and worked on multiple games there. Bad development practices used to be norm all the time through. Which does not apply to parent who is up front about the whole thing.
  - dsirijus 12y ago
    Exactly. It's about non-delusional financial projections and transparency of business leadership. So, management.
  - ameoba 12y ago
    It's cheaper to lie to people about a position having a long-term future & getting them on board with a salary than being honest & paying them hourly.
hudibras 12y ago
How many employees do you estimate that you've laid off? (Genuinely curious, by the way.)
- dsirijus 12y ago
  None in 3 years running. I'm doing my financial projections well. There could be some drastic cuts during the rest of this year, but absolutely everyone in the company is aware of that. We have 3 games due release pretty soon, and if only one is even moderately successful, I'll keep everyone running by me. I came close to firing one, but we've managed to find a consensus and we drastically reassesed him and reassigned his responsibilities within the projects/company. It was a good decision - he's probably the most productive person on the team now.
  - wlievens 12y ago
    Just a note: your website http://dsirijus.com http://dsirijus.com is not loading for me.
    - dsirijus 12y ago
      Yeah, I'm divorcing personal stuff from company before public game release announcements. :) Thanks for your interest and notification though. Your profile information link is 502-ing. http://www.hackernewsers.com/users/wlievens.html http://www.hackernewsers.com/users/wlievens.html :D

Sniffnoy 12y ago

Isn't this more or less how movies get made in Hollywood? You're always hired just for a particular project? (Going by memory here, may be way off.)

dsirijus 12y ago
Of course. There's a bit of delusional idea that games are somehow sustainable business model (admiteddly, they _are_ for some genres). But, yes, that's the nature of business. This, to me, is a bit like complaining how war-time journalists don't get to spend enough time with their families and are at life risk. It's the biz, and, I'm sorry to be slightly verbally violent, get tougher skin or gtfo. Plenty of sustainable software/design/management roles in various spheres for you if you can't take it.
- Retric 12y ago
  Games are a sustainable business model. The problem is games are a highly competitive market so where most startups get some traction and keep executing that for years the game industry moves fast and you need a new hit every time. IMO, Pixar is probably the most sustainable model for a hits industry. At a minimum you need a multistage pipeline, rock solid management, and a focus on customers.
watwut 12y ago
The difference is that Hollywood is up front about it and you sign temporary contract etc. Game companies tend to sign normal employment contracts, promiss long term employment and heaven, exploit you during development and fire you later on (occasionally just before you would collect benefits). Maybe I'm wrong, but I think that game developers did not used to be hired for one project in the past. It is a thing of last years. They used to be hired by company and worked on multiple games there. Bad development practices used to be norm all the time through. Which does not apply to parent who is up front about the whole thing.
- dsirijus 12y ago
  Exactly. It's about non-delusional financial projections and transparency of business leadership. So, management.
- ameoba 12y ago
  It's cheaper to lie to people about a position having a long-term future & getting them on board with a salary than being honest & paying them hourly.

hudibras 12y ago

How many employees do you estimate that you've laid off? (Genuinely curious, by the way.)

dsirijus 12y ago
None in 3 years running. I'm doing my financial projections well. There could be some drastic cuts during the rest of this year, but absolutely everyone in the company is aware of that. We have 3 games due release pretty soon, and if only one is even moderately successful, I'll keep everyone running by me. I came close to firing one, but we've managed to find a consensus and we drastically reassesed him and reassigned his responsibilities within the projects/company. It was a good decision - he's probably the most productive person on the team now.
- wlievens 12y ago
  Just a note: your website http://dsirijus.com http://dsirijus.com is not loading for me.
  - dsirijus 12y ago
    Yeah, I'm divorcing personal stuff from company before public game release announcements. :) Thanks for your interest and notification though. Your profile information link is 502-ing. http://www.hackernewsers.com/users/wlievens.html http://www.hackernewsers.com/users/wlievens.html :D