Your dream studio?
interpolator
It could be real or fictional.
For me, I'd like to work with a studio who specializes in having both cartoon and photorealistic artstyles. The games they make aren't afraid to break what is the norm. So I'm thinking the arcadey, niche games you found in the Dreamcast/Gamecube era of gaming. The studio also values being cutting edge, in both graphics and gameplay. However, the games aren't too cutting edge in that massive budgets are dumped on them only for you to receive corridor like experiences. Instead, think how PC games feature low poly models in the 5,000-10,000 triangles but have high resolution textures slapped on them.
For me, I'd like to work with a studio who specializes in having both cartoon and photorealistic artstyles. The games they make aren't afraid to break what is the norm. So I'm thinking the arcadey, niche games you found in the Dreamcast/Gamecube era of gaming. The studio also values being cutting edge, in both graphics and gameplay. However, the games aren't too cutting edge in that massive budgets are dumped on them only for you to receive corridor like experiences. Instead, think how PC games feature low poly models in the 5,000-10,000 triangles but have high resolution textures slapped on them.
Replies
small project scope
down to earth accomplish-able goals.
fun gameplay
sweet stylized art direction
no mandatory overtime
good communication between team members
little to no outsourcing
That being said, I would like to start my own company some day. Besides that, I'm pretty happy with where I'm at.
This.
Going Commando Games?
Amen
THIS !
haha, having not worked in the games industry *yet* I am willing to pay my dues with overtime and whatnot :P Just looking for that opportunity to do so.
flexible hours (I'm an owl and like to sleep long, but I have no problem staying long)
no mandatory overtime
good management (like people who became managers because of their management skills and not because they rock in a 2d or 3d app. make them ADs instead)
smaller offices with 15 people max
some daylight (there can be "cave" rooms for the people who like them)
free fruit
spend money where it matters (tools, software, ergonomics, training, books - those help me to do my work, as basketball court that I never use because we're stuck in crunch doesn't)
either a super duper awesome cantina with lots of choice or a big amount of good lunch places all around. Should also be next to some good public transportation and not somewhere out in the boonies (aka the Alcatraz studios)
I don't have to many requirements work wise. I've done so many things in all the jobs I had and almost all of them were interesting and allowed me to grow. Some were boring, but hey, it's work, not all of it is just fun and play.
I got most of this at my current place, but the aeron chair is still missing
and yeah... where I don't have to wear pants. :thumbup:
This is interesting though. If I made an equal share of the profits blizzard reaps in every quarter with everyone in the company I'd be a very rich man, but I wouldn't have earned it really since that'd be the legacy of wow.
Blizz does run on profit sharing to a degree, and I see some of that, but inherently the longer you stay the more you see.
That creates a sort of hierarchy if you will that's inherent to 'who did what'.
The coop model seems to break down over time into owners and employees no matter what. That is, if you ever want to expand significantly
that sounds incredible
CD Pjkt Red
iD
Valve
Eidos Montreal
GSC/Vostok games
If I discover I like indie / small studios:
Frictional Games
Almost Human
If I'm realistic:
Anywhere.
http://www.home-designing.com/2013/02/googles-new-office-in-dublin
wow
Bethesda
Naughty Dog
Valve
Gearbox
Bungie
- Stays Afloat, no matter if their was a failed title, try again.
- Hires new talent every 6 months instead of decreasing staff after a release.
(burning bridges aren't they?), more production, more titles, more profit, no?
- Raises for Recognition of hard-working employees, decrease for less productive employees based on duties of their position, not based on productivity status of others.
- with no threat of being let go (a bad day..everyone has one or two..)
A horrible slacker (I mean bad) will drop down to minimum wage, then given 2 week notice.
- 'Asked first', to take on a new discipline and raises pay accordingly.
- 'Asked first', to help new employees then adjusts pay for going that extra mile (or a personal thank you for helping the company, bonus & name in credits).
- 'Asked first', if they can do some over time, even though things are going well or bad and respects their decision with no threat or fear of loosing their position for not wanting to live in the studio and rather be with their family...
- All the nice perks, Best care packages, instead of all we offer is health/medical(lol).
- Everyone gets all the new toys, seats, gear, ect.
- Sign on bonuses for all, paid vaca.
(within reason).
- Assistance moving to and from studio.
(but who the hell would want to leave this one.)
- Understand that people have lives outside of the studio, but knows their employees love where they are working and that they understand production must continue.
(goes without saying, we need work, you need products..)
This topic is on fire, hmmm.
Realistic dream studio is anywhere...
I've had some really terrible experiences, my bar isn't very high at this point. I'd just prefer something mid-sized.
Absolutely not true. On both accounts. First the owners and the employees are the same.
Secondly, I give you Mondragon started in.. 1956. Who expanded significantly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondragon_Corporation
(Sorry OT, I just hate the misinformation that is spread about co-ops.
no pants
no AAA
Double Fine hands down.
Only other dream is my own studio deving my own games. (With actual real funding and not garage built as ive been doing for so many years)
Seriously though double fine has been my dream studio to work for since I started until I started making my own games
would love to end up there for a short time before I finish with the game industry in my life.
I was really lucky to work closely with Strangefate (http://www.strangefate.com/) on Star Trek as my first gig in the industry and was able to learn so much about building both environments and props from him.
And knowing that there is talent out there i can still learn from really keeps me motivated, yeah having a job at a studio is great but i dont do this only for the paycheck.
I want to keep learning and advancing as an artist, I want to take in as much as possible from the people around me.
But i also want to work on amazing genre defining games at the same time thats why places like Valve, 343, Bungie, Id Software really intrigue me.
but ill have to wait i guess don't have a degree so America is not an option for me at the moment it seems
I was lucky to work over at vigil for my first job I improved a ton just from being around all of that talent. Even now I work at Trion, and there are still rockstars to ogle over and push myself to catch up to.
Namco's Wangan team
Specular Interactive
pretty much anything arcade related
Slide is definetly my fav so far
Right now I'm doing pretty good tho at Dice aswell.
The cheque's in the post matey
Not in California.
Independent.
Overtime purely optional or only on occasion.
So pretty much my studio in another state, lol.
YAHOOOOOOO, see told you slide was the best haha
These guys has the best tech and many great talents at their disposal. And more importantly their bosses (Yerli Brothers) knows their stuff about managing a company widespread across globe and a great AAA title. And mates, God knows I love BIG things
Aside from that I am an entrepreneur who is trying to find funding for his own Game Studio for innovative titles for a while now. And this tread is a treasure for anyone who is considering work conditions for staff.
Right on that one Swizzle. 2 years ago I started as a 3D artist for a newly form studio here that ( was supposed to) produces console and mobile games. We are instructed to begin working on a mobile game about chickens and eggs. A simple physics game. How hard it would be ???
We worked 2 years on the bloody thing ! And then guess what ? It has been canceled !
I hate chickens and eggs since then
Yeah wanted to second this. The concept of worker owned means of production is pretty well understood and can easily account for seniority, leaving before retirement, etc. There might not have been a game company that has done it yet, because most western companies are setup within the framework of capitalism, but even so, there are several western non-game studios (fat tire beer in the US, and I forget the name, but one of the larger department stores in the UK are both worker owned and do incredible in terms of employee satisfaction, retention, no overtime, etc).
You do realize that people with that attitude is what is killing this industry. The idea of newly minted graduates going, "Oh, I'll work 600 hours a week for no extra pay, but hey, I'm working (insert hugely popular title here)." Then the studio cronies look at the other artists and go, "What are you doing spending time with your family! What do you need weekends for? This chump (ie you) hasn't gone home in the last 2 weeks! He's a model worker!"
The ideal studio is one that is run by artists, where management as actually worked in the trenches at a studio, and not some ex-car salesman who decided he can make a big buck in the games industry.
You think that until you've actually done it, then you realize you're retarding for wanting that. Be careful what you wish for.
I think all disciplines are important tho.... can't have an art driven studio without falling short on other areas. I guess there just needs to be cooperation and understanding. The more you know about design and tech/code as an artist, the better you can compliment your game. At least that is what i do, and it seems to work pretty well so far.
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You're over-exaggerating based off of me saying I enjoy lots of hours and being busy. Just because I enjoy those doesn't mean I'm going to stand for '600' hours and being walked over, especially without extra pay. Also, at this point in my life, I'm single, about to graduate college, and looking for work, so it's natural that I'd spend a majority of my time working on game material. In the future, when I'm actually in a serious relationship, my outlook will change tremendously and become much like those that frequent here. I'm sure there are people out there that would work that many hours based off of promised raises or bonuses, but I'm not like that.
That's usually how it goes, but all of this is basically people that have had the experience telling newer people to skip out on it and go a different way.
I'm not experienced with this too much yet, but what project doesn't have a little bit of bad management, over scope, or bad planning? I guess I should clarify that I'm talking about large scale, AAA titles, not mobile games or indie companies that work whenever they want to.
Thanks for everyone's input though. I'm certainly not one of those guys that is dying to get in the industry and will work whatever crazy hours he's given, I just like working a lot on big projects
I actually laughed out loud a bit.
oh, to be young again and not experienced.
Too bad it never works like that. Before you know it, you'll be 30/40 years old. Still single and still putting in 60-70 work weeks. I also hate to burst your little bubble, but when you are crunching away at work, you won't have time to find a serious relationship. And, if you do, those managers at work won't be so inclined to say, "Ohh golly gee, you found love. Oh, okay, you can now go back to only working 40 hours a week." Once you are known as that go-to guy for overtime and crazy hours, you can't shake it. If you do try to shake it, you'll hear in your next review how you aren't a team player anymore.
Ask any other industry vet how fast time flies when you start working. For three years, from age 23-26, I wasted my time working crazy hours. 3 years that I could be exploring the area I moved to, Southern California of all places. I look back and realize what a dumbass I was taking on all of those hours. Projects come and go, but I can't get that time back. Where did that working like a mad man get me? 2 years later when the recession hit and we had layoffs, I got the thanks for the hard work now there is the door.
Yes, working overtime is inevitable in this industry. But wanting to work OT and being willing to work OT just because is a bad idea to get into your head. You need to work to live, not live to work.
End thread derailment. Carry on.