Things I've been asked
People write and want to learn more about me or the industry or games in general. Here are a few samples for your information and amusement. Some of these are out of date, so your mileage may vary. Enjoy!
What got you into the video game design business?
My roommate got a job at Origin Systems and I couldn’t believe that was a career opportunity. I fell in love with the possibility when I got a taste of the inside of a game company. So many smart people working together on a common goal! Right then I decided that I needed to be in games. I did SO many silly things to convince them that I would be a good hire that I could just about fill up a book. Ultimately, I spent 1.5 years becoming part of the team at Origin while I watched for job openings and applied for each of them I felt qualified for. Persistence and kindness ultimately paid off.
What got you into the video game design business?
My roommate got a job at Origin Systems and I couldn’t believe that was a career opportunity. I fell in love with the possibility when I got a taste of the inside of a game company. So many smart people working together on a common goal! Right then I decided that I needed to be in games. I did SO many silly things to convince them that I would be a good hire that I could just about fill up a book. Ultimately, I spent 1.5 years becoming part of the team at Origin while I watched for job openings and applied for each of them I felt qualified for. Persistence and kindness ultimately paid off.
Who or what inspired you to join the video game industry?
A lifelong love of video games.
Where did you get your start?
Origin Systems in Austin, TX. I was hired as a level designer on Ultima: Black Gate on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Eventually I was doing four other people’s work as they had left the company or moved to other positions. Ultimately I became the de facto project lead.
Why did you think that you could get into the game industry?
Well, I didn't even know it was a possibility until my roommate told me about it. I don't know why it had never occurred to me!
Ultimately, my life experiences led me to it. I had been playing games since I could remember, playing video games since I was 8, playing Dungeons and Dragons since I was 10, playing arcade games since they existed, I had taken business classes in college, and I spent a collective total of 5 or six years in all sorts of bands. All of these added up to a belief that I had something to offer. When they were all added all together, they were each huge parts of how that helped me be a better team player, manager, and game designer.
A lifelong love of video games.
Where did you get your start?
Origin Systems in Austin, TX. I was hired as a level designer on Ultima: Black Gate on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Eventually I was doing four other people’s work as they had left the company or moved to other positions. Ultimately I became the de facto project lead.
Why did you think that you could get into the game industry?
Well, I didn't even know it was a possibility until my roommate told me about it. I don't know why it had never occurred to me!
Ultimately, my life experiences led me to it. I had been playing games since I could remember, playing video games since I was 8, playing Dungeons and Dragons since I was 10, playing arcade games since they existed, I had taken business classes in college, and I spent a collective total of 5 or six years in all sorts of bands. All of these added up to a belief that I had something to offer. When they were all added all together, they were each huge parts of how that helped me be a better team player, manager, and game designer.
Where did you attend school?
High School: Brazosport High School in Freeport TX, College: Brazosport Community College, University of Texas, Austin Community College. I never completed a degree – I was working my way through college when I decided to enter the industry. Now I have no student loans! :)
What classes/subjects should someone wanting this career focus on?
Teamwork! Programming, art, design, typing, web design, and playing a lot of games. You can’t really do this well unless you play a lot of games.
What were the classes you took in college that helped you obtain this job?
Communication, micro and macro economics, music, band, math, programming (high school and college, actually), business law, and tons of English!!
High School: Brazosport High School in Freeport TX, College: Brazosport Community College, University of Texas, Austin Community College. I never completed a degree – I was working my way through college when I decided to enter the industry. Now I have no student loans! :)
What classes/subjects should someone wanting this career focus on?
Teamwork! Programming, art, design, typing, web design, and playing a lot of games. You can’t really do this well unless you play a lot of games.
What were the classes you took in college that helped you obtain this job?
Communication, micro and macro economics, music, band, math, programming (high school and college, actually), business law, and tons of English!!
Did you ever want to switch careers in college because a class was too hard?
Well, I didn't go to college for this job, but truth be told I never backed out of any class because it was too hard. You could always take the class again, take it somewhere else, audit the class until you understand it, spend extra time with the instructor, get a tutor, start a study group, etc. Nowadays, there's so much information available on the internet that I'm constantly surprised that there are people that can't figure out anything they want to right in front of a monitor. That's where I do most of my research for everything, including downloading demos of other games for research purposes. I had other issues in college, like how could I stay in class on a Friday afternoon when the day was so nice and the beach was just a few miles away? :)
Well, I didn't go to college for this job, but truth be told I never backed out of any class because it was too hard. You could always take the class again, take it somewhere else, audit the class until you understand it, spend extra time with the instructor, get a tutor, start a study group, etc. Nowadays, there's so much information available on the internet that I'm constantly surprised that there are people that can't figure out anything they want to right in front of a monitor. That's where I do most of my research for everything, including downloading demos of other games for research purposes. I had other issues in college, like how could I stay in class on a Friday afternoon when the day was so nice and the beach was just a few miles away? :)
Do you recommend any good game schools?
EXAMINE COST VS BENEFITS and take into account that most people leave the game industry in 3-4 years. Get very real with yourself and your finances. Then consider paying for an education in ANY field. Go read some horror stories about student loans. Okay, now proceed.
Full Sail Real World Education in Winter Park, FL is one that I am very familiar with and I would recommend them wholeheartedly. They are not cheap, but you will get out of it what you put into it. The Guildhall at SMU in Dallas, TX is also a great place to go. Austin Community College has a great program and it's much more affordable. I am sure there are many other great places – I just don’t have personal experience.
What was your biggest challenge when you started?
Learning how to be humble and communicate well with a team. I thought I knew everything, and I learned that I didn’t pretty quickly. It took me a long time to rebuild relationships after I nuked a couple of them from orbit because of my smart-ass mouth. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way, and I certainly did. I doubt I would have the same opportunity today if I was trying to get into the industry. So… learn some tact from my mistake, before it craters your potential career!
EXAMINE COST VS BENEFITS and take into account that most people leave the game industry in 3-4 years. Get very real with yourself and your finances. Then consider paying for an education in ANY field. Go read some horror stories about student loans. Okay, now proceed.
Full Sail Real World Education in Winter Park, FL is one that I am very familiar with and I would recommend them wholeheartedly. They are not cheap, but you will get out of it what you put into it. The Guildhall at SMU in Dallas, TX is also a great place to go. Austin Community College has a great program and it's much more affordable. I am sure there are many other great places – I just don’t have personal experience.
What was your biggest challenge when you started?
Learning how to be humble and communicate well with a team. I thought I knew everything, and I learned that I didn’t pretty quickly. It took me a long time to rebuild relationships after I nuked a couple of them from orbit because of my smart-ass mouth. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way, and I certainly did. I doubt I would have the same opportunity today if I was trying to get into the industry. So… learn some tact from my mistake, before it craters your potential career!
What is the most enjoyable part of your job today?
Helping others succeed.
What is your main objective everyday you come to work?
To do the best I can to make the team more productive.
What was your most favorite project to do while working for Critical Mass Interactive?
I like them all, but if I was forced to pick one, it would probably be USAF: Air Dominance. It was our biggest game, done start to finish in three months. Lots of good teamwork and it was fun to play from the very beginning. I wish we could share it with the world, but alas, the United States Air Force owns it lock, stock, and barrel.
Helping others succeed.
What is your main objective everyday you come to work?
To do the best I can to make the team more productive.
What was your most favorite project to do while working for Critical Mass Interactive?
I like them all, but if I was forced to pick one, it would probably be USAF: Air Dominance. It was our biggest game, done start to finish in three months. Lots of good teamwork and it was fun to play from the very beginning. I wish we could share it with the world, but alas, the United States Air Force owns it lock, stock, and barrel.
Which of the games that you've ever worked on was your favorite?
EA Sports Rugby World Cup 1995. It had the best team I ever worked with and the best producer. I learned how it really should be done from Kevin Buckner, my producer. He’s my hero.
What skills does a developer need to have to get a job in the industry?
Adaptability, teamwork, networking, humility, teamwork, and teamwork.
Do you enjoy working with your coworkers?
Yes, emphatically. We don't always enjoy all parts of the job because sometimes it's just things you have to slog through (development’s sometimes just hard work), but if we're all pulling in the same direction it can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.
EA Sports Rugby World Cup 1995. It had the best team I ever worked with and the best producer. I learned how it really should be done from Kevin Buckner, my producer. He’s my hero.
What skills does a developer need to have to get a job in the industry?
Adaptability, teamwork, networking, humility, teamwork, and teamwork.
Do you enjoy working with your coworkers?
Yes, emphatically. We don't always enjoy all parts of the job because sometimes it's just things you have to slog through (development’s sometimes just hard work), but if we're all pulling in the same direction it can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.
How much do you enjoy your job?
It’s the most rewarding job I could ever imagine, especially when you are working with the right team on a project you really believe in.
What are some of your favorite aspects of game design?
Game balance, original ideas, and working with a team to create a better gameplay experience for players.
What, if anything, do you dislike about being in this industry?
Long hours, difficulty of signing the ‘next gig,’ having to fire good people on the team when the money’s tight, companies shutting down during production due to cash shortages. This industry is very volatile, as are all entertainment industries.
It’s the most rewarding job I could ever imagine, especially when you are working with the right team on a project you really believe in.
What are some of your favorite aspects of game design?
Game balance, original ideas, and working with a team to create a better gameplay experience for players.
What, if anything, do you dislike about being in this industry?
Long hours, difficulty of signing the ‘next gig,’ having to fire good people on the team when the money’s tight, companies shutting down during production due to cash shortages. This industry is very volatile, as are all entertainment industries.
What is the average pay of someone in this industry?
$25-50k on the low end. $50k-75k on the high end. Those are averages, but there are more detailed numbers available online on www.gamasutra.com and www.igda.org.
How long have you been interested in game design?
Literally for as long as I can remember. I used to write books on “How To Play Defender” for fun. My friends and I would also dissect arcade and home games because we were really bored, and because it was cool.
What games are you currently working on?
You'd have to check my LinkedIn profile. It's hard to keep up!
What is your role in the gaming industry?
My job is to represent the players, my staff, and the people spending the money and keep them all informed and happy. I am a people person. I help get things started and finished. I set deadlines as well as standards for behavior at the office.
In the community, I try to keep the Austin Game Development community informed and networking.
What do you think is the future of video game design? (this was written in 2006)
Bigger games that big companies will want to take less and less risk with. Those will remain as sequels and big name licenses. Smaller games will still be around, bringing innovation – but they won’t get the exposure that the big ones will. Games are being brought to new arenas such as serious gaming (health, education, retraining, etc.) and that will continue.
You should see more ‘mass market’ games come out that should ‘expand the market.’ In other words they will bring more people to games than have ever played them before.
$25-50k on the low end. $50k-75k on the high end. Those are averages, but there are more detailed numbers available online on www.gamasutra.com and www.igda.org.
How long have you been interested in game design?
Literally for as long as I can remember. I used to write books on “How To Play Defender” for fun. My friends and I would also dissect arcade and home games because we were really bored, and because it was cool.
What games are you currently working on?
You'd have to check my LinkedIn profile. It's hard to keep up!
What is your role in the gaming industry?
My job is to represent the players, my staff, and the people spending the money and keep them all informed and happy. I am a people person. I help get things started and finished. I set deadlines as well as standards for behavior at the office.
In the community, I try to keep the Austin Game Development community informed and networking.
What do you think is the future of video game design? (this was written in 2006)
Bigger games that big companies will want to take less and less risk with. Those will remain as sequels and big name licenses. Smaller games will still be around, bringing innovation – but they won’t get the exposure that the big ones will. Games are being brought to new arenas such as serious gaming (health, education, retraining, etc.) and that will continue.
You should see more ‘mass market’ games come out that should ‘expand the market.’ In other words they will bring more people to games than have ever played them before.
Is there any additional information you feel a student needs?
Please play games. All types of games. Work WITH others on team projects. Try to design a game on your own. Design others. You will never have too much practice. I’d suggest designing a game to be played with a deck of cards – creating a card game will teach you the basics of rules and how to explain them easily to friends. Who knows, you could create the next Black Jack or Spades!
Would you suggest any specific academic areas or specific skills or knowledge that would be helpful in this industry?
Typing, programming, art, design, communication, business, communication, and psychology.
Please play games. All types of games. Work WITH others on team projects. Try to design a game on your own. Design others. You will never have too much practice. I’d suggest designing a game to be played with a deck of cards – creating a card game will teach you the basics of rules and how to explain them easily to friends. Who knows, you could create the next Black Jack or Spades!
Would you suggest any specific academic areas or specific skills or knowledge that would be helpful in this industry?
Typing, programming, art, design, communication, business, communication, and psychology.
What is a basic skill-set you seek in an applicant's portfolio?
An ability to complete tasks to a high standard.
Could you describe a typical day?
Get in, read and respond to email, answer phone calls. Then make new phone calls and emails. When updating projects, check in with the leads of the projects and get status of each. Provide direction on all projects in production.
An ability to complete tasks to a high standard.
Could you describe a typical day?
Get in, read and respond to email, answer phone calls. Then make new phone calls and emails. When updating projects, check in with the leads of the projects and get status of each. Provide direction on all projects in production.
How can I get my resume noticed?
Find a company you really want to work for. Learn a lot about them. Play the games from their company. Seriously. Write custom cover letters that reference games that those companies have written. Also find a city that you really want to work. When an opening comes up, re-write your resume to match that listing - WITHOUT LYING! HR is filtering these usually, and they are checking against the listing. Those are the top tips I could give you.
With whom do you work – a team or individuals?
Both. Usually a team, but as an independent contractor, I work by myself. The truth is, no matter how much I do independently, I still have to meld my work with the team – so it's ALWAYS a team effort.
What motivates you or inspires you to do your work everyday?
I love it! And I've always felt in charge of my own destiny in this industry.
Find a company you really want to work for. Learn a lot about them. Play the games from their company. Seriously. Write custom cover letters that reference games that those companies have written. Also find a city that you really want to work. When an opening comes up, re-write your resume to match that listing - WITHOUT LYING! HR is filtering these usually, and they are checking against the listing. Those are the top tips I could give you.
With whom do you work – a team or individuals?
Both. Usually a team, but as an independent contractor, I work by myself. The truth is, no matter how much I do independently, I still have to meld my work with the team – so it's ALWAYS a team effort.
What motivates you or inspires you to do your work everyday?
I love it! And I've always felt in charge of my own destiny in this industry.
What are major trends, changes or issues facing your industry that a game art and design major entering the field should be aware of?
Outsourcing, off-shoring, lack of great game designers, increased risk due to the size of the bigger games and their budgets, less creativity. On the "indie" side: smaller teams, smaller games, smaller audiences, and an opportunity to succeed at a smaller scale.
What keeps you motivated at your job?
I truly love video games. And I truly enjoy watching a team come together to become more than the sum of its parts.
What are you excited about?
I want to play games that I have only imagined as a kid. I know they’re coming faster than I ever imagined, but I’m just ready for them right now!
What do you consider to be the big thing now, or in 5 years, or in 10 years?
Now (this was written in 2006) – sequels and licensed product. 5 years – different sequels and lots of differentiation in the market, so everyone will have lots of variety in the games they can play. 10 years… hmmm… I’m guessing that we’re going to see more of the same. Each 5 year period or so has been a new home console system transition and I expect they’ll continue to do so. Mobile phones are going to improve in the US, although we’ll trail the rest of the world for probably the next 50 years or so, until one unified system gets installed in the US.
Outsourcing, off-shoring, lack of great game designers, increased risk due to the size of the bigger games and their budgets, less creativity. On the "indie" side: smaller teams, smaller games, smaller audiences, and an opportunity to succeed at a smaller scale.
What keeps you motivated at your job?
I truly love video games. And I truly enjoy watching a team come together to become more than the sum of its parts.
What are you excited about?
I want to play games that I have only imagined as a kid. I know they’re coming faster than I ever imagined, but I’m just ready for them right now!
What do you consider to be the big thing now, or in 5 years, or in 10 years?
Now (this was written in 2006) – sequels and licensed product. 5 years – different sequels and lots of differentiation in the market, so everyone will have lots of variety in the games they can play. 10 years… hmmm… I’m guessing that we’re going to see more of the same. Each 5 year period or so has been a new home console system transition and I expect they’ll continue to do so. Mobile phones are going to improve in the US, although we’ll trail the rest of the world for probably the next 50 years or so, until one unified system gets installed in the US.
What was the big thing when you started?
The SNES and Genesis were big, PCs were still next to impossible to write big games for, and people considered it 50% of the game to be able to get the game to actually run. There was NO Direct X, and people had to write their own memory managers, etc. Origin was doing some of the largest, most detailed games in the industry at the time. They were also the first to use voice synthesis in games, I believe, and that was a really new development.
The SNES and Genesis were big, PCs were still next to impossible to write big games for, and people considered it 50% of the game to be able to get the game to actually run. There was NO Direct X, and people had to write their own memory managers, etc. Origin was doing some of the largest, most detailed games in the industry at the time. They were also the first to use voice synthesis in games, I believe, and that was a really new development.
How is the subject of intellectual property in the video game industry different from that of, say, movies, music, or software applications?
First of all, I'm not a lawyer (and I don't play one on television) so you're only going to get a layman's understanding of all these questions, but I'll do the best I can. As far as I can tell, straight intellectual property (IP) issues are the same in videogames as in all other media. However, there are issues being tried in the courts about gameplay ideas being ownable at least in the case of Crazy Taxi versus The Simpsons Hit and Run. The video game industry (like all technical industries) tends to run ahead of the laws that are designed to protect it, and there are also people that are making money by patenting things that other people have invented, used and just never patented. One item like that was 'controller vibration,' which was patented by Immersion. Microsoft's Xbox controllers had vibration support (as did Sony's and many cell phones) but when Immersion sued MS, MS invested in the company and now they (MS) get a piece of every licensed use of Immersion's patent. Pretty smooth choice on MS's side, but was this really fair to the rest of the video gaming world? Vibrating controllers or controllers with force feedback had been out for almost two decades.
First of all, I'm not a lawyer (and I don't play one on television) so you're only going to get a layman's understanding of all these questions, but I'll do the best I can. As far as I can tell, straight intellectual property (IP) issues are the same in videogames as in all other media. However, there are issues being tried in the courts about gameplay ideas being ownable at least in the case of Crazy Taxi versus The Simpsons Hit and Run. The video game industry (like all technical industries) tends to run ahead of the laws that are designed to protect it, and there are also people that are making money by patenting things that other people have invented, used and just never patented. One item like that was 'controller vibration,' which was patented by Immersion. Microsoft's Xbox controllers had vibration support (as did Sony's and many cell phones) but when Immersion sued MS, MS invested in the company and now they (MS) get a piece of every licensed use of Immersion's patent. Pretty smooth choice on MS's side, but was this really fair to the rest of the video gaming world? Vibrating controllers or controllers with force feedback had been out for almost two decades.
I can think of pinball machines that shook long ago, providing that type of feedback. Regardless, Immersion has successfully done it and their reinvestment in the technology is very cool – I’ve seen, played, and felt their newest work. It’s awesome and I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with it. But I am really bummed that Sony didn’t put the rumble in the PS3 controllers at launch.
Is intellectual property protection less of an issue for the video game industry than for other industries?
In fact, it's one of the main issues, as intellectual property, including characters and gameplay is what sells games. If you build an intellectual property up so that a big publisher wants to buy it, that's all you have to sell. That's not to even TOUCH on the piracy issues in other countries.
Is intellectual property protection less of an issue for the video game industry than for other industries?
In fact, it's one of the main issues, as intellectual property, including characters and gameplay is what sells games. If you build an intellectual property up so that a big publisher wants to buy it, that's all you have to sell. That's not to even TOUCH on the piracy issues in other countries.
What is "virtual property?"
This is property inside a video game (could be an MMO or a Facebook game like Fantasy Kingdoms) that can be 'owned' by a player. But really, you're just "renting" it because you never get to possess it on your own machine.
People can obtain items or property (virtual real estate) in a game and they actually sell it for real world dollars. In other countries, they have people work in sweatshops where they get paid pennies to 'mine' for gold, rare items, and the like. Then their company sells it online to people in the US or other countries that when it's taken as an aggregate, they turn a profit because their employees are so cheap. On the other hand, there are other companies that completely forbid this from happening. I believe that one of the biggest MMOGs, World of Warcraft, from Blizzard, just cancelled thousands of accounts due to alleged 'mining.' (note: answer is from 2006)
This is property inside a video game (could be an MMO or a Facebook game like Fantasy Kingdoms) that can be 'owned' by a player. But really, you're just "renting" it because you never get to possess it on your own machine.
People can obtain items or property (virtual real estate) in a game and they actually sell it for real world dollars. In other countries, they have people work in sweatshops where they get paid pennies to 'mine' for gold, rare items, and the like. Then their company sells it online to people in the US or other countries that when it's taken as an aggregate, they turn a profit because their employees are so cheap. On the other hand, there are other companies that completely forbid this from happening. I believe that one of the biggest MMOGs, World of Warcraft, from Blizzard, just cancelled thousands of accounts due to alleged 'mining.' (note: answer is from 2006)
What kind of intellectual property litigation might a video game company face?
Gameplay mechanics are stolen regularly. Characters and character likenesses are stolen regularly. As stated above, violating someone else's patents (knowingly or not) can get you into hot water. The list is as varied as you can imagine. Using a voice actor in a game may put you in a position where you always need to sell your game - no free downloads later when the game is not marketable anymore. Be careful what you sign with anyone attached to a game.
What intellectual property threats has your company faced?
None at my current company. At an earlier company, we hired voice actors to play parts in the game. It was more expensive to buy their voices in perpetuity, so the company decided to go ‘cheap’ and buy them for the single game release only. When they decided to release a 'gold version,' which is really the old version with a lot of new stuff, we had to go back and renegotiate the contracts with all the actors. Then we actually re-recorded them all because the old material was considered as attached to the old contract. So, the company paid more than the value of twice the original amount and we had to do tons of more work, just to save a little money on the front end. Silly, it seems, but these types of things can crop up from anywhere.
Gameplay mechanics are stolen regularly. Characters and character likenesses are stolen regularly. As stated above, violating someone else's patents (knowingly or not) can get you into hot water. The list is as varied as you can imagine. Using a voice actor in a game may put you in a position where you always need to sell your game - no free downloads later when the game is not marketable anymore. Be careful what you sign with anyone attached to a game.
What intellectual property threats has your company faced?
None at my current company. At an earlier company, we hired voice actors to play parts in the game. It was more expensive to buy their voices in perpetuity, so the company decided to go ‘cheap’ and buy them for the single game release only. When they decided to release a 'gold version,' which is really the old version with a lot of new stuff, we had to go back and renegotiate the contracts with all the actors. Then we actually re-recorded them all because the old material was considered as attached to the old contract. So, the company paid more than the value of twice the original amount and we had to do tons of more work, just to save a little money on the front end. Silly, it seems, but these types of things can crop up from anywhere.
How might this issue affect the Austin video game community?
Well, it happened in Austin if that helps. :)
Is the Austin video game community ahead of, with, or behind the curve on this issue?
Actually the Austin game community is getting more aware of issues like this by just becoming more mature. The development directors and studio owners I know are well up on these issues. Plus we have ACC, DeVry, and St. Edwards University all with some type of video game program in place to handle many of these issues.
What kind of changes do you see in intellectual property protection in the short term?
I'm not seeing anything that's happening quickly at this time, but I have seen some interesting things with copyright lately. I'm not as well-versed as I'd like to be there, so I'll leave that to the people that are really up on it.
... the long term?
Create intellectual property (IP) with value. Create contracts that state clearly who owns what. Protect it with everything you have. Then sell it to the highest bidder. That's what is going on right now. The biggest studios can't take as many chances with their cash. The market is way too volatile and they have stockholders to answer to. These publishers look to the market (smaller developers) to create new IPs. Then when the IP looks really valuable, they will buy it. But make sure that whoever builds it with you knows what their ownership % is, if any. Nothing ruins a friendship, company, or an IP than having a foggy view on who owns what. This isn't a garage industry anymore. It's run by people in business suits with armies of lawyers behind them and they are ready to make the most money out of your property, which when they buy it - it becomes theirs.
Any final thoughts?
Don't get in this industry unless you love it. It's not just a job – it's a lifestyle. Keep a balance, though. It's too easy to game all the time and lose track of time, life, friends, and family. And don't think that you have to work at one place forever, especially if you have to work crazy hours with no extra pay. Do what you need to so that you can move the project forward, and then when it's at a place where you can leave (and still sleep with yourself) get off the train. Sanity is a high goal that you can lose quickly while you are trying to make a name for yourself, which everyone is…
Well, it happened in Austin if that helps. :)
Is the Austin video game community ahead of, with, or behind the curve on this issue?
Actually the Austin game community is getting more aware of issues like this by just becoming more mature. The development directors and studio owners I know are well up on these issues. Plus we have ACC, DeVry, and St. Edwards University all with some type of video game program in place to handle many of these issues.
What kind of changes do you see in intellectual property protection in the short term?
I'm not seeing anything that's happening quickly at this time, but I have seen some interesting things with copyright lately. I'm not as well-versed as I'd like to be there, so I'll leave that to the people that are really up on it.
... the long term?
Create intellectual property (IP) with value. Create contracts that state clearly who owns what. Protect it with everything you have. Then sell it to the highest bidder. That's what is going on right now. The biggest studios can't take as many chances with their cash. The market is way too volatile and they have stockholders to answer to. These publishers look to the market (smaller developers) to create new IPs. Then when the IP looks really valuable, they will buy it. But make sure that whoever builds it with you knows what their ownership % is, if any. Nothing ruins a friendship, company, or an IP than having a foggy view on who owns what. This isn't a garage industry anymore. It's run by people in business suits with armies of lawyers behind them and they are ready to make the most money out of your property, which when they buy it - it becomes theirs.
Any final thoughts?
Don't get in this industry unless you love it. It's not just a job – it's a lifestyle. Keep a balance, though. It's too easy to game all the time and lose track of time, life, friends, and family. And don't think that you have to work at one place forever, especially if you have to work crazy hours with no extra pay. Do what you need to so that you can move the project forward, and then when it's at a place where you can leave (and still sleep with yourself) get off the train. Sanity is a high goal that you can lose quickly while you are trying to make a name for yourself, which everyone is…
Gamecloud’s End of 2005 - Looking to 2006 Q&A Survey
Overall, what do you feel was the most significant thing that happened in 2005 in the video and PC game industry?
Yet another Spike TV Video Game Award Show that had nothing to do with the actual game developers that built the game. This is one that has long term ramifications for developers to make their names known. Developers need to get the publicity that they deserve for creating the games. Actors are only brought out for marketing and this Spike TV award show is the pinnacle of developers being hidden and downplayed by the publishers / marketers. Believe me, I understand the importance of marketing, but is this the future of our industry? Think about it. Everyone wants to design games, but do they realize they’ll never (on average) get to design their own games? At this rate, we’re all going to be working on sequels and licensed product.
Yet another Spike TV Video Game Award Show that had nothing to do with the actual game developers that built the game. This is one that has long term ramifications for developers to make their names known. Developers need to get the publicity that they deserve for creating the games. Actors are only brought out for marketing and this Spike TV award show is the pinnacle of developers being hidden and downplayed by the publishers / marketers. Believe me, I understand the importance of marketing, but is this the future of our industry? Think about it. Everyone wants to design games, but do they realize they’ll never (on average) get to design their own games? At this rate, we’re all going to be working on sequels and licensed product.
Other than games you worked on that were released this year, what video or PC game released in 2005 was your favorite and why?
I didn’t get to REALLY play any of the ones I wanted to from this year. I finally got to really play Half-Life 2 (2004) and its surrounding work. I am not qualified to answer this question. Kids and a wife, game job and a life all prevented me from really getting into anything too heavily. When I really get into a game, I spend over 100 hours on it. Nothing yet in ’05 has driven me into that much of a tizzy.
What video or PC game that was released in 2005 that you played was the most disappointing and why?
Again, not qualified to answer. Working on all the games we did this year prevented much exploration. I wouldn’t want to pick anything I haven’t had time to fully play and experiment around in.
As we look ahead to 2006, what video or PC game that is currently scheduled to be released that year are you most looking forward to and why?
Most everything seems to be more of the same. Look at the charts. How many aren’t sequels or truly seem groundbreaking? Here’s something that’s important to remember – I’m not the audience or the market for the gaming industry. I am a small segment, a dad that has a little time for games, but if something really grabs me, I’ll go crazy on it. I play a lot of different games, but I don’t have anything I’m dying for at the moment. When the next GTA gets announced, that will change. J
What do you see are the big events and trends that will affect the video/PC game industry in 2006?
Less new game ideas, more sequels, more derivative work, more marketing of ‘stars’ and ‘actors’ to sell games. There will be more advertising in games, since TiVo is effectively destroying TV advertising and all their viewers are now playing games. Games are costing so much to make, there will be less innovation from the major publishers because the stock holders will not reward risk-takers – they will reward players that can consistently deliver profit. There will finally be more outsourcing of work to other countries or companies because the publishers will not be able to find the employees to hire, and because it would bloat their budgets too high to be able to make a profit on their games. It will become more normal to have relationships with outsource companies. I also see more people from game schools getting picked up in the industry as entry level employees.
Finally, is there anything else you wish to say about the past year in games and/or the upcoming year in games?
It seems that there are more people coming into the game market (as enthusiasts) and that is a good thing. However as a father I am still looking to the industry to continue to create games that I can share with my children. I love the game myself as an adult and as a gamer, but I can’t play GTA around my kids with a good conscience. I don’t know if the fine people at Rockstar ever considered it, but if there was a code that turned off everything, I could at least drive around with my kids and let them get a glimpse as to what it’s like to drive around a city, without worrying about running people over and having the police chase me down. It’s just such a great environment that it makes me sad that I can’t share it with them. And I don’t think this is going to get better with all the other violent games coming out.
I didn’t get to REALLY play any of the ones I wanted to from this year. I finally got to really play Half-Life 2 (2004) and its surrounding work. I am not qualified to answer this question. Kids and a wife, game job and a life all prevented me from really getting into anything too heavily. When I really get into a game, I spend over 100 hours on it. Nothing yet in ’05 has driven me into that much of a tizzy.
What video or PC game that was released in 2005 that you played was the most disappointing and why?
Again, not qualified to answer. Working on all the games we did this year prevented much exploration. I wouldn’t want to pick anything I haven’t had time to fully play and experiment around in.
As we look ahead to 2006, what video or PC game that is currently scheduled to be released that year are you most looking forward to and why?
Most everything seems to be more of the same. Look at the charts. How many aren’t sequels or truly seem groundbreaking? Here’s something that’s important to remember – I’m not the audience or the market for the gaming industry. I am a small segment, a dad that has a little time for games, but if something really grabs me, I’ll go crazy on it. I play a lot of different games, but I don’t have anything I’m dying for at the moment. When the next GTA gets announced, that will change. J
What do you see are the big events and trends that will affect the video/PC game industry in 2006?
Less new game ideas, more sequels, more derivative work, more marketing of ‘stars’ and ‘actors’ to sell games. There will be more advertising in games, since TiVo is effectively destroying TV advertising and all their viewers are now playing games. Games are costing so much to make, there will be less innovation from the major publishers because the stock holders will not reward risk-takers – they will reward players that can consistently deliver profit. There will finally be more outsourcing of work to other countries or companies because the publishers will not be able to find the employees to hire, and because it would bloat their budgets too high to be able to make a profit on their games. It will become more normal to have relationships with outsource companies. I also see more people from game schools getting picked up in the industry as entry level employees.
Finally, is there anything else you wish to say about the past year in games and/or the upcoming year in games?
It seems that there are more people coming into the game market (as enthusiasts) and that is a good thing. However as a father I am still looking to the industry to continue to create games that I can share with my children. I love the game myself as an adult and as a gamer, but I can’t play GTA around my kids with a good conscience. I don’t know if the fine people at Rockstar ever considered it, but if there was a code that turned off everything, I could at least drive around with my kids and let them get a glimpse as to what it’s like to drive around a city, without worrying about running people over and having the police chase me down. It’s just such a great environment that it makes me sad that I can’t share it with them. And I don’t think this is going to get better with all the other violent games coming out.