Schilling's Green Monster Games

[Draegan]

Curt linked that blog on FOH saying "I thought you guys might like this".

[Stabs]

Anyway, enough about the staff, let's talk about the game:

Ixobelle said:

I signed an NDA before the whole process began, but I think it's legal to say that everything I saw is so OMFGAWESOME that if I get the position, my head will probably asplode and that will be the end of me.

Is it possible that this game might be something extraordinary?

I think there is a tendency for visitors to a studio, any games studio to be somewhat blown away. The combination of mingling with the developers, of seeing secret material, of experiencing state of the art is heady.

But maybe, just maybe, they're making something really good over there.

[Draegan]

Or maybe he's just a crazed fanboi who wants to asplode on everything. 

[ixobelle]

Or maybe he's just a crazed fanboi who wants to asplode on everything. 

Or maybe (and this is a huge one, so get ready) I actually blog about shit that happens in my day to day life, or that I feel is important to me.

This was my first interview with a gaming company, which means I've made it past the rejection stage so many slam up against. I wrote up an entire raid dungeon with 12 bosses, full architectural layouts, lore, and specific trash mechanics. They wanted to see more, and specifically in an actual toolset,  so I created a NWN2 module they found interesting enough to call me on the phone about, and that went well enough to progress to the next stage. I wrote up a (perhaps overly) long response to the Design Test, and "passed it" well enough to get on a conference call with the people beyond the recruiting section. They liked what I had to say, so they flew me out across the country for a face to face with a huge slice of the design team.

Yes. I was nervous. Not 'aw shucks I got the jitters', but fucking terrified because I wanted it to work.

Believe it or not, my blog is not masturbatory glances in a mirror across the room while I style my hair, but a documentation of shit that I actually go through. Regular readers know that this is something important to me, and I've been pretty thorough in documenting the whole process.

I suppose I could have read an interview book, but to me that seems a little silly. I also didn't download a resume template for Word, I made my own resume from scratch in InDesign, and I think it demonstrated that I don't just use templates for everything.

Anyway, I'm not nerd raging here so much as just trying to explain that... well I don't really need to explain anything. Don't hate. It's petty.

p.s. <3 Stabs

[Engels]

as well as someone with the e-social skills to be a well-liked member of a blogging community.

Anyone else get stabby reading this verbiage, or am I getting too old for the series of tubes?

Edit: Hi ixobelle. Good luck!

[UnSub]

Yeah, I do see it as a bit unprofessional to blog that you've been interviewed (and in detail) before the decision has been made. It publicises the process and makes me wonder if Ixobelle feels the need to blab everything. Plus if he doesn't get the job, everyone knows he's seen the secret things 38 Studios has been working on, so perhaps a little under-the-table info leaks might appear.

Also, main thing out of skimming that blog: if you are going to go into an interview, pre-rehearse some answers to those hard questions. You don't have to be a robot about it, but if you can't come up with something for, "Why should we hire you?" that doesn't make you stand out, it is going to be a hard sell to make you the best candidate for the job.

Is it possible that this game might be something extraordinary?

I think there is a tendency for visitors to a studio, any games studio to be somewhat blown away. The combination of mingling with the developers, of seeing secret material, of experiencing state of the art is heady.

But maybe, just maybe, they're making something really good over there.

Or: person going for job interview isn't doing to say, "Just saw the secret game these guys are working on and let me tell you: derivative shit" if they want to get the job. Plus it is a lot easier to sell the high concept of a game rather than have the actual implementation meet that ideal, especially to the guy trying to break into the industry. After all, the players who saw Darkfall in its development stages were all very positive that here was a title that was going to be incredible. And it was. Just not in that way.

[Hutch]

Bah Unsub beat me to my "here's why you should have read the interview book" point.


On a more meta level, the fact that they're interviewing (and maybe hiring) people seems like a positive sign. Maybe 38 will actually crank out an MMO someday.

[tmp]

Believe it or not, my blog is not masturbatory glances in a mirror across the room while I style my hair, but a documentation of shit that I actually go through.

These two aren't mutually exclusive. In particular when it comes to the blogs, generally, the very idea behind these is the latter is the former due to their exhibitionistic nature.

[Grimwell]

Anyway, enough about the staff, let's talk about the game:

Ixobelle said:

I signed an NDA before the whole process began, but I think it's legal to say that everything I saw is so OMFGAWESOME that if I get the position, my head will probably asplode and that will be the end of me.

Is it possible that this game might be something extraordinary?

Yes.

But you have to balance that against the fact that even if he thought the game was pedestrian he's going to only present his opinion in the most positive light - to do anything less would impact his odds of being hired.

Posting here is just another nail in the coffin for me though. This topic is not a professional topic for the guy who's being interviewed. If he does not get the job his camp of blog fans are going to think less of 38 for not hiring him and he's creating that pressure by validating it.

Protip: I do hire people for industry jobs from time to time and this is a very good way to ruin even a great interview. I see this shit and toss the resume into the shredder. Perhaps that means I'm an asshole, but I don't have an interest in someone who can't even shut their mouths about an interview before the process is done. These are things you talk about after it's all sorted so you don't put extra pressure on the folks considering you (unfair, unprofessional, and also unwise) and also so you don't end up being lured to boards like F13 where you might just say something even more stupid and blow your odds on landing the job.

Maybe I'm the only asshole who does thinks this way when hiring - but I feel pretty content about that if that's the case. I'd never talk in public about interviews I go on, and if I don't/didn't get the job I don't post that in public either. I have respect for people.

(Also, I'm totally not angry and ranting, I just want to present the other side since many of you want industry jobs and nobody ever seems to say this.)

[Ollie]

Maybe I'm the only asshole who does thinks this way when hiring

You're not.

I just want to present the other side since many of you want industry jobs and nobody ever seems to say this.

Please, what kind of a drooling retard would want to work in game development? Laughable wages, ridiculous hours and most importantly, bat-shit insane colleagues.

Any and all willing applicants are frothing evangelists, and fully deserve to land in the meat grinder. 

[Nebu]

Please, what kind of a drooling retard would want to work in game development academia? Laughable wages, ridiculous hours and most importantly, bat-shit insane colleagues.

I find it funny that the same sentence applies to more than just game development. 

I agree with the two of you above.  I've done all types of interviews from lab techs, postdocs, faculty, all the way to med and pharmacy school admissions.  If an applicant rants publicly about not getting a position, the rant serves well to justify they employer's decision. 

[gehrig38]

Never looked at it as a rant. Fwiw, and in the hiring process I now have literally zero input from a game design perspective, I look at everything he's done to date as testament to his passion to get into the industry. In a world of double digit unemployment where people think posting on Monster is the answer, it's refreshing.

If he gets hired it's because the team leads know he'll be a value add in the end, industry experience or not.

I agree the "Beat WoW" mantra is not a point getter, WoW is irrelevant in that regard. You 'beat' WoW, if you can/do (and I am not even sure what that means anymore) by staying dedicated to a great game vision, IP vision, all the way through the process and delivering on the initial promise in the end.

[Slayerik]

I agree the "Beat WoW" mantra is not a point getter, WoW is irrelevant in that regard. You 'beat' WoW, if you can/do (and I am not even sure what that means anymore) by staying dedicated to a great game vision, IP vision, all the way through the process and delivering on the initial promise in the end.

45 pages and 3 years later we are back to page 4. ;)

I say fuck Wow. You need to beat AoC. You need to beat WAR. In other words, vision/IP/promises mean shit when your game isn't fun after two weeks.

[Draegan]

Well, if he partners up with EA they might lend him Mythic's accounting software to make up for development costs.

[Grimwell]

I agree the "Beat WoW" mantra is not a point getter, WoW is irrelevant in that regard. You 'beat' WoW, if you can/do (and I am not even sure what that means anymore) by staying dedicated to a great game vision, IP vision, all the way through the process and delivering on the initial promise in the end.

45 pages and 3 years later we are back to page 4. ;)

I say fuck Wow. You need to beat AoC. You need to beat WAR. In other words, vision/IP/promises mean shit when your game isn't fun after two weeks.

You are wrong. Dead wrong.

He needs to beat his budget. If he can't get more $$ out than he's put in, he's failed. If he can, he's won.

[Slayerik]

We can tell who here works for SOE! 

[tazelbain]

Dammit, I really need to stop clicking on the Thread to Nowhere.

[Aez]

[Numtini]

He needs to beat his budget. If he can't get more $$ out than he's put in, he's failed. If he can, he's won.

No, that's how a company succeeds. This isn't a company. It's a gamer with a 20' tall pile of money who's making the game they want to play.

People should never lose sight of that.

[Grimwell]

Irrelevant.

38 could make the Greatest Game Mankind Has or Will Ever Know!!!!! and it will still close up and go away forever if they don't make their bills.

Business is business.

Frankly, this whole "Curt is just a gamer with a big wallet making a shiny new toy!" dismissal is bullshit. Every major and minor sports figure ends up retiring into something else - many of them start up businesses that have nothing to do with sports and they do so with absolutely no experience in that business. Some of them manage to succeed. You know which ones? The ones that put just as much attention to the new business as they did to the old one.

If 38 fails and someone passes it off as "Well this was the retirement plush toy of a rich athlete." they are accepting a cliche. He has some serious talent in the studio, failure isn't amateur in this case, if it happens.

[Draegan]

Grim's got it pretty locked down.  Everyone else is trying to force sensationalism into things.

[schild]

Grimwell still has more twinkle and optimism in his eye than most 7 year olds. Even if it's gilded with harsh reality and reasonably sane perspective.

No, Grimwell, most aren't accepting a cliche, especially when they go in saying it and then laugh even harder when it happens. Nice of you to be professional and call it serious talent though when every press release is a name-dropping extravaganza of mediocre proportions.

[Stabs]

I count 26 vacancies

http://www.38studios.com/jobs/list

Maybe when they fill those they'll get someone who even impresses Schild.

[Bzalthek]

I dunno, is there someone capable of impressing Schild?

[Musashi]

Fuck me if I don't agree with Curt Schilling.  An Hero.

The kid is weird.  I probably wouldn't hire him based on that.  Posting professional shit here and on his personal blog is a dumb-ass rookie mistake, there's no doubt.  But it's just a rookie mistake.  Give him a break.

[Bzalthek]

A Hat, An Herbalist. A Hero.  I suppose if you pronounce it 'ero things may be different.

[Musashi]

Somebody else wanna take this one?

[tmp]

(it's a special case)

link generally nsfw.

[Bzalthek]

Oh, I see, "special."  Gotcha.

[Margalis]

I'd be completely disinterested in companies focused on "beating WoW", in part because a company focused on beating WoW is probably the least likely to make a good game.

[UnSub]

Never looked at it as a rant. Fwiw, and in the hiring process I now have literally zero input from a game design perspective, I look at everything he's done to date as testament to his passion to get into the industry. In a world of double digit unemployment where people think posting on Monster is the answer, it's refreshing.

So, he's got five star drive...

Agree with Grimwell - 38 Studios has some serious talent, some big money behind it and is currently talking a good game. Given the current MMO track record, they have as good a chance as anyone of making a great MMO. But the most exciting thing about 38 Studios currently is if someone is going to be hired for an entry level position or not. Whee.

[Ollie]

So, he's got five star drive...

I see what you did there. Will 38 Studios ride the PB school of human resources to victory? Stay tuned.

But the most exciting thing about 38 Studios currently is if someone is going to be hired for an entry level position or not. Whee.

Surely you're not implying this thread isn't going places? 

[Tannhauser]

Anyway, enough about the staff, let's talk about the game:

Ixobelle said:

I signed an NDA before the whole process began, but I think it's legal to say that everything I saw is so OMFGAWESOME that if I get the position, my head will probably asplode and that will be the end of me.

Is it possible that this game might be something extraordinary?

Yes.

But you have to balance that against the fact that even if he thought the game was pedestrian he's going to only present his opinion in the most positive light - to do anything less would impact his odds of being hired.

Posting here is just another nail in the coffin for me though. This topic is not a professional topic for the guy who's being interviewed. If he does not get the job his camp of blog fans are going to think less of 38 for not hiring him and he's creating that pressure by validating it.

Protip: I do hire people for industry jobs from time to time and this is a very good way to ruin even a great interview. I see this shit and toss the resume into the shredder. Perhaps that means I'm an asshole, but I don't have an interest in someone who can't even shut their mouths about an interview before the process is done. These are things you talk about after it's all sorted so you don't put extra pressure on the folks considering you (unfair, unprofessional, and also unwise) and also so you don't end up being lured to boards like F13 where you might just say something even more stupid and blow your odds on landing the job.

Maybe I'm the only asshole who does thinks this way when hiring - but I feel pretty content about that if that's the case. I'd never talk in public about interviews I go on, and if I don't/didn't get the job I don't post that in public either. I have respect for people.

(Also, I'm totally not angry and ranting, I just want to present the other side since many of you want industry jobs and nobody ever seems to say this.)

No I agree with you.  Blogging about his interview is not professional.  So what if he gets the job?  Will he go home and blog about how Curt ate all the donuts in the breakroom and blew farts in meetings? This guy sounds very talented and I wish the best for him, but he's unprofessional.  I'd turn him down.

[Merusk]

as well as someone with the e-social skills to be a well-liked member of a blogging community.

Anyone else get stabby reading this verbiage, or am I getting too old for the series of tubes?

Edit: Hi ixobelle. Good luck!

You're getting too old.  Next you'll be bitching about 'that damn rap music' and realize, looking in the mirror, that you've become your grandfather.

[schild]

I dunno, is there someone capable of impressing Schild?

Currently in MMOGs? Nah, not really. I know of some stuff in dev that hasn't been announced that impresses the hell out of me, but it's mostly bits of games that I'm sure will be made public soon enough and I don't want to go around stealing thunder from anyone's sails. But as far as devs go, the only person that makes me stand up and take any sort of interest is Hartsman. Everyone else is just a member of the three-ring circus.

This was my first interview with a gaming company

k

Now stop talking on the internet, that's a dumbass rookie mistake. Just a terrible, terrible plan.

I redact that. Frankly, given how much Curt posts, I can't see it mattering even a tiny bit at all. Post whatever you want.

FWIW, resumes are easy.