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 Forum index » Off-Topic Section » Off-Topic Discussion
Small or big game development team?
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Dan The Man


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:04 pm    Post subject:  Small or big game development team?
Subject description: referring to the demise of the original Blizzard North team
 

Just giving my thoughts on how big a game development team should be. I've read that the ultimate reason why the original makers of our beloved Diablo 2 franchise was then called "Blizzard North." A separate entity or branch, consisting of a mere 20-30 employees, which was stationed separately from headquarters.

The "mother" company, "Blizzard" wanted to make the 2 into 1. Blizzard North did not want this. Because they as a small bunch, felt they wouldn't have much control or freedom over their ideas or work if it was one big team. I think a smaller team would in some ways have an advantage because being creative would have more room to expand and wouldn't be hurt by big corporate office's strangle. Thus, was the demise of the original Diablo creators. And now a new Diablo 3 is in the horizon. For better or for worse. Your thoughts.
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Jerkazoid


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 5:19 pm    Post subject:  

i will state from the viewpoint that the above statement is cautious of blizzards development away from the smaller North team mentality

imo the same logic states a military is stronger or possibly more suscsefull when smaller, thats not to say it cant achieve a goal better, but from my experience the problem with size is simply organization.
when people don't know there roles, roles conflict or personalities simply do not overlap, any conflict causes projects to fail.

i can relate with this bc of my job. we have a problem... a drug addict boss who signs our checks, thinks they have good ideas, and hates it when we create stuff without them controlling it. While at the same time opposes that viewpoint with meetings where they try to bolster everyone roles with these statements "you are all leaders here, you have a chance to take ownership, get things done, and dont cut corners! if u don't think your a leader GET OUT!"

all this boss did for first 6-7 months since i started was buzz around the cubicles and say "This client doesn't pay great so we are over promising and under delivering." this is a direct conflict of interest with my contractual obligation, as a dept art director it is my role to maintain quality standards in the team, So 1 of my roles is to make sure artwork can stay competitive so that the business can continue.

For them to say "under deliver" is not only bad long term external business
it lowers moral internally
and ruins confidence that team has for their management.

this is a big deal, internal direction and production is routinely side tracked by their dealings. And there is a constant powerstruggle between executives. what im trying to illustrate here is a tight ship is a tight ship no matter the size.

a friend of mine left to work with Bill Roper at Mythos (flagship) under the Hellgate project. He praised the guy as well as most of the team (about 10-15)

as example WoW is an incredible project and extremely successful. compared to D2 (and i know we have a bias to D2) WoW is an incredibly well executed piece of code, art and marketing... its like comparing a sailboat to a cruise ship
u can see the development of Blizzard as a company in many aspects. even blizzcon was a microcosm of their growth, the 1st was so badly run it was 1/2 the fun, this last Oct they really put on a great event.. it just gets better and better.
i think currently they run a tight ship.. some even wont take jobs their bc they think of them as "the man" too powerfull, too tight, too controlling of their individual desires.

with experience comes a great product, , then comes money and the future for more refined product.

i loved D3 so far i am very excited,
in the meantime i played mythos a few months back when it was still alive,.,..and was a little disappointed

in the meantime as we wait for d3 check out this sketch of prof farnsworth as a tf2 engineer!!!! (guess where his dispenser is)

u might be wondering,, whats the point of this.. well. its very subtle.

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Goky

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PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 8:09 pm    Post subject:  

Is this secret code that you work for Valve!?
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Jerkazoid


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 9:23 pm    Post subject:  

no, i wish. (valve is a tight ship too) but good guess,
and who said i made the sketch?

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ThatGuy

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 2:49 pm    Post subject:  

Thanks for the insight jerkazoid.
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Jerkazoid


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 3:59 pm    Post subject:  

damn, i remember i made an error now that i see this again.
"a friend of mine left to work with Bill Roper at Mythos (flagship) under the Hellgate project."
wasnt Bill Roper at all, wrote some of that in haste, it was Max Schaefer and brother Erich from Diablo

also the best way to describe the WORST possible situation that happens in the workforce is easy to understand psychology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning-Kruger_effect

happens all the time.
nothing seems to win at cut-throat business better than flat out confident, sociopath bs. especially over promising people with money/power (who are also filled with bs) to give you some. A brazen lack of insight at their own failures/mistakes mixed with a stubborn inability to listen to or even comprehend others who could possibly help

This is imo the WORST type of situation at the workforce (AKA part of the Dilbert principle) meaning; ironically, people are promoted until they reach a position they are not qualified for.

those individuals tend to augment and isolate with one another. management ascends out of the loop from communication with the real work, confidence and communication shuts down and sure enough the team looses its screws. Its a BIG problem that upper management must understand and work on in order to run a team.

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