• 2Apr 08

  Everybody's Doing It

  I thought I would wait, before telling people, to see if I would actually keep updating it... and so far I've found I have a lot to say.

  Like all my dear former GameSpot friends, I have started posting on a blog elsewhere. It's not for lack of love for this site, it's just because I'm interested in beginning new memories.

  I will always be reading, and I will pop in from time to time (as I have here), but I hope to frequently update my blog there, if you are so inclined to read it:

  Doubt The Stars

  So far it's been about things related to video games, of course, it's about some things that are personal, and it's about working in game development, above all.

  • Posted Apr 2, 2008 10:15 am GMT
  • 22 Comments
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• 20Dec 07

  I'm awfully glad I'm a Beta...

  On Tuesday of this week, the Warhammer Beta went live again, something that we've been preparing for longer than I care to admit. Truth be told, it has been consuming me for a few months now.

  I've been watching our internal forums with simultaneous hopeful anticipation and dread, in part because I think some of the things we've done for the Beta are really cool and I can't wait to be reaffirmed, and in part because there are still a lot of bugs and features I want to get in, and the Beta testers are not going to shy away from reminding me of that fact.

  It's given me quite a new perspective on Betas, and development on a live game in general. Which is, this is a thousand times harder than anyone can possibly imagine.

  Games, all by themselves, in my limited experience so far, seem extremely difficult to make. It requires everyone in the company to be on top of their game, from conceiving and selling an idea, to branding and raising public awareness, to planning and execution, to polish and commitment. If we were just making a game that we were shipping next year, dusting off our hands and jumping onto another project, that alone would be hard enough. But with an MMO, you have to now support this game, react and respond to feedback and tests of scales beyond which you could possibly feel prepared for. You have to accept that getting Betas up early on are an important part of the process, soliciting feedback and really really listening to it (you can stick you pride in your pocket for that one, letmetellyou).

  But, lest I sound like I'm complaining here, the challenge is part of what makes it so rewarding. I've known quite a few people to make the offhanded comment that they'd like to get into the game industry, and despite the work and the competition for jobs, if you're aggressive and passionate and committed, it's so completely worth it.

  Last week I got a promotion, my job effectively remains the same, but the expectations have gotten a lot higher. I have a feeling, with the reopening of Beta, the Beta testers are going to make sure that I've earned it. Like I said, the challenge is part of the enjoyment, but I'm still awfully glad this is just a Beta.

  • Posted Dec 20, 2007 5:41 pm GMT
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• 10Dec 07

  Help a Mother out...

  Last time we left her (as far as the GS audience is concerned), my mother was madly in love with Nintendogs. It's been a couple of years and I used my desire to get a DS Lite as an excuse to give her my old DS as a hand-me-down, along with Nintendogs and a couple other games, including Animal Crossing.

  This morning, I get a frantic message from my mother, and we're in the middle of beta crunch time right now, so I'm half-reading it. She's going on and on about not being able to find the store and bells and fruit in her pockets and once I realized she was talking about Animal Crossing, I just sent her the link to GameFAQS and went back to work.

  A few hours later, she returns with a letter she has written some poor game guide author. It was so funny, I just had to share. Can anyone help a mother out?

  I read with interest your information about Animal Crossing. I am new to the game and am an older player. I havenīt much of a clue. My house is ridden with cockroaches or rats or something. I have no bells. I do not know how to find Tom Nookīs store. I have a pocketful of fruit. I don't know how to write a letter to my housemate, who is sleeping (of course). I figured I could sell fruit if I could find the store. I wander around town but donīt get much help from anyone. Entered someoneīs house who was about to put dinner on the table but was told she didnīt have enough for me and I should have brought something.
  
  I may be absolutely too green for you to take any note of this, but I thank you, in advance.
  
  Virginia

  • Posted Dec 10, 2007 11:41 am GMT
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