BS Studio Warning
by Juan Sanchez · in Jobs · 09/05/2008 (11:32 pm) · 25 replies
I'm writing this message as a warning to all you 3D game and simulation developers.
There is a small company here in Huntsville, Alabama. After working there for a year I just could not take it anymore and made it my no.1 priority to find another job ASAP. Luckily I was able to find work elsewhere.
The reason why myself and many others could not bare to work there anymore is sadly due to one man. The president of the company and self proclaimed creative director. Which meant he and only him has final say about anything and everything about any project there. This would be fine if he was someone with lots of experience but this man has no idea how to make a game.
He hired me to be his art director yet I don't ever recall being able to make any type of decisions about art. I would almost have to go behind his back to be able to actually perform any kind of art director duties. He even refers to me as being defiant just because I attempted to do my job as an art director.
Not only that but just about every artist that did any work for him ended up with much frustration. I mean imagine someone constantly asking you to produce something cool. You come back to him with some ideas and his response is always "that's not what I'm looking for, I'm not sure what I want, come up with something cool". To this day I'm not sure that man really knows what he wants.
He also hired two talented game designers yet he treated them more like interns. He would make it almost impossible for them to do any actual game design work. It was a constant battle for them to try to get any cool and fun ideas into the game just because he didn't understand them or simply because he thought he was the only one qualified to make those types of decisions.
He also hired one other guy, led him to believe that he was going to be a designer for a small project. When the guy got there he ended up having to code a game all by himself. And of course all design and art decisions coming from yet again the president and self proclaimed creative director of the company.
Lately this company has not been doing well. He is not able to pay all of his employees. This is not that big a deal if you know your working on a start up project and you will have some ownership of it.
But imagine going to work one day and your boss gathers everyone and says "sorry guys I can't pay you this month, I don't know when I'll be able to pay you again, I'm off on vacation see ya later".
The worst part here is that I'm almost certain he makes sure a few selected employees never miss a paycheck. When I told him I was leaving he started to promise me that I would never miss a paycheck again.
I'm also pretty sure he is being dishonest to the general public and possible investors about what his games and what his development team really is. That's how he attracts more people.
Bottom line is, this guy is only after making a quick buck. He doesn't seem to care who he steps over in the process. He's probably in the process of closing down his current company, reopening under a different name so he can start over and try to make another quick buck. He's done it before.
All I want is to shed some light on this situation and hopefully prevent others like me, people who put their heart and soul into the projects they work on, from falling into this trap.
There is a small company here in Huntsville, Alabama. After working there for a year I just could not take it anymore and made it my no.1 priority to find another job ASAP. Luckily I was able to find work elsewhere.
The reason why myself and many others could not bare to work there anymore is sadly due to one man. The president of the company and self proclaimed creative director. Which meant he and only him has final say about anything and everything about any project there. This would be fine if he was someone with lots of experience but this man has no idea how to make a game.
He hired me to be his art director yet I don't ever recall being able to make any type of decisions about art. I would almost have to go behind his back to be able to actually perform any kind of art director duties. He even refers to me as being defiant just because I attempted to do my job as an art director.
Not only that but just about every artist that did any work for him ended up with much frustration. I mean imagine someone constantly asking you to produce something cool. You come back to him with some ideas and his response is always "that's not what I'm looking for, I'm not sure what I want, come up with something cool". To this day I'm not sure that man really knows what he wants.
He also hired two talented game designers yet he treated them more like interns. He would make it almost impossible for them to do any actual game design work. It was a constant battle for them to try to get any cool and fun ideas into the game just because he didn't understand them or simply because he thought he was the only one qualified to make those types of decisions.
He also hired one other guy, led him to believe that he was going to be a designer for a small project. When the guy got there he ended up having to code a game all by himself. And of course all design and art decisions coming from yet again the president and self proclaimed creative director of the company.
Lately this company has not been doing well. He is not able to pay all of his employees. This is not that big a deal if you know your working on a start up project and you will have some ownership of it.
But imagine going to work one day and your boss gathers everyone and says "sorry guys I can't pay you this month, I don't know when I'll be able to pay you again, I'm off on vacation see ya later".
The worst part here is that I'm almost certain he makes sure a few selected employees never miss a paycheck. When I told him I was leaving he started to promise me that I would never miss a paycheck again.
I'm also pretty sure he is being dishonest to the general public and possible investors about what his games and what his development team really is. That's how he attracts more people.
Bottom line is, this guy is only after making a quick buck. He doesn't seem to care who he steps over in the process. He's probably in the process of closing down his current company, reopening under a different name so he can start over and try to make another quick buck. He's done it before.
All I want is to shed some light on this situation and hopefully prevent others like me, people who put their heart and soul into the projects they work on, from falling into this trap.
#2
In fact my ARtist has single handedly carved out his own art direction on several areas, which i would classify as "cool" but it gives something that people working on a project say, I did that, and im proud of it. Thats what a job like our industry should be. There is always going to be. This is the storyline, the bottom line, and we cant deviate from this IP. But there is always room for creativity. Thats what being a team and is potentially the strongest thing about a person, particularly in the art department.
Thanks for the heads up Juan. Its a good example of how not to run a team. now if we can get more folks to think like you do...
09/06/2008 (8:32 am)
I second that Andy. There are certainly a portion of the game development crowd that have the above mentioned mentality. And unfortunatly its stiffled alot of potential development. I suppose its their money to waste. But personally, every person on my team, i strive to draw from that persons strengths and imagination. You can see this across all of my development.In fact my ARtist has single handedly carved out his own art direction on several areas, which i would classify as "cool" but it gives something that people working on a project say, I did that, and im proud of it. Thats what a job like our industry should be. There is always going to be. This is the storyline, the bottom line, and we cant deviate from this IP. But there is always room for creativity. Thats what being a team and is potentially the strongest thing about a person, particularly in the art department.
Thanks for the heads up Juan. Its a good example of how not to run a team. now if we can get more folks to think like you do...
#3
BTW nice job on keeping the post nice and flame broiled while finely stepping along the line of not getting your ass sued by naming names and companies.
09/06/2008 (3:25 pm)
Sorry to hear about your problems Juan. I have worked at similar places in the past and sticking around never solved anything (except for where all that hair you once had has gone). I hope your new gig works out much better for you.BTW nice job on keeping the post nice and flame broiled while finely stepping along the line of not getting your ass sued by naming names and companies.
#4
I'm still not sure what the "wow" was he was searching for, but he had a picture of himself with a Bud Light can up his butt. So that has to count for something...right?
09/08/2008 (6:37 am)
When I worked as a web developer for a small startup, I had a boss whose reference of choice was "Show me the WOW!" He would often tell you to show him the wow without letting you understand what he or the client wanted. It was basically bad management built on top of inexperience with his industry and a desire to make lots of money creating subpar websites that looked "wow".I'm still not sure what the "wow" was he was searching for, but he had a picture of himself with a Bud Light can up his butt. So that has to count for something...right?
#5
I have joined with another person from work and we are in the process of getting together out business plan and demo to show some other investors on a project not related to the one at work. Hopefully I can get the funding and actually make a game instead of some nice artwork.
The worse thing at work is that we are all on salary. He wants to work us into the ground but docks our pay for sick days and doesnt let us accrue any leave time. Needless to say that most everyone would rather be somewhere else. Its hard to get into an established studio unless your skills are top notch. My advice to everyone looking to make sure you learn as much as you can. Also beware of small startup companies... they can succeed, but when your on your job interview and the CEO says we are going to use poser models in our game, then you should probbaly run. Yes this is what happened to me... DL out.
09/08/2008 (2:42 pm)
I can empathize with your situation. I work for a small game company in Louisiana and it has been a major struggle. Like your boss, Our CEO had no clue how to make a game but yet he made alot of decisions based upon his Ideas and what he liked instead of what was actually going to function in an MMORPG. We have a solid team, we just have no direction and to make matters worse we have a seperate office where all the coders are. They are creating the game engine, but to make it decent everyone knows that will take forever. Basically the whole process is backwards and most of us think hes just gonna ride the payday of the investors until they pull the plug. I have joined with another person from work and we are in the process of getting together out business plan and demo to show some other investors on a project not related to the one at work. Hopefully I can get the funding and actually make a game instead of some nice artwork.
The worse thing at work is that we are all on salary. He wants to work us into the ground but docks our pay for sick days and doesnt let us accrue any leave time. Needless to say that most everyone would rather be somewhere else. Its hard to get into an established studio unless your skills are top notch. My advice to everyone looking to make sure you learn as much as you can. Also beware of small startup companies... they can succeed, but when your on your job interview and the CEO says we are going to use poser models in our game, then you should probbaly run. Yes this is what happened to me... DL out.
#6
09/08/2008 (11:24 pm)
@DarqueLord - in Australia we have strong legislation against such things. We get 38hours max, 4 weeks annual leave, 10 days sick (accrues every year) and sick leave can be used for parental care if kids are sick - spread the word - you have rights too. Go see your Workplace Ombudsman / Councillor now!!! You must have similar basic working conditions like this. 
#7
09/09/2008 (12:40 am)
@ Andy , I wish I worked in Australia :)
#8
09/09/2008 (11:48 am)
Full time in england is often 32 hours.
#9
Its not suppose to be like that but I dont know how to fight back other than to go to the labor board and maybe go to federal government. Then if hes nailed I will probably lose my job and or he will find a way to fire me later. Time for me to get my funding and get out! Hopefully thats gonna happen. Im of no use where I am, they dont like me and dont let me use my skills for much of anything. DL out.
09/09/2008 (2:38 pm)
@ Andy Its not suppose to be like that but I dont know how to fight back other than to go to the labor board and maybe go to federal government. Then if hes nailed I will probably lose my job and or he will find a way to fire me later. Time for me to get my funding and get out! Hopefully thats gonna happen. Im of no use where I am, they dont like me and dont let me use my skills for much of anything. DL out.
#10
That needs to be an Internet phenomenon somewhere. With a mascot.
09/09/2008 (3:40 pm)
@David: Seriously? Show me the "wow?"That needs to be an Internet phenomenon somewhere. With a mascot.
#11
@DarqueLord - yes I was in a similar situation - just ride it out and find something else - good luck. Oh by the way I do freelance coding and modelling if you get up and running.
09/09/2008 (4:39 pm)
@Jonathon - nice :)@DarqueLord - yes I was in a similar situation - just ride it out and find something else - good luck. Oh by the way I do freelance coding and modelling if you get up and running.
#12
@DarqueLord: Report your boss. Has he ever heard of the lawsuits that occured with EA? It doesn't really matter if he's a bigtime douchebag or a smalltime douchebag, just file the complaint. If he fires you- wrongful termination suit, and make him pay your legal fees in addition to damages. Log things that occur. Stand by your legal rights.
If you take it from a boss and a company you want to leave desperately, what's going to happen when you find a place that you like that takes advantage of you? It's ultimately up to you, but since you posted, I figured I throw my 2 cents in.
09/09/2008 (5:54 pm)
@Deborah: The mascot is probably that can of Bud (poor can got shown some wow it probably didn't want to see)...@DarqueLord: Report your boss. Has he ever heard of the lawsuits that occured with EA? It doesn't really matter if he's a bigtime douchebag or a smalltime douchebag, just file the complaint. If he fires you- wrongful termination suit, and make him pay your legal fees in addition to damages. Log things that occur. Stand by your legal rights.
If you take it from a boss and a company you want to leave desperately, what's going to happen when you find a place that you like that takes advantage of you? It's ultimately up to you, but since you posted, I figured I throw my 2 cents in.
#13
Do what Ted said, DarqueLord. There are so many wrong things there I suspect you could find something outright illegal on the guy himself.
09/10/2008 (11:20 am)
Don't show me that wow, and don't show me the bottle!Do what Ted said, DarqueLord. There are so many wrong things there I suspect you could find something outright illegal on the guy himself.
#14
09/10/2008 (11:29 am)
Thanks guys for the support. If i do get my project funded I will be looking for a couple of fulltime Coders and artists. Remote work will also be possible. Im going to report my boss cause its just got to the point where everyone is scared of him and its BS! DL out! 
#16
09/10/2008 (11:44 am)
I've seen many cases of exploited workers. My own ten cents on a possible prevention is that developers to cling on together. At least by forming informal networks in the same locality could help warn fellow developers of companies that are questionable.
#17
09/10/2008 (12:11 pm)
Thanks guys for the support. If i do get my project funded I will be looking for a couple of fulltime Coders and artists. Remote work will also be possible. Im going to report my boss cause its just got to the point where everyone is scared of him and its BS! DL out! 
#19
@DarqueLord - you will doing everyone else a favour by speaking for them, when they are too afraid to speak for themselves. Liberate yourself - life's too short for misery - boy I wish I said that to myself 5 years ago.
09/11/2008 (7:14 am)
...needs more cowbell :)@DarqueLord - you will doing everyone else a favour by speaking for them, when they are too afraid to speak for themselves. Liberate yourself - life's too short for misery - boy I wish I said that to myself 5 years ago.
#20
09/14/2008 (7:33 am)
Juan- I am really glad you got out of this crap man. Changing a job is rarely an easy decision (unless one day Blizzard guy knocks to your door, falls on his knees and gives you s...load of money) but with this situation you just can't get it worse and being an experienced artist you will have no problems whatsoever with finding other job. Good luck to you and keep us updated. 
Associate Andy Hawkins
DrewFX