Posts by hessi

  • 2D Engines?

    if you want to make iphone software you better start learning objective-c 2.0 + get your self a mac. if you have no software engineering background, i wouldn't start with a game. though i have no better advice. maybe try to join existing and running projects, so you can hook on the other developers.

  • DvS' photothread

    since i don't make maps, i think it is time to post some photos in exchange

    i made this one yesterday while i had been on my way home from a party. i had my "good" camera with me so i could make the required changes to the settings (exposure, iso, blabla). next weekend i will hopefully see the same imagery with this nice girl i met

    [Blocked Image: http://www.thomashess.net/1-9a944140c0fc3991e094a153d4af2fc6.jpg]

    this panorama was made after work with a beer aside i was relaxing, enjoying the landscape and thinking of the girl mentioned above and how awesome it would have been if should had been there

    [Blocked Image: http://www.thomashess.net/1-34575e60c16bba5f2127632b608d9fd5.jpg]

  • Ratio of artists to programmers

    actually both companies i worked in had licensed game engines. i think i would break an NDA or something when saying which one they used, but both times i worked with the same engine and the engine has been used in a couple of AAA games on various platforms. so the programmers actually should have had a good base.

  • Ratio of artists to programmers

    i was reading some blog today (i actually didn't bookmark the page ) where some dev claimed that in current game production processes there is a ratio of 4:1 regarding artists:programmers. I actually can't believe that this is true. What are your opinions or experiences? does this ratio depend on the team size in total? are there situations when you think that either party has too many open positions? should there be a trend to get a 1:1 ratio?

    from my experience there was pretty much either a 1:1 ratio (~12 employees working on a single title) or 4:5 (almost 1:1 with 9 employees on a single title). speaking of my last company there was a need of more programmers since the graphics were all done and the implementation wasn't keeping up.

    from my general understanding it would make perfect sense to have fewer programmers than artists, since a game is more art/design related than an abstraction of mechanics (which is what programmers would usually work on).

    this leads me to the question: is a company with a 1:1 ratio a "bad" company?

    i come to this question because my very first company was bankrupt almost 1-2 years after i left. the recent one... well i wouldn't be surprised if they wouldn't exist by 2010. both companies had the same "bad" ratio which could indicate some organisation/management wide lack of quality.

    discuss!

  • IGDA Discussion Over "Crunch Time" Development

    my old employer told the employees to pay royalties if they can get stuff done in time. since the amount of work was too much this was out of a question anyway. so i come to the same point: royalties can be the bullet in your leg.

    looking at the same company: how do you feel, if you get your shit done but then someone else doesn't because he wants things to work in a good proper way (and not quick hack n slay development way)? yes, you either think "fuck this slow bastard! he screwed my royalties" which drains on your teams motivation OR you go "we won't get this anyway, since i want to release quality." which also leads to less motivation.

    i think people already noticed, that i am not so "friendly" with the video game industry anymore. of course there are exceptions, but overall i see a lot of disappointment right ahead!

  • WIP in WIP, post your level screenshots!

    i already hated it, when people pointed that out on dod_kolsch, and i still hate it, when you point it out on his work. why shouldn't this be (semi-)stable? from the laws of physics you should know that it is possible to build a pyramid upside down, so why shouldn't gravitation work on a few bricks?

    *rant mode off*

  • Game industry questionmarks

    Quote

    I have decided that I really want to aim at getting into the game industry. But to be honest, I don't know much about it or how it works.

    so you make decisions without having thought it through? tough guy! you are still young and you shouldn't be to focused on this one perspective. try things out! this means: for example do an internship in a games company near you. after that you made your own experiences and you can be more sure of what you think you want to do.

    a personal advice and many people would share this one with me (friechamp?) is: get at least a bachelor of art/science degree and then start working full time. having been to a university teaches you many different skills (not only those that are part of the topic of your studies). additionally you can evolve in different directions and get a broader view on things. possible employers see that you have accomplished something, that sure wasn't easy to get. saying "i made a mod" is completely different to saying "i finished my bachelor degree in time and with good results".

    after having finished a university level you will be in your mid 20s and be way more grown up. as i can speak for my self: "getting into the game industry" isn't hard at all. take your time. make up a good portfolio. the rest will be sending emails and doing some interviews.

  • Alpine Legend - Are you ready to yodel?

    to be honest: i wouldnt be surprised if they would actually produce such a game. there are so many games that come with additional controllers. always following the concept that the game is only fun in multiplayer but you get only one controller. so what you gonna do? buy another overpriced one.

    man, fuck it!