Comments on: An apology to every manager I ever had http://transmogrifant.com/2009/11/17/an-apology-to-every-manager-i-ever-had/ The dark alley where creativity and usability exchange black market goods Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:02:14 +0000 hourly 1 By: Francis / 2Time blog http://transmogrifant.com/2009/11/17/an-apology-to-every-manager-i-ever-had/comment-page-1/#comment-304 Francis / 2Time blog Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:07:44 +0000 http://transmogrifant.com/?p=767#comment-304 "Process, not artifacts." As an industrial engineer, I can't help but agree with this observation. This is what separates a good band from others that produce one hit wonders. It's a tricky business to create a business that's sustainable, or a project team that's durable, as opposed to ones that do something well once, and can't repeat the trick. “Process, not artifacts.”

As an industrial engineer, I can’t help but agree with this observation. This is what separates a good band from others that produce one hit wonders.

It’s a tricky business to create a business that’s sustainable, or a project team that’s durable, as opposed to ones that do something well once, and can’t repeat the trick.

]]> By: Gary Boodhoo http://transmogrifant.com/2009/11/17/an-apology-to-every-manager-i-ever-had/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Gary Boodhoo Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:39:18 +0000 http://transmogrifant.com/?p=767#comment-52 we often speak of IP, particularly new IP. Sizzler is 110% right - the things we make are artifacts. They have a shelf life and will be put aside. My feeling has long been that the real intellectual property of any group is the way they make things. Process, not artifacts. we often speak of IP, particularly new IP. Sizzler is 110% right – the things we make are artifacts. They have a shelf life and will be put aside. My feeling has long been that the real intellectual property of any group is the way they make things. Process, not artifacts.

]]> By: The Sizzler http://transmogrifant.com/2009/11/17/an-apology-to-every-manager-i-ever-had/comment-page-1/#comment-51 The Sizzler Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:10:01 +0000 http://transmogrifant.com/?p=767#comment-51 Gary, I think you're right in some ways and I disagree in others. Yes, the complexity of the beast is difficult to manage with spreadsheets and meetings, but the complexity stems from every game "needing" to be the BEST experience EVAR, instead of just being "fun." Thus you end up with unrealistic expectations and schedules, tempered by vast hordes of people who are willing to sacrifice their lives to make those schedules happen. I do feel empathy for every single person in the entertainment industry, however, as you *do* give your all for years, and then someone picks up your game/movie, plays/watches it for a few minutes, saying, "meh, this sucks," not realizing it is the very embodiment of the "code swarm" nor how many souls were consumed in the process...and for many of the souls it wasn't even their fault. Cool visuals, though. :) Gary, I think you’re right in some ways and I disagree in others. Yes, the complexity of the beast is difficult to manage with spreadsheets and meetings, but the complexity stems from every game “needing” to be the BEST experience EVAR, instead of just being “fun.” Thus you end up with unrealistic expectations and schedules, tempered by vast hordes of people who are willing to sacrifice their lives to make those schedules happen.

I do feel empathy for every single person in the entertainment industry, however, as you *do* give your all for years, and then someone picks up your game/movie, plays/watches it for a few minutes, saying, “meh, this sucks,” not realizing it is the very embodiment of the “code swarm” nor how many souls were consumed in the process…and for many of the souls it wasn’t even their fault.

Cool visuals, though. :)

]]> By: Baroness Dal http://transmogrifant.com/2009/11/17/an-apology-to-every-manager-i-ever-had/comment-page-1/#comment-49 Baroness Dal Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:21:54 +0000 http://transmogrifant.com/?p=767#comment-49 Reminds me, again, of "Diamond Age"... Reminds me, again, of “Diamond Age”…

]]> By: Gary Boodhoo http://transmogrifant.com/2009/11/17/an-apology-to-every-manager-i-ever-had/comment-page-1/#comment-48 Gary Boodhoo Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:04:56 +0000 http://transmogrifant.com/?p=767#comment-48 good point Baroness. I feel that a similar organic form could be visualized for any collaborative activity. If we listen to musicians playing together and improvising, we basically hear the same thing, the sound of signal, advance, retreat, incorporate, shift mode, add noise, and a million other things. good point Baroness. I feel that a similar organic form could be visualized for any collaborative activity. If we listen to musicians playing together and improvising, we basically hear the same thing, the sound of signal, advance, retreat, incorporate, shift mode, add noise, and a million other things.

]]> By: Baroness Dal http://transmogrifant.com/2009/11/17/an-apology-to-every-manager-i-ever-had/comment-page-1/#comment-47 Baroness Dal Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:01:57 +0000 http://transmogrifant.com/?p=767#comment-47 It goes further than game development - any time humans collaborate they create something organic. It drives me nuts that the research on the actual dynamics of collaborating is still in diapers. The new book by Sandy Pentland is a most recent one I read on the subject of network intelligence and social signaling. Check it out. http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=11532 It goes further than game development – any time humans collaborate they create something organic. It drives me nuts that the research on the actual dynamics of collaborating is still in diapers. The new book by Sandy Pentland is a most recent one I read on the subject of network intelligence and social signaling. Check it out.

http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=11532

]]>