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We have an open-office layout. I actually really like it. It gets noisy sometimes, but it's easy to put headphones on. When we're working on a live game, it's really important that we all be in the same room because communication drops perilously when we're in separate offices. Our desks are separated 3 foot dividers so we get a sense of personal space. Each department is kind of in its own island, and people switch desks pretty frequently if they need to be working with someone cross-departmentally for a while. We're also dog friendly. One of my favorite times was when we were small enough (>10) to all working in the boss' basement.
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Apr 2, 2012 17:53
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Frown Town posted:
EDIT: VV I don't think the issue at ND was accidents, it was no one cleaning up said accidents / bad owners. Shalinor fucked around with this message at 18:32 on Apr 2, 2012 |
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Apr 2, 2012 18:00
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Shalinor posted:It's kind of awesome to see more dog-friendly offices, but... do you like, have someone on dedicated pooper picker-upper duty? I gather NetDevil used to be dog friendly, until some rear end in a top hat brought in a dog (no one was certain which) that they let crap everywhere. Or do you have a leash rule / do they stay by the owner's desk at all times, etc? Accidents do happen, but potty training tends to be one of the first things that happens to dogs. I mean, MY dog doesn't just crap everywhere with reckless abandon. He gets that he needs to do that junk outside and will get our attention to take him out there to do so. Maybe that's the minority or something, I guess.
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Apr 2, 2012 18:11
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floofyscorp posted:Sure, just don't break your leg. The problem isn't breaking your leg, its losing your job. Any reputable employer will provide decent health insurance, and some pay the full premium costs. Which is part of the reason health care costs are so high here (the other part being costs of uninsured people getting passed on).
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Apr 2, 2012 18:20
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Shalinor posted:IAP Maide posted:I do not believe I have the font your game uses, as all text is rectangles. I have an Android HTC Vision phone (Desire Z / G2) for reference. Thanks to you both  I'll make sure the right people hear this feedback.
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Apr 2, 2012 18:34
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We're kinda dog friendly. We don't have any office dogs but every now and then someone will bring a dog in. My dogs a little anti-social, I think she'd just get overwhelmed and either sit under my desk or on my lap. EDIT: I miss mapping with her on my lap. Shes the perfect head rest size. Also talking to her about design problems and figuring them out.
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Apr 2, 2012 18:57
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Speaking of office layouts, does anyone have a go-to link for some awesome studio or non-games office they would copy if they were making their own studio? We're moving later this year and are in the planning stages for the buildout of our new space, curious if there's any great examples to look at. We're definitely an open floorplan kind of studio for reference.
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Apr 2, 2012 19:49
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I've worked places that treated dogs better than people.
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Apr 2, 2012 19:51
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icking fudiot posted:Speaking of office layouts, does anyone have a go-to link for some awesome studio or non-games office they would copy if they were making their own studio? Nerd answer: http://www.wired.com/culture/design/multimedia/2007/06/gallery_nemo_office Efficiency answer: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2008/12/29.html Insomniac's offices are awesome. Pixar might have set the gold standard though.
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Apr 2, 2012 20:00
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icking fudiot posted:Speaking of office layouts, does anyone have a go-to link for some awesome studio or non-games office they would copy if they were making their own studio? Facebook: http://www.officesnapshots.com/2009/08/13/the-new-facebook-office/
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Apr 2, 2012 20:27
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Alright guys. I'm looking for some input here. I've been interviewing with Turbine for a tools position. I passed their tech phone screening, and did well enough on their coding tests to merit a flight out to Boston for an on-site interview! This will be my first on site, so I want to be prepared to nail it. Do you guys have any suggestions for things to bone up on? I'm refreshing myself on common algorithms and data structures that I might be called upon to white board (sorts, n-ary trees, etc), but any input from those of you who have been through this process would be very appreciated!
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Apr 2, 2012 20:29
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Shalinor posted:It's kind of awesome to see more dog-friendly offices, but... do you like, have someone on dedicated pooper picker-upper duty? I gather NetDevil used to be dog friendly, until some rear end in a top hat brought in a dog (no one was certain which) that they let crap everywhere. Or do you have a leash rule / do they stay by the owner's desk at all times, etc? We don't have any official policy because we haven't had any tragic accidents happen (except for the one time when the boss' dog took a dump in the designers' area- I imagine if this happened regularly, she'd stay at home). It's pretty easy for owners to let their dogs out. They generally keep their dogs leashed and right next to their desks. It's kind of up to an employee's discretion to decide whether the dog can handle the office environment; it seems like if a dog is freaking out or misbehaving, the shame falls on its owner (whose typical response is to take the dog back home). No one brings their dog in if it's being an rear end in a top hat because they don't want to ruin dog-rights for everyone else.
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Apr 2, 2012 20:40
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Namen posted:Alright guys. I'm looking for some input here. I've been interviewing with Turbine for a tools position. I passed their tech phone screening, and did well enough on their coding tests to merit a flight out to Boston for an on-site interview! This will be my first on site, so I want to be prepared to nail it. I have no advice for you, but I can tell you that the tools lead there is the best dude. Tell him Jesse says hi and that I'm hurt that they took my face out of the main tool's startup screen.
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Apr 2, 2012 21:03
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Namen posted:Alright guys. I'm looking for some input here. I've been interviewing with Turbine for a tools position. I passed their tech phone screening, and did well enough on their coding tests to merit a flight out to Boston for an on-site interview! This will be my first on site, so I want to be prepared to nail it. It's easy to freeze up in an interview on white board questions, no matter how well you might know the material. Maybe do a few white board practice rounds with friends?
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Apr 2, 2012 21:41
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Anyone looking for a PM role in San Diego for a funded social game company? PM me if you want the deets.
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Apr 2, 2012 21:47
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It seems like Quebec has decided to terminate a variety of fiscal benefits for companies, the end result being that game studios will now receive 0 support. The benefits will continue until 2014 and then… there will be no reason to stay in Quebec when Ontario is right next door. I’m terribly disappointed by my province and worried about what’s going to happen there  It just seems like such a retarded move.
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Apr 3, 2012 16:17
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  On the topic of office spaces: this is the cleanest my desk will ever be (which is not that clean, ha). I'm pleased because the owner of this dog relocated right next to me. Score. e: It's a standing desk, and my Cintiq is on a monitor arm for maximum ergonomics.
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Apr 3, 2012 16:30
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Mango Polo posted:It seems like Quebec has decided to terminate a variety of fiscal benefits for companies, the end result being that game studios will now receive 0 support. The benefits will continue until 2014 and then… there will be no reason to stay in Quebec when Ontario is right next door. I’m terribly disappointed by my province and worried about what’s going to happen there Do you have a link to more information on this? I wasn't able to find something searching via Google news.
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Apr 3, 2012 16:40
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Frown Town posted:On the topic of office spaces: this is the cleanest my desk will ever be (which is not that clean, ha). I'm pleased because the owner of this dog relocated right next to me. Score. Wait wait, which studio do you work in?
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Apr 3, 2012 16:46
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devilmouse posted:Wait wait, which studio do you work in? (z-east in Timonium - you know what I'm talkin' bout)
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Apr 3, 2012 17:01
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Frown Town posted:(z-east in Timonium - you know what I'm talkin' bout) I was like "I recognize those drawer/seat things and that powerpoint template in the far monitor"! Also I didn't recognize the luxurious new space. edit: oh lawd, we might be about to make a love connection if you were one of the first artists down there. Did you also work at his previous company? SA collides with the real world is entirely too bizarre. devilmouse fucked around with this message at 17:13 on Apr 3, 2012 |
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Apr 3, 2012 17:04
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Carfax Report posted:Do you have a link to more information on this? I wasn't able to find something searching via Google news. Sorry, the only link I have is in French. I haven't had time to google it up for more details (at work) but I'm surprised no one else has picked up on it. Seems a bit late for an April's fools joke, which I had hoped it was. e: Skip the comments (if you can read French), it's youtube-level retardation.
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Apr 3, 2012 17:24
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devilmouse posted:I was like "I recognize those drawer/seat things and that powerpoint template in the far monitor"! Also I didn't recognize the luxurious new space. Yap, but I was a piddly intern at the previous studio so I probably haven't contributed much to that title (though one or two of my props surfaced in the final game!!). I was the first artist hired after our most excellent art director. I started in BR's basement and was one of four artists to launch our first FB game. I made a lot of animals in my day, but now I'm working new stuff. :') I'm actually exceptionally curious what life's like at the other remote studios.
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Apr 3, 2012 18:18
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Frown Town posted:
What are the hanging monitors used for?
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Apr 3, 2012 18:45
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Diplomaticus posted:What are the hanging monitors used for? Indoctrination, if 90s-era sci-fi has taught me anything.
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Apr 3, 2012 18:51
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CI build monitors? Though the things being currently displayed don't really look anything like that.
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Apr 3, 2012 18:54
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Mango Polo posted:Sorry, the only link I have is in French. I haven't had time to google it up for more details (at work) but I'm surprised no one else has picked up on it. Seems a bit late for an April's fools joke, which I had hoped it was. You have this all wrong. These are entirely federal measures, Québec didn't cut anything, only Ottawa did. So no, international video game studios aren't going to flee to Ontario, since this affects them equally. Furthermore, tax breaks and other incentives were not entirely cut, just reduced. By a considerable amount, mind you, but there's still a few measures left. The biggest thing is capital assets (namely, computer material!) will no longer be creditable from 2014 on. There's still a fair amount of tax breaks on salaries, which are by far the heaviest fiscal burden on larger, AAA studios. Smaller, independent studios actually gain a lot as some measures were also introduced to make financial incentives more easily available for them. Finally, on a more editorial note, it's still a good bit cheaper for studios to operate in Montreal than other cities, simply due to the lower salaries and costs of living. (i.e.: I'm getting paid a pittance next to them Americans!) And due to the already prominent video game presence here, there's a lot of talent already present. Present, but not available, mind you, so it can be a right chore to hire good employees. But it's still a factor. Also in French, but here's an article that doesn't read like it was crapped out by the Journal de Montréal and reused by the Metro.
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Apr 3, 2012 19:00
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Jan posted:You have this all wrong. These are entirely federal measures, Québec didn't cut anything, only Ottawa did. So no, international video game studios aren't going to flee to Ontario, since this affects them equally. Awesome, thanks! Yeah, that first article is pretty bad, but that's what friends sent me and they were in a panic. Good to know it's not the case.
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Apr 3, 2012 19:08
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Diplomaticus posted:What are the hanging monitors used for? Company wide presentations, pertinent info (sprint goals, broken builds, burn down charts, lunch menu for the week, inspirational imagery) on the weekdays. I think people use them to watch sports if they're in on a weekend.
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Apr 3, 2012 19:11
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Frown Town posted:(sprint goals, broken builds, burn down charts, lunch menu for the week, inspirational imagery) In practice, it's kind of cool if you're an online studio. You can walk by and see immediately what your present CCU is, which is super exciting, at least in the early days of launch. Frown Town posted:Shalinor fucked around with this message at 20:17 on Apr 3, 2012 |
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Apr 3, 2012 20:14
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Frown Town posted:Company wide presentations, pertinent info (sprint goals, broken builds, burn down charts, lunch menu for the week, inspirational imagery) on the weekdays. I think people use them to watch sports if they're in on a weekend. Oh OK, so they're company or team-centric, rather than part of an individual person's setup?
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Apr 3, 2012 20:19
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We have some monitors here in the breakroom that display stuff like anniversaries, birthdays, weather info, upcoming company events and game releases. I know Sledgehammer has their devkit monitors mounted to the tops of their cubicles, so its easy to gather around and have informal meetings.
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Apr 3, 2012 20:20
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Shalinor posted:Or at least, I'd tell him that I'd love to sneak him treats, but I can't because of <some reason dog won't understand anyways>. I totally read this as "I'd totally pet him and tell him that I love him and sneak him treats, but I he's a dog and wouldn't understand." I was pretty 
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Apr 3, 2012 20:23
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Anyone looking for a designer? I'm on my second major round of applications and I'm getting some interest but not enough/fast enough to make me worry less about my rapidly vanishing cash reserves. Just put my resume and portfolio up on google docs: Resume: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Byxz1J_Ky5aJSmRWSGtRZUlUbEtwZHdLdVZTTzF4UQ Portfolio: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Byxz1J_Ky5aJUzZkX2RlMGZRVEc4OFVWcFNpQnprZw I'm really good at game design please hire me. <--- is this sufficient for a cover letter? Maybe that's my problem.
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Apr 3, 2012 20:44
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Diplomaticus posted:I totally read this as "I'd totally pet him and tell him that I love him and sneak him treats, but I he's a dog and wouldn't understand." This is exactly what I do. Sometimes I tell him his face looks weird and he's dumb, sometimes I tell him I love him. But it's always in the same tone Love this dog.On the hanging displays, they're very handy when we're working on live games. And yeah, it's team centric stuff, though individuals can claim their own and watch whatever on the weekend. We were recently encouraged to decorate our spaces, and I seriously wish I could put in a climbing wall, but kind of doubt this is a possibility from a liability perspective. Think I'm going to ask anyways.
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Apr 3, 2012 20:48
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Frown Town posted:
Obsidian was briefly cat friendly. I had rescued a tiny little kitten from the parking lot after working late one night- little guy had a broken leg. Not only did Chris Avellone reimburse me for the substantial emergency room visit, he said that the cat could live at the office while it got better. Eventually one of our programmers adopted him. Sorry for no pictures. I will see if anyone else has any.
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Apr 3, 2012 20:48
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I would love a dog-friendly space. My poor mutt has to chill at home.
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Apr 3, 2012 20:58
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I'm not sure if we are looking for game designers, but we're actively looking to add a 3D/technical/2D and maybe a UI artist to the team (we also need contractors/freelance and possibly art/UIinterns- local interns are given priority). I'm a senior artist at a Baltimore based social games studio and really dig the work environment. Our perfect art candidate is extremely adaptable. Specialists who are phenomal at their craft are good, but we really like people who can tackle anything that gets thrown at them. To give you some perspective, I was working on 2D flash animations/concepts/illustration at one point in this studio. Now I'm mostly doing 3D, writing shaders, and doing some light XML tweaking. I was hired as an entry level 2D artist but quickly got promoted as I demonstrated value in other areas. My transition to 3D was accompanied by a title change. We use 3Ds Max, flash, and photoshop. Every artist gets a 21 inch Cintiq. Free lunches, gym membership, benefits. Dogs. There are many perks if you're down with working on a social game with a relatively small team. You'll know everyone's name, but probably not everyone's hobbies. Send me a pm if you want more information, or if you know an artist who wants to work in this kind of environment. Any stigma I had regarding Facebook games pretty much evaporated after my first day, as someone who previously interned at console studios. Frown Town fucked around with this message at 21:10 on Apr 3, 2012 |
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Apr 3, 2012 21:03
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Comte de Saint-Germain posted:Anyone looking for a designer? I'm on my second major round of applications and I'm getting some interest but not enough/fast enough to make me worry less about my rapidly vanishing cash reserves. Do people generally list salaries on their resume now?
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Apr 3, 2012 21:09
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Comrade Flynn posted:Do people generally list salaries on their resume now? I've heard people say yes, always do that, and others who say never to do it. I usually err on the side of extra information. Plus, since my previous salary at obsidian was below industry standard, maybe potential employers will see that and think I'm a bargain (I am).
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Apr 3, 2012 21:10
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