Re: Need programers

From: madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)

Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 09:33:53 +0000

>>Well, obviously that would be the best course to take. But that assumes
our company had the resources to accomplish that.<<

Well, not really.  When I first had a game programmed I didnt have the
resources to do it.  I *found* them, I scrimped and saved and worked my butt
off, throwing my money into a project that was, frankly, pretty likly to be a
total waste of money.

It all worked out pretty well, but it wouldn't have done If I hadn't been
willing to take some risks and extend myself.  Speculate to accumulate and all
that.

>>Experienced programmers are expensive.<<

Not always unreasonably so.

>> Over the last five years we've grown
from a company that began on $100 in capital to one that employees the
two primary partners full time and one accountant part time and has
pulled in nice profits for the last 4 years.<<

Well if this is the case then I'd go as far as to say you definitely *can*
afford a programmer.

>>Sadly, we aren't the publisher of Magic, Pokemon, or one of the "break
out" hits (yet), <<

Neither are we.  I just run a humble PBM company, but I've employed a full-time
programmer for six years.

>>so we haven't joinned the industry elite with a large
staff (there are less than 20 companies in hobby gaming with a staff
larger than 6 people) yet.<<

That rather depends on what you call the "hobby".

>> (and it would be a risk, because in
lacking the knowledge to do this ourselves, we might end up hiring a
programmer that lacked the qualifications or will to get the job done).<<

Well, if you specify a little more about the project maybe I, or greg, or one
of the other  folk on this list could advise what sort of skills your
programmer might need, to give you a clue.

>>Makes far more sense to establish a partnership with an experienced
programmer and cut that programmer in on the long term success of the
project. <<

You'd think so, except thats the route *everybody* tries to take.  There are no
end of wannabee games designers, crying out for programmers to work for nothing
as a "partner" who will be "cut in on the long term success".  Far more than
there are programmers willing to work on those terms.  Maybe you'll get lucky
and find one of them, and maybe it'll be a programmer who actually has half the
skills they claim to have.  I wish you all the best with it, but I wouldn't
hold my breath.

>>And since we have had two firms fall thru so far, it would seem
our course has been the right one.<<

Well, you could well be right.  its not the way I'd do things, but then Im not
known for my sanity <g>.  If you've really got a good game, then my advice
would be to bite the bullet and employ a programmer.  But that advice would be
duff if the game wasnt worth the effort.  Only you can make *that* decision.

>>Unfortantely, that leaves us looking for the right partner/s for this
project, once again.<<

Well, good luck.

Steve T.

References

Re: Need programers
Ryan Johnson <dowrie@guildofblades.com>
Tue, 21 May 2002 06:43:20 +0000

Referenced By

Re: Need programers
Ryan Johnson <dowrie@guildofblades.com>
Tue, 21 May 2002 06:43:20 +0000