Interesting reading on 1up.com

[Romier S]

Came across this article while reading 1up.com.

 

Here it is:

 

http://www.1up.com/article2/0,2053,1546776,00.asp

 

I especially found the contrasting of how Japanese developers are percieved as opposed to western/European developers. The article is a quick read but interesting food for thought.

[Camp]

Becoming a wholly owned subsidiary does wonders for job security, but it seems increasingly popular for some publishers to try and obscure their developers' individual identities.

 

This topic has always been of interest to me.

It's not unlike the early film industry. Hollywood studios signed as much talent as they could afford in an effort to boost their brand and keep egos in check. Eventually, the stars busted loose and changed everything.

 

I want to see star producers, designers, artists, and musicians behind the games we love. I want to see the person responsible for the level design in Metal Arms demand a bigger contract on his next game because of his demonstrated excellence. I want to know who the Miyamoto was behind Halo.

 

Granted, the process of video game production is a collaborative one. So is movie making, yet we know cinematographers, designers and directors by name.

 

I'm very much looking forward to the time when the gaming industry follows in the footsteps of early Hollywood. I want the great talent elevated on a pedistal so I don't have to put up with the David Perry's of the world.

[dogbert]

Granted, the process of video game production is a collaborative one. So is movie making, yet we know cinematographers, designers and directors by name.

 

It's a much more collaborative process I suspect, at least going by the examples you gave. Even on the games Miyamoto gets recognition for recently, he stresses as much as he can that freuently he's the producer, not the director.

 

Who is the "one person" behind GTA3? Who should get the recognition for that? Same with Halo. Games these days are generally the product of the team that made it, with everyone on it having an impact & a good game is usually more than the sum of its parts.

[Camp]

You're absoluetly right, of course. But the whole industry is set up to recognize the publisher first, developer second and to avoid any mention of contributions by individuals.

 

Yes, Halo was a massive team effort but I'm sure there are key individuals who lead the team in the right direction.

[Romier S]

Here is the news that ties into the 1up.com article:

 

Jason Rubin leaves Naughty Dog...

 

Should give a bit better understanding of Rubins reasons for leaving Naughty Dog.

[Camp]

And to think he started with junk like Way Of The Warrior.

[Graeme]

Very interesting article. As someone who thinks that developers get the shaft most of the time when it comes to recognition. Of course there are a few big name studios and designers, most of the time we are pretty clueless as to who is actually making are games.

 

It's interesting to see how different publishers handle promoting their teams though.

 

EA is obviously trying all it can to create an "EA Games" brand, and to their credit I think it's working quite well for them. People look at their games and see EA on the box and usually "know" it'll be a good game. That obviously started with their sports franchises, but is moving more and more into all of their games. EA now has the luxery or taking a series of theirs like Need For Speed, Medal of Honor, or NHL (which have all had some developer suffling this past year as Black Box took control of both NHL and all system duties for NFS and MOH was moved into the new EA LA studio) and give it to another developer without anyone but the hardcore knowing about it, nor caring.

 

The fact that they develop a good number of their games in large studios like the one here in Burnaby also makes it somewhat neccesary IMO, although I'm sure they could try and give each team a bit of an identity if they wanted.

 

Then there's Vivendi which has some of the most well known developers under it's stable. Vivendi isn't making Warcraft, Half Life 2, and Homeworlds... Blizzard, Valve and Relic are, and most people know that (and of course I realise that Valve and Relic are not exclusive to Vivendi).

 

Anyway, I hope things change. As someone who loves to read about and learn about this hobby and industry, I much rather read about the people who actually make the games over the company that pushes it, or the suit who "produces" it.