Author Topic: The truth about working at rockstar (Read 4227 times)

stevey · « **on:** July 25, 2007, 12:47:44 PM »

One ex employee tells his story about what is like working at Rockstar,

Quote
Every Rockstar project turned into a huge clusterf#ck. I mainly blame this on a horrendously inefficient company structure combined with a few individuals who thought they were hot sh!t but really didn't know anything about either video games or marketing. By that time, Rockstar was arrogant to the point of absurdity.

Quote
Every project involved at least four different approvals - Scott, Jenny Gross, Dan Houser, and Terry Donovan. If any one of them requested a change, the project would be sent back. Often they didn't communicate and didn't agree with each other, so we'd do one change only to have someone else up the chain ask us to change it back. Then an argument would inevitably ensue. And when I say "argument", I mean "screaming at the top of your lungs and throwing objects around the office" type of argument.

Quote
And honestly, I was pretty vocal in telling my superiors that while I'd do whatever they asked me to do (within reason), I didn't support Manhunt's release. It may sound surprising, but there was almost a mutiny at the company over that game. It was Rockstar North's pet project - most of us at Rockstar Games wanted no part of it. We'd already weathered plenty of controversy over GTA3 and Vice City - we were no strangers to it - but Manhunt felt different. With GTA, we always had the excuse that the gameplay was untethered - you never had to hurt anybody that wasn't a "bad guy" in one of the missions. You could play completely ethically if you wanted, and the game was parody anyway, so lighten up.

Manhunt, though, just made us all feel icky. It was all about the violence, and it was realistic violence. We all knew there was no way we could explain away that game. There was no way to rationalize it. We were crossing a line.

Wow it's a miracle they can even make games.

link

UERD · « **Reply #1 on:** July 25, 2007, 12:54:01 PM »

Quote
And when I say "argument", I mean "screaming at the top of your lungs and throwing objects around the office" type of argument.

This kind of behavior seems endemic throughout the entire software industry, for some reason

.

Deguello · « **Reply #2 on:** July 25, 2007, 01:03:01 PM »

Why is it that the people who make the "childish games for kids and babies " software act like mature adults and compose themselves with respect, while the people who make the "adult games for adulty-dults" act like screaming 'tweens in a grocery store?

Infernal Monkey · « **Reply #3 on:** July 25, 2007, 01:32:19 PM »

Manhunt is no different to Super Mario Bros. Were the Goomba's and Koopa Troopa's really bad guys? We'll never know, because Mario murdered them like the killing machine he is.

Mashiro · « **Reply #4 on:** July 25, 2007, 01:40:32 PM »

Well Goomba's were, Koopa Troopa's I assume were just well followers of Koopa but:

Quote
Typically, Goombas are brown, round creatures with faces and feet. They are mushroom creatures that betrayed the Mushroom Kingdom. Most of them are in alliance with King Bowser's Koopa army.

According to the American version of the Super Smash Bros. Melee Goomba trophy, the Goombas once lived in peace in the Mushroom Kingdom, but they betrayed their homeland to side with Bowser, this echoes the information provided in the original Super Mario Brothers manual. Recent Mario games such as Paper Mario have shown that not all Goombas are bad.

See? Betrayal. KILL EM ALL! =P

Sir_Stabbalot · « **Reply #5 on:** July 25, 2007, 02:02:22 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Deguello
Why is it that the people who make the "childish games for kids and babies " software act like mature adults and compose themselves with respect, while the people who make the "adult games for adulty-dults" act like screaming 'tweens in a grocery store?

You know, that sounds pretty true. Has Shiggy ever lost his temper?

that Baby guy · « **Reply #6 on:** July 25, 2007, 02:09:22 PM »

They're either with us or against us.

Now, seriously, the software industry is buggy. Why? Because it isn't established. There isn't a successful business track to follow here. Read how most of it started in the US with Atari. You'll see some really messed up things there.

Now, things are starting to align right. Problems are beginning to be solved. Game designers are now more than just nerdy kids who know how to program, now they are beginning to become college graduates who are responsible adults and know how to run a business more efficiently. It is a rough transition, and it isn't going to be peaceful, but all-in-all, if the industry can survive this change, the games will be better, less rushed, and created by people who are happy with the hours they work. Companies that use tyrannical methods to push out game after game will end up losing a whole lot if they don't get it straight soon. They'll be sued and lose all employees.

Luckily, because the Wii costs less to develop for, the price of games probably won't increase for most of us, but I'm almost certain that we're going to start seeing $70 games pretty soon, especially if platform prices dip much more for Sony, or are forced to dip with MS. They'll want to make some of that up on licensing, and the developers will need the extra cash differences, too.

Kairon · « **Reply #7 on:** July 25, 2007, 02:29:51 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Sir_Stabbalot
Quote
Originally posted by: Deguello
Why is it that the people who make the "childish games for kids and babies " software act like mature adults and compose themselves with respect, while the people who make the "adult games for adulty-dults" act like screaming 'tweens in a grocery store?

You know, that sounds pretty true. Has Shiggy ever lost his temper?

The horror... the horror... all those tea tables... upended... gone forever.... /cry

Mashiro · « **Reply #8 on:** July 25, 2007, 02:33:32 PM »

I think of Shiggy as Professor Xavier. I think if he was to be enraged and fight a being of equal creative power that the negative energy would merge and form Onslaught.

UncleBob · « **Reply #9 on:** July 25, 2007, 03:46:17 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Mashiro
Well Goomba's were, Koopa Troopa's I assume were just well followers of Koopa but:

Quote
Typically, Goombas are brown, round creatures with faces and feet. They are mushroom creatures that betrayed the Mushroom Kingdom. Most of them are in alliance with King Bowser's Koopa army.

According to the American version of the Super Smash Bros. Melee Goomba trophy, the Goombas once lived in peace in the Mushroom Kingdom, but they betrayed their homeland to side with Bowser, this echoes the information provided in the original Super Mario Brothers manual. Recent Mario games such as Paper Mario have shown that not all Goombas are bad.

See? Betrayal. KILL EM ALL! =P

But now you're assuming that Peach is the rightful heir to the Mushroom Kingdom and not Bowser. For all we know, Bowser could simply be fighting to retake what is rightfully his.

IceCold · « **Reply #10 on:** July 25, 2007, 05:45:36 PM »

Terrorist or freedom fighter?

UncleBob · « **Reply #11 on:** July 25, 2007, 05:53:50 PM »

Exactly.

Kairon · « **Reply #12 on:** July 25, 2007, 06:05:18 PM »

Ganondorf too. The Triforce was actually his grandmother's favorite brooch. He's just trying to recover an ancient family heirloom.

UncleBob · « **Reply #13 on:** July 25, 2007, 06:08:39 PM »

Didn't Wind Waker imply that Ganondorf's people (the Gerudo) were pretty much forced to live in the harsh enviroment of the desert by the Hylian Monarchy - and this is what made Ganondorf try to sieze the ultimate power, so he could control the kingdom and "free" his people? Or am I making that up?

KDR_11k · « **Reply #14 on:** July 25, 2007, 07:38:55 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Mashiro
Well Goomba's were, Koopa Troopa's I assume were just well followers of Koopa but:

Quote
Typically, Goombas are brown, round creatures with faces and feet. They are mushroom creatures that betrayed the Mushroom Kingdom. Most of them are in alliance with King Bowser's Koopa army.

According to the American version of the Super Smash Bros. Melee Goomba trophy, the Goombas once lived in peace in the Mushroom Kingdom, but they betrayed their homeland to side with Bowser, this echoes the information provided in the original Super Mario Brothers manual. Recent Mario games such as Paper Mario have shown that not all Goombas are bad.

See? Betrayal. KILL EM ALL! =P

Of course goombas are evil, they're brown ferchrissakes! They're out of place in the aryan mushroom monarchy Peach has created!

Ceric · « **Reply #15 on:** July 26, 2007, 02:11:58 AM »

The best villians are good in their eyes. Though Bowser is an interesting case. He wants to marry Peach because, lets face it, she is the only regular women in the Mushroom Kingdom. It gives him a purpose to get up in the morning. Though you really never see him as being portrayed as really having a true interest in taking over the Mushroom Kingdom.

Ganondorf on the other hand is a little weirder. He comes across as a loner but, he as an army horde. While Link on the other hand comes off as all in the family but, is always alone.

Mashiro · « **Reply #16 on:** July 26, 2007, 03:44:52 AM »

Gannondorfs stories are usually always based off of his greed of obtaining the triforece and ruling the land for his own evil purposes.

Only in Wind Waker does he have somewhat of a not so bad story as to why he did it but I still don't buy it. Remember, Wind Waker's whole story is based on the fact that the gods intervened and flooded the land which Gannondorf spread darkness over. Without Link their to stop him the land was thrown into chaos. So he essential got what he wanted but still just spread evil and death across Hyrule and didn't help his own people all too much.

BranDonk Kong · « **Reply #17 on:** July 26, 2007, 08:00:30 AM »

Good things this guy is an ex-employee, he sounds like a whiner.

couchmonkey · « **Reply #18 on:** July 26, 2007, 10:51:31 AM »

Ha ha.

It sounds like management got messed up.

It surprises me and doesn't surprise me that Manhunt was Rockstar North's pet project. On the one hand, the company used to do lots of relatively "innocent" games, like Space Station Silicon Valley and Lemmings. On the other hand, they also like rocking the boat with their games.

Ceric · « **Reply #19 on:** July 26, 2007, 10:53:39 AM »

Lemmings on Wii would be excellent.

IceCold · « **Reply #20 on:** July 26, 2007, 06:20:38 PM »

Quote
He wants to marry Peach because, lets face it, she is the only regular women in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Oh snap! Pro's gonna be after you now!

Arbok · « **Reply #21 on:** July 26, 2007, 06:46:53 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: IceCold
Quote
He wants to marry Peach because, lets face it, she is the only regular women in the Mushroom Kingdom.
Oh snap! Pro's gonna be after you now!

Paulina would definitely qualify as a "regular woman" as well.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #22 on:** July 26, 2007, 09:52:37 PM »

1. We don't know if Pauline is located in Mushroom Kingdom
2. Donkey Kong already lays claim to her.

Ceric · « **Reply #23 on:** July 27, 2007, 02:39:42 AM »

Yeah its never really been established whether Pauline was Mushroom Kingdom or the world that Mario and DK came from. Also Daisy has her own Kingdom if memory serves right.

couchmonkey · « **Reply #24 on:** July 30, 2007, 07:19:32 AM »

So the truth about working at Rockstar is that they sit around and debate the life and times of Mario?
(Yeah, Daisy is the princess of Sarasaland.)

News:

Author Topic: The truth about working at rockstar (Read 4227 times)