Console Shooters

[Llyranor]

You were the 'lead designer', Ender?

[EnderAndrew]

I was, but I stepped away when most team members refused to stay in contact. I spent all my time babysitting, while people debated the direction of the project rather than handling the tasks laid out before them. Mind you, I did disappear for a while, but that was a combination of my frustration with one really dissenting team member, my computer dying, and personal issues popping up.

 

When I was able to come back to work a few weeks later, the same team member was trying to junk the plot and kept arguing about eveything and dealing with petty ****.

 

I'm not interested in childish games. I just want to put out a finished product. And to do that, I think I need to be harsh and authoritarian around next time around. I'll take suggestions, hand out a design doc and tasks, and people can either do them, or not be on the team.

[Llyranor]

I think the problem was that the recruitment phase started off on this board. Not a very good screening tool, as anyone can post. Likeminded individuals are really a must. One bad team member is all it takes to break the team morale.

 

Showing your authority when necessary is definitely a must, since you're the one who has to compile everything together. I'm an absolute tyrant with my team at times - but they love me for it, or so I tell myself

[alanschu]

I think that's one of the problems I'd have if I was ever a producer...or perhaps even a lead designer.

 

I'm such a softy

[EnderAndrew]

I established a rule that I needed every team member to send me a status report once a month. I never received a single one.

[alanschu]

I wonder if once a month is too long of a time span. Establishing a narrower timespan would help it become routine.

[EnderAndrew]

I thought the same thing. I tried establishing an email address for each team member, that either forwarded to their email of choice, or a new mailbox if they desired @projectfanout.com

 

Most team members were real eager to sign up and make huge promises, while a few never even would get back to me on their email preferrences for how the team could contact them.

 

In the end, about 4 people out of 17 seemed to want to work.

[Llyranor]

I think what helps with my project is that all the team members are buddies, so the relationship isn't simply limited to the project. It can make a big difference in terms of getting things done.

 

You would also benefit from a better source of communication than just email or a board. IM or even a chatroom would be more effective in keeping updated.

[EnderAndrew]

My best friend (a far better programmer than I) joined the team, and then not only never responded to email, but never once posted at the team forums.

 

Darque, I understand why she left. Volourn, well he just never actually wrote.

[Llyranor]

Hmm. Well.

[EnderAndrew]

I'll start a new topic for this later. I'm going to try and get my wife to email me a copy of the design doc from home and I may dust it off tonight and then try to get ahold of people again. But the for the time being, we should shift back on topic.

[Llyranor]

And what a topic it is!

[Darque]

I established a rule that I needed every team member to send me a status report once a month.  I never received a single one.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I was gone before the first month was up thanks to what's his name.

[Nartwak]

What was his name?

[EnderAndrew]

Most people who followed the project probably already know who I'm talking about, but I'd prefer not to toss names around.

[Darque]

What was his name?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I don't remember.

 

That's why I keep calling him "that fool" and "what's his name"

[alanschu]

On topic you want eh?

 

 

Console shooters are teh suck, and PC shooters r0x0r my b0x0rs

[metadigital]

Hmm, this is non-trivial.

 

Even though it's from 1998, I would say that Half-Life is defintitely up there in the top three. Half-Life 2 is, too, but more for the superlative engine and narrative references back to the original, and Opposing Forces was pretty cool too, until the narrative fell away into a standard level upon level "end-boss" sequence.

 

Deus Ex would have to be up there in the top three as well, mainly because it has role-play elements on top of the FPS base, and because in no smal part to the extraordinary narrative and multiple endings (and I don't really play war games).

[alanschu]

My top 3 FPS games would likely be Half-Life, Deus Ex, and Half-Life 2.

 

Honorable mention goes to Call of Duty.

[metadigital]

I just realised this is "Console Shooters". I haven't played that many, since I gave up my PS2 over five years ago ...

[alanschu]

Well, it's a comparison between console shooters and PC shooters.

 

So mentioning the l33t PC shooters puts you in a particular camp I think :D

[Calax]

I love the PC, I just can't figure out how to work a Console (you hit this button sixteen times to throw a grenade, and here's a fold out chart on how to punch sombody.) I just love my keyboard

[EnderAndrew]

That's odd. Most people feel controllers are simpler than keyboards.

[Darque]

Controllers are simpler... button mashing combos aren't.

[Calax]

controlers are simple but with a keyboard, once you figure out the basic's of one game you know them all, there are a few things that are different (like in Project: snowblind the aug's activate button was Alt ) but otherwise they are almost the same.