tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959857904862764847.post2207241601166820955..comments2023-09-23T10:46:14.707+01:00Comments on The Boss Monster: Before You Work for a Start-up Game Company, Part IISean Duganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12929101541707990779noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959857904862764847.post-44238314772503197682010-03-02T23:22:53.619+00:002010-03-02T23:22:53.619+00:00Flagship is a great example of a company that look...Flagship is a great example of a company that looks good at first blush but is worth scratching the surface before working for it. The Diablo series was a big success in the market but they were games that tended to take a long time (and a lot of money) to produce. That's a dangerous production model for a start-up. I think most of the folks that worked with the Roepers would say that strong creatively but probably not your go-to guys for a rigorous production process. <br /><br />Your point about the foreign disconnect is also very well taken. Actually, I think a good rule of thumb is that the farther away the money guys are, the more dangerous things can get. Miscommunication or a simple lack of can result in a major rug-yanking.Sean Duganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12929101541707990779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1959857904862764847.post-30773597646602370882010-02-27T02:52:03.795+00:002010-02-27T02:52:03.795+00:00Hmm, there's this start-up I'm thinking of...Hmm, there's this start-up I'm thinking of joining, let's see:<br />It's being started by executives with a track record of successful games, check.<br />It's working on one project, but has enough actual money to make four AAA games, check.<br />Right then, I'm off to join Flagship games! What's the burn rate? Oh, wait... <br />Flagship was a pretty good example of the burn rate being a real studio-killer. (Although I understand Flagship had a number of complex problems, of which that was but a symptom.)<br /><br />I have to say, having worked for three failed start-ups, I still don't really know why any of them shut down. In all cases, the companies were foreign funded; in all cases the money stopped flowing, but not because the funders didn't have the cash. Being dependent on a foreign company complicates things enormously: the financial health and nature of the management of the parent companies was obscured by language barriers and distance. Unexpected changes in management and ownership of the parent companies played a major role in some of the closures. I often, however, got the impression that the foreign companies came into the situation fairly blind, not having done any research into US game development. Asking the right questions is vital - for *everyone* involved.bob_dhttp://www.lies-all-lies.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com