Job woes.... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

00111000 · 07-06-2004, 07:37 PM

Warning, long winded rant….

I think I’ve hit a wall in my life. I’ve recently become very disillusioned with my job, which is very sad because I’ve got a job a lot of people would kill for. Let me give the back story.

About 8 years ago I moved out west and got a job testing video games. It was perfect for me, I never went to college and pretty much did blue collar work so this was a nice change. I worked my ass off for 4 years in test and finally got a promotion to world building. Needless to say about 3 weeks after that promotion the studio was shut down.I found another job in the game industry but it wasn’t something I really wanted to do but it was paying the bills. A guy I play hockey with told me his company was hiring, it was doing game boy color stuff at a very small studio (about 15 people at the time) but it was a job in development so I took it. It was probably the best decision of my life up to that point, I learned a hell of a lot about making games and had a lot of fun. Things progressed and our company got bigger and “upper management” was brought in. I thought nothing of this as I was there to make games….not to make schedules.

Fast forward to now. I’ve worked on 15 games for this company, granted most of them are on GBC/GBA and you’ve never heard of them as most have sold less than 5k copies but I have 2 titles under my belt that have sold over a million copies. I thought this would give me some leverage in getting a raise and it sort of worked. I was moved to a ps2 title as a designer and got ¼ of the raise I asked for with another ¼ 6 months down the road depending on how my performance on this project went. About a month ago the publisher pulled the plug and the game was cancelled. I was moved back to the handheld stuff and asked to help out on some projects that were floundering. Little did I know that this meant I was no longer a designer.(upper management never told me this) So, I’ve been basically demoted to an assistant producer…which is below what I was before I got the so called promotion! I’m filling out spreadsheets, tracking assets and schedules….basic monkey work.

I know what you’re probably thinking. Leave! Find another job. Well, yes, that was my first idea also. The big problem there is I’m on the verge of buying a house. I don’t want to take that chance, sure I can get a much higher paying job at a large studio such as EA or Atari or whatever but that would make me much more expendable, where at my current job I’m pretty secure. I’ve talked to my boss and asked why I haven’t been given the chances other people with less time and or experience have and it comes down to this. I’m known as someone who will get into the dirt and get the game out which is what we need right now. Maybe after this project you can get back into design, but right now we really need you on “insert fucked up project here”.

Thus is my situation now, what do you think? Do I take the chance and go for another job..or suck it down and hope that after my next review in 3 months I get what I feel is coming to me? I feel like Peter in office space, "Its not that I'm lazy..I just don't care"

yakimushi · 07-06-2004, 07:51 PM

Um... how bout you get me a job in the game industry doing modeling or animating... hehe... kidding (sort of)

From what you describe I would probably stick with the more secure position. From my understanding of the game industry having a job you know you'll have for even three months can be pretty scarce. Before I graduated I heard a lot of horror stories about people being hired on then fired the next month when the project gets axed.

Plus with you wanting to buy a house... you have to ask yourself if the industry is stable enough to keep you from defaulting on your mortgage...

Good luck with your decisions, they are not easy ones!

lazyaznguy · 07-06-2004, 10:22 PM

I think you should just wait a few weeks/months and see if your company lets you start designing games again... if they don't you should definately consider leaving for a different company that will let you design. I know it's nice to have a steady easy job with a nice income but they money isn't really worth it if you're not enjoying what you're doing. Hope my opinion helped a little... you'll probably be getting much more meaningful responses from the older wiser people here soon. Well good luck, and I wish you the best.

Bentley Little · 07-09-2004, 10:04 AM

It kinda sounds like they are trying to force you out by making you hate your job.

tooth · 07-09-2004, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bentley Little
It kinda sounds like they are trying to force you out by making you hate your job.

Sounds like the opposite to me. More like they are having some problems with these projects and they needed someone that they trusted to get the job done for them.

I say work your ass off to get these projects fixed and back on track. This will prove your worth to your employer.

You did the right thing by talking to your boss about it. He told you as much, that this is where they need you right now, even though it is not what you want to be doing.

Now if you succeed with these projects, and then thay do the same thing again. Rather than putting you back in design. Then it's time to talk to the boss again about "seeking other opportunities." If your employers really value you as an employee, you'll be designing again in no time.

Bentley Little · 07-12-2004, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tooth
[B]Sounds like the opposite to me.

What about ... "So, I’ve been basically demoted to an assistant producer…which is below what I was before I got the so called promotion! I’m filling out spreadsheets, tracking assets and schedules….basic monkey work".

*edit: fixed html tags*

Peetster · 07-12-2004, 05:05 AM

Work hard at whatever they have you do. Show you are a team player. Tell management that you are still interested in advancement.

ARTelevision · 07-12-2004, 05:22 AM

I agree with what Peetster just typed.
I was going to type exactly the same thing.

Nisses · 07-12-2004, 07:48 AM

I'm with Bentley Little on this one, it doesn't sound like they need a dedicated worker whom they trust and count on, it sounds more like with the cancellation of that latest project, they don't really have a specific job for you the way you used to work...

00111000 · 07-12-2004, 09:47 AM

Thanks all. I've thought about it a lot inthe past week and have gotten a bit more comfortable with how things are. Yes, it sucks to be dropped to a second rate kids game, but I've got a job to do and dammit, I'm gonna do it to the best of my ability.

07-06-2004, 07:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
00111000 Psycho Location: Mostly standing in a blue semi-circle	Job woes.... Warning, long winded rant…. I think I’ve hit a wall in my life. I’ve recently become very disillusioned with my job, which is very sad because I’ve got a job a lot of people would kill for. Let me give the back story. About 8 years ago I moved out west and got a job testing video games. It was perfect for me, I never went to college and pretty much did blue collar work so this was a nice change. I worked my ass off for 4 years in test and finally got a promotion to world building. Needless to say about 3 weeks after that promotion the studio was shut down.I found another job in the game industry but it wasn’t something I really wanted to do but it was paying the bills. A guy I play hockey with told me his company was hiring, it was doing game boy color stuff at a very small studio (about 15 people at the time) but it was a job in development so I took it. It was probably the best decision of my life up to that point, I learned a hell of a lot about making games and had a lot of fun. Things progressed and our company got bigger and “upper management” was brought in. I thought nothing of this as I was there to make games….not to make schedules. Fast forward to now. I’ve worked on 15 games for this company, granted most of them are on GBC/GBA and you’ve never heard of them as most have sold less than 5k copies but I have 2 titles under my belt that have sold over a million copies. I thought this would give me some leverage in getting a raise and it sort of worked. I was moved to a ps2 title as a designer and got ¼ of the raise I asked for with another ¼ 6 months down the road depending on how my performance on this project went. About a month ago the publisher pulled the plug and the game was cancelled. I was moved back to the handheld stuff and asked to help out on some projects that were floundering. Little did I know that this meant I was no longer a designer.(upper management never told me this) So, I’ve been basically demoted to an assistant producer…which is below what I was before I got the so called promotion! I’m filling out spreadsheets, tracking assets and schedules….basic monkey work. I know what you’re probably thinking. Leave! Find another job. Well, yes, that was my first idea also. The big problem there is I’m on the verge of buying a house. I don’t want to take that chance, sure I can get a much higher paying job at a large studio such as EA or Atari or whatever but that would make me much more expendable, where at my current job I’m pretty secure. I’ve talked to my boss and asked why I haven’t been given the chances other people with less time and or experience have and it comes down to this. I’m known as someone who will get into the dirt and get the game out which is what we need right now. Maybe after this project you can get back into design, but right now we really need you on “insert fucked up project here”. Thus is my situation now, what do you think? Do I take the chance and go for another job..or suck it down and hope that after my next review in 3 months I get what I feel is coming to me? I feel like Peter in office space, "Its not that I'm lazy..I just don't care" __________________ - And so he says, 'I don't like the cut of your jib.' And I go I says, IT'S THE ONLY JIB I GOT, BABY! -

07-09-2004, 10:04 AM	#4 (permalink)
Bentley Little Insane Location: In my head...	It kinda sounds like they are trying to force you out by making you hate your job. __________________ That is my 2 cents.

07-12-2004, 05:22 AM	#8 (permalink)
ARTelevision I change Location: USA	I agree with what Peetster just typed. I was going to type exactly the same thing. __________________ create evolution

07-12-2004, 07:48 AM	#9 (permalink)
Nisses Shade Location: Belgium	I'm with Bentley Little on this one, it doesn't sound like they need a dedicated worker whom they trust and count on, it sounds more like with the cancellation of that latest project, they don't really have a specific job for you the way you used to work... __________________ Moderation should be moderately moderated.

07-12-2004, 09:47 AM	#10 (permalink)
00111000 Psycho Location: Mostly standing in a blue semi-circle	Thanks all. I've thought about it a lot inthe past week and have gotten a bit more comfortable with how things are. Yes, it sucks to be dropped to a second rate kids game, but I've got a job to do and dammit, I'm gonna do it to the best of my ability. __________________ - And so he says, 'I don't like the cut of your jib.' And I go I says, IT'S THE ONLY JIB I GOT, BABY! -

07-06-2004, 07:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
yakimushi Addict	Um... how bout you get me a job in the game industry doing modeling or animating... hehe... kidding (sort of) From what you describe I would probably stick with the more secure position. From my understanding of the game industry having a job you know you'll have for even three months can be pretty scarce. Before I graduated I heard a lot of horror stories about people being hired on then fired the next month when the project gets axed. Plus with you wanting to buy a house... you have to ask yourself if the industry is stable enough to keep you from defaulting on your mortgage... Good luck with your decisions, they are not easy ones!

07-06-2004, 10:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
lazyaznguy Upright	I think you should just wait a few weeks/months and see if your company lets you start designing games again... if they don't you should definately consider leaving for a different company that will let you design. I know it's nice to have a steady easy job with a nice income but they money isn't really worth it if you're not enjoying what you're doing. Hope my opinion helped a little... you'll probably be getting much more meaningful responses from the older wiser people here soon. Well good luck, and I wish you the best.

07-12-2004, 05:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
Peetster Right Now Location: Home	Work hard at whatever they have you do. Show you are a team player. Tell management that you are still interested in advancement.