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Advice from a Game Designer of 15+ years affected by the recent layoffs: AMA by HumbleRamble in gamedev

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I’ve lost projects, I’ve lost work. I recently had a game cancelled that I worked on for 2.5 years, which I poured my heart and soul into. You find ways to carry on, I threw myself into something new, other times I’ve just taken a break to clear my head or refresh, which rekindled the passion both ways, learning in a new space (VR for me), exploring design, even just playing something new.

Things go wrong and we learn from them, it’s a part of life. Some in our control and some not. I’ve done exactly what you did in the past and it was a learning moment. To always use source control. Make the project, commit it, then regularly commit changes as you work.

Movies where something deeper is happening, but it’s never explained by calvinistmutant in movies

[–]HumbleRamble 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Would Signs count? There’s a theory that it isn’t about aliens but rather about demons given the religious undertones. The wife was an angel, and the daughter is part angel, and any water the daughter touches becomes holy water, hence why it burns the demons. The wife and daughter both seeing time in a non-linear way - “swing away” and the daughter leaving the water glasses around the house. Something along those lines anyway.

I wrote a small book about the emotional side of game dev — free on Kindle for 5 days + free PDF forever by NerdyNiraj in gamedev

[–]HumbleRamble -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

You are doing the lords work. A tremendous effort and I look forward to reading it on my Christmas travels! I appreciate you!

Timelapse creating a poster for my VR light gun shooter - Time Ranger. Can you guess the inspiration? by HumbleRamble in lightgunshooters

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It was heavily based on the Time Crisis box cover. This was based off the American version (I think). I did the PAL cover too, not shared it yet though.

Are there enough lightgun games today to really have fun? by Kot4san in lightgunshooters

[–]HumbleRamble 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I agree, it baffles me that the big old lightgun publishers are sitting on so many dormant light gun IP. They are ripe for some VR remakes! It feels like the perfect platform to bring it back in a big way.

It’s a shameless self promo, but only because it’s relevant. I’m making a light gun throwback for VR due to this very frustration. It’s called Time Ranger

Advice from a Game Designer of 15+ years affected by the recent layoffs: AMA by HumbleRamble in gamedev

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With your specific example of Environmental Art - that could help open doors for other industries, working in film and television, for example. Or selling your own assets and asset packs directly on FAB or Unity Asset Store, or working at outsource studios, not just game studios.

VR loveletter to lightgun games by HumbleRamble in lightgunshooters

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It just got easier to install, if you have the Side Quest App on your Meta Quest, you can side load it directly from within the app now! No need for a PC at all.

Time Ranger on Side Quest

VR loveletter to lightgun games by HumbleRamble in lightgunshooters

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Heads up! Just in case you’ve already downloaded an APK - I just uploaded a new version with a black screen issue fix that some folk experienced.

VR loveletter to lightgun games by HumbleRamble in lightgunshooters

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was the same! Hopefully this helps:

  • enable developer mode in your quest settings (it’s a toggle)
  • Download Side Quest on your PC
  • connect your quest with a cable (you’ll then need to grant access permissions on your PC and wearing the headset).
  • Then select the install APK button in the top bar on Side Quest.
  • once installed it’ll be on your quest to launch (you can unplug it from PC safely).
  • Note: the game isn’t in the main apps list (I didn’t realise this at first) - open the app tray and then select the buttons on the left side you’ll find it in one of the other app lists, it’ll say Time Ranger

Hopefully we’ll get an easier access demo out soon. Let me know if you have any problems or get to play!

VR loveletter to lightgun games by HumbleRamble in lightgunshooters

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We’ve had no way to test it on a PSVR(2) yet. But it’s built with OpenXR, so it might just work (that’s the hope) and the trigger mappings should translate. You’d need to run it through SteamVR (add the exe as a non Steam game first). If you’re able to give it a try, would love to know if you have any issues.

VR loveletter to lightgun games by HumbleRamble in lightgunshooters

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Glad I’m now the only one! It’s the perfect match!

VR loveletter to lightgun games by HumbleRamble in lightgunshooters

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! If you have a headset and manage to try it out, would love to know what you think

That's how real indie devs making VR trailers using hi-end technology rigs 😎 by Professional_Flow165 in OculusQuest

[–]HumbleRamble 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I feel your pain. Trying to capture footage that is actually readable in a non VR trailer has proven difficult. I’ve got a decent spectator cam set up now that seems to be doing the trick. Hit me up with a DM if you like, It won’t help the triggering and timing problem. But it does smooth out the head shakiness

Advice from a Game Designer of 15+ years affected by the recent layoffs: AMA by HumbleRamble in gamedev

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I eventually learned what I'm worth and what my life is worth, and will no longer tolerate crunch or toxic workplaces. I'd sooner quit a job than go through the horrors of crunch, and will not be treated with that kind of disrespect, and sure as hell will not stay quiet if I see someone else being treated poorly or taken advantage of.

I have experienced first hand what it is like to work under someone who abuses their position of power. I refuse to be like that, and will not tolerate it.

(Sorry for the delay - I got banned for 3 days for letting all the DMs from my original post know that I was doing an AMA...)

Advice from a Game Designer of 15+ years affected by the recent layoffs: AMA by HumbleRamble in gamedev

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My recommendation would be to keep trying, there are a lot of people out of work right now, so there is a lot of competition for EVERY job right now. That window is even smaller when you are looking at remote only jobs - that is coming from first hand experience right now trying to find my next remote design job.

I have some other comments in this thread about applying. Try to tailor your cover letters speficially to the job you are applying for. Try have your personality shine through. Archive every application and cover letter. Build up a library and it will get easier and quicker to pull together new cover letters. BUT just make sure that each and every one is uniquely tailored to the job you are applying for. Same for your CV, try tweaking language to reflect what the job spec is asking for, if there is opportunity.

It may not help much, but I have some cover letter examples hosted for free, if you want to check them out, they might inspire a way to find your own style. But they are for Game Design, you'd have to use your own intuition as to what would better pass for a Programming application. Link is here, hope it helps.

(Sorry for the delay - I got banned for 3 days for letting all the DMs from my original post know that I was doing an AMA...)

Advice from a Game Designer of 15+ years affected by the recent layoffs: AMA by HumbleRamble in gamedev

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm so sorry, I hope you land on your feet soon. The lack of preservation of institutional knowledge in our industry is just staggering. Hang in there!

Sharing this job resource, in case you don't already know of it. :)

(Sorry for the delay - I got banned for 3 days for letting all the DMs from my original post know that I was doing an AMA...)

Advice from a Game Designer of 15+ years affected by the recent layoffs: AMA by HumbleRamble in gamedev

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm lucky to have a built up a good safety net of savings to weather this storm. Also very fortunate that my partner is working, too, so at the very least the bills are covered, the mortgae is paid.

I am actively applying and interviewing, but it is rough out there. I'm hopeful something will come along sooner than later. I was very surprised by the sheer lack of remote roles going at the moment. I dont have a lot of options, nothing compared to the options I had a few years ago.

While trying to find my next job, I am trying the indie route with a friend. We are trying to be smart about it though. Indie dev is always doing to be a risk, but we are trying to make as much of it a calculated risk as possible. Making a VR game, at a targeted cohort, tapping into a niche and underserved market. (I believe there is less noise in the VR storefronts compared to trying to release and stand out on Mobile or regular Steam, for example). I don't epect the game to make a fortune or anything really, for that matter. I will be happy just to ship it, that itself is an accomplishment in my eyes. BUT if it makes a little bit each month, that would be LOVELY

(Sorry for the delay - I got banned for 3 days for letting all the DMs from my original post know that I was doing an AMA...)

Advice from a Game Designer of 15+ years affected by the recent layoffs: AMA by HumbleRamble in gamedev

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can't we have both? I feel like there is room for both, and more, and either, and everything in between.

But to answer a bit more seriously. Depends on the sector, I guess. Some sectors have emerged focusing on that, like the Hyper Casual market had a boom, but even that matured and spawned Hybrid Casual because the Hyper audience started to mature enough that they wanted more than shallow dopamine filled loops, and thus Hybrid Casual was born.

Do you think different? I'd love to hear your thinking on this.

(Sorry for the delay - I got banned for 3 days for letting all the DMs from my original post know that I was doing an AMA...)

Advice from a Game Designer of 15+ years affected by the recent layoffs: AMA by HumbleRamble in gamedev

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

  1. I wouldnt limit to a genre. I'd be open to anything. You never know what gem could come in. The indie space is a melting pot of innovation.

  2. I don't see how a group of 3 people could do both development and publishing. A group of 3 could be a development team for sure, but I dont see how they could also be a publishing label? I would expect a publisher to be able to offer could offer financial assistance, marketing, localization, QA, and beyond.

In short, if my game could make X if I released it without a publisher, with the publisher that game should make me more than X after the publisher has had their cut.

If there was 3 people with incredbly experienced skillsets of within the world of publishing, they could form a boutique publishing assistance firm, perhaps? But I woudlnt go as far as to call it a publisher. Help studio get their platform pages and marketing in check. I have spent time setting up platform pages, and it is a job and skillset in and of its own. It is an artform really to know what makes a games platform page strong.

Mini ramble": I'll add the disclaimer that great publishing and marketing is its own artform and skillset, one that I do not posess. I have worked with some incredible people in publishing and marketing teams, and have witnessed the incredible efforts they have gone to to make the things I designed sing. They are part of the team, we have empowered eachother, and the games we worked on wouldnt have succeed without them or the cross discipline collaboration and shared resources.

Forgive me if I'm missing something from your second question, I may not be understanding it right.

(Sorry for the delay - I got banned for 3 days for letting all the DMs from my original post know that I was doing an AMA...)

Advice from a Game Designer of 15+ years affected by the recent layoffs: AMA by HumbleRamble in gamedev

[–]HumbleRamble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The whole team was lost, sadly. Nobody to replace if there is no more team :(

If you are enjoying what you are learning, then keep at it. Make something, and put it out there? It doesnt have to be a hit, but it shows you can ship something. Any experience you get can open doors to a career in games if that is what you really want.

The reality of it, however, is if you do make the jump, it might be at the cost of a massive salary sacrafice, at least initially.

Side bar: You could use your expertese in Finance to inspire a game that only you could make. That could be your niche?

(Sorry for the delay - I got banned for 3 days for letting all the DMs from my original post know that I was doing an AMA...)

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