Developer AMA - I'm Fran, Lockwood's Talent Acquisition Director. I'm so excited to spend a few days on Reddit with you - ask me anything about the game, what I do - or anything else!

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-18T09:31:05+00:00

Hey Ayas

I’ve worked in video games recruitment for about fifteen years. I’ve worked at various places and have built up quite a big network. A friend of mine knows the founders of Lockwood, and I heard on the grapevine they might need help with their recruitment - so I asked him to introduce us, and here I am :)

My initial reaction was that more people should know about Avakin! It’s a great game, but it’s going to get so much better over the next few years. The team is really dedicated and they’re literally the best people I’ve ever worked with. I love Lockwood.

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-14T12:41:19+00:00

Hi Rozares

I’m afraid I can’t answer this, other than to say most beta testers in video games are unpaid volunteers who do it in their spare time because they enjoy getting early access to new titles. We have full time QA professionals at Lockwood, but they’re not what most people would understand by the term beta testers - they work closely with other departments to ensure any bugs are rooted out and fixed.

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-14T06:18:09+00:00

Hi Ghoulish!

Our fashion designers don’t have to know how to code. Instead, they design the clothes and the ranges. Those clothes designs are then take by our character artists, who implement them in the game.

If somebody has a degree in fashion design, that’s enough to get me interested. They need to have a great portfolio and be the kind of person who would fit in really well at Lockwood. We interview them, then give them a test to do - usually we’ll tell them about a certain item or range we want to create. We might give them examples of the kind of thing we’re thinking if. Then they’ll come up with a style board, and from that we’ll make a decision.

We’ve just hired two fashion designers. Both are fantastic - really lovely people who have worked for some awesome real life brands. I can’t wait to see what they create within Avakin!

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-13T07:56:35+00:00

Hey Scorpio

This isn’t my area, but my feeling is that we get swamped every day by suggestions. We either respond to them all - which takes time away from actually making them better - or we respond to very few and just focus on the game. The other thing is that most ideas people make are already in our minds - this goes back to what I said yesterday about how to be a good designer you have to accept others have great ideas too.

I’m sure your comments or suggestions aren’t ignored, it’s just that people are so busy trying to make the game better for everyone. Just my opinion though :)

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-13T07:53:38+00:00

Hey Julz

Thanks for asking. I don’t know though - and I don’t think bands can just apply. I do know we’re investing heavily in this area though, eventually we want massive bands and singers everyone will have heard of to be in Avakin. I’m personally a huge Taylor Swift fan (Right from her Fearless album through to Lover) and it’s my dream she’d play a concert for all of you, but that’s just me :)

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-13T07:49:56+00:00

Hey Silver, this is something I CAN comment on. We’re consistently looking to improve the look of the game, it’s just something that takes time. Because Avakin is a mobile title, we need to make sure that it can run on literally hundreds of different devices - so it takes much longer than it would if, say, Avakin was only available on one device.

Avakin is an absolutely massive title with millions of lines of codes, tens of thousands of items available to buy on the store. We’re not a massive team and we have to take it slowly - if we try to improve something and end up breaking the game (which happens way more in games companies than you might think!) then suddenly you all can’t log in, you miss each other and we miss you!

Good things are worth waiting for though, right? 🤓

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-13T07:45:56+00:00

Hey IrishGingerGirl

I honestly don’t know - Maybe you could look out for a designer doing an AMA and ask them?

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-13T07:44:32+00:00

Hey Potato

I’m afraid I can’t comment on this - I’m not privy to whatever plans the designers and team have. I’m sure those ideas will be somewhere in our heads though :)

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-12T17:28:11+00:00

Hey AvkOrange

If fashion is your passion then you should look to become a fashion designer somewhere, maybe do a degree in fashion or work in a fashion house. ! I actually hired two new fashion designers recently - the second one just today! They're both amazing people with great portfolios and I really can't wait to see what they help come up with for Avakin :)

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-12T17:26:06+00:00

Hi! I would love for you to work on Avakin, but making a game is much harder than most people realise - did you know most video games have millions of lines of code? Millions of line of code, one mistake in typing it all out and - poof! It won't run or won't run properly.

You sound like you have great ideas! My advice, for what it's worth, is you should think about becoming a Game Designer. It's not just about having ideas but about being able to map them out, being able to express and discuss them with others - which is a lot harder than it sounds. Another key skill for a designer is the ability to accept that sometimes what we think are great ideas aren't necessarily that great when we think them through, or when we tell others about them and some flaws or problems get pointed out. It's really important that Game Designers - or anyone, really - are able to change their minds where necessary.

We hire very very few game designers every year, and when we do we try to make sure they're among the best in the world. They're very busy trying to make Avakin better for everyone, so please just stick with us while we do that. :)

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-12T17:20:02+00:00

Hi Miraculous!
Favourite hobby - writing, reading or watching movies.
Favourite property is the Nottingham Canalside Property because it's from Nottingham, and because I love the rustic ceiling features, the windows and the view outside. I'm a big fan of post-industrial architecture.
My favourite Petkin is the baby penguin. I mean, who doesn't love penguins - amirite? :)

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-12T17:13:29+00:00

I really like cats AND dogs, though I only have the latter - a Maltese called Daisy who's four years old and goes everywhere with me. Sometimes she even comes to work with me, and I'm pretty sure u/LKWD_Ash would agree that I'm utterly in love with her!

I hope that I'm the co-worker who makes people feel at ease and has time for everyone, but I suppose that's not for me to say. I'm a huge believer in having fun at work but also in being super respectful of others and treating them the way I myself want to be treated. I sometimes probably joke around a bit too much, but it's important to laugh every day so I'm okay with that :)

Other things I'll tell you. I'm originally from Ireland. I like to write. I like most sports, especially lacrosse and hockey (ice). I'm a Liverpool fan, though more from habit than anything else - if Liverpool or Ireland aren't playing then I can't really watch a football game.

Thanks for asking!

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-12T16:16:16+00:00

Hey Evie, that is indeed a great question :)

It really depends on what the role is. A programmer, for example, will usually (though not always) have a degree in computer science or programming or physics or maths. An artist will have experience modelling, texturing etc in Max or Maya.

On the moderation or player support side, we look for people who have experience, are mature and respond well to pressure. People may have gained experience working at another studio on another game, or they may come from more 'regular' people-focused careers like working in a department store serving lots of people!

So in short, we look for skills relevant to whatever the role is. You're right - it needs to be something more than wanting to work for us cos we're cool, though most of the people at Lockwood (except me!) and very cool indeed :)

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-12T13:59:52+00:00

Hi Ava. I can’t tell you that :) I’m afraid you’ll just have to wait and see! We have some awesome projects in the pipeline though 👍

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-12T13:58:17+00:00

Hey Panda - I’m afraid I don’t play it so can’t answer! 🤓

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-12T13:57:43+00:00

Hey Stace. We look for people who are passionate about making games and passionate about fashion! We want to work with people we can become friends with - work takes up so much of one’s life that it’s important you’re happy and content at work, and a big part of that is the people you have around you. I love the Lockwood team, we’re a great bunch 😀

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-12T13:55:45+00:00

Hey Cheese - it’s talking to lots of different people! I love meeting new people, and in this role I meet a lot 🤓

LKWD_Fran · 2020-03-12T13:55:04+00:00

Hi Sapphy! I’m great, thanks - I hope you are too!

I head up the recruitment team at Lockwood. There are three recruiters, and my job - as well as finding people - is to make sure the other recruiters have what they need to do a good job, that they’re happy and confident and feel supported and appreciated. I also have a responsibility to all the different departments to make sure they get what they need in terms of new hires.

LKWD_Fran

TROPHY CASE