…is “we all know each other.”
No matter how many studios rise and fall and rise again, the MMO industry remains remarkably small. Let me illustrate:
I was working on an article a little while ago when my IM blooped at me. It was an old friend, pinging to ask for an unofficial reference.
See, gaming is so small that it really doesn’t matter WHO you carefully choose as a reference. The person who gets your resume takes a look at the companies you’ve listed, and thinks, “hey, my old friend used to work at that one place, and at about the same time. I’ll just give her a call and see if Jobseeker Boy is a douchenozzle. That way I won’t waste my precious time and the company’s money booking the interview and the travel. ”
Jobseeker Boy was going for an entry level content position, and on first glance, his resume looked good. A counselor in UO, a team lead in DAOC, and a customer service/QA position on one of the AAA MMOs. Volunteering is a perfectly valid foot in the door, since most community people and the devs that read the private board will know your name and vouch for you. I can’t say I knew all of “my” team leads equally well, but many of them are very dear to me. Certainly I can vouch for their clear thinking, their attention to detail, their passion, their sense of humor, their communication skills, their ability to read billion line spreadsheets without growing suicidal.
But I didn’t know this guy. Well, that is, I didn’t recognize his real name. He hadn’t given a handle, just a real name, and sadly I know the handles better. There are grown men that I still refer to as “Stupid” and “Dragonpup” because their actual names just don’t stick in my mind even though I’ve drunk a ridiculous amount of alcohol with them both and adored them for years. (I can remember Steve’s name, though. Why is that?) Anyway, it was kind of odd that Jobseeker Boy hadn’t given a handle, or even the class he’d been a TL for.
So I dug around, found old spreadsheets, pinged a former minion, pinged a TL from the same era. Everyone came up blank. Apparently, I *really* didn’t know this guy.
The girl who ran the UO Counselor program at the time that he was “there” didn’t remember him either.
Hrm.
CS/QA is a terrific proving ground for entry level design, because in that job you get to cope with the consequences of bad design and crappy testing every single day. Most people at least learn what not to do, which counts for more than you might expect. So, I opened up my IM list and scrolled until I found a friend who would have been Jobseeker Boy’s supervisor. And not just the supervisor – the same guy would have recruited, interviewed, and trained Jobseeker boy.
Not only had Jobseeker Boy never been in CS or QA, but he hadn’t even interviewed. Using the guy’s email address, we checked the records. He’d barely played the game, hadn’t beta tested, and quit less than a month from launch.
Buuuuuuuusted.
What’s really hilarious is that this chucklenuts isn’t the only one I’ve busted this way in the last month, let alone year.
The first law of working on MMOs is that we all know each other, morons! Stop faking your stupid resumes!
but.. but… *cries*
As both a former TL, and a current QA guy that’s done the whole hiring process, I’m entertained by this.
It’s not just the MMO industry, but even local game industry. After a little time, it’s pretty likely you know someone in just about every game company in your town.
Almost as incestuous as Government IT contracting in the Washington DC area. Don’t go trying to fake working for someone or on some project. It’s too easy to verify, and all too often someone else who worked there will be doing something new nearby.
That said, making good friends along the way also helps a lot. My current job is due in part to having left on good terms from a previous position, and running into at least 2 people who used to work at that previous position, and could vouch for me on the spot.
The funny thing is, as you described the person, I thought I knew who it was in my head, except the ‘counselor in UO’ part. Except for that detail, I can think of 3 or 4 people at Mythic who fit the bill.
And Dragonpup is going to be tickled now that you mentioned him.
Tickled I am indeed. It is like praise from Caesar….if Caesar was a women who loved dogs and didn’t become a Shakespearean tragedy. I think that’s why he got stabbed in the back*; no one loves a dog hater.
But man, those E3 dinners were some awesome fun times.
(ps, it’s Henry.)
*Interesting note: Back when ‘Rome’ was first showing on HBO, I jokingly mentioned to someone at work who watched the first episode, “I hear Caesar gets stabbed to death by Brutus”, and he was like, “He does?!”. Historic spoilers for the lulz.
In my head, I always thought of Sanya’s leaving Mythic as a Shakespearean tragedy (Et tu, Mark?). That’s usually what pops in my head whenever I think about how such a thing could have happened. My brain can’t concieve of anything less epic that could explain these events to me.
Good to know that people who probably know more about it don’t see it this way!
The incestuous nature of the mmo industry is frustrating to anyone from the outside. Long ago I wanted to be “in”, but at this point, I’m much happier being a king on the web than another pawn in game of corporation musical chairs that MMO folks play.
How can you say Cesar didn’t love dogs? he launched a whole range of poncy dog food for them…
I wonder if this is the same guy someone asked me about a few months ago with a similar description. I was never able to track down his supposed handle. The person asking only had his real name, which I didn’t recognize. I just figured it was someone who came in after I left Dark Age. I never really considered the idea that it was just a faker.
And wow, I had to think for a few seconds before I could even turn “Steve” into “Larian”. I’m surprised I can still remember that “Stupid” = “Eric”. I’m sorry to say I don’t think I would have ever remembered your name was Henry, DP, as cool as you were to hang out with.
Can I be tickled too?
It’s worth noting that both of the example names used were both TLs for the same DAoC class. Coincidence?
You do realize that this response thread is very likely to turn into old-home week for past TLs, don’t you? I’d be willing be point-man for setting up a TL meet-and-greet at PAX 2009. (And, for what it’s worth, if anyone has a line on “extra” E3 pass, my checkbook is -right- -here- Plus I’d be forever grateful. Call me!)
It’s going to go on my tombstone as the one useful thing I ever did:
“She got all of her team leads into E3 and then used company money to get them liquored up.”
That is really sad that the guy faked his qualifications. I mean heck, I did nearly ALL OF THAT myself legit.
Side note: Eldritch 4 life
Well, apparently that guy felt the need to somehow be able to compete with you… without being actually able to. Guess I am too far across the pond to ever have been a counsellor in UO or anything in DAOC.
Luckily I still managed to get a position in a AAA MMOO without having to fake it
The days is knowing a PR person and caring are over it seems.
I don’t invest any time at this point. I’d like to start caring again though.
“She got all of her team leads into E3 and then used company money to get them liquored up.”
Damnit, I knew I should have applied for that Shadowblade TL spot back in the day! I just didnt have the time to commit to something like that. Plus that class taught me a lot about being frustrated to no end
I do know several of those types of folks however and its sad to say that there are a lot of them out there these days. Sitting on the other side of the table now and reading through resumes you can spot the BS a mile away. Quick look and I can weed out some folks instantly just by the phrasing of even a few bullets with regards to certain job descriptions.
Cheers,
*waves at the other TL’s*
One of the things I regret about my entire TL experience is not being able to get to E3, the pictures always looked like a blast… Maybe see some of you at Gencon this year? (Going for the first time since ’95..)
One of my RL acquaintances who played DAOC still calls me “Bard Boy”. I’m going to find a lute and beat him about the head and shoulders with it.
I still miss the ‘glory’ days of DAOC!
TL zergs 4tehwin
“Can I be tickled too? It’s worth noting that both of the example names used were both TLs for the same DAoC class. Coincidence?”
Yeah but you were TL for multiple classes, that diminishes the conincidence at least a bit.
“Guess I am too far across the pond to ever have been a counsellor in UO or anything in DAOC”
Actually, we had at least a few TLs from across the pond.
I remember Greggar was from England.
“One of the things I regret about my entire TL experience is not being able to get to E3, the pictures always looked like a blast…”
Ditto that sentiment.
On the subject… I don’t find it that suprising. He sounds like he is an outsider trying to get a shoe in the door, so he probably has no idea just how “inbred” the gaming industry is.
TL Zerg!
ps – Bolts…enough said.
Man, seeing all you guys posting (although I had to poke a couple of you with sticks to do so) gives me this warm fuzzy feeling. The TL experience in DAoC was such a blast, and I greatly miss that little community we had.
/sniffle
hugs all around for you guys!
Yea, I really miss those days too.
I owe it a lot, TL-ing is what got me to meet a lot of people and ultimately move over here, get my feet into the industry, and in to development.
I haven’t been to Gencon in Indy yet.. is there a good place to get together to hoist a few and nosh on some nachos, and a good time that won’t interfere with most schedules? (Since I’m guessing most people who are going to be there are going to be there to work)
Lots of names here I haven’t seen in a long while. Glad you folks are still around.
We had a guy apply for a position as an artist. His “portfolio” included character art which he’d taken from our company website and retinted using photoshop. We lolled.
Checking in to old-home week for past TLs
“One of the things I regret about my entire TL experience is not being able to get to E3, the pictures always looked like a blast…”
I’ll third that sentiment.
I see a whole lotta TL nerds up in hee-yah.
~Fuzzy
I was at a games con in Ireland the day after I left GOA and ran into a particularly colourful character there who desperately needed to impress me for some reason. Sadly he claimed not only to work for the same company I’d just left (unbeknownst to him) but also that he had a job that I knew didn’t exist performing a role that I had been told specifically was not going to be a part of our licence.
Sadly I was too nice a guy to call him out in front of his friends.
Oh, I almost forgot this guy who popped up on my blog!
How not to do it kids.
You still wear dresses, Therrik. =)
For some reason this article made me sneeze.
And bolts are fine!
It’s like a TL reunion in this comment thread. Weird. O_o
Hai guyz!