So what do you suggest?

[GONNAFISTYA]

Well...after quitting Deadline in Copenhagen (and quitting that shitty job at Massive in Sweden after less than a month) I've been sitting on my duff in Germany playing a shitload of games the last two months, insulting fan boys on other forums...and itching to get back to designing games.

Right now, there are currently 4 companies that have said "Come work with us" (one here in Hamburg, one in Amsterdam, one in the UK and one in Montreal). I'll be flying all over the place the next two weeks checking out offers and I hope to be back to work by around the end of the month.

But...

Infinity Ward just contacted me and are interested. The only problem is that they won't actually be hiring until sometime in April.

Should I wait for IW? Should I jump at one of the existing offers? Or should I just stay home and get drunk?

[horton]

I would imagine you know the gaming industry, better than an English teacher like me, so make you own fucking mind up.

Fuck knows, are all the positions the same, I would rather have a decent position in a shit company, than clean the toilets in a decent company.

[Transient]

Fuck knows, are all the positions the same, I would rather have a decent position in a shit company, than clean the toilets in a decent company.

Agreed.

[l0g1c]

Get drunk until April and then go with IW if your savings can bear the brunt (or you're on the dole or whatever).

Call of Doodie, uh huhuhuhuh, huhuhuh.

[Chupacabra]

assuming the jobs are all equally good, take a break and work in april. you dont get too many chances at a long break. do something worthwhile that'll give you some type of life experience. roam around in mainland china or argentina or some shit.

[MKJ]

you should go for amsterdam, obviously

surprised i have to tell you this

[diego]

I heard there are nothing but ladybois working at Infinity Ward.

[diego]

... but I also heard there are nothing but ladybois living in Amsterdam.

[MKJ]

shut it dirk

[GONNAFISTYA]

Fuck knows, are all the positions the same, I would rather have a decent position in a shit company, than clean the toilets in a decent company.

Agreed.

I have to disagree. The company here in Hamburg has a lot of Crytekian tendancies so they're at the bottom of my list.

I've already quit two shitty companies (Crytek was the first) even though the positions were similar. FFS...Massive Entertainment doesn't even use version control so - in combination with their shit tools - I was literally losing good work everyday. It drove me fucking batty.

[GONNAFISTYA]

you should go for amsterdam, obviously

surprised i have to tell you this

They use Maya...so that's a huge bonus.

[GONNAFISTYA]

assuming the jobs are all equally good, take a break and work in april. you dont get too many chances at a long break. do something worthwhile that'll give you some type of life experience. roam around in mainland china or argentina or some shit.

lol

Not a horrible idea.

[MKJ]

you should go for amsterdam, obviously

surprised i have to tell you this

They use Maya...so that's a huge bonus.

there you go.
also, these guys might make killzone hoaxes, they're also regarded as triple-a and innovative by the bigwig crowd. looks nice on the ol resume, no?

(read: makes us both more flexible for drinks )

[diego]

doesn't even use version control so - in combination with their shit tools - I was literally losing good work everyday. It drove me fucking batty.

Well, that sounds very familiar - on of the job-offers I recently turned down was a company where the word "Subversion"/"CVS" resulted in loud "Oooh"s and "Aaah"s, let alone the terms OOP and modularized Code. Short: The pay was really good, but the work-situation was really shit.

[diego]

also, these guys might make killzone hoaxes, they're also regarded as triple-a and innovative by the bigwig crowd. looks nice on the ol resume, no?

(read: makes us both more flexible for drinks )

die in a fire..

[MKJ]

fuck off nerd.
also, imo, sourcesafe>cvs

[Jackal]

What are the companies you're courting? I may have dealt with them in the past so I could maybe give you some insight. If you can't say it publicly PM me.

[MKJ]

well it cant be worse than crytek.
tho it was ubi who were being cunts that one time

[GONNAFISTYA]

What are the companies you're courting? I may have dealt with them in the past so I could maybe give you some insight. If you can't say it publicly PM me.

Hamburg = Replay Studios
Amsterdam = Guerrilla Games
Birmingham = Swordfish Studios
Montreal = A2M

Thanks for any info.

And yes...they definately CAN'T be any worse than Crytek.

[Jackal]

I've had experience with all four of them on a business level. Most of my experience has been with A2M however and I know they're currently in a strong position of growth. Also, they're in Quebec and that province is throwing money at development studios right now.

[phantasmagoria]

Birmingham is a shithole.

/advice

[GONNAFISTYA]

Birmingham is a shithole.

/advice

Well that's the thing: All the brits say it's a shithole but some of the recent research I've done shows that it's "cleaned up", not industrial (meaning it doesn't stink) and fairly modern in terms of apartments/flats.

Obviously the brits here know more about this than I (are you a brit?) but I'll be flying there next Thursday to see it for myself. From what I gathered, it's not exactly cheap either.

[GONNAFISTYA]

I've had experience with all four of them on a business level. Most of my experience has been with A2M however and I know they're currently in a strong position of growth. Also, they're in Quebec and that province is throwing money at development studios right now.

In all honesty they are the front runners right now. I'd love to go back to Canada but I'm not keen on only getting two weeks off a year. Europe has spoiled me in that regard. But we'll see.

A2M - from all accounts - seems top bill. I'll be in Montreal for two days and they're giving me a tour of the city, showing me the different areas around town to find an apartment and are paying for everything, including all the meals. I guess they do have a ton of cash...so I'll see what they offer in terms of salary.

Anyone here from Montreal? What is the average cost of living in terms of apartment rentals, internet, etc?

Thanks for any info.

[Foo]

Most of my experience has been with A2M

A2M - from all accounts - seems top bill.

oic

[GONNAFISTYA]

Why did you laugh?

If you know something insidious about them - like..I have to eat a baby before taking employment - please fill me in.

Their older game library is pretty lame, but the project they want me working on seems fairly cool and alot like Total Overdose in some respects.