Ineffable Wingbolt Rent-an-Ihrno Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Hey guys, I'll cut it short - is Jeff hiring? Don't interpret too much into my asking, I'm just wondering. Having been part of his fanbase for more years than is healthy I'm aware of his business model and all that, but seeing Spidweb's success lately it struck me that maybe some expansion could be a thing right about now. Yes? No? Maybe? Whassup? - Rent-An-Ihrno, whose brain is mushy from the heat in Vienna. And who also insists that he started doing these endings to his posts from time to time before he knew Alorael, and has a divine, noodly right to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk Death Knight Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 After just watching his casual connect, I would say no. Jeff most likely would deal with anyone if they had graphics he could use or sounds. From seeing a lot of his interviews, he doesn't seem like he would think of expanding. But who am I to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast *i Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I think that's pretty accurate. Jeff used to do shareware software distribution for others back when it was still called shareware. He hated it and stopped. Other than what Death Knight said, Jeff has made no indications he's interested in changing much about his business plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Now if you want to buy Jeff out he's mentioned that he is willing to sell out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 He's willing to sell out, but I'd bet that he'd just start up a new company and do it again. I don't think Jeff particularly wants to hire. Just like he doesn't want to work for someone else, he's also suggested that he doesn't relish the idea of becoming a manager. He wants to actually make games. If he can pay you to make resources for him, fine, but he doesn't want any more people to actually touch the games. —Alorael, who finds this somewhat strange, given that Jeff is an admittedly mediocre coder who seems to enjoy design more than execution. But he does get to not worry about collaboration this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Harehunter Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I would have to agree with Jeff that doing the design and programming yourself is a lot more fun than being a manager. Recently one of our VP's retired, and the best man for the job was one of own. I asked him one day how he likes being the big boss man now, and he said in no uncertain words that he hated it. I know how he feels, having gone through the ranks to rise to the level of authority I now have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Juan Carlo Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 If spiderweb was going to hire anyone I think they should hire a dedicated artist for their next game. Someone who can conceive of and design a unified aesthetic just for that game then move on. These things really aren't that expensive anymore so there's really no reason any longer for their games to look like they were assembled from a hodge podge of random (and often clashing) sources. I really think art design is the one area that would pay off the most for them if they invested in it a bit and it would cost the least as they wouldn't necessarily have to change any of their actual tech. I have no doubt Avadon would have sold much more, for example, if it had a more appealing aesthetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk adc. Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Originally Posted By: Juan Carlo If spiderweb was going to hire anyone I think they should hire a dedicated artist for their next game. Someone who can conceive of and design a unified aesthetic just for that game then move on. These things really aren't that expensive anymore so there's really no reason any longer for their games to look like they were assembled from a hodge podge of random (and often clashing) sources. I really think art design is the one area that would pay off the most for them if they invested in it a bit and it would cost the least as they wouldn't necessarily have to change any of their actual tech. I have no doubt Avadon would have sold much more, for example, if it had a more appealing aesthetic. For your information: I'm a Spy http://www.benresnick.com/ Unfortunately, I still haven't found the source on who created the Avadon graphics... -------- -A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Erebus the Black Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Although he did outsource some retail company to port some of his games to Linux (or so I seem to recall reading here), so maybe he's not all that strict about not having/wanting to work with others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Rent-an-Ihrno Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 I see what you all are saying. And I do want to add that the whole reason I play Spidweb games is that they - much unlike most games of the last 10+ years - have heart. You can really feel the personal inspiration and honesty in Exile/Avernum, Geneforge, and all the rest. But then, maybe this is the reason a dedicated artist (and comparable workers), as Juan Carlo puts it, could be the way to go from here. Not because Jeff can't handle the workload or is clinging to an obsolete way of doing business - clearly, this is all untrue - but precisely because he would have a more intimate control of the various aspects of his products. Personally? I would never let someone draw a portrait or write a line of code for me if I don't know this person has played my games and shares or at least understands my vision. So yes, I get why Jeff still works like a student programming shareware programs in the 90s, but I also think he can take initiative and progress without losing any of his greatest resource - his own creativity. Doesn't mean he would magically become an evil corporate magnate. And I really don't want to see him sell out. I just want to see everything work out for Spidweb. ....aand I'm getting inexplicably emotional. I'm gonna go do something manly now, like... lift a truck or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Art and porting work are the most likely places for Jeff to pay for help. The former is farmed out anyway, so getting permanent staff wouldn't be a big change in practice, just a change in business model. The latter happens after the game is finished and can't be much fun; it's entirely picky code work, which isn't Jeff's forte, and there are pros who can also make the jump from Mac to PC and iOS and Android painless. —Alorael, who actually would be entirely unsurprised to see the latter change. He doesn't think it would mean new Spiderweb employees, though, just contracting out the work to the people who do it. Given Jeff's recent success ( ), over an order of magnitude over a previous average seller, Jeff can afford to try this out and see how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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