Info AquaScape

K has been working as a remote contractor at the new company for a couple months now, and it's interesting to see the differences between developing a console game at a large studio (what he's used to) versus a mobile game at a start-up (where he is now). On one hand, because his core team only consists of ten people, his input is immediately heard and theoretically has more weight. On the other hand, the company feels like it's constantly putting out fires, rushing from one emergency deadline to another. So here are some interesting insights into what it's like to work at a brand-new studio making its first mobile app game. 1) Live/Paid Beta Phase  Currently, the game has been in development for a year, and they hope to make it pretty solid by 2015. However, even though it's not entirely complete, management decided to push it live on the iTunes store anyway. Why not? The game can start making money now, the developers can work on feedback from early users, a...

Last time I described some of the challenges that K has faced working at a start-up company making mobile video games and how stressful the frequent deadlines can be when working with beta-phase technology. When it comes to maintaining his sanity in this type of work environment, K's long-time experience working in the video game industry has both pros and cons. The con is that he's seen these awful working conditions over and over again, so he has a very low tolerance for it and easily gets frustrated at the newbie mistakes that studios continue to make. The pro is that he's better at adapting to them. So here are a few coping mechanisms to consider if you are a game developer and find yourself in a similar, sticky situation: 1) Let it go.  If you are starting out in a beginner position where lots of people in authority positions have the right to change your work at a whim, don't work yourself into a foaming-at-the-mouth fury or fall into a bottomless pit of...