going rogue: game design freelancing 101 aaron cammarata partner, voidalpha [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
Going Rogue:Game Design Freelancing 101
Aaron CammarataPartner, voidALPHA
[email protected]://www.voidalpha.com/goingrogue
Box Cover
●You can!●Should you?
Can you put it down?
Can you get it done? Can you suck it up?
Press Start
●Getting Ready● Support Network● IT Structure● Financial Clarity
●Cheat Code: $Annual Salary/1,000 = $Hourly Rate●Cheat Code: Beware odd jobs
Select Level
●Launch● Networking = Listening & chatting
●Cheat Code: Networking is the fun part
Stanford Game Industry Email Listhttps://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/gsb-videogames
Select Weapon●Advertising = Promoting
“...how to identify great designers, which is what I want to find.”- Clients
●Cheat Code: Show me.
A DESIGNER!
Loading…●Step 1: Can I do what they want done?
“One thing that I noticed in working with the other contractor is that it is possible to take my directions literally, but of course, that's not really what I want.”
– Client● Done:
●Range estimates (“2-3½ weeks”)●No blockers (“Invent time travel”)●“Itch List” (Strategy / tone)●Buy-in (See them nod)
●Step 2: Can I do it on their schedule?
Loading…●Step 3: Can I do it for their budget?
● Done: Agreement, draft the contract●Cheat Code: 1-2 weeks●Sider’s Law of Compensation:
● “If you can’t scratch a window with it, it isn’t compensation.”
●Lawyers review. You decide.
1) Will/Will NOT2) Pay (30/50/20)3) When4) Warranty5) Maintenance6) Ad Hoc Rate7) Exceptions
Ready…Fight!●THOU SHALT ALWAYS BE PROFESSIONAL●Screw-ups will happen
● And all are your fault (No “But you said…!” Ever.)● Check and confirm your Itch List
●Refine – do a little extra work●Renegotiate “the time we have left”●Reboot
● Document all changes●Cheat Code: Master the Socratic Method
● Assume YOU missed something●Bonus Cheat Code: Expect and enjoy silence
● Answer with correct, concise good news
No, fear the 1337$p34k 8ull5H17
Strategy Guide●Designers – GIVE ME YOUR CARD●Companies – EMAIL ME [email protected]●http://www.voidalpha.com/goingrogue●Stanford Gaming e-mail: https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/gsb-videogames ●http://luaz.blogspot.com/2012/09/freelance-programmer-survival-manual.html