Warning: half-informed opinion
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/1923-Innovation
This guy (these folks, technically) is fast-becoming quite a good listen. Easily makes me think. I had no problem with this week's segment, either. Just that I think he kinda missed a point out concerning why gaming company giants don't have indie arms.
They do. Rather, they did. Clover and Capcom, I'm looking at you. It seems his point's superbly idealistic shirou, but in the face of reality it's shown not to fly. Clover hasn't been the only lil' production house that was eaten back into the parent company, and I'm certain it won't be the last. Question is, then, how does a small production house manage to stay afloat in the face of a parent company's mantis-like behavior? When the bottom line is the biggest deciding factor/driving force, what counts as a more prudent decision involving small branches that turn out big wonders the likes of Okami?
Actually, does it matter? If I were the smalltime up and coming developer, I'm thinking my objective is to be as truthful to my ideas as I possibly can while being fed at the same time. It's video games, so a concept like standing against the flow for the good of future visions everywhere isn't as popular a concept as it would be in stations that mattered (politics, technical fields, science, medical, etc). If I could turn out my idea/product decently-supported and live to turn out others, then that should be square. If I fail to manage that balance, then I might consider making my product as shinytastic as I possibly can since it's more than likely my last hurrah.
And on the flipside as a corporate piece, my objective's making the black and increasing the faith of the shareholders so that I can get that boat at the end of the year with my bonus. In which case I'm going to really scrutinize whatever is on the table until it becomes a valuable and lucrative resource for the company. If this means chopping up some dreams and forcing small production houses into a tizzy/corner, it's a no-brainer. The bottom line is my master, after all.
Of course at the same time, that's shown to go too far as well (HI TEAM NINJA). Eh. Weird and interesting stuff.
This guy (these folks, technically) is fast-becoming quite a good listen. Easily makes me think. I had no problem with this week's segment, either. Just that I think he kinda missed a point out concerning why gaming company giants don't have indie arms.
They do. Rather, they did. Clover and Capcom, I'm looking at you. It seems his point's superbly idealistic shirou, but in the face of reality it's shown not to fly. Clover hasn't been the only lil' production house that was eaten back into the parent company, and I'm certain it won't be the last. Question is, then, how does a small production house manage to stay afloat in the face of a parent company's mantis-like behavior? When the bottom line is the biggest deciding factor/driving force, what counts as a more prudent decision involving small branches that turn out big wonders the likes of Okami?
Actually, does it matter? If I were the smalltime up and coming developer, I'm thinking my objective is to be as truthful to my ideas as I possibly can while being fed at the same time. It's video games, so a concept like standing against the flow for the good of future visions everywhere isn't as popular a concept as it would be in stations that mattered (politics, technical fields, science, medical, etc). If I could turn out my idea/product decently-supported and live to turn out others, then that should be square. If I fail to manage that balance, then I might consider making my product as shinytastic as I possibly can since it's more than likely my last hurrah.
And on the flipside as a corporate piece, my objective's making the black and increasing the faith of the shareholders so that I can get that boat at the end of the year with my bonus. In which case I'm going to really scrutinize whatever is on the table until it becomes a valuable and lucrative resource for the company. If this means chopping up some dreams and forcing small production houses into a tizzy/corner, it's a no-brainer. The bottom line is my master, after all.
Of course at the same time, that's shown to go too far as well (HI TEAM NINJA). Eh. Weird and interesting stuff.