tk102 Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 found his bio listed on EA LA's website... I found it interesting that a good chunk of his background isn't in the video game industry. Interesting? Im surprised to hear you think that! Its pretty much par for teh course... Astro you look so cute as a cheerleader for your own posts. While no one is arguing against the idea of a the game industry is a business, I think some of us would've been more reassured by reading something like what's in Chris Plummer's bio (at the same link)... A hard core gamer for over thirty years, Plummer's industry experience spans thirteen years at Electronic Arts, covering simulation, RPG, action, strategy, and shooter games with a focus on innovation, including pioneering work in launching the Massively Multiplayer Online genre with Ultima Online. I mean the music industry is a business too. And the corporarte-rock product is obviously marketable as predicted by the formula. But how many CDs of N'Sync and Britney Spears do you own? Is it really so different with video games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Char Ell Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Interesting? Im surprised to hear you think that! Its pretty much par for teh course...and not just the gaming industry either. Well, yeah, I think it's interesting that none of his educational background had an entertainment slant to it and that his resume has what appears to be considerable non-game industry experience. I'm kind of curious how someone who got a degree in landscape architecture and developed golf courses and theme parks ended up getting into the video game industry and becoming president of LucasArts. My kids are too young to play right now Awww, come on Prime. You can't expect me to believe you haven't let Kara at least play with with the controller while Lego SW was running on your Xbox 360. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrotoy7 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 ...I'm kind of curious how someone who got a degree in landscape architecture and developed golf courses and theme parks ended up getting into the video game industry and becoming president of LucasArts. when you get on in years, and have had experience working in large projects, this will seem less of a conundrum. A *good* project manager, can manage *anything* !! It doesn't matter if they grew up playing pac man or have never touched a video game in their life. As a CEO, it isn't their freakin job to code saber twirl fx.... A very talented CEO is not a "big picture", but "huge picture" minded person!! They surround themselves with clever people with the actual experience to co-ordinate the nitty gritty, they help hire talented staff to do all the hard work coding, designing, testing. At the end of the day, it is seriously irrelevant what the CEO knows or doesn't about the video games. If they are good at managing, market testing, recruiting and retaining staff, and garnering user feedback, they will always succeed, in whatever they do. In fact, I'd like to put forward that wide eyed creative types are often the worst choice to put in charge of managing cash and staff!! If their passion is ideas, they should stick to them, and let someone more experienced at holding the reins drive the team. ...perfect example, look what happened to Hironubu Sakaguchi, creator of Final Fantasy.....kicked out of the very software company he founded!! Another great example in the opposite direction: George Lucas... as a USC film school graduate, he doesn't know the intricacies of coding or using visual imaging software. What he does know is that to enhance film-makers ability to tell grander stories, that CGI was a necessity. He created ILM, and hired the right people to do all the work that has made CGI what it is today. GL is very much a "huge picture" thinker, and as a result filmmakers have far more at their disposal to do some of the amazing things we see these days. mtfbwya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralPloKoon Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 I hate EA and this thread I just discovered greatly scares me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKA-001 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 I fail to see what will change. I guess I'm missing a battleship here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Char Ell Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 when you get on in years, and have had experience working in large projects, this will seem less of a conundrum. So should I just call you Old Man Astro from now on? What makes you think I'm not already "on in years" and haven't had experience working on large projects? The fact that I'm interested in what made Darrell Rodriguez transition from developing golf courses and theme parks to overseeing development of video games? I'm not following the logic here. A *good* project manager, can manage *anything* !! It doesn't matter if they grew up playing pac man or have never touched a video game in their life. As a CEO, it isn't their freakin job to code saber twirl fx.... A very talented CEO is not a "big picture", but "huge picture" minded person!! They surround themselves with clever people with the actual experience to co-ordinate the nitty gritty, they help hire talented staff to do all the hard work coding, designing, testing. I agree with this for the most part. But honestly, I'm not sure where you got the impression that I thought the LucasArts president should be a programmer. That's not what I think at all. At the end of the day, it is seriously irrelevant what the CEO knows or doesn't about the video games. If they are good at managing, market testing, recruiting and retaining staff, and garnering user feedback, they will always succeed, in whatever they do. Sure, if the CEO has made the right hires of the right people in the right organizations then yes, the CEO's job is going to be a lot easier. Of course the old adage "easier said than done" fully applies here. The only but I offer here is if the LucasArts president is going to serve as a promoter of LucasArts products in interviews and such then the president would be well advised to make at least some time to understand and play the company's games, otherwise he could be made to look rather stupid if some probing questions are answered and it becomes obvious he hasn't even touched the game. Another great example in the opposite direction: George Lucas... as a USC film school graduate, he doesn't know the intricacies of coding or using visual imaging software. What he does know is that to enhance film-makers ability to tell grander stories, that CGI was a necessity. He created ILM, and hired the right people to do all the work that has made CGI what it is today. GL is very much a "huge picture" thinker, and as a result filmmakers have far more at their disposal to do some of the amazing things we see these days. No question that George Lucas has demonstrated legendary vision in forming Lucasfilm, ILM, and Skywalker Sound. Considering the state of LucasArts however, IMO languishing at the moment, do you think GL is giving much consideration to interactive entertainment in his "huge picture?" I fail to see what will change. I guess I'm missing a battleship here. I don't know what is going to change at LucasArts either now that Darrell Rodriguez is taking charge. I'm sure change will occur in some form and to an as yet unknown degree but we're just going to have to wait a while to see. So, euphemistically speaking, the battleship hasn't sailed yet so there was nothing to miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrotoy7 Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 I'm not following the logic here... I'm not following how you're not following it Go look up **any** multinational business. Look up their CEO's educational/job history, and see if it marries with the current mission statement of that company. You're going to find numerous examples of people with little history in a specific field, but alot of history managing alot of people, alot of cash, and serving alot of customers. So for Theme Parks, Golf courses, the commonalities are there. Fact of the matter is, a very clever business person can shine in anything they put their mind to managing. It's like how talented sportspersons often have an high aptitude in more than one sport. It all comes down to how good one is at organising their mind, the people around them, and being disciplined in achieving their goals. I personally, am very non-business minded! Im a details person, so like to have a very specific goal to work towards. Maybe Im too young to have the wisdom to see a big picture Luckily, I work for some great 'big picture' people, though they get paid far too much IMO. Another really good example I always think of is the former head of a company called "Telstra" here in Oz, who are the largest Telecommunications provider. Before that he was CEO of Kodak in Oz and was poached by another multinational recently. Is his background in Communications, Photographical Processes....... nope. The guy graduated as a aerospace engineer. Equally qualified to be a lecturer, aircraft deisgner or an astronaut, he chose to do that other stuff instead With LA and Mr Rodriguez, we'll just have to wait and see. Simple as that! mtfbwya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Awww, come on Prime. You can't expect me to believe you haven't let Kara at least play with with the controller while Lego SW was running on your Xbox 360. Dude, I'm telling you, it's true! For one, I don't have a 360 yet. She hasn't even watched SW yet. She likes her R2D2 squirt gun though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.