Network Sites: FPSguru.com RTSguru.com UnboundGamer.com
Login:  Password:   Remember?  
Show Quick Gamelist Jump to Random Game
Games:611  Guilds:3,079
Members:1,592,182  Online:0
Guests:0  Posts:4,845,262
Recent forum postsRSS
Active threads
Cloud view
List all forums
General Forums
Developers Corner General Discussion
Popular Game Forums
Click a status to find game forum
Game Forums
Click a letter to find game forum
D-F
D&D Online DC Universe DOTA DOTA 2 DUST 514 Dance Groove Online Dark Age of Camelot Dark Ages Dark Legends Dark Orbit Dark Solstice Dark and Light DarkEden Online DarkSpace Darkblood Online Darkfall Darkwind: War on Wheels Dawn of Fantasy Dawntide Dead Earth Dead Frontier Deco Online Defiance Deicide Online Dekaron Desert Operations Diablo 3 Diamonin Digimon Battle Dino Storm Disciple Divergence Divina Divine Souls Dofus Dominus Online Dragon Ball Online Dragon Born Online Dragon Crusade Dragon Empires Dragon Eternity Dragon Nest Dragon Oath Dragon Raja Dragon's Call Dragon's Prophet DragonSky DragonSoul Dragona Dragonica Dream of Mirror Online Dreamland Online Dreamlords: The Reawakening Drift City Duels Dungeon Blitz Dungeon Fighter Online Dungeon Overlord Dungeon Party Dungeon Runners Dynastica Dynasty Warriors Online EIN (Epicus Incognitus) EVE Online Earth Eternal Earth and Beyond Earthrise Eden Eternal Einherjar - The Viking's Blood Elf Online Embers of Caerus Emil Chronicle Online Empire & State Empire Craft EmpireQuest Empires of Galldon End of Nations Endless Ages Endless Online Entropia Universe EpicDuel Erebus: Travia Reborn Eredan Eternal Blade Eternal Lands Ether Fields Ether Saga Online Eudemons Online EuroGangster EverQuest Online Adventures Evernight Everquest Everquest II Evony Exarch Exorace Face of Mankind Fairyland Online Fall of Rome Fallen Earth Fallen Sword Fallout Online Family Guy Online Fantage Fantasy Earth Zero Fantasy Realm Online Fantasy Tales Online Fantasy Worlds: Rhynn Faunasphere Faxion Online Ferentus Ferion Fiesta Online Final Fantasy XI Final Fantasy XIV Firefall Fists of Fu Florensia Flyff Football Manager Live Football Superstars Force of Arms Forsaken World Freaky Creatures Free Realms Freesky Online Freeworld Fung Wan Online Furcadia Fury Fusion Fall
G-L
GalaXseeds Galactic Command Online Game of Thrones Gate To Heavens Gates of Andaron Gatheryn Gekkeiju Online Ghost Online Ghost Recon Online Gladiatus Glitch Global Agenda Global Soccer GoGoRacer Goal Line Blitz Gods and Heroes GodsWar Online Golemizer Golf Star GoonZu Online Graal Kingdoms Grand Chase Europe Grand Fantasia Grepolis Grimlands Guild Wars Guild Wars 2 Guild Wars Factions Guild Wars Nightfall Habbo Hotel Haven & Hearth Hedone Helbreath Hellgate Hellgate: London Hello Kitty Online Hero 108: Online Hero Online Hero's Journey HeroSmash Heroes in the Sky Heroes of Bestia Heroes of Gaia Heroes of Might and Magic Online Heroes of Thessalonica Heroes of Three Kingdoms Holic Online Hostile Space Huxley Illutia Illyriad Immortals USA Imperator Imperian Infinity Infinity Iris Online Irth Worlds Island Forge Islands of War Istaria: Chronicles of the Gifted Jade Dynasty Jagged Alliance Online Juggernaut Jumpgate Jumpgate Evolution KAL Online Kakele Online Kaos War Karos Online Kicks Online King of Kings 3 Kingdom Heroes Kingdom of Drakkar Kingory Kitsu Saga Kiwarriors Knight Online Knights of Dream City Kothuria Kung Foo! Kunlun Online L.A.W. LEGO Universe La Tale Land of Chaos Online Lands of Hope: Phoenix Edition LastChaos League of Legends - Clash of Fates Legend of Golden Plume Legend of Katha Legend of Mir 3 Legendary Champions Light of Nova Lime Odyssey Line of Defense Lineage Lineage Eternal: Twilight Resistance Lineage II Linkrealms Loong Online Lord of the Rings Online Lords Online Lost Saga Lucent Heart Lunia Lusternia: Age of Ascension Luvinia Online
T-Z
TERA TS Online Tabula Rasa Tactica Online Tales Runner Tales of Fantasy Tales of Pirates Tales of Pirates II Talisman Online Tamer Saga Tank Ace Tantra Online Tatsumaki: Land at War Terra Militaris Terra World Thang Online The 4th Coming The Agency The Chronicle The Chronicles of Spellborn The Elder Scrolls Online The Legend of Ares The Matrix Online The Missing Ink The Mummy Online The Myth of Soma The Pride of Taern The Realm Online The Repopulation The Secret World The Sims Online The Strategems There Thrones of Chaos Tibia Tibia Micro Edition Toontown Online Top Speed Torchlight Transformers Universe Traveller AR Travia Online Travian Trials of Ascension Tribal Hero Tribal Wars Tribes Universe Trickster Online Troy Online True Fantasy Live Online Turf Battles Twelve Sky Twelve Sky 2 Twilight War U.B. Funkeys UFO Online Ultima Online Ultima X: Odyssey Ultimate Soccer Boss Uncharted Waters Online Undercover 2: Merc Wars Underlight Unification Wars Universe Online Valkyrie Sky Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Vanquish Space Vector City Racers Vendetta Online Victory - Age of Racing Vindictus Virtonomics Vis Gladius Visions of Zosimos Voyage Century W.E.L.L. Online WAR (Warhammer Online) WYD Global Wakfu War Rock War of 2012 War of Angels War of Legends War of Thrones War of the Immortals WarFlow Waren Story Wargame1942 Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium Online Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes Warrior Epic WebLords Wild West Online WildStar WindSlayer 2 Wish Wizard 101 Wizards and Champions Wonder King Wonderland Online World Golf Tour World War II Online World of Battles World of Darkness World of Heroes World of Kung Fu World of Pirates World of Tanks World of Warcraft World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria World of the Living Dead WorldAlpha Wurm Online Xiah Xsyon YS Online ZU Online Zentia Zero Online Zero Online: The Andromeda Crisis Zodiac Online eRepublik

MMORPG.com Discussion Forums

Age of Conan: Unchained

Age of Conan 

General Discussion  » Will Funcom breaking the Norwegian Law (If found to be) have an effect on AoC?

8 Pages « 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 » Last Search
147 posts found
  Yucko55

Apprentice Member

Joined: 12/29/06
Posts: 25

12/16/08 7:32:55 AM#41

I actually think Erling would do a much better job at being an HR director than Kjetil. Erling does atleast not seem mean. ;)

  User Deleted
12/16/08 7:43:52 AM#42
Originally posted by ZeGerman1942
Originally posted by AmazingAvery


 

Everything I read in that article pertains back to AO development some years ago. If the were issues before doesn't seem to be now - at least lets hope not.  I've never stood for poor work place conditions, everyone I met there seems to be happy a year ago (official and unofficial capacity) If I am working a late shift I wouldn't mind working for a company that picks up the dinner bill like FC.


 

Avery you have been to Funcom once as far as i know. I met you then. You, the guys from TTH and other fans/press have seen exactly what Gaute and the others wanted you to see. Including the trip to the irish pub.

The work conditions described by the norwegian news site were present during AoC. There were people who did upwards of 12 weeks overtime (that is 12x 37 hours) in a 6 month period before launch. AoC entered "crunch" in December 2007, when the release date was still set for February 2008. When the release date was changed to May, crunch continued on. Prior to that there was crunch period in February/March 2007 and in August/September 2007 - before the other published release dates.

There have been MANY people who left Funcom because of working conditions (i know of 5 who left for that particular reason and a few others who were influenced by the working conditions). There was several emails and discussions on internal newsgroups about working conditions, overtime pay, the law and ways of getting help - i am glad someone actually had the balls and do something about it now.

Picking up the dinner bill? Funcom employees could order from 5 different take away places. When you order from the same places for more than a year it gets old really fast. And when people work 4 to 6 hours overtime a day, and get NOTHING for it, a meal is the least they can expect. What you saw was us all munching away happily at pizza in a time when we were still in early crunch time. If you had come and visited Funcom in May for example, you probably would have gotten a different picture.

Avery it is fine with me if you want to defend AoC. I think it is great that the game has such loyal fans. I believe the game will continue to do ok and it will definately break even and make a profit. Particularly with Gaute gone and Craig at the helm of the ship. Had i known that Gaute was going to be fired (and don't believe for a second that "he stepped down because he was unhappy with how the game was handled after launch"), i might have considered staying at Funcom.  But Avery PLEASE do not profess to know anything about how Funcom really is, and please do not defend a company you know NOTHING about, simply because you are in love with the product they make.

I personaly do not regret working for Funcom. Overall i had a good time there because of the people i worked with and the atmosphere the employees created. But at the same time i am glad i left and i would not work for them again, because management was utter rubbish, working conditions were the worst i have experienced in the industry (and i have been around a while) and game direction was a lost cause.

There will always be people who worked/work at Funcom who will defend the company and who are happy. Those will generally be people who have not been in any other games company, who have a job that require little to no overtime or people like you, who are blindly faithfull and don't see the bad things. The mere fact that there ARE people who go public and that Funcom is actually being investigated, should show you that there is something wrong.

Perhaps Avery will wake up now and take the rose tinted glasses off. Hopefully, anyway. And trust me, NOONE with half a brain cell believes Gaute "stepped down". His ass was canned.
 

  GrayGhost79

Elite Member

Joined: 8/30/08
Posts: 3323

 
12/16/08 8:04:56 AM#43
Originally posted by Yucko55

I actually think Erling would do a much better job at being an HR director than Kjetil. Erling does atleast not seem mean. ;)

 

Well I never implied he would not wear a smile while he used his taser oO lol. But yes I agree lol with him being better than Kjetil from what ive heard lol.

  convict

Apprentice Member

Joined: 11/20/05
Posts: 218

12/16/08 9:13:48 AM#44
Originally posted by ZeGerman1942
Originally posted by AmazingAvery


 

Everything I read in that article pertains back to AO development some years ago. If the were issues before doesn't seem to be now - at least lets hope not.  I've never stood for poor work place conditions, everyone I met there seems to be happy a year ago (official and unofficial capacity) If I am working a late shift I wouldn't mind working for a company that picks up the dinner bill like FC.


 

Avery you have been to Funcom once as far as i know. I met you then. You, the guys from TTH and other fans/press have seen exactly what Gaute and the others wanted you to see. Including the trip to the irish pub.

The work conditions described by the norwegian news site were present during AoC. There were people who did upwards of 12 weeks overtime (that is 12x 37 hours) in a 6 month period before launch. AoC entered "crunch" in December 2007, when the release date was still set for February 2008. When the release date was changed to May, crunch continued on. Prior to that there was crunch period in February/March 2007 and in August/September 2007 - before the other published release dates.

There have been MANY people who left Funcom because of working conditions (i know of 5 who left for that particular reason and a few others who were influenced by the working conditions). There was several emails and discussions on internal newsgroups about working conditions, overtime pay, the law and ways of getting help - i am glad someone actually had the balls and do something about it now.

Picking up the dinner bill? Funcom employees could order from 5 different take away places. When you order from the same places for more than a year it gets old really fast. And when people work 4 to 6 hours overtime a day, and get NOTHING for it, a meal is the least they can expect. What you saw was us all munching away happily at pizza in a time when we were still in early crunch time. If you had come and visited Funcom in May for example, you probably would have gotten a different picture.

Avery it is fine with me if you want to defend AoC. I think it is great that the game has such loyal fans. I believe the game will continue to do ok and it will definately break even and make a profit. Particularly with Gaute gone and Craig at the helm of the ship. Had i known that Gaute was going to be fired (and don't believe for a second that "he stepped down because he was unhappy with how the game was handled after launch"), i might have considered staying at Funcom.  But Avery PLEASE do not profess to know anything about how Funcom really is, and please do not defend a company you know NOTHING about, simply because you are in love with the product they make.

I personaly do not regret working for Funcom. Overall i had a good time there because of the people i worked with and the atmosphere the employees created. But at the same time i am glad i left and i would not work for them again, because management was utter rubbish, working conditions were the worst i have experienced in the industry (and i have been around a while) and game direction was a lost cause.

There will always be people who worked/work at Funcom who will defend the company and who are happy. Those will generally be people who have not been in any other games company, who have a job that require little to no overtime or people like you, who are blindly faithfull and don't see the bad things. The mere fact that there ARE people who go public and that Funcom is actually being investigated, should show you that there is something wrong.

*crickets* Avery, where you at?

  User Deleted
12/16/08 11:05:12 AM#45
Originally posted by AmazingAvery

You know the game had a deadline. Well in short it means a predefined amount of work has to be done by a specified timelimit, and if you have not done your work you better make sure you get it done OR your boss will get mad. Sorry that's reality. Most likely your in a contract which means the work has that deadline. 1. You are efficient, structured, talented and get your stuff done.
2. You are not that efficient, structured or talented, you rather like to mess around drinking coffeee and talk  during working hours and then sit down late hours to get shit done and moan about it. OR number 3 you a bit of both 1 & 2 in a workplace which is stressfull as hell and your first ever job..


 

Sorry to post again, but i just saw this post. Avery, i hope you don't feel like i am picking on you in particular, but i really think your love for AoC has caused you to talk about things you really know very little about.

Again, as mentioned in my last post, i think it's great the game has fans like you, but please don't comment on the development of AoC. You were/are a fan that has gotten a trip to Oslo but you did not spend any time working on it.

The game had a deadline? Which deadline was that? February 2007? September 2007? February 2008? May 2008? The deadline for Conan changed on a monthly basis almost. And the deliverables required for each deadline changed.

- Conan was supposed to be single player only up to level 20

- Players were not meant to pick ANY arch type until level 5

- Players were not meant to pick ANY class until level 20

These 3 things had changed around 4 times (until it settled to the final cookie cutter MMO class system it has now). Do you know what that meant in terms of content, quests, EPIC quests? The dialogue, the story, the gameplay the functionality it all had to be re-written. Why? because the head of the company and the Game Director decided that the game was not fun enough as a solo experience and we should bring the experience closer to World of Warcraft. That meant MONTHS of work was lost for the 1 to 20 team. That is WHY there were so many bugs in 1 to 20 all the way to launch (and after). Those guys worked their asses off - they literally did 20 hours a day shifts for weeks - and who's fault is that? (and this is just ONE example for the first 20 levels)

Your statement makes it sound as if it is the developers fault if the deliverables of a deadline are not met. But what if the deliverables and the deadline changes so often and arbitrarily that months of your work are lost? And as a result you are required to work hundreds of overtime hours. Should you not get compensated for that?

This has NOTHING to do with how talented, organized and efficient the actual developers are. Conan did not turn out as bad as it did because the people working on it were bad. I would work with ANY of them again in a heartbeat. The reason for the years of delay, the massive amount of bugs, the broken content, the missing content, the not delivered functionality is purely down to the fact that the original game design was updated on a daily basis, nobody told anyone anything and overall project management was extremely bad.

In short: the people on the floor had to make up for high level mistakes time and time again.

want another example? climbing. climbing was re-worked more than 5 times. We did not know until 1 week before gold milestone (when the DVDs were created and all assets had to be locked down) HOW the final implementation of climbing would look like. which is WHY you have climbing that works and looks different in several areas of the world.

Avery, go play the game, enjoy it, love it. But please stop being ignorant and talk about things you know NOTHING about. You seriously are talking out of your behind on this one.

  AmazingAvery

Age of Conan Advocate

Joined: 1/16/07
Posts: 7053

The only time you run out of chances is when you stop taking them.

12/16/08 11:23:46 AM#46

Your right I know nothing of the game development or making it, but I have worked with million pound budgets and deadlines before right from the floor up into management. I do not profess to understand the working conditions at Funcom, I can only comment on what I saw. I did also take that Sunday as an unscheduled trip up there, I did sit with a few people who all told me they could order food from where they wanted and after a certain time by law (or company policy) FC would pick up the bill for it. Whilst there on that day there were several employees from different area's all coming to collect food that was delivered (few more than 5 different places) - Anyway, I don't work there I can't profess for the in's and out's and workings. It does seem that things were bad a while back and have improved or focused in the right direction. I do not blame dev's either and I didn't think my posts read like that. My background has similarities that can mirror what sounds like the working conditions there and thats what I am relating off, experience. I used to be in HR in the past dealing with a couple of hundred employees too. I understand UK working of employement law and legislation in and out. Lets hope FC pull their finger out and make right any wrongs. I can appreciate some employee's issues, and I think we hope they get resolved properly and those that work there feel as comfortable as possible.


Conan Vids Corsair 800d Case/i7 930 @ 4.4ghz/EVGA x58 760 Classified/Corsair Dominator 12GB 1600/Corsair HX1000 PSU/GTX 580x2/Intel X25-M SSD/2x WD 1TB Blacks/Corsair H90 cooler / 1x 28" 1900x1200 monitor/ G-19 Keyboard/ G500 mouse

  Yucko55

Apprentice Member

Joined: 12/29/06
Posts: 25

12/16/08 11:48:21 AM#47
Originally posted by Lieven

I'm in the process of writing down my own story, which l'm gonna send to Erik Bråten. I'll probably post it here as well.


 

Can't wait to hear it! I heard you got in trouble with the former Technical Director, the very same Technical Director that I heard is the least technical guy at Funcom, is this correct? I was in a job interview with him once, but he acted like an asshole so I thought I'd better not work at Funcom. He made me feel like they did not really want to have any new employees there and that I was not good enough for them, so why the hell did they want me to take an interview in the first place? Cunts..

  User Deleted
12/16/08 12:11:26 PM#48
Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Your right I know nothing of the game development or making it, but I have worked with million pound budgets and deadlines before right from the floor up into management. I do not profess to understand the working conditions at Funcom, I can only comment on what I saw. I did also take that Sunday as an unscheduled trip up there, I did sit with a few people who all told me they could order food from where they wanted and after a certain time by law (or company policy) FC would pick up the bill for it. Whilst there on that day there were several employees from different area's all coming to collect food that was delivered (few more than 5 different places) - Anyway, I don't work there I can't profess for the in's and out's and workings. It does seem that things were bad a while back and have improved or focused in the right direction. I do not blame dev's either and I didn't think my posts read like that. My background has similarities that can mirror what sounds like the working conditions there and thats what I am relating off, experience. I used to be in HR in the past dealing with a couple of hundred employees too. I understand UK working of employement law and legislation in and out. Lets hope FC pull their finger out and make right any wrongs. I can appreciate some employee's issues, and I think we hope they get resolved properly and those that work there feel as comfortable as possible.

 

You working and managing million pound budgets has nothing to do with game development at all. And you can not compare that kind of project and budget mangement at all - i wish you could (because that would mean games would be run better), but you can't.

What do you think Funcom employees will say when you sit next to them at work? I wish i could dig out the emails from marketing that were sent out prior to ever visit we had. "Please tidy your desk, please have stuff on screen that works, please answer questions this way or that" - come on, you did not honestly think you'd get the full picture on a visit?

The places we got food from: Dolly's Pizza, Spice, Ring 222222, Room Service and one other (which i forgot). Sometimes one would be dropped for another. Unless you spent some time in Norway and at Funcom, i doubt you managed to tell apart the different food containers.

I kind of expect you to come back and trying to spin/defend what you said, but honestly mate the answer is: when it comes to this you have no clue. When it comes to Age of Conan, you probably know more about the game how it is now than myself or many others (even though you might look at it through rose tinted glasses).

I love the fact how people compare working at Funcom or game development with any other job. Sure there are always similarities, but please (and that's not just for Avery), unless you worked in the industry or at Funcom, don't pretend you know anything.

I know f*** all about investment banking, insurance, running a 5 star hotel or how people work at EA - so you won't see me talking about it.

  CobraSolidus

Novice Member

Joined: 9/25/08
Posts: 413

12/16/08 12:58:48 PM#49
Originally posted by ZeGerman1942
Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Your right I know nothing of the game development or making it, but I have worked with million pound budgets and deadlines before right from the floor up into management. I do not profess to understand the working conditions at Funcom, I can only comment on what I saw. I did also take that Sunday as an unscheduled trip up there, I did sit with a few people who all told me they could order food from where they wanted and after a certain time by law (or company policy) FC would pick up the bill for it. Whilst there on that day there were several employees from different area's all coming to collect food that was delivered (few more than 5 different places) - Anyway, I don't work there I can't profess for the in's and out's and workings. It does seem that things were bad a while back and have improved or focused in the right direction. I do not blame dev's either and I didn't think my posts read like that. My background has similarities that can mirror what sounds like the working conditions there and thats what I am relating off, experience. I used to be in HR in the past dealing with a couple of hundred employees too. I understand UK working of employement law and legislation in and out. Lets hope FC pull their finger out and make right any wrongs. I can appreciate some employee's issues, and I think we hope they get resolved properly and those that work there feel as comfortable as possible.

 

You working and managing million pound budgets has nothing to do with game development at all. And you can not compare that kind of project and budget mangement at all - i wish you could (because that would mean games would be run better), but you can't.

What do you think Funcom employees will say when you sit next to them at work? I wish i could dig out the emails from marketing that were sent out prior to ever visit we had. "Please tidy your desk, please have stuff on screen that works, please answer questions this way or that" - come on, you did not honestly think you'd get the full picture on a visit?

The places we got food from: Dolly's Pizza, Spice, Ring 222222, Room Service and one other (which i forgot). Sometimes one would be dropped for another. Unless you spent some time in Norway and at Funcom, i doubt you managed to tell apart the different food containers.

I kind of expect you to come back and trying to spin/defend what you said, but honestly mate the answer is: when it comes to this you have no clue. When it comes to Age of Conan, you probably know more about the game how it is now than myself or many others (even though you might look at it through rose tinted glasses).

I love the fact how people compare working at Funcom or game development with any other job. Sure there are always similarities, but please (and that's not just for Avery), unless you worked in the industry or at Funcom, don't pretend you know anything.

I know f*** all about investment banking, insurance, running a 5 star hotel or how people work at EA - so you won't see me talking about it.


 

But you sure as hell take a great confidence in the Mohawk guy that got fired from FunCom. You know, people can even get fired in Norway for incompetancy. Of course he's disapointed because they just fired his useless ass. End of story. I would not use a disgrunteled ex-worker's story as referance for your arguments.

  Yucko55

Apprentice Member

Joined: 12/29/06
Posts: 25

12/16/08 1:09:38 PM#50
Originally posted by CobraSolidus


 

But you sure as hell take a great confidence in the Mohawk guy that got fired from FunCom. You know, people can even get fired in Norway for incompetancy. Of course he's disapointed because they just fired his useless ass. End of story. I would not use a disgrunteled ex-worker's story as referance for your arguments.


 

LOL. He is not only using this story as reference for his arguments, he is mainly using his own experience in the company.

However, I happen to know a couple of Funcom guys that know the "Tomahawk guy" aswell as "Theodor" and from what I hear they are both talented people that give everything they've got to their workplace. Osman revamped the AO engine, made it look a lot more up to date, added some really nice features on his own initiative in his spare time and after that his bosses took the credit for all of it. Useless?

I've been following Funcom for a while now and I've counted 20 or so different devs and ex-devs that says mainly the same stuff. Coinsidense? How many more must there be that has experienced the same stuff, but just don't talk about it in public?

  User Deleted
12/16/08 1:17:47 PM#51
Originally posted by CobraSolidus
Originally posted by ZeGerman1942
Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Your right I know nothing of the game development or making it, but I have worked with million pound budgets and deadlines before right from the floor up into management. I do not profess to understand the working conditions at Funcom, I can only comment on what I saw. I did also take that Sunday as an unscheduled trip up there, I did sit with a few people who all told me they could order food from where they wanted and after a certain time by law (or company policy) FC would pick up the bill for it. Whilst there on that day there were several employees from different area's all coming to collect food that was delivered (few more than 5 different places) - Anyway, I don't work there I can't profess for the in's and out's and workings. It does seem that things were bad a while back and have improved or focused in the right direction. I do not blame dev's either and I didn't think my posts read like that. My background has similarities that can mirror what sounds like the working conditions there and thats what I am relating off, experience. I used to be in HR in the past dealing with a couple of hundred employees too. I understand UK working of employement law and legislation in and out. Lets hope FC pull their finger out and make right any wrongs. I can appreciate some employee's issues, and I think we hope they get resolved properly and those that work there feel as comfortable as possible.

 

You working and managing million pound budgets has nothing to do with game development at all. And you can not compare that kind of project and budget mangement at all - i wish you could (because that would mean games would be run better), but you can't.

What do you think Funcom employees will say when you sit next to them at work? I wish i could dig out the emails from marketing that were sent out prior to ever visit we had. "Please tidy your desk, please have stuff on screen that works, please answer questions this way or that" - come on, you did not honestly think you'd get the full picture on a visit?

The places we got food from: Dolly's Pizza, Spice, Ring 222222, Room Service and one other (which i forgot). Sometimes one would be dropped for another. Unless you spent some time in Norway and at Funcom, i doubt you managed to tell apart the different food containers.

I kind of expect you to come back and trying to spin/defend what you said, but honestly mate the answer is: when it comes to this you have no clue. When it comes to Age of Conan, you probably know more about the game how it is now than myself or many others (even though you might look at it through rose tinted glasses).

I love the fact how people compare working at Funcom or game development with any other job. Sure there are always similarities, but please (and that's not just for Avery), unless you worked in the industry or at Funcom, don't pretend you know anything.

I know f*** all about investment banking, insurance, running a 5 star hotel or how people work at EA - so you won't see me talking about it.


 

But you sure as hell take a great confidence in the Mohawk guy that got fired from FunCom. You know, people can even get fired in Norway for incompetancy. Of course he's disapointed because they just fired his useless ass. End of story. I would not use a disgrunteled ex-worker's story as referance for your arguments.

 

Oh really? The last time I checked firing someone who is a employee in norway is not an easy task, sure you can fire him for being incompetent... But wait you can't, you have to move him to a different position in the company, if there is no job he can do yes then you can fire him. Sure it happens people get fired for being incompetent and most people don't bother go to a jury and try their case, because if they did, the chances are they will win. As a employee in Norway you have it nice, if you are a part of a worker union it's even worse firing you.

I know people who I trust 100% that has told me much of what Zegerman1942 says so I have no doubts that he is telling the truth, how can I trust them you might ask? I don't know.. RL friends who had family working for Funcom maybe? Funcom isn't saints when it comes to working politics, but there is many companies worldwide that breaks those rules so they are far from unique.

 

  Yucko55

Apprentice Member

Joined: 12/29/06
Posts: 25

12/16/08 1:28:32 PM#52

I also need to point out that Osman did not get fired, he willingly left himself.

  User Deleted
12/16/08 1:43:46 PM#53

no surprise here. Check how they treat ppl in their offitial forums .. If a company does that to their costumers, imagine what will do to their employees.

My simpathy to the fellow programmers, game designers and workers affected at FailCom.

  User Deleted
12/16/08 1:49:26 PM#54
Originally posted by EduardoASG

no surprise here. Check how they treat ppl in their offitial forums .. If a company does that to their costumers, imagine what will do to their employees.

My simpathy to the fellow programmers, game designers and workers affected at FailCom.

 

And exactly how do they treat their customers on the forums then?


  Unfinished

Apprentice Member

Joined: 4/22/06
Posts: 957

12/16/08 2:33:02 PM#55

Glad to see former employees come out of the wood work to post on this subject.

Maybe the Ostrichs will start to pull their heads out of the sand now. I know, I know wishful thinking.

" I know everything their is to know about FunCom I visited their Once "

  SinReaper

Apprentice Member

Joined: 11/06/05
Posts: 193

Errkkk!

12/16/08 3:25:16 PM#56
Originally posted by ZeGerman1942
Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Your right I know nothing of the game development or making it, but I have worked with million pound budgets and deadlines before right from the floor up into management. I do not profess to understand the working conditions at Funcom, I can only comment on what I saw. I did also take that Sunday as an unscheduled trip up there, I did sit with a few people who all told me they could order food from where they wanted and after a certain time by law (or company policy) FC would pick up the bill for it. Whilst there on that day there were several employees from different area's all coming to collect food that was delivered (few more than 5 different places) - Anyway, I don't work there I can't profess for the in's and out's and workings. It does seem that things were bad a while back and have improved or focused in the right direction. I do not blame dev's either and I didn't think my posts read like that. My background has similarities that can mirror what sounds like the working conditions there and thats what I am relating off, experience. I used to be in HR in the past dealing with a couple of hundred employees too. I understand UK working of employement law and legislation in and out. Lets hope FC pull their finger out and make right any wrongs. I can appreciate some employee's issues, and I think we hope they get resolved properly and those that work there feel as comfortable as possible.

 

You working and managing million pound budgets has nothing to do with game development at all. And you can not compare that kind of project and budget mangement at all - i wish you could (because that would mean games would be run better), but you can't.

What do you think Funcom employees will say when you sit next to them at work? I wish i could dig out the emails from marketing that were sent out prior to ever visit we had. "Please tidy your desk, please have stuff on screen that works, please answer questions this way or that" - come on, you did not honestly think you'd get the full picture on a visit?

The places we got food from: Dolly's Pizza, Spice, Ring 222222, Room Service and one other (which i forgot). Sometimes one would be dropped for another. Unless you spent some time in Norway and at Funcom, i doubt you managed to tell apart the different food containers.

I kind of expect you to come back and trying to spin/defend what you said, but honestly mate the answer is: when it comes to this you have no clue. When it comes to Age of Conan, you probably know more about the game how it is now than myself or many others (even though you might look at it through rose tinted glasses).

I love the fact how people compare working at Funcom or game development with any other job. Sure there are always similarities, but please (and that's not just for Avery), unless you worked in the industry or at Funcom, don't pretend you know anything.

I know f*** all about investment banking, insurance, running a 5 star hotel or how people work at EA - so you won't see me talking about it.

 

I appreciate you and Lieven for posting in this thread and lending both personal experience and perspective to this topic.  It was an honest and worthwhile read on several counts; and I think it speaks volumes of you both that you're not on here daily espousing negative views as people with your knowledge and insight certainly could.  

Again, thanks for your posts and I'm sure many who are not on either extreme appreciate your honesty.

  GrayGhost79

Elite Member

Joined: 8/30/08
Posts: 3323

 
12/16/08 5:35:22 PM#57

I am glad how this thread turned out, there were a few comments not needed but I am glad how it has gone overall. Avery thanks for posting in the original thread informing them of this thread. As for those of you posting that are Ex FC staff thank you for giving us a bit of insight and I truely hope things work out for everyone in the end.

  Hamrtime2

Novice Member

Joined: 2/11/06
Posts: 399

12/16/08 7:54:27 PM#58

This is just more proof of what Funcom is. They treat their customers like crap, they treat their employees like crap, they lie, cheat and yes...steal to make a buck.

When is the rest of the mmo community gonna wake up and see this company for what it is? As I said in another thread, the guy running this dog and pony show called Funcom should be in jail for fraud.

Its gonna be a great day when this so called legitamate business goes under and they lock the doors for good.

  ruslans

Novice Member

Joined: 5/26/08
Posts: 65

12/16/08 9:46:52 PM#59
Originally posted by Hamrtime2

This is just more proof of what Funcom is. They treat their customers like crap, they treat their employees like crap, they lie, cheat and yes...steal to make a buck.

When is the rest of the mmo community gonna wake up and see this company for what it is? As I said in another thread, the guy running this dog and pony show called Funcom should be in jail for fraud.

Its gonna be a great day when this so called legitamate business goes under and they lock the doors for good.

 

This is just more proof that the truth is in the eyes of the beholder.

And that would be fine, if people were beholding whatever distorted  truth they wish without spewing too much of the the crap (or, ponies and butterflies, for that matter) back . But Internet makes this kind of spewing much easier, and one usually doesn't trouble himself enough to reflect on his own judgement before starting to shout aloud in extremely assertive way.

 

You say that "they lie, cheat, steal, treat people like crap and deserve to die"?..

You know what? I say that it's very far from being that. And believe it or not, I have more objective knowledge about the matters at hand than you.

Go figure the truth... oh wait, you say it so many times, and I don't, so the truth must be yours... right? right?

 

 Today's world seriously lacks positive people.

 

 

  CobraSolidus

Novice Member

Joined: 9/25/08
Posts: 413

12/16/08 11:10:32 PM#60
Originally posted by Yucko55
Originally posted by CobraSolidus


 

But you sure as hell take a great confidence in the Mohawk guy that got fired from FunCom. You know, people can even get fired in Norway for incompetancy. Of course he's disapointed because they just fired his useless ass. End of story. I would not use a disgrunteled ex-worker's story as referance for your arguments.


 

LOL. He is not only using this story as reference for his arguments, he is mainly using his own experience in the company.

However, I happen to know a couple of Funcom guys that know the "Tomahawk guy" aswell as "Theodor" and from what I hear they are both talented people that give everything they've got to their workplace. Osman revamped the AO engine, made it look a lot more up to date, added some really nice features on his own initiative in his spare time and after that his bosses took the credit for all of it. Useless?

I've been following Funcom for a while now and I've counted 20 or so different devs and ex-devs that says mainly the same stuff. Coinsidense? How many more must there be that has experienced the same stuff, but just don't talk about it in public?


 

My god this made me laugh. Such sentimental nonsense.

1. For starters. Who tha hell use all his sparetime to work (revamp AO). Nobody asked this guy to do it, he just went ahead and did it with the hope that, yupp they sure gona give me a tremendous bonus now. That's completely idiotic. You can't go ahead and do that. No wonder he is disappointed. If he tought he would get promoted to GD by acting crazy, it's no wonder he is disappointed now. The workers reality just caught up with him. FC has no obligation to pay, bow, suck up, pay lots of lots of money to people fcking around in their offices at evening time. lol, this is just too much.

2. 20 unhappy workers. Oh, I guess I just should belive you... NOT. Ref please.

3. I like that FC fire inefficient developers. Thats how we get the highest efficiency in the workplace. It's not good to have a bunch of nerds sosializing with eachother in the office every night. Fire them, get a professional and efficient workforce in place. Thats what I feel FC have going now, hence all the new content and the game shaping very nicely up.

4. So The Mohawk Man, was disappointed over how little his boss appreciated his work. De Ja Vu... Let us all call Opera or nearest tabloid paper right away to get some crytime in public. My god how pathetic. Get over it.  

8 Pages « 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 » Last Search