The Grass Is Always Greener

So, it always seems that everyone else's work is always "better" than what you've done. Somehow everyone else on the planet has magically executed better than you and of course, they knew the super-Secret Squirrel shit, the amazing kung-fu that not only made a great game, but they did it without any problems and their development was super-smooth. It had to have been that way, to create such a great product, right?!?

BULLSHIT!

It amazes me how many people always look at somebody else's work and think that the other person's always got their shit together. In my experience, everyone out there seems to be flailing. No, it's not that I haven't come across "the perfect developer", I've talked with a ton of these "star developers" and they all have horror stories. Every one of them.

So, why do people look at other's work and romanticize how it was done? Why do people put others on such a pedestal? My guess is that people need hope. If you're having a shit time at work and things aren't "the perfect development" that you've built up in your head, by idolizing someone else and envisioning this "perfect process" at Developer X, you can imagining that someplace else is "better" and there's hope.

Now, I'm not saying that every place is shit or there is no "great places" to work, of course there are. But, I really don't think there's any "perfect place" or "perfect method". I don't think any one place can be "perfect", because everyone's different . There can be a happy middle ground, but "perfection"... nah...

I find understanding that nothing can be 100% ideal is quite liberating. Coming to this conclusion allows you to look at the things that you consider "problems" and really assess them relative to "the big picture", i.e. Your Life.

Which brings me to another subject; Your Job Is NOT Your Life!
I'll get around to writing that blog, someday... someday when I'm not busy with my job or my Real Life(tm).

The Start of Something Old

Well, this has been a long time coming...

Hello and welcome to my "blog". This has been a long time coming, considering how long I've been in the biz, how long I've been "net savvy" and how long I've been a cynical bastage with a ton of stories and opinions in my craw.

So, what can you expect from "The Factor"? A lot of bitching, mostly. That's right, this is my little piece of cyberspace to bitch and moan about the things that I want to bitch about... all the cool kids are doin' it!

You can also expect quite a bit of insight into game development; past, present and future. I live and breathe it, and have since the age of 12, which may not seem like a big deal to a bunch of you who started playing games at age 3 (my 1st set of twin sons, Alan & William included), but when I was 12, we hardly had games everywhere, it was pre-internet boom, there was no such thing as a DVD and Eddie Murphy was a "raw and edgy comic".

So get ready for The Factor and remember, "It's a trip, leave your baggage at the door..."

-Twitch