How are Game Developers making games, updates?

[Algorum]

Due to this Pandemic I'm wondering how are developers handling social distancing? Are they still working at the typical headquarters? Buildings? From home?

I can imagine that this is effecting live service based games and even games that promised continued support like the recent Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Really curious since I've read literally almost nothing on the topic... aside from maybe Rare delaying support for Sea of Thieves?

 

[Rosebud]

From home.

 

[_zoipi]

Work from home can be nearly as good as working in office if managed well.

 

[Algorum]

From home.

Click to shrink...

I imagined so.

Must be a nightmare having an established team of over 100 people and managing all that.

 

[TheChrisGlass]

Lots of Slack and TeamViewer

 

[Sho Nuff]

Hi, Japan dev here, one day last month my boss was like "That's it, everyone grab their computers, you're all going home, save your cab receipts." We moved to using Zoom. We are being INCREDIBLY productive due to the lack of distractions, but we're pretty far along in dev and know what we're making.

Edit: We're a small team of 15 or so, however. I'd imagine on a larger team, the leads would need to herd cats a bit more.

 

[Imran]

I imagined so.

Must be a nightmare having an established team of over 100 people and managing all that.

Click to shrink...

Depends on the game, the team, and the company.

Some are better suited for it than others. Some are running around with their hair on fire.

 

[OrangeNova]

Honestly, working QA from home has been a dream, minus the spread of Devices making coverage tests difficult, otherwise I have no distractions and can properly adjust my focus.

I do miss everyone though

 

[Algorum]

Hi, Japan dev here, one day last month my boss was like "That's it, everyone grab their computers, you're all going home, save your cab receipts." We moved to using Zoom. We are being INCREDIBLY productive due to the lack of distractions, but we're pretty far along in dev and know what we're making.

Edit: We're a small team of 15 or so, however. I'd imagine on a larger team, the leads would need to herd cats a bit more.

Click to shrink...

Great insight, thank you.

Best of luck to the team in these hard times.

 

[Sub Boss]

I cant imagine making a AAA game in these conditions, how it would even work? 🤔

 

[Rosebud]

I imagined so.

Must be a nightmare having an established team of over 100 people and managing all that.

Click to shrink...

Some studios already worked like this before Corona, like Moon Studios.

 

[Hibiki]

ZOOOOOOOOooooooooommmmmmm....

WEEEEE

 

[Deleted member 5593]

The one thing that I was always curious about is how do QA Testers work remotely? Do publishers have a Stadia/Xcloud-like service where testers can login remotely to and test it? Or do they have special consoles that can download beta's?

 

[Sargerus]

TeamViewer/AnyDesk FTW

 

[Imperfected]

It can be a bit rough on certain elements of the work, for example if you're doing something that requires enormous compile times in large numbers, or any long render periods, and obviously for stuff like mocap or orchestral soundtrack recording. A lot of development work is stuff you can do on a home PC, though. Take this opportunity to pick up the Unreal Engine and maybe some 3D modelling programs, feel around a bit! Maybe set up an ad-hoc soundstage in your laundry room and do some foley work or line reads.

 

[ResetEraVetVIP]

Due to this Pandemic I'm wondering how are developers handling social distancing? Are they still working at the typical headquarters? Buildings? From home?

I can imagine that this is effecting live service based games and even games that promised continued support like the recent Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Really curious since I've read literally almost nothing on the topic... aside from maybe Rare delaying support for Sea of Thieves?

Click to shrink...

From Home

 

[ResetEraVetVIP]

Work from home can be nearly as good as working in office if managed well.

Click to shrink...

This.

 

[Porygon]

Honestly, working QA from home has been a dream, minus the spread of Devices making coverage tests difficult, otherwise I have no distractions and can properly adjust my focus.

I do miss everyone though

Click to shrink...

Hahahaha same here buddy

I'm the QA Manager, we focus on mobile and device coverage has been a nightmare

Besides that, everybody has been as efficient as working in the studio

 

[ZeroX]

I know quite a few people in software (not specifically game dev) who are loving working from home. Less distractions. Less micromanagement. More time. No commute. The ability to have proper meals for lunch.

Of course I also know a few people who are like "I need the structure of work and the separation of home and office" so they're struggling.

 

[SickNasty]

If you have the kind of equipment and IT department needed to make a large video game, getting everyone to remote in from home is not particularly hard.

 

[Keits]

IG is working from home, and being that we usually have two studios and remote people, it honestly isn't that big a change for us as far as day to day work goes. Meeting that include people offsite is pretty much every meeting for us already anyway.

 

[Edward850]

Wait... Something changed?

Alternative answer: We were working from home before it was cool.

 

[Algorum]

IG is working from home, and being that we usually have two studios and remote people, it honestly isn't that big a change for us as far as day to day work goes. Meeting that include people offsite is pretty much every meeting for us already anyway.

Click to shrink...

More great insight, thank you very much!

 

[entremet]

OP must not be familiar with the software industry. It's probably the most pandemic friendly industry around. Or alternatively WFH industry not to sound trivial.

 

[Blaaaarrggghhh]

I feel the common issue is similar to everyone else working from home now; keeping boundaries. Also, keeping somewhat of a decent circadian cycle.

 

[Benzychenz]

Working from home with delays. I know the next update for Final Fantasy XIV was pushed back a month or so.

 

[Algorum]

OP must not be familiar with the software industry. It's probably the most pandemic friendly industry around. Or alternatively WFH industry not to sound trivial.

Click to shrink...

Not necessarily, no... good that it means that games and updates won't technically be delayed by COVID-19 but that still doesn't change that this is a new world we're basically living now.

Things might seem like normal and while some are not complaining much like you said that still doesn't change the fact that this is a completely new reality.

 

[dabri]

The one thing that I was always curious about is how do QA Testers work remotely? Do publishers have a Stadia/Xcloud-like service where testers can login remotely to and test it? Or do they have special consoles that can download beta's?

Click to shrink...

Send qa home to work? Pff why? If they get sick, just let them go and hire on someone new for less$$$.

 

[fattylion]

There is no changes other than the workplace actually.

I figure every developer is using some repo like GitHub or SVN for code and assets.
JIRA or trello or wrike for task management.
Jenkins for build servers.
skype, slack etc for office communications and meetings.

QA and dev will probably have windows build and a select few i.e. leads would bring back the devices needed to test and fix bugs.

Submissions probably uploaded to some site the publisher or just the producer would have to go to the office to burn it into blu ray.

 

[OrangeNova]

The one thing that I was always curious about is how do QA Testers work remotely? Do publishers have a Stadia/Xcloud-like service where testers can login remotely to and test it? Or do they have special consoles that can download beta's?

Click to shrink...

Mobile QA here. We ended up taking several devices and we're remote-ing in to download our builds. Streaming from the office would be a nightmare.

 

[Domino Theory]

Work from home can be nearly as good as working in office if managed well.

Click to shrink...

Currently WFH and I concur.

I DO look forward to returning to the office when we're legally allowed to, though!

 

[Zim]

We have a very relaxed work environment. At any given time, a number of us WFH for a variety of reasons (sick kid, school's out, other kid gets sick, vet visit, first kid gets sick again, etc). So the current climate hasn't been a huge impact on me personally.

I do feel bad for the people who live alone (my fellow coworkers or any of y'all), it must hard being isolated from other people for so long.

We have our video conferences to try and combat the isolation, which helps (I think). I, like Domino, am excited to get back to the office. Stay safe out there Era and we will see ya on the other side of this thing.

 

[Feep]

WFH. I do think it's hurting our productivity and motivation a touch, but nothing too significant and we're chugging away.