J.E. Sawyer on Game Modifications
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Hello. My name is Josh Sawyer. I am a game developer, formerly of Black Isle Studios, currently working for Midway San Diego. I'm not necessarily an expert on the game development process, but I have worked with quite a few producers and had the opportunity to see many different styles of project management and mismanagement. I see a lot of ambitious people set out to make mods, 90%+ of which are never completed. I don't think it's because the ideas aren't sound or because the people involved are a bunch of idiots. I think it's because the projects are a) poorly planned B) poorly scheduled and c) poorly managed in general.
It's not common for projects to be successful in spite of mismanagement. You can certainly develop a game or mod without tight management, but you might as well wish, click your heels together, and hope that things will come together. Management takes time and is neither fun nor glamorous, but it is of vital importance to the success of a team endeavor. I'd like to suggest a process and some general tips on how to organize a mod project. These suggestions aren't necessarily the best in the world. You may even think they are bad ideas, but they seem to work from my perspective. These suggestions assume that you, the initiator of the mod-making process, are the team leader/producer/god emperor. Don't get too caught up on titles; only ego-tripping retards really give a damn anyway. If you're the one coordinating things and getting the ball rolling, this post's for you.
