Open Letter to the GarageGames
by Jay Moore · 04/20/2006 (10:58 pm) · 28 comments
Open Letter to the GarageGames' Community
GDC Binge, What's on my to do list, personal rant and Job Opening.
You are the greatest. If we don't tell you that often enough, our bad.
As proud as I am of our technology and the products we've created - I spend an equal amount of time telling the planet about what an amazing community of developers surround GG and Torque and how that is value we can't manufacture and passion we can't package. I believe it is partly a result of being a company with the best interests of our customers behind EVERY decision that we make.
Through various forum threads, emails, and general buzz around the water cooler, it has come to my attention that perhaps not everyone in the community is feeling appreciated, communicated with, or generally in the know like as they felt when it was just 10-12 employees hanging out online with only 40,000 or so community members that contributed to GG (that was just last year - now at over 30 GGers nearly 100 associates and 65,000 community members - it appears we're growing).
Let me share a few highlights from GDC that might help explain, but in no way excuse me from not communicating better with everyone in the Garage:
Leading up to GDC I had the chance to respond to over 1,000 requests for meetings (not that I was able to respond to everyone). You read right, now granted many were people trying to sell us something, get us to outsource something or just want to let us know they'd always believed in GG (and most came by the booth even if I didn't personally reply to their emails to tell them to). We have very valuable partnerships we enjoy in the industry with companies like ATI, Creative Labs, Logitech, AMD, nVIDIA, Oberon and many more all of whom it wasn't possible to find time to sit down with and talk about 2006 plans during this busy GDC (more work for me at e3).
This was the first event where every new meeting didn't start with 'Can you take a minute to explain to us your business model. We're not sure we understand how you make money'. Finally, by having the highest grossing title on the very successful Xbox 360 Live Arcade, people are understanding that if you do good things, make great games, empower people and don't get greedy, the money will follow.
Yes, I was the "Tradeshow Man" that Jeff referred to in his blog. We, between our teams, had over 200 sit down meetings at GDC - many with very exciting outcomes. We actually had rooms at the Hilton(attached directly to the convention floor) - it astonished those used to staying 10 miles away at the cheapest flea bag hotel. I think I only logged over five nights a total of 13 hours in my room - 3 of which were answering emails. A typical day would start at 8 am, I'd have 2-3 breakfast meetings (that can get expensive), meet at the booth to kick off the day (sometimes the only time the other 15 GG people would see me the entire day), then to 2-3 more meetings before lunch, a lunch meeting or reception, 6-8 more meetings before dinner, then like on Tuesday evening the Torque Educational Advisory Board Meeting (wow was that fun - Davey and GG enjoy some extremely passionate partners in education doing great things), an IGDA reception, 1-2 parties and then at about 11pm end up at the Fairmont for time connecting with old friends and going up to the suites to party some more. I was on a bit of a jag as pictures someplace on Flickr attest.
This year along with other casual game companies GG hosted our first party at GDC - board games and poker night.
On the floor (Eric Fritz managed the booth) and Benjamin Bradley handled press, Justin DuJardin and Adam Larson got to show off Torque Game Builder as it is poised to leap out of Early Adopter phase (only 1 year and 3-4 months after launch), Matt Fairfax and Paul Scott showed off Constructor (it is inspiring to think about how fully customizable tool and interior brushes can be manipulated through script), and Pat Wilson, Ben Garney, Mark Frohnmayer (mostly playing MB Ultra) and Tim Aste showed off TSE Xbox 360. Adam deGrandis and Tim Aste showed off all of our art pipeline in the Autodesk booth everyday and Tim Aste and Ben Garney showed off the making of the Legions demo at the ATI theater on Thursday. Davey Jackson was on Education and Stephen Zepp worked with the serious games and training & support customers. Jeff Tunnell, Josh Williams and Mark F. took on the heavy lifting in business development meetings.
To get to GDC required new brochures, back drops, buttons, mouse pads, signs, temporary tattoos, web site updates and demos, that took nearly everyone and our service providers working for 8 weeks solid to get to the 'ta Da!' stage at GDC.
So to tell you a little more about what I'm doing around the Garage these days, here are a few things I'm spending 12+ hour days working on now:
1) Torque Game Builder Marketing Rollout:
A) A 'potential' contest to be revealed soon that will culminate at IGC - think lots of hours working with sponsors, media and promotional teams. For the developers it will mean fame, trips to IGC and dev. hardware for the best (most fun) indie TBG games (see I can spread rumors).
B) Case Studies and developer spotlights on key studios and projects
C) Curriculum and lesson plans for teaching TGB in higher Ed.
D) Marketing & promotional paper - The Flash Game Developers Guide to the Torque Game Builder.
E) Website(s), demos and hype to fuel the proverbial marketing machine.
2) Torque Constructor
3) TSE and TSE Xbox 360
4) Marble Blast Ultra ongoing marketing
5) The FIVE - yes count them FIVE new games that we're launching and taking out to distribution!!! (its been awhile!)
Ok, so maybe I'm leaving out a few top secret things that I honestly can't tell you about, but that is a large portion of just the marketing teams efforts right now.
It also might hearten everyone to know GG has had full on company meetings trying to figure out how we can hit our milestones, take advantage of the key opportunities we're focused on (among MANY we don't chose to focus on) and still interact and support the community more in this time of accelerated growth.
2006 will be a very exciting year with much history being written in the GG saga, but I want one of the footnotes to be that we were able to sustain amazing growth and still have a vibrant and connected community that made the journey as rewarding as the arrival at our destiny.
Beginning of personal rant:
======================
If you doubt GG at some point that's fine, we understand that (I had my concerns in the early days). If you question us in a constructive manner, that's can be ok too, I try to answer all emails & phone calls from contributing community members, associates and customers large and small (I don't always succeed) - usually on how we can work together to reach your dreams.
BUT, If you don't want to contribute or don't believe in what GG is doing, I personally wouldn't mind if you found another community to join that is doing more to change how games are made and played. We rarely moderate our forums, but at times we find them hard to read, if you just want to bitch start your own blog or go over to slash dot.
Because sometimes working for a small percentage of what I could make at the job offers I frequently get unsolicited, traveling 20+ weeks a year promoting our developers and making their dreams a possibility and then reading that somehow a vocal minority of that community thinks we're out to rip them off or in some way don't care about them or delivering high quality tools (even when they are sold for BELOW reasonable prices) that can be a little demoralizing.
End of personal rant.
=======================
Last, but not least. We do most of our hiring as you've probably noticed through our very successful intern program, but sometimes we don't always find every role in GG filled this way.
JOB POSTING: Sales Engineer for Torque
It is a rare person who can understand game dev. tech, communicate well, you trust to set expectations your products meet and has the ability to consult, solve dev. tech problems for customers, and have sales skills.
If you think you have what it takes or know someone who might, contact me for details jaym @gargegames.com.
Finally, when I see the dev. snapshots, the resources contributed, the TDN posts escalating and all of the fun cool games under development on Torque I can't say how excited I get about our incredible community and how much I look forward to seeing everyone around the Garage reach their dreams.
GDC Binge, What's on my to do list, personal rant and Job Opening.
You are the greatest. If we don't tell you that often enough, our bad.
As proud as I am of our technology and the products we've created - I spend an equal amount of time telling the planet about what an amazing community of developers surround GG and Torque and how that is value we can't manufacture and passion we can't package. I believe it is partly a result of being a company with the best interests of our customers behind EVERY decision that we make.
Through various forum threads, emails, and general buzz around the water cooler, it has come to my attention that perhaps not everyone in the community is feeling appreciated, communicated with, or generally in the know like as they felt when it was just 10-12 employees hanging out online with only 40,000 or so community members that contributed to GG (that was just last year - now at over 30 GGers nearly 100 associates and 65,000 community members - it appears we're growing).
Let me share a few highlights from GDC that might help explain, but in no way excuse me from not communicating better with everyone in the Garage:
Leading up to GDC I had the chance to respond to over 1,000 requests for meetings (not that I was able to respond to everyone). You read right, now granted many were people trying to sell us something, get us to outsource something or just want to let us know they'd always believed in GG (and most came by the booth even if I didn't personally reply to their emails to tell them to). We have very valuable partnerships we enjoy in the industry with companies like ATI, Creative Labs, Logitech, AMD, nVIDIA, Oberon and many more all of whom it wasn't possible to find time to sit down with and talk about 2006 plans during this busy GDC (more work for me at e3).
This was the first event where every new meeting didn't start with 'Can you take a minute to explain to us your business model. We're not sure we understand how you make money'. Finally, by having the highest grossing title on the very successful Xbox 360 Live Arcade, people are understanding that if you do good things, make great games, empower people and don't get greedy, the money will follow.
Yes, I was the "Tradeshow Man" that Jeff referred to in his blog. We, between our teams, had over 200 sit down meetings at GDC - many with very exciting outcomes. We actually had rooms at the Hilton(attached directly to the convention floor) - it astonished those used to staying 10 miles away at the cheapest flea bag hotel. I think I only logged over five nights a total of 13 hours in my room - 3 of which were answering emails. A typical day would start at 8 am, I'd have 2-3 breakfast meetings (that can get expensive), meet at the booth to kick off the day (sometimes the only time the other 15 GG people would see me the entire day), then to 2-3 more meetings before lunch, a lunch meeting or reception, 6-8 more meetings before dinner, then like on Tuesday evening the Torque Educational Advisory Board Meeting (wow was that fun - Davey and GG enjoy some extremely passionate partners in education doing great things), an IGDA reception, 1-2 parties and then at about 11pm end up at the Fairmont for time connecting with old friends and going up to the suites to party some more. I was on a bit of a jag as pictures someplace on Flickr attest.
This year along with other casual game companies GG hosted our first party at GDC - board games and poker night.
On the floor (Eric Fritz managed the booth) and Benjamin Bradley handled press, Justin DuJardin and Adam Larson got to show off Torque Game Builder as it is poised to leap out of Early Adopter phase (only 1 year and 3-4 months after launch), Matt Fairfax and Paul Scott showed off Constructor (it is inspiring to think about how fully customizable tool and interior brushes can be manipulated through script), and Pat Wilson, Ben Garney, Mark Frohnmayer (mostly playing MB Ultra) and Tim Aste showed off TSE Xbox 360. Adam deGrandis and Tim Aste showed off all of our art pipeline in the Autodesk booth everyday and Tim Aste and Ben Garney showed off the making of the Legions demo at the ATI theater on Thursday. Davey Jackson was on Education and Stephen Zepp worked with the serious games and training & support customers. Jeff Tunnell, Josh Williams and Mark F. took on the heavy lifting in business development meetings.
To get to GDC required new brochures, back drops, buttons, mouse pads, signs, temporary tattoos, web site updates and demos, that took nearly everyone and our service providers working for 8 weeks solid to get to the 'ta Da!' stage at GDC.
So to tell you a little more about what I'm doing around the Garage these days, here are a few things I'm spending 12+ hour days working on now:
1) Torque Game Builder Marketing Rollout:
A) A 'potential' contest to be revealed soon that will culminate at IGC - think lots of hours working with sponsors, media and promotional teams. For the developers it will mean fame, trips to IGC and dev. hardware for the best (most fun) indie TBG games (see I can spread rumors).
B) Case Studies and developer spotlights on key studios and projects
C) Curriculum and lesson plans for teaching TGB in higher Ed.
D) Marketing & promotional paper - The Flash Game Developers Guide to the Torque Game Builder.
E) Website(s), demos and hype to fuel the proverbial marketing machine.
2) Torque Constructor
3) TSE and TSE Xbox 360
4) Marble Blast Ultra ongoing marketing
5) The FIVE - yes count them FIVE new games that we're launching and taking out to distribution!!! (its been awhile!)
Ok, so maybe I'm leaving out a few top secret things that I honestly can't tell you about, but that is a large portion of just the marketing teams efforts right now.
It also might hearten everyone to know GG has had full on company meetings trying to figure out how we can hit our milestones, take advantage of the key opportunities we're focused on (among MANY we don't chose to focus on) and still interact and support the community more in this time of accelerated growth.
2006 will be a very exciting year with much history being written in the GG saga, but I want one of the footnotes to be that we were able to sustain amazing growth and still have a vibrant and connected community that made the journey as rewarding as the arrival at our destiny.
Beginning of personal rant:
======================
If you doubt GG at some point that's fine, we understand that (I had my concerns in the early days). If you question us in a constructive manner, that's can be ok too, I try to answer all emails & phone calls from contributing community members, associates and customers large and small (I don't always succeed) - usually on how we can work together to reach your dreams.
BUT, If you don't want to contribute or don't believe in what GG is doing, I personally wouldn't mind if you found another community to join that is doing more to change how games are made and played. We rarely moderate our forums, but at times we find them hard to read, if you just want to bitch start your own blog or go over to slash dot.
Because sometimes working for a small percentage of what I could make at the job offers I frequently get unsolicited, traveling 20+ weeks a year promoting our developers and making their dreams a possibility and then reading that somehow a vocal minority of that community thinks we're out to rip them off or in some way don't care about them or delivering high quality tools (even when they are sold for BELOW reasonable prices) that can be a little demoralizing.
End of personal rant.
=======================
Last, but not least. We do most of our hiring as you've probably noticed through our very successful intern program, but sometimes we don't always find every role in GG filled this way.
JOB POSTING: Sales Engineer for Torque
It is a rare person who can understand game dev. tech, communicate well, you trust to set expectations your products meet and has the ability to consult, solve dev. tech problems for customers, and have sales skills.
If you think you have what it takes or know someone who might, contact me for details jaym @gargegames.com.
Finally, when I see the dev. snapshots, the resources contributed, the TDN posts escalating and all of the fun cool games under development on Torque I can't say how excited I get about our incredible community and how much I look forward to seeing everyone around the Garage reach their dreams.
About the author
Serial / parallel entrepreneur, insight merchant, sailor and red wine enthusiast. Co-founder of BitRaider, out to change the game. An original partner in GarageGames and hosted Indie Game Con `02-`05.
#22
I'm usually the one who is saying ignore the trolls and with the kind of signal to noise ratio we enjoy on the GG forums we must be doing something right. Its more when I see this noise on other forums I really want to have my mythically powered uber 'mute' button. BTW - I do see all the great things that are written in many places as well.
@Lester - Note the near 100 Associates they usually make it so we rarely need a GG engineer to post or if we do at least they know that if something is an issue we'll get it on our priority list for changes (sometimes that list can get longer than the one of unanswered forum posts).
In case anyone is concerned that I'm actually 'demoralized' let me just assure everyone - I'm having the TIME OF MY LIFE. GDC and then TechED were a full on 10 day binge, that was a wild ride**, when I couldn't sleep more than a few hours before having to get up to work with more people, I actually lost my voice (which for those that know me they shake their heads in amazement and must wonder how glorious that must have been to be around).
At that point my wife and I took 4.5 days at the Oregon coast where we did nothing, walked on the beach, had no cell, no internet (ok so maybe I might have been seen in Newport at the "Big Guy's Diner" getting a quick fix over coffee once or maybe twice). I played Nintendogs and Tiger Woods on my DS, found a rock fountain that now keeps me company during the late night hours at my desk and generally refueled as long as I could stand.
There has been no time in my life I've had more fun and for a serial entrepreneur who's enjoyed being in the zone before this beats it all. Getting to work with such a talented team, such passionate developers and a community of raving fans (as the comments have attested) is an experience I wouldn't give up for the world (I honestly haven't thought twice about the offers I've gotten). And we do know the GG team is appreciated - not that there might not be times we go back and read these comments again.
I wanted this blog to be about the community knowing how important they are to GG and that of all things that concerned me it was some old time GGers who'd mentioned that it felt different lately, that things seemed more secretive and that with the speed of growth that even if we hadn't it felt like they'd lost touch a bit.
If I haven't said it yet, this will be a year not to miss IGC. Start planning now, Oct. 6-8th, its going to be the best party.... ah I mean conference, yet. Thanks again for all the support.
Footnote: **What you see inside the bottle of Okinawan sake (awamori) is the deadly Habu Viper. It is one of the most venemous snakes in the world and can be found all over Okinawa as well as inside sake bottles.
04/21/2006 (11:46 pm)
Note to Self - When in doubt hit the delete button next time.I'm usually the one who is saying ignore the trolls and with the kind of signal to noise ratio we enjoy on the GG forums we must be doing something right. Its more when I see this noise on other forums I really want to have my mythically powered uber 'mute' button. BTW - I do see all the great things that are written in many places as well.
@Lester - Note the near 100 Associates they usually make it so we rarely need a GG engineer to post or if we do at least they know that if something is an issue we'll get it on our priority list for changes (sometimes that list can get longer than the one of unanswered forum posts).
In case anyone is concerned that I'm actually 'demoralized' let me just assure everyone - I'm having the TIME OF MY LIFE. GDC and then TechED were a full on 10 day binge, that was a wild ride**, when I couldn't sleep more than a few hours before having to get up to work with more people, I actually lost my voice (which for those that know me they shake their heads in amazement and must wonder how glorious that must have been to be around).
At that point my wife and I took 4.5 days at the Oregon coast where we did nothing, walked on the beach, had no cell, no internet (ok so maybe I might have been seen in Newport at the "Big Guy's Diner" getting a quick fix over coffee once or maybe twice). I played Nintendogs and Tiger Woods on my DS, found a rock fountain that now keeps me company during the late night hours at my desk and generally refueled as long as I could stand.
There has been no time in my life I've had more fun and for a serial entrepreneur who's enjoyed being in the zone before this beats it all. Getting to work with such a talented team, such passionate developers and a community of raving fans (as the comments have attested) is an experience I wouldn't give up for the world (I honestly haven't thought twice about the offers I've gotten). And we do know the GG team is appreciated - not that there might not be times we go back and read these comments again.
I wanted this blog to be about the community knowing how important they are to GG and that of all things that concerned me it was some old time GGers who'd mentioned that it felt different lately, that things seemed more secretive and that with the speed of growth that even if we hadn't it felt like they'd lost touch a bit.
If I haven't said it yet, this will be a year not to miss IGC. Start planning now, Oct. 6-8th, its going to be the best party.... ah I mean conference, yet. Thanks again for all the support.
Footnote: **What you see inside the bottle of Okinawan sake (awamori) is the deadly Habu Viper. It is one of the most venemous snakes in the world and can be found all over Okinawa as well as inside sake bottles.
#23
Dont forget we all wub you guys!!!
04/22/2006 (4:52 am)
You just made me re-read Jeffs blog looking for the tradeshow man :)Dont forget we all wub you guys!!!
#24
04/22/2006 (5:17 pm)
@Jay - ah sorry I assumed associates were people with special licenses. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I can't believe you drank that viper sake. My friends know me as someone who will try to eat anything and I don't know if I could do *that.* Props for that. =) 
#25
GG is amazing. Once I get my little team formed here at college, Gamebuilder is gonna get some lovin'!
04/22/2006 (9:51 pm)
Well, for what it's worth, good job!GG is amazing. Once I get my little team formed here at college, Gamebuilder is gonna get some lovin'!
#26
04/27/2006 (4:27 pm)
Jay is that sales job open to someone in Texas?
#27
I'm not closed to having remote sales people, but the sales skills, Torque knowledge and willingness to travel would still be part of the equation.
Brief overview of what the person who would qualify for the job:
Sales:
A person with industry experience and contacts
Self-motivated able to build and sustain active business relationships (consultant style)
Able to follow-up and close new business opportunities in a mutually efficient manner
Of high integrity - does whatever they say they will do for a client
Able to translate extremely complex technology and functionality into concepts that stakeholders at all levels of expertise can access
Engineering:
Respected gameology or at least solid enterprise dev. experience
Understands the problems that small, midsized and serious game studios have in using middleware
Able to do intakes at a high level of qualification on fit for use of Torque and our tool chain, profile for support contacts, etc.
Ability to write project plans if needed on feature or tech additions that might be outsourced or included in R&D internally.
04/28/2006 (12:13 am)
Donald,I'm not closed to having remote sales people, but the sales skills, Torque knowledge and willingness to travel would still be part of the equation.
Brief overview of what the person who would qualify for the job:
Sales:
A person with industry experience and contacts
Self-motivated able to build and sustain active business relationships (consultant style)
Able to follow-up and close new business opportunities in a mutually efficient manner
Of high integrity - does whatever they say they will do for a client
Able to translate extremely complex technology and functionality into concepts that stakeholders at all levels of expertise can access
Engineering:
Respected gameology or at least solid enterprise dev. experience
Understands the problems that small, midsized and serious game studios have in using middleware
Able to do intakes at a high level of qualification on fit for use of Torque and our tool chain, profile for support contacts, etc.
Ability to write project plans if needed on feature or tech additions that might be outsourced or included in R&D internally.
#28
04/28/2006 (9:12 am)
Thanks for the response Jay. Not really there on the second set of points. But I am working on it, hurry up and get to Austin. 
Torque Owner Lester Dizon
This place is cool and the forums are far and away better in terms of constructiveness and sharing than I've seen in a lot of other places. If there was one piece of advice I'd give it would be to assign one or two people specifically to the forums to gather questions for the devs and channel them to the appropriate people. It sounds like the GG team are sometimes too busy to fish around for relevant questions to answer all the time.
edit: If this is already in place or if the GG staff are actually on top of the forumsl more than I know, sorry... I've only been here a week. :)
(and hire more Mac people) ;)