An-Tim Nguyen @antimnguyen@mastodon.gamedev.place

Tech debt

Today is the "they found 20,000 year old underwater pyramid made for giants with a face sculpted in the side" Lyft ride.

I'm gradually learning that the higher you climb into leadership/management, the harder time off becomes time off.

I mean technically, it can be done. But you're still doing your best keep things running afloat, unblocked, and set up for success.

But once fully paid out, much of the senior talent typically leaves. This payout schedule usually takes years.

Therefore I shitty-predict that due many recent large studio purchases, we will have a lot of senior talent available again in a few years after retention bonus payout, thus potentially resolving current labor shortages. The current window for much higher pay will close. 2/2

Shitty prediction: the labor market in the games industry is wild right now because of massive funding opportunities after investors caught cold feet during the covid recession. New studios were born, fighting for limited senior talent, and older large studios got purchased.

Many studios however try to setup some sort of bonus retention system with a payout schedule, so that talent doesn't immediately leak (and can start being replaced.) 1/2

Moshi moshi = hi (over the phone in Japanese)
Mochi mochi = dessert

Allô allô = hi (over the phone in French)
Halo halo = dessert

📞😋

I have found an ancient grimoire that I had left at my family's place since college. No Quixel/Substance, just Photoshop filters.

When I see friends, they smell like weed. When I see family, they smell like durian.

It might be unfair that I compare every episode of Love Death and Robots to Zima Blue.

The urge to figure out how to become a train-riding wi-fi connected digital nomad with remote work in the US.

Ended talking to game dev students at UCI at super last minute.

My family's place has a possum that likes to come and visit. (You can hear them in the background basically saying that it's as big as a cat.)

Build things in the way your engine was initially architected for, except for the things that are necessary to separate your project from competitors who are using the same base tech. Identifying/exploring high-value features against available resources/support is very game dev.

I am convinced that every older Vietnamese person from before the end of the war can sing French 50s-60s karaoke, even if they don't remember how to speak French.

https://youtu.be/OVVJ3ZiQNps

Why is Uniqlo so comfy and affordable

Normalize drinking chocolate milk in bar settings 😋

People who seek me out for help will only find useless information, such as the fact that palm trees are actually grass.

I have a deep feeling that the new Marvel card game is gonna generate a massive amount of money.

If you know how to do rigging, you're a wizard

https://vimeo.com/707052757