Developers Developers Developers

and artists, and producers, and so forth..

from JoeUser Forums

 One of my favorite webzines is Gamasutra and its parent magazine Game Developer  I love reading the post mortems that give a blow by blow detail on how the games came together.  One of the common themes is dealing with running out of money and such.

Stardock's problem is lack of people. Despite being located in Plymouth Michigan (pictured above on New Years morning..) we have a hard time finding talented game developers and artists.  What limits us the most is simply getting enough people who are qualified to do the job.

For example, we need software developers who know C++, Visual Studio.NET, and have an interest in making games.  It's harder to find people than one might think.  We hire people from across the spectrum of experience -- you graduating from college with a computer science degree? No problem.  You have 10 years experience programming? Great. 

We give a lot of latitude to our developers. For example, the entire battle screen stuff that you've seen screenshots for was written by an individual developer who was literally weeks out of college.  We gave him vague specs and he just want crazy and made this incredibly cool thing.

There are 3 projects coming up that we are trying to get more software developers for (we also occasionally hire more 3D artists but right now the balance is we need more developers):

  1. Galactic Civilizations expansion packs and future sequels
  2. The Political Machine 2008
  3. Society

Group #2 won't start on that until the end of 2007 and in the meantime will likely be on projects 1 or 3.  If we get enough people, we also want to do a fantasy strategy game (we've long been in talks to do a sequel to a certain well known fantasy turn based game but there's been little movement on there due to some of the legal requirements involved to do it).   I'd also like to take the GalCiv II engine and eventually make an RTS multiplayer game out of it (Galactic Federations was the concept that's been floating around since the early 90s but we just haven't had a sufficient engine to make it happen until now).

But all that depends on getting enough people.  To finish GalCiv II, we had to pull people from Society.  So we definitely need more developers.

So if you or someone you know is interested in developing PC games and is willing to move to Michigan (an absolute requirement) let me know.  [email protected].

69,910 views 24 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Man, I wish I knew C++ and stuff. I tried to a looong time ago and was way overwhelmed. You guys have inspired me to try my hand at it again, though. I was pretty young at the time. I do hope you find some good developers, though. The Stardockians are a tremendously awesome folk -- that there aren't more of you is rather a travesty.

PS: Boy, do I wish Michigan looked like that. Then Illinois might look similarly to it.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
"If we get enough people, we also want to do a fantasy strategy game (we've long been in talks to do a sequel to a certain well known fantasy turn based game but there's been little movement on there due to some of the legal requirements involved to do it). "

I'm speculating. But someone was bound to do it.

If you guys make a Master of Magic sequel, I think the Turned Based Strategy gaming populace would sacrifice cattle in your name.
TouchTasks - Access tasks with ease on Windows touchscreens.
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
hey draginol, given the MOM stall, have you ever thought of doing a sequel to Fantasy General? *that* would be wikkid
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
I'm guessing C++ is a long way from what I'm learning (C# .NET); working at Stardock would be totally cool. I would move from Florida. Ah well. Good luck finding more quality developers!

Oh yeah, I agree with MadMagnus! That would be awesome!
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Michigan, nice state. But ya reaaaaaaally should move to Minnesota and the Twin Cities. (That way we would have an awesome developer like yourself.)
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
OMG lol.. I live in Metro Detroit area also . Wish I'd have known such a great computer company was practically in my back yard. Makes me wish I worked more in computers then just playing them. Keep up the good work guys and I hope the game plays as good as it looks like it will so far.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
Michigan, nice state. But ya reaaaaaaally should move to Minnesota and the Twin Cities. (That way we would have an awesome developer like yourself.)


Indeed! Now if only wishing made it so.... [sigh]
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
@ Shall : C++ can be thought of as C# 's "foundation". C# is based on it, though they are still rather different.
I'm learning C# .NET right now at college, though I 'd prefer to learn Java. Alas, we have no choice.
Java is also based on C++ but it is platform independent, unlike that damn .NET environment.

@ Brad : Sorry you'll have to wait (at least) 2.5 years + me moving to Michigan from the equally sunny Antwerp to enlist
my l33t C++ skillz.
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
God if only the moving to Michigan WASN'T required, then I could email you
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
ditto to itzkoopa. Michigan is a serious pass. Besides I am more of a hardware/software troubleshooter and not a programmer.
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
I know some C++ and Visual Basic, but still in college right now taking CIS ,and moving to Michigan is not happening right now.  Would love to do that though.
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Same here, Jab... CIS program up here in Canada, so the climate change wouldnt be too bad. Only in my second term here at Devry though, so I've got a couple years left until I'm on the run.
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top
Makes me wish I was in america! Some madman when I was finishing university decided to switch us from Java to C++ at the last moment. It could have been something SPECIAL if I was in the michigan area!
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
When I saw this thread, I was certain it was going to be a link to teh Balmer. Just a reference I suppose. But since no one else has done it yet, I may as well. I much prefer "the remix", but make sure to turn your sound down if youre at work.

Link

I hear the first 1000 Vista Pre-orders get a small vial of genuine Balmer sweat.
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Back in 2000 I moved from Ottawa Canada (the world's second coldest capital) to the much warmer Stafford Virginia (1 hour south of D.C.).

The thought of working as a game developer got me to pursue a Computer Science degree back in the 80's.

These days I'm working at AOL, on multi-threaded streaming servers written in C or a mixture of C/C++ for Linux and Solaris. Getting a multi-threaded server to run rock solid on a multi-CPU box, serving audio streams to 56000 connected clients is no easy task! That's why I do extensive load testing so I find the problems before the public.

My Firehose will eventually be serving up all AOL Radio traffic Link and AOL hosted SHOUTcast audio/video traffic Link. I don't get to play video games at work like Brad (as he tests his AI changes) but I do get to listen to XM Radio 202 streaming through Firehose!
Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top

haha... by the replies it seems your location is the main problem... lol... =\ Well... I've been programming in C since grade 6 and C++ since Grade 9 ... so if I get off my lazy ass and stop failing university... maybe I'll apply to work for you guys on one of my co-op terms... Never cared about where I live anyways... Hell... I'm doing a co-op term in Poland now... just managed to find myself a Catch 22 though... I need Document1 to get Document2 and I need Document2 to get Document1... and I need both to work legally here... yay for Polish bureaucracy... it seems family connections is the only thing that gets things done for me here... =P


p.s. To any high school geniuses out there... sure you can get high 90s and ace Math/cs contests and pwn the DaVinci with absolutely no work in high school... just remember... not going to 2 months worth of lectures and not doing any assignments first semester can result in 2 50s in Calc. and CS. (literally... 50% ... like they just gave me pity marks to get rid of me =\ ) and a 56% in 2nd year Japanese 'cause the teacher's nice... and 2 failures... and I didn't even party that much... maybe average of once a week... it's all those computer games... those damn computer games... and watching anime till 4am every single night... god I hate my friends for introducing me to battletech (ok... so this luckily only took up a few hours), WoW, etc... gaaaaah... and now GCII's coming out just in time to kill me during summer term... so how the hell do you expect me to become a 1337 developer for anyone if I spend my university time failing and playing your stupid games...?

Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top
Brad, have you tried Link? They do recruiting and run a component development and algorithm competition. Top-notch talent, mostly raw skill from the college level. Most are willing to move.

I'm a business intelligence programmer in Boston, and I like my latte liberal lifestyle too much. And I'm trying to get somewhere warmer (San Fran, LA) or I would have already moved to Manhattan last year.

Michigan... damn that's cold.
Reply #19 from Stardock Forums Top
You lost me at Michigan too... I'm actually further north than you, so the weather would be an improvement, but moving the whole family to the US is a no go for me... too bad though, you guys make games I'd be proud to work on.

If you ever open up a Windsor location however, and are in need of someone who can handle rendering or just general gameplay stuff, let me know
Reply #20 from Stardock Forums Top
Have you thought to place an ad in GamaSutra?

I'd come knock on your door, but Michigan is a bit too far for me. Gotta stay close to my parents to help them out and look after them.
Reply #21 from Stardock Forums Top

thx amaevis, TopCoder is already something I've been aware of for a few months... and is quickly reaching top of the list of things I need to start up... ETA... by the end of March... I'm still settling here in Poland with the job... (that's right... I love making excuses... but trust me... I won't do too bad on the TopCoder challenges once I force myself to do them... )


+ my uncle finally came by with a new desktop for me to use in Poland... and I've finally started back to my normal 4am-7am sleeping patterns ... so a few days and I'll be able to do something useful with my life... (I'm so proud of myself... I haven't played games or watched anime for 2 weeks now... just read a book (used to read a LOT) and have started going to Kendo again... a few more days and I'll be back into programming mood as well I hope )


"Thinking is what got me into Waterloo... now it's time to do something else that won't get me $??,000 in debt..."

Reply #22 from Stardock Forums Top
I hear you. I would say one thing don't go the way of Blizzard.. It's long past due for an expansion to StarCraft. Warcraft 4 should be out too.. Diablo 3?? They total forgotten about the titles that got them to stardom. Their titles really need sequels.

What about a Sci-Fi RPG? Gal Civ RPG? You know that'd be great to give us more of the GC story.. The RPG characters would in turn tell the story.

Or a turn based squad game/RPG... Gal CIV Tactics.
Reply #23 from Stardock Forums Top
Master of Magic.....
Drooooool................
My Kid brother is a CS major graduating next semester. I'll have to point him your way. As for me, I can only fix you up if you have broken bones or heart attacks. But with your employees work-ethic, I fear you may need some of that on-site.

MG
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I wish I had more interest in coding. Yours is exactly the sort of company I'd like to work for. I spent years doing mod work for Quake (and various other fps titles), and even more years picking apart design (and competing heavily online) for dozens of games, but I've never been interested in coding enough to do more than make small mods for games, or organize teams of people to work on mods.

Discussing the intricacies of game balance, design, numbers, and what's fun? Yes. Hashing out development plans, media requirements, and release plans? Yes. Working with programmers and artists? Yes. Coding myself? Meh. I know just enough to talk basics with the coders, go back and forth with the non coders, and hack around in most games, but pure coding just doesn't interest me. In this case, I wish it did, I've been following Stardock for quite some time, from newsgroups to released games to your forums, you've always treated your community well, and done your game maintenence in a classy manner.

But since I don't, I'm writing strategy guides for games instead of designing them Meanwhile I can continue to swear when rts devs don't ape Kohan, and fps developers wear that WW2 rut and CS clone trench into the dirt...

I'm actually going to ask a friend if he'd be interested though, he IS a skilled c++ programmer, loves .net, and has worked with me in the past on a myriad of gaming mod related projects in a coding capacity. If I can't apply, maybe he can...

edit:

I actually asked two .net/c++/other language coders if they'd be interested, but they're both currently working in well paid positions, and the location of your company was pretty much a dealbreaker for them