sketches - March 0710

Sorry for the absence, but a lot of things have happened in the last three weeks that will be explained in this entry.

The Leap of Faith:

Talk a about Black Mondays. But since Monday, January 18 was a holiday, the news had to be delivered the following day. Tuesday was a dark day with pouring rain - appropriate, since that was the day that I gave my two weeks notice to the Company.

Started off as a normal day. Went into the office and looked for "the man". Couldn't see him, but he was active on the company IM, so I IM'd him inquiring where he is. He said that he was at his desk, which I saw, was totally blocked from view to his desk. So I went over, told him that I was giving my two weeks notice. All he said was an acknowledged "ok" and a few nods. They knew I wanted to leave when I asked to be put on the lay-off list last November, which they denied existed - please, news of lay-offs were already hitting video game news sites. Then I went back to my desk and started to work. Although I knew that people were going to quit that same day, what I didn't know, was how big of a walkout it was going to be.

The walk out was a big one. I knew that there were four of us environment artists, almost the entire senior art staff, not including the Lead Artist, plus a few others in other disciplines. What I didn't know was that the Lead Artist also gave notice after us!!! What followed that day was a strange silence. No manager came to talk to me at all. I spent the entire day finishing up with art blocking the parts for a game puzzle. The reason why it was quite was because the managers were grilling the Lead and newly promoted co-lead in regards to their resignations - the lead was being grilled for four hours, but to no avail. None of us wanted to be there. We tried our best to fix the work flow process for an entire year with little to no results!!! So It time to move on to something exciting and new, and less painful. Making games does not have to be this hard, seriously!

As for the day after, I went to work as usual, but not more than fifteen minutes into my routine, "the man" came over and said he's taking me to meet the HR guy. Well, that was that, I got asked a few pointed questions that I almost got cough off guard on, tricky bastard. Gave him my security badge and was told I can leave. Not much love going on there, oh well. That's the typical EA way of treating all but the most valued employees. But, I didn't get escorted out, at least there were some respect given, I think

.

So ends another era.

The Following Weeks:

Although I was glad to be out of there, I was also quite sad. I had a lot of good times there and there are still good people there, too. It's just too bad that the projects were not run very well. Anyway, for the two weeks that I was out of work, I did a whole lot of nothing. Slept a lot and was very lazy about house work. I wanted to go somewhere, but was just too tired and burnt out to have much energy for anything. Just waiting for the first of February, so I can start my new position at the new studio that I was denied to go last year.

A New Hope:

It has been five weeks now, at my new job, and I am fairly busy, yes, actually busy with making something in a 3D package, and trying to learn how to use the new tools and pipeline for an unannounced title. It has been so nice to go home and actually not be frustrated or mad about something at work - win! I actually have a computer to work on that has all new hardware and not something that's five to six years old - win! It's closer to home, so I can actually ride to work when the weather gets nicer - win! Do you sense a trend??? I sure hope it gets better every year:)