Database Developer 8/28/2008
Program Manager - D&D 8/26/2008
Software Architect - D&D 8/27/2008
Technical Analyst 8/29/2008
Sr. Software Development Lead 8/28/2008
Those don't exactly strike me as positions that you fill when you're even remotely close to sending a product like the DDI to market. Those seem like things that you have in place before you've announced it to the public and before development has really begun.
So I'm curious, though I doubt that the answers will be forthcoming (they probably aren't able to discuss), are portions of the DDI getting scrapped and restarted from scratch? Because that's what the jobs above would appear to suggest. That doesn't bode well for having a functional DDI within the next year, and rather awkward given that the launch date has already been missed and pushed back indefinately.
but i agree, this looks like they're either launching something new, or are having dire problems. i bet it's a bit of both. what i've seen so far from the ddi-tools is not that great - but it's a good start. not sure if they can attract the customer base hasbro wants for a permanent description, though.
Database Developer 8/28/2008
Program Manager - D&D 8/26/2008
Software Architect - D&D 8/27/2008
Technical Analyst 8/29/2008
Sr. Software Development Lead 8/28/2008
Well, that's one viewpoint. And it's a certainly valid one. But Wizards recently had a reorganization of its resources--staff were fired, and staff positions were opened--in order to focus more on their core products.
In other words, Wizards recently said "We're going to speed up the process of getting DDI out the door, and ignore our little side projects."
So while it's certainly possible that DDI is increasingly behind-schedule, and these are the efforts to get it out next year rather than have to announce an even LATER date, I prefer to take a lighter bent:
Wizards wants their highly profitable product in consumer hands as soon as possible. Next year is not an option. They want it out by Christmas, if not sooner.
And their willing to hire more programmers to get it done.
That's my view.
People seem to take such a negative perspective when it comes to Wizards. Maybe because they're corporate, maybe because they forgot to inform us of the little fact that the Game Table wasn't even near ready to be distributed--and I agree.
But to be corporate means more than just money-grabbing. It means they want to get the product for us as soon as possible. Otherwise, no profit.
New technical positions? Game table is feature-ready but for some major crashes and bugs, and you hire more programmers?
This isn't bad news. It's good news.
Wizards wants their highly profitable product in consumer hands as soon as possible. Next year is not an option. They want it out by Christmas, if not sooner.
And their willing to hire more programmers to get it done.
If that's the case... anyone knows who at WotC/Hasbro I should send my copy of "The Mythical Man-Month" too?
The positions don't seem to mesh with that theory at all. Program Manager, Senior Development Lead... These are the sort of people you want when you start a NEW project.
Unlike the OP though, I am more optimistic than that. DDI apps were shown to be functional, if not ready for prime time, already. I expect these are being brought in to start an entirely new project. Maybe some extra 'Bonus Tools', or another gigantic rewrite for MTGO.
ah, yes, and about major crashes: sometimes, these won't go away until you get to fresh start some parts. and this is really time consuming.
@darkangel: either case, it will delay parts of ddi.
they should not be starting something new right at the moment, they likely don't have the ressources for that many projects at once.-wb is very afraid of the ddi technical issues
Maybe they figured out you need one team for DDI and another for MTGO, and are hiring the second team to train to take over one of them?
Does the program manager have anything to do with software, or is it some person that makes sure Tahiti Tuesday goes off without a hitch and has all the catering ready on time?
Maybe they figured out you need one team for DDI and another for MTGO, and are hiring the second team to train to take over one of them?
1) yes, he has, but usually those are the people more responsible for schedule and "the general ideas". (whatever this means for a concrete product can differ greatly and is also depending on the company hiring)
2) if they do it like this, ddi will be even later.
While adding personnel to a project already takes time from a project, completely giving it over is a longer procedure if you want to do it properly.-wb hates projects that are thrown at one without further explanations
1) yes, he has, but usually those are the people more responsible for schedule and "the general ideas". (whatever this means for a concrete product can differ greatly and is also depending on the company hiring)
2) if they do it like this, ddi will be even later.
-wb hates projects that are thrown at one without further explanations
I'd expect they'd be giving over MTGO as it's getting pretty stable and basically just needs to be maintained and updated
I'd expect they'd be giving over MTGO as it's getting pretty stable and basically just needs to be maintained and updated
my point still stands, though. if you need only 2 people out of their team to explain the basics of mtgo to newcomers so they can actually maintain it, time will be lost.
if they don't do this clean, it's likely new instabilities are introduced to mtgo. to bad but software is still not mechanics - no way you can pick it up THAT easy and continue where others have left it. btw: many big companies also fail to see the value of a tiny bit called experience/know-how. sure, there's lots of really good programmers out there. but without a proper introduction, all the knowledge won't help. it's like editing an encyclopedia without actual access to the companies knowledgebase.
Does the program manager have anything to do with software, or is it some person that makes sure Tahiti Tuesday goes off without a hitch and has all the catering ready on time?
Maybe they figured out you need one team for DDI and another for MTGO, and are hiring the second team to train to take over one of them?
Wait... The same small team that's working on DDI also manages MtGO?
while it is completely possible that those are the same guys, i doubt it. and even if they are, mtgo is likely on a "please hold the line" - stance right now.
don't believe every assumption someone is taking here in these forums. ;)
while it is completely possible that those are the same guys, i doubt it. and even if they are, mtgo is likely on a "please hold the line" - stance right now.
I certainly take everything with a grain of salt, you have to, but I was curious if people had proof either way. Because if it is the same team, I'd be kind of surprised, though I wouldn't be shocked any more.
Wait... The same small team that's working on DDI also manages MtGO?
That is the impression I got from Ken Troop and the "re-org" of WotC as well as trashing of Gleemax.
Why else would you need to refocus on MTGO and DDI as part of getting rid of Gleemax, if it was not all being done by the same team, with maybe a few specialists for the specific areas?
Very few people I have seen have job tittles that indicate they work solely for a special brand on the digital teams. Many titles indicate, actually, that they just work for WotC on the digital offerings.
That is the impression I got from Ken Troop
OMG... you saw Ken Troop somewhere outside of the 2 posts he made?!?! WHERE? Give me links.
OMG... you saw Ken Troop somewhere outside of the 2 posts he made?!?! WHERE? Give me links.
3 components there: Ken, Gleemax called off, and the recent re-org.
All of which seem to indicate that there IS only one team at WotC that does software. Probably the same team that does internal networking and such as it doesn't seem WotC gets the idea about how to run digital anything correctly as they even have to have another company run the customer service website as they don't even have enough people/resources to do that!
So If WotC cannot run its own CS website, and had to cancel one digital venture, and re-focus to be able to work on their "major" digital offerings, what does that say to you?
Maybe they are starting a new project or something, but it doesn't involve the DDI.
Don't forget that WotC has Magic Online and other products that have web pages and stuff.
The re-focus and destruction of Gleemax was to do just that....work on MTGO and DDI.
Does the program manager have anything to do with software, or is it some person that makes sure Tahiti Tuesday goes off without a hitch and has all the catering ready on time?
Maybe they figured out you need one team for DDI and another for MTGO, and are hiring the second team to train to take over one of them?
Just wanted to add a little something about project managers. They are pretty vital to any large project (D&DI for example) and do more then catering. They are the ones that get the departments communicating between each other. They setup the timeline for the various stages and make sure that everything is done correctly.
We blame the developers for D&DI but the project manager and their team I actually hold more responsible for not refocusing and letting things slip.
No I am not a project manager but I sure wish I had one for my department
No I am not a project manager but I sure wish I had one for my department
ehehe, and i sure wish i could be one over at wotc... but again... 4000 miles seems a bit far to commute every day...
Anyways, I want to point out that the fact that these positions opened up is possibly a good thing, even if it's for D&Di. If they weren't doing their jobs right, and were causing more problems than solving, then they needed to be fired, thus replaced.
Or, you know, it could be some super-secret new project that we don't know about.
Thanks,
Hdier
Meh, I'm sure that you talk to people over 8,000 miles away on a daily basis when you post on the boards. ;)
definitely. (gamed with an aussie and someone from PST in the same group...)
but companies tend to NOT hire people they never see in person.
especially not for positions where social interaction is required/important. Thanks,
Hdier
In other words, that's the guy they either should have hired, or ended up firing, for Gleemax. :P
DDI and MTGO are separate. When they say they refocused on DDI and MTGO, that means that they took people who were on the Gleemax team and put them on the other teams. Simple as that. That they had to refocus, to me, indicates clearly that they were separate teams to begin with.
As for the 'new project': I'm thinking Bonus Tool here. And just because they're refocusing from a failed project to DDI and MTGO doesn't mean they shouldn't have someone working on an entirely new prototype for something that they figure they will need in the future.
I'd also like to mention that The Goblin Game is apparently still in the work, so...
PM is about strategic positioning and figuring out where the product needs to be taken to be competitive and fulfill customer needs.
hmm... the red part sounds more like what marketing is supposed to do.
only in very small companies the PM is also responsible for strategic positioning and customer-based-decisions. (as he is doing part of sales, marketing as well)
Usually, his main job is to get the product done as specified and on time. at wotc, the positioning is likely randy's job, whereas he is not responsible for each digital product they are currently developing. it might be that he is responsible for one of these - but without further insight, i'd rather believe he isnt.
hmm... the red part sounds more like what marketing is supposed to do.
only in very small companies the PM is also responsible for strategic positioning and customer-based-decisions. (as he is doing part of sales, marketing as well)
Marketing doth not touch the Holy Technical side of stuff. PM does that; distill the client requirements into feature lists, plan out the future release cycles to figure out when the features will become reality, draw out some high level design documents, and stuff.
Marketing doth not touch the Holy Technical side of stuff. PM does that; distill the client requirements into feature lists, plan out the future release cycles to figure out when the features will become reality, draw out some high level design documents, and stuff.
now you're talking. but this is nowhere near the same sentence you made up above.
also, feature wishes and schedules are usually not made by the PM, they are given to him and he says: "no way..." or "ok with 3 more people"
Yeah, but maybe they have some new secret project that is the «bomb» and are just covering up for it.
Its the WotC way.
I would suggest the focus on the projects they alreadyhave than starting something new at this time. They have already bitten off more than they can chew, and in the interest of saving money it would take to start some new project, they could use that moeny to get some other things done with DDI and MTGO that may need to be done, or buy new servers for the website, or what have you.
Starting some new project now with all that is already in the works, is just a bad idea, and does not inspire confidence in their efforts to produce quality online products.
Starting some new project now with all that is already in the works, is just a bad idea, and does not inspire confidence in their efforts to produce quality online products.
i, as usual, disagree with your assumptions. a new project is the thing that would impact ddi the least. everything else (adding to or scrapping something from a team) would impact ddi schedule pretty badly in comparison. add all those people to the gametable, and you won't see it live before xii/2009
You need a programmer, artist, etc for each of the apps. The idea behind getting rid of Gleemax and having its funeral this month was to refocus on DDI and MTGO, so starting something new undermines that concept.