Adventure Game Studio

Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: Meowster on Sat 24/04/2004 09:07:51

Title: 29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: Meowster on Sat 24/04/2004 09:07:51
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/04/23/news_6094471.html

Among those 'let go' was Sean Clarke.
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: Ishmael on Sat 24/04/2004 11:41:37
Seems like LucasArts aren't doing so well... Is there any other connection between you and Sean Clarke then the same last name?
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: Phemar on Sat 24/04/2004 14:53:09

Lucas Arts is losing it I tell you. First S+M II, now this...Something screwy is going on there.

Perhaps the company leader is brainwashing everyone and those 29 people find out 'bout his terrible plot, and etc.???
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: Ishmael on Sat 24/04/2004 14:59:48
QuoteLast October, longtime president Simon Jeffery resigned, saying he wanted to return to his native England with his family. The position of president remains open to this day, as does the director of marketing post, which was recently vacated by Liz Allen.

Hmmmm....
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: Barcik on Sat 24/04/2004 15:37:11
I have a feeling there's a whole shitload of Star Wars games coming up.
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: on Sat 24/04/2004 16:02:09
Not to be wretchedly cynical or anything, but Lucasarts is digging its way into the delightful place known as Mediocrity. Digging with a passion. But I told myself this morning that I wasn't going to cry about it anymore, so I'm not.

I'm not, in fact, stockpiling these weapons for any particular reason. At all.
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: Haddas on Sat 24/04/2004 16:23:42
I shalt join you and not stock weapons for any reason either...

I liked Lucasarts once. I WANT back the Adventure game genre into commerciality. I don't want adventure gaming to turn into some kind of undeground thing... although that's kinda cool.
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: rtf on Sat 24/04/2004 17:12:25
My uncle works at the San Rafeal office.
I'll ask him about it.

I keep on telling him:  "Focus Group!!"
No luck
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: Mats Berglinn on Sat 24/04/2004 17:33:25
I bet this wouldn't have happened if they didn't cancelled Sam & Max: Freelance Police.
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: DGMacphee on Sat 24/04/2004 18:09:04
What are you basing that on?
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: Barcik on Sat 24/04/2004 19:42:11
Why isn't it obvious. Cancelling the funding of a big project caused such economical problems that forced Lucasarts to sack 29 workers!
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: DGMacphee on Sat 24/04/2004 19:48:19
Of course. How stupid of me. And all this time I thought cancelling projects had no impact on the long-term expenditure since the money would have been invested in another project anyway. But I guess I was wrong. The entire financial weight of LucasArts rested on Sam n Max, and not those countless Star Wars games.
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: Meowster on Sat 24/04/2004 20:01:12
I suspect Sean Clarke may have difficulty getting another job quick. His name would be known in the industry, and they're going to know he was one of the guys that Lucasarts laid off, and they're going to ask themselves why.

Why, if they're doing this to make themselves more economical, are they firing experienced staff that have been there since the younger days? I'm going to try to answer my own question.

Perhaps the reason they're letting go more experienced staff is because they pay them more. Why keep Sean Clarke, when you can keep a young computer wizkid fresh from college for half the wages and twice the hours?

I don't like the direction Lucasarts is heading in. If Tim Schafer hadn't quit to start Double Fine, he'd probably be among those laid off on Friday, since I doubt he would have wanted to work on Star Wars like all the good little Lucasarts employees of today.

Relying on Star Wars is a good business idea in the short term. In the long run it's only going to damage their name. It's not impossible to release an original and fun game that sells; look at the independent studios that have sprung up over the years to produce games like Halo, Crimson Skies, etc. Lucasarts are taking the lazy route, and in an unforgiving game industry they're soon going to be screwed over by their own laziness.
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: MrColossal on Sat 24/04/2004 22:32:50
Maybe Sean Clarke is lazy and a terrible worker now-a-days? maybe they laid him off for a reason... who knows, we don't obviously
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: Candle on Sat 24/04/2004 22:50:29
Maybe Sean Clarke drank wine and played video games all day .
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: on Sun 25/04/2004 00:08:34
"to bring studio staffing levels into line with the current development slate."

"fire our creativity"
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: remixor on Sun 25/04/2004 00:45:39
Honestly, Sean Clarke should feel lucky he had a job at LEC for as long as he did...
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: rtf on Sun 25/04/2004 01:11:29
Quote from: Barcik on Sat 24/04/2004 19:42:11
Why isn't it obvious. Cancelling the funding of a big project caused such economical problems that forced Lucasarts to sack 29 workers!


The irony is that they cancelled it because they thought it wouldn't sell.
Title: Re:29 people 'let go' from LucasArts
Post by: Ishmael on Sun 25/04/2004 09:45:54
Earlier I was somehow sorry I have a folder called "Sierra" on my hd... but not anymore... anyway, Gunman is there. Crimson Skies is good. Lucasarts goin a loong downhill... I'm not going to buy a single starwars game from them...

[/extra wierdness]

They really screwed with SnM...

I don't remember seeing a single LEC logo on the game boxes I've been looking at lately... what do they sell? Does everything rely on starwars?