PolyCast Episode 98: "Meant to Interpret That"

[DanQ]

[img=right]http://civcomm.weplayciv.com/polycast/images/polycast_logo.jpg[/img] Context assumed. The ninety-eighth episode of PolyCast, "Meant to Interpret That", features regular co-hosts Daniel "DanQ" Quick and Lisa "qnl" Bang with returning guest co-hosts Michael "emeseles" Lucas-Smith, Peter "Emperor Peter" and Wouter "Locutus" Snijders

The summary of topics is as follows:

- 03m53s | News
Civilization developer Firaxis Games has 20 of its employees laid off.
- 11m41s | Research Lab
Looking for a new way to expand one's empire, and incorporating United Nations peacekeepers in the Civ series.
- 29m11s | Forum Talk
Should farming be possible on hill tiles.
- 33m04s | Miscellaneous
Dissecting the announced 'Special Edition' of Civilization V.

- Intro/Outro | Assorted
Name dropping not needed, a co-host cherry picking from fan-written CivV poems, substantiated -- or just wishful -- thinking based on a photo, call to a convention meet up in Germany, and feigning regret.

PolyCast is a bi-weekly audio production in an ongoing effort to give the Civ community an interactive voice on game strategy; sibling show ModCast focuses on Civ modding and RevCast focuses on Civilization: Revolution.

As always, enjoy.

 

[Darth Caesar]

w00t! Just got back from a wedding and its time to unwind with Polycast!

 

[DanQ]

w00t! Just got back from a wedding and its time to unwind with Polycast!

Hope you enjoyed the episode. How long have you been a listener?

 

[DMOC]

Wait, why did Firaxis need to lay off 20 employees?

 

[DanQ]

Wait, why did Firaxis need to lay off 20 employees?

As was the case when this episode was recorded not long ago, the reasoning has not been disclosed publicly. It is open to speculation -- informed speculation even, as was discussed on the show, but speculation nonetheless.

 

[Mathalamus]

so... they fire people that actually make games great. cant they... you know... use those 20 people to work on another (unrelated) game or an expansion pack or so? civ5 will cover any financial issues...

 

[Tarkhan]

I can understand the layoffs, actually.

Working in the construction business, it's oddly similar to game development. You get a job, you hire for it, then you layoff when it's over, unless you've got enough of a backlog to get people going on the next project immediately.

Firaxis can't just churn out games, they likely need to go through a whole process of pitching them to 2K to get approval and a budget for them. Market research, trying to aim for the christmas rush, etc is all considered.

Also, not every job involved in game development is occurring at the same time. The programmers can't do much until some initial brainstorming and concept designing happens, and so on. Their QA department will be small during initial development, and large near the end.

As in construction, you don't hire a plumber while you're still digging a foundation, and you don't continue to pay the plumber after all the plumbing is working.

So while they are laying off now, I'd expect to see them quietly re-hire some of these people within six months.

 

[Darth Caesar]

Hope you enjoyed the episode. How long have you been a listener?

About a week i've listened to every episode past 90 and also the 50th episode.

 

[pevo]

"Record date, July 17th 2010" july? I just started listening to these and enjoy listening to you guys talk about game mechanics. I had no idea it took that long to edit the recordings though.

 

[DanQ]

"Record date, July 17th 2010" july? I just started listening to these and enjoy listening to you guys talk about game mechanics. I had no idea it took that long to edit the recordings though.

Yes, the turnaround time from recording to release of a PolyCast episode at present is ~4 weeks. The primary contributing factors to this are the editing process itself -- I think it's fair to say I'm strict in this respect, at least as compared to most other podcasts I've come across -- and my "Real Life" commitments. I do believe the end product makes the time and effort worth it, though that doesn't stop even me from wishing the 'delay' was less.

Glad to have you on board as a new listener. Hope you'll continue to be apart of the show's audience into the future. (All older episodes are available for download from the show's website too, in case you're bored/curious/combination thereof. )

 

[pevo]

Well I definitely appreciate all your efforts. I've dug through a few of the past recordings and listened to anything that jumped out at me. You guys motivated me to start up a new game earlier this week (I play only marathon, so its still going on...) and you've managed to convince me to be more picky about what I build (i really don't need a library everywhere) and for the first time ever, I've used horse archers as a major component of my offense.

 

[SongsofPraise90]

I've been listening for a few months now, and I must say I really enjoy the podcast and look forward to each new one. Keep up the great work!

 

[DanQ]

You guys motivated me to start up a new game earlier this week (I play only marathon, so its still going on...) and you've managed to convince me to be more picky about what I build (i really don't need a library everywhere) and for the first time ever, I've used horse archers as a major component of my offense.

; when we can inform as well as entertain Civ, win-win.

... I definitely appreciate all your efforts.

Thank you kindly.

I've been listening for a few months now, and I must say I really enjoy the podcast and look forward to each new one. Keep up the great work!

-- thanks to you as well.