Wherein our blogger realizes he’s written three posts over the course of a year

So let’s review what happened in the course of that year:

• Founded brand-new development studio in Austin for a major publisher to work on top secret project.
• Recruit fantastic group of 10 people to join said studio.
• In roughly 7 months of development time, go from zero lines of code to working client-server MMO prototype (which is actually really fun), create extensive design documentation,  produce concept art book, run market analysis and business plans.
• Receive word that corporate benefactor is not interested in pursuing the project any further.
• Lay off fantastic group of 10 people.
• Lay off myself.
• Joined the ranks of a small local company as a contractor, managing a totally virtual project.

There’s a lot to discuss and a lot of valuable production insight and experience I gained over the last 12 months, and I plan to spend more time chronicling that experience and insight here.  I’m also penning an article with my friend and colleague, Kenn Hoekstra (Pi Studios) for GameSauce magazine (which is the brainchild of the very brilliant Jessica Tams and the incorrigible Jake Simpson) that will discuss some of the roles producers play on a development team.