Come to SUMO and help us to improve the game!

[Shego13]

Wow. I love to work with Sumo. Helping the designs of the cars and tracks, and suggestions. But unfortunately, I live in North America.

[BoozermaN]

I got confirmation yesterday that I'll be one of the testers starting monday, really looking forward to it.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Disclaimer: I have to be very careful with what I say at the moment due to various forms and agreements signed. So if you think I'm going to drop hints or anything, not going to happen. I won't be talking about anything Sumo are working on or any discussions I've had with people there.

So for the last two weeks... guess where I've been?

Yup, I'm one of the people on the balancing team, gotta say, I've loved every second of it, both for and not for the reasons you think. I suspect some people are thinking 'well thats because you got to play ASRT.' And yeah you'd be right, sequel to a game I really enjoyed, who wouldn't be excited about that?

But the main attraction has just been going there and seeing how people in the industry work. I can't explain why... well actually thats a lie, I can although I'd probably end up rambling about how awesome everybody is and it would run the risk of those posts you see where you're not sure if the person means what they say or is just sucking up. But that said, oh my god it's been wonderful.

Whilst we're kept away from the main hive of activity, just observing whats going on you see all these people working to produce something you suddenly realise just how amazingly complicated game development can be, when S0L said back in the first post "and you’d definitely learn a lot about how things are done here on a day-to-day basis and have the opportunity to ask lots of questions!" he wasn't kidding, and most of the learning has been from just observing whats going on around you.

I can't rate these two weeks enough and think that other studio's should offer similar schemes because it's such a huge learning experience, even if it's just observation that you're doing, you really do learn so much and it'd do wonders to de-mystify this aura that is videogame development that a lot of people have.

I'm seriously going to look into doing courses for videogame development/computer programming etc after this because it has caught my interest (well I always had it but this has been the catalyst) even though I'd no idea where to start looking (yes this might also be me asking for advice here), I definately want to go down this road now.

if anyone was wondering, nope not met S0L yet (well other than SOS), but I have seen him when I've been wandering around like a lost lamb, I think I spoke to Rex today though, he came over when I was sat with another guy in the group when we were talking to another developer and asked if I was 'that guy from Summer of Sonic' HOORAY I've been recognised... . .. .. .what do you mean he thought I was Svend?

But yeah, again, really can't rate these two weeks highly enough.

Now if any other videogame developers happen to read this. For the love of God take the page from Sumos book and do this because it's so worth it!

[S0L]

Hold on... It all makes sense now. Instead of trying to catch my eye, come and talk to me for gods sake. Better yet - let's do beer tomorrow

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S0L

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[Badnik Mechanic]

Oh cool! I'll pop over and say hi if I can find your desk.

Hooray I get to have a beer!

[BoozermaN]

Turns out I've been sitting one desk away from Hogfather the last 2 weeks without realising.

And I agree with everything he says, it's remarkable watching developers as they work through various builds of a game.

And S0L, joining us for the get-together tonight I assume? Beer is calling.

[Barry the Nomad]

Finding out if Hogfather is in the room is easy! Toss some Sonic merch on the floor and he'll come running. Or, slip "70's trousers mode" into a sentence and he'll be all like "what? what???" and again will come running.

[#EndyGate]

Hold on... It all makes sense now. Instead of trying to catch my eye, come and talk to me for gods sake. Better yet - let's do beer tomorrow

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S0L

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Be careful S0L, if he learns too much and gets too close he may attempt to rise up and take your job from right under your nose, and when that happens, nothing will save us from the Trouser revolution :U

[Liliana Vess]

Unfortunately, I read through the OP before checking the date it was posted. As per usual, I'm late to the party, and I think I died a little inside. Regardless, how many members of SSMB actually got in?

[Badnik Mechanic]

Well it kinda blew that I had to eat and run on our last night, although it was a 'good' thing that I did since had I not left when I did I would have probably been stranded in Sheffield for the night, had to literally run for my train, could see the thing coming down the track as I bolted for the platform. Although it still sucked that there were no later trains I could catch... season ticket woes.

Unfortunately, I read through the OP before checking the date it was posted. As per usual, I'm late to the party, and I think I died a little inside. Regardless, how many members of SSMB actually got in?

Go check Sumo digitals website, they were still asking for people when I last looked, also I got on the weeks after S0L mentioned so I think more dates were added.

However I'm also curious if anyone else got on. You are allowed to say you were on the team, just not talk about what you did/talked about/saw with regards to the game and any other stuff going on there.

Although... did anyone who would describe themselves as a fan of sonic actually get on this? In the group I was with, there were only me boozerman and this other girl who actually liked Sonic.

[Danielius]

If I were a fellow England and could take a part of it it would be a dream come true. I'm soooo envious to those who have possibility but at the same time I'm also happy that your dreams came true.

I really hope next year I will be able to go to England (maybe will set and start living there) and if I will be lucky and there will be some possible entries - I'm looking forward to it.

Anyway, I guess the stay in England is extremely expensive, right? I wouldn't mind to live in simple guest house or hostel.Just bed, PC, games and everything is perfet.

Taking an inside look (or even working) in game industry would be a dream come true. Lately I'm looking deeper too, just for the sake of interest how hard this sphere is.

God.. why do I have to live in such a world forgotten place. I need to get out of here

Edited August 22, 2012 by Danielius