Comments on: Video Games and Business: Analyze, Strategize or Execute

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 11:40:23 +0000

I think it’s certainly possible to over strategize things. My own businesspartner does this on stuff we do internally. For client work though, he usually has a better grasp on a business need, than the owner does — and that speaks volumes in terms of legitimacy with the client for us.

What I think is a bigger problem though is under strategizing and analysis, or just diving in without reading much of the manual. I think this is what’s going on with much of web me too.oh and why we’re seeing folks in the design community already wishing it would just die.

It’s also the behind the rash of intellectual property concerns that we’re seeing on the web, with the theivery of web design and [*cough] logos.

Execution is vital. but so is always being prepared, and ready for the game.

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 13:44:07 +0000

Graham, That is awesome and it brings back some great memories. Now you just need the spray gun to get them all in one shot. :)

By: Devin

Devin — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 02:36:24 +0000

Interesting point, Rick. And I agree (I should’ve been more specific). We want to ignore the same OLD mistakes.

“You must learn from the mistakes of others. You canâ€™t possibly live long enough to make them all yourself.” -Sam Levenson

By: Bryan Potts

Bryan Potts — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 23:53:54 +0000

Haha, Graham! Anyway…I agree with this post entirely. I dive in without the manual. And discover the important information as I need to.

By: Montoya

Montoya — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 22:06:53 +0000

Graham, you rock.

By: karmatosed

karmatosed — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 21:02:08 +0000

Somtimes it does feel like you are playing pong on your own too or that you are experiencing some serious internet lag and getting your wizard killed in many a great way. Then again it might just be I have that feeling as it’s monday. A balance of action and thought is also good – like all great video games really. Sometimes sneaky sneaky sometimes big guns and various chopping things. As with video games learn the path to the monkey god’s gold by inserting the right combination of magic crystals… yep the analogy works with me and yes I’ve got those magic crystals wrong before, learnt and not got hit in the head by the toxic creeper before. Time to wrestle the crocodile to save the Princess .. I mean get IE play with my website nicely :)

By: Rick Turoczy

Rick Turoczy — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 18:19:53 +0000

Devin, I think that was the original concept of a Board of Directors. Unfortunately, most Boards are a far cry from that, these days. However, at an individual level, there seems to a be a growing desire and need for mentors to help fill those sorts of roles.

And it’s not so much about “avoiding mistakes” as it is avoiding the same OLD mistakes. Use your time to make NEW mistakes. Don’t waste time making the same old mistakes–unless they take you somewhere different than all of the other people who made them. ;)

By: Graham

Graham — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:53:32 +0000

I find that when a client is getting upset, using “Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right-B-A-Select-Start” works well :)

By: Devin

Devin — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:13:43 +0000

I consistently hear about how I need to ‘jump in’ and ‘give it a try’ and ‘make mistakes’ in order to learn. I sometimes wonder, is there a better way? Has anyone tried to take all their experiences and take time to show others how to do it (minus the mistakes)? I guess that’d be like making a manual or a guide on how not to ‘die’. Ever thought about writing that, Scrivs?

If it weren’t for the Duck Hunt manual I would never have known plugging in the second controller lets you move the duck. I probably never would’ve tried that..

By: Martin Ringlein

Martin Ringlein — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 15:53:34 +0000

I think it all depends on how you â€œstartâ€ the game. It sounds like you are referring to jumping into a business that you need to be successful quickly â€“ sort of like demanding to win the game the same day you bought it.

For a lot of freelance designers, it isnâ€™t a business at first â€“ it is something that grows into a business. We start small, one or two clients (most likely someone we already know). Our â€œbusinessâ€ and client list expands one client at a time, one project at a time, one dollar at a time. You learn a lot through trial and error; sometimes it takes error to really learn.

I think you are right though. We all just need to figure out first, what determines â€œsuccessâ€ â€“ build our strategy from there.