Quote: "but those studios still develop the games entirely. "
And you know this how? Maxis is called EARS, and Criterion is called EAUK. They *are* EA. You can't argue with me on this one.
Quote: "Because EA has a tendency to bat down original ideas. Why go the distance and make a game great when you can go just far enough and make it okay?"
This is such an ignorant statement that I'm not even bothering to argue with you on this one. You have *absolutely* no idea what you're talking about, other than what you read from fanboy mags or websites. Just because *YOU* have some idea on what you *THINK* will make an EA game better, does not mean that it will. You are so high and mighty that you think you could do better? That's an interesting statement, and seeing as how you aren't and most likely will never be in charge of EA, nobody can say you're wrong or right.
Anyone can be an armchair critic. Sure, Madden would be better with X feature and Y design, but from your statements you have absolutely *no* idea what it takes to make a pro game, so you think because the feature isn't in the game then EA dropped it to save money. Well that is just B.S. If you don't want to believe me then really I don't care.
You only have assumptions of how EA works by what you read in the EA Spouse blog or from people. I'm amazed at how people blindly accept statements from fanboys without considering the source.
Quote: "Any company who has such strict crunch times as EA doesn't allow for much creativity. They tell you this, that, and the other thing need to be finished on or by such-n-such date, and if you don't, you're fired/ blacklisted."
Um--- you're joking right? You say you want to work in this industry but you don't want crunch time? Let me give you a little word of advice--- don't work in the games industry if you can't hack it. Seriously, *every* game company has crunch time, and you are lying if you disagree. Period.
Quote: "I talked to someone who works in Orlando, at EA Tiburon, who told me that office was like "a beached slave-ship," to quote him directly."
Obviously an unhappy employee. It's easy to find disgruntled employees at any company under the sun--- does that make their company evil? Give me a break.
Quote: "but EALA? Go ask one of those guys what they think."
ROFL. I was offered a job at EALA, by people who work there. I know others personally who work there, and they love it. Nobody holds a gun to your head and tells you to work. Honestly I don't understand why someone would stay at a job if they don't enjoy it--- the games industry isn't known for having high pay rates, so the employees are free to look elsewhere if they're dissatisfied.
Quote: "Anyway, my point is, I could do fight night 10,000 times better than the conceptual designer doing it now. "
Yah, okay. I have lost the thumbnail of respect I still had for you now. To say that you could make a blockbuster, 5+ million sold game 10,000 times better is just plan conceited. Nice work--- I'd like to see you even get hired in this industry with that attitude.
Quote: "Even if EA gave me a shot at it, some idiot in a suit would tell me that some market figure proves that this and that won't sell, not that they'd know because they'd never tried it."
And again, purely ignorant. You have absolutely no idea what goes on behind a game company's doors, so don't pretend you do. Okay? Let's agree on that.
EDIT:
Reading through my response, I sounded kinda harsh. But really, I'm in a good mood. Hard to put in emotion in my text--- but really, do your research. I understand you hate every single big corporation, but I have experienced good managers at EA who strive for the employees to maintain a good work/outside work life balance. You can't base your opinion on a company by a few ex-employees and fanboy critics.
