Transitions

Today was my last day at NCsoft.

Although there are plenty of rumors flying around about what’s going on at NCsoft this week, most of them are pretty overhyped. However, my team was let go as part of ‘refocusing’. I’m sure there will be some sort of press release to that effect shortly.

I don’t hold any ill will about any of this. NCsoft enabled me to move to Austin, a city I love, and gave me one hell of a shot. It didn’t work out quite the way I had hoped, but I learned a great deal in the process. All in all, a pretty fair deal.

Next week, I’ll be starting at John Galt Games working on Webwars. It’s not quite an MMO, but it does share some similarities with where I think gaming needs to go (hint: $100 million budgets are BAD or at least very dangerous to long term stability and creativity). It’s a small company, and I get along great with the guys there already – it’s the first time that a Hearts of Iron 2 after action report actually played a role in the interview process.

Anyway, I wish everyone at NCsoft the best, both those still there and those hitting the streets looking for work. It’s not a good time to look for work in the Austin games industry right now – but it is an excellent time to put a kick-ass MMO team together (and if you are so inclined drop me a line, I have a whole list of people you should be talking to).

That’s all for now. It’s been a rollercoaster of a past few weeks.

Ceiling Cat Is Watching Your Team Leave The Building

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  • pharniel

    glad you landed on your feet.
    break a leg to your former associates.

  • http://www.whatwouldmattdo.com wzrd

    Good luck on the new gig, Lum. I promise to stop, er continue, stalking you. I’ve come to the conclusion it’s not creepy anymore, since I’ve done it so long.

  • IanB

    I’m guessing you’re one of the lucky ones in terms of being able to step right into a new job. Good luck with the transition.

  • WayAbvPar

    Sorry to hear that. Glad that you already have a new gig, but sadf that I won’t get to play whatever you were cooking up over at NCSoft any time soon.

  • http://westkarana.com Tipa

    Sorry to hear things didn’t work out at NCSoft, but happy to see you have an even more fantastic job to take the sting off :)

  • http://emergentfuture.com Arrakiv

    Best of luck with you over at Webwars. Its certainly an interesting idea and I hope that it goes well for you. Its too bad that things didn’t work out – but, you make a fine point on the whole budget thing.

  • http://www.thejadedgamer.net Joey Connelly

    Good luck with the new gig!!

  • Gunch

    Sad to hear about everyone from your project getting let go. They were a good bunch of people. Glad to hear you are landing on your feet (as I knew you would). I was missing your emails in the Spam/Video Game folders anyway.

  • http://www.moorgard.com Moorgard

    Good luck, Scott. Very glad to hear you have already landed on your feet.

  • http://blog.gangrel.me.uk Gangrel

    Tis a shame that you have been let go… hope that everything else works out well for you.

    Gangrel

  • DJ Larkin

    This doesn’t bode well for Hello Kitty Online

    /salute

    Good luck man.

  • Reg

    Sorry that NCSoft didn’t work out. Can you tell us what you were working on now or is that destined to remain a secret forever?

  • http://www.crazykinux.com/ CrazyKinux

    Good luck in your new venture are John Galt Games! Looking forward to some news about Webwars. It’s been a long time since last year’s EVE fanfest!

    CK

  • Juan

    Good luck with your new job! Stay frosty!

  • http://tidehorizon.blogspot.com Tide

    Wow. That is a let down. I’m sure you will land on your feet. I imagine there are many companies that will hire you just so you won’t discuss them here:) All the best.

    Adam

  • http://wowpanda.blogspot.com wowpanda

    Best wishes! I will try out webwars when it is ready. It is a wise move to pick you in, I am sure your blog is worth $$$ ad funding :-)

  • http://wowpanda.blogspot.com wowpanda

    *I mean better than $$$ ad funding

  • Brandon Reinhart

    Let me guess. You told them you invented the Haitian Gambit and they hired you on the spot!

  • Scott Jennings

    I would NEVER take credit for the Haitian Gambit. I did explain how Italy could become a world power outside of the Axis sphere, though!

  • Sachant

    I’m glad to hear you’re landing on your feet alright after that. Good luck and I hope it goes well for you there too!

  • AcidCat

    Hope your new job works out for you Scott – I’ve never heard of Webwars but I’m definitely going to check it out now.

  • http://www.allakhazam.com Tovin

    Web Wars looks like it could be fun. Good luck at your new place. Sorry NCsoft didn’t work out well, but glad you’re not stuck with nothing!!

  • onepoker

    Good luck life is more about attitude than anything and it sounds like you have a great one keep chugging along this may be the greatest opportunity of your life only time will tell!

  • dartwick

    Sorry to hear that something didnt work out as well as it was at one time intended.

    But good luck with your new endeavour .

  • http://sites.google.com/site/alixkerr Alix

    I have no doubt that you will thrive at your new employment.

    good luck!

  • Merusk

    Luck to ya, Scott. You guys and your silly “Oh we don’t need 100 mil to make games.”

    Next you’ll tell me I don’t need to install Vista to enjoy the internet. Oh you silly egghead types.

  • wraith808

    Sorry to hear that! Glad that you landed on your feet, and all the best in your new position! And thanks for the post and clarification too.

  • http://NukaCola23.1up.com NukaCola23

    Glad to see you take lemons and make some lemonade. Good luck!

  • mystery

    Dammit, I was about 90% complete with the absolute best fan site/news portal/social experience for “whatever that game was that Scott was working on”. Back to the drawing board, I guess.

  • http://www.kwanzoo.com GeorgeR

    I can only hope I win some lottery in order to take you up on that list. Oh the wonderful things that could be created.

  • Comstar

    I hope we get a AAR of whatever the game was Lum was working on.

  • kneehighspy

    Sorry to hear about what is happening. I haven’t heard from my friend Denzil Long in awhile, was he included in the layoffs?

  • Scott Jennings

    To the best of my knowledge everyone on the TR team is still gainfully employed.

  • http://www.qforq.com Sam Houston

    Glad you found a new gig so quickly. I wish you luck at John Galt Games, I’ll be keeping an eye out ;) :)

  • Slyfeind

    Good luck, man. I love small projects. Big ones always seem a bit dangerous to me, like a big Jenga puzzle that any moment they’ll fall down and go boom. Sounds like you’re in the right place at the right time.

  • Merkwurdigliebe

    Glad you landed a job can… like?

    Money is money.

  • Corwin Loa

    Good luck with the new job!

    When you get a second, how about you expedite my beta app:P

  • http://wowpanda.blogspot.com wowpanda

    LOL I got home and take a look at the game, I laughed when I read the commander on google got xxx# of ships :-)

    That sounds exciting and it is almost like a casual game (my type of game).

  • http://www.darkmatterfactory.com Peter Freese

    Glad you landed on your feet so quickly, Scott. I don’t know anything about Webwars yet, but I’m sure we’ll hear more soon. I’ll buy you a beer next month at AGC.

  • Anon

    Good luck Lum! I read about this on the Dungeon Runner forums and I really hope things work out!

  • Tyjenks

    Good luck in the new spot man. Bummer things did not work out, but sometimes those course changes turn out for the better. His wishing yours does.

  • BadMisterFrosty

    I thought the industry already camped your parking lot to lure you away once your contract shows signs of weakness!? What you mean by “interview”? Do you indicate those guys had the boldness to ask for an interview before they hire you? ;)

    WebWars sounds like good snack though. Best of luck.

  • http://ambernight.org Amber

    :( Dangit, I really wanted to see a Scott Jennings Production. Glad to see you landing on your feet though.

  • UnSub

    Who is John Galt (Games)?

  • Athryn

    As has been already said, good to see you landing on your feet! ^_^

  • http://www.thisisnotacommunity.org D-0ne

    Best wishes. Godspeed.

  • Gawain

    Damn, that’s too bad, dude. I’m such a giant ncsoft fanboy. I’m sad to see them losing you.

    I am seconding “Scott Jennings Productions” or even “[title] A Scott Jennings Game”

    You could be the next Lord British.

    “General Jennings?”

  • houstoncollector

    Glad you landed on your feet, Lum. Too bad about NCSoft. I’ll be joining the herd in Austin next week, since I just got hired at Apple, myself. :)

  • Jessica Mulligan

    Good luck, Scott, and I’m happy you landed on your feet. I met Trey in Iceland last year at EVEcon, where he demo-ed WebWars; very intriguing concept.

    If there is any way I can help the other team members still looking for work, drop me an email.

  • Jobrill

    I’m glad to see you land on your feet, and sorry we won’t get to see what you were working on. Here’s hoping the rest of your team finds a port in the storm, and that you finally get to put out a good MMO one of these days.

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