202: Dan's Explosive Interview

[Kevin Spiess]

Dan's Explosive Interview

Dan thought he was willing to do anything for a job at his favorite game studio, Explosive Entertainment. But that was before he was subjected to the most excruciating final interview he had ever experienced. Kevin Spiess pores over every detail of Dan's Explosive interview.

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[Labyrinth]

*Blink.*

Wow. Um.. that's quite something. I consider it an achievement to have me laughing even when 'ludicrous' is the only applicable word to the ending. Seriously good work, drowning in hyperbole, but with the elegance not to kick up mud at the bottom.

I've always wondered whether the employee's gaming habits would come up in either interviews or around the office of developers. For all this is a work of fiction maybe, just maybe, it's closer to the truth than we mere players would believe at first glance. Oh, that we may dream of a more ridiculous world where a tattooed backside can win one a good job.

 

[EricBC]

Fiction? I think I've had this interview. I didn't get the job but I didn't pull down my pants either. Clearly a mistake.

 

[nova18]

I dont know if there is some deep rhetoric behind this story but it was pretty damn funny.
Also gives me hope that one day, my knowledge of a game will be greater than the man who created it, leading me to a job.

[small]I do need a job after all.[/small]

 

[Clemenstation]

Pshh... I beat hardcore nightmare Satan with three healers and a chocolate-coated skeleton warrior.

 

[wasalp]

hmm that was a very nice story, would never expect such a thing to happen in a real interview.


ps: this is why being a forum troll is good ;P

 

[kspiess]

Chocolate-coated skeleton warrior! You can only take down hardcore nightmare Satan with a vanilla-coated skeleton warrior ! Everyone knows that.

Hehe..thanks for the comments guys. Glad you found it funny and not altogether too, too far ridiculous.

I wanted to say that while writing about Explosive Entertainment and the game Satan I sort of had Blizzard and Diablo in mind, as a template, but the actual group-composition mechanics idea and the whole 'Ranger-Ranger-Rogue-Cleric' thing was inspired by a fantastic, lesser known game that I was really enjoying at the time of that story's writing called Monster's Den: Book of Dread.

I enjoy a good gaming challenge so I've been trying to finish Book of Dread, which is a turn-based dudgeon romp with Diablo style loot and Roguelike/Nethack game mechanics, and which does in fact feature a sort of "hardcore nightmare" mode, of course.

So far the best group I've come up with in Book of Dread is Warrior-Warrior-Ranger-Conjurist, and I've gotten pretty far... but boy, the game is tough and I haven't yet bested it.

It took me a while to figure it out, but in the end I found that you really don't need a mage to get far in the game.

 

[UsefulPlayer 1]

Lol that was a fun read.

Those good old Diablo 2 days.

 

[zoozilla]

Hilarious read.

Nice first article!

 

[Schizzy]

That was great... there's just so many moments I can I identify with him. The sheer terror of a job interview. Except the pants dropping part.

 

[October Country]

Really funny story.
The nervousness before the interview seemed very realistic and to have the story slowly descending into such absurdity delivered a great ending.

 

[wildpeaks]

Haha, I would have done the same as the interviewer

Never heard of this studio however.

 

[Gutrot Grimtoof]

Haha, I would have done the same as the interviewer

Never heard of this studio however.

because this is a fictional story.

 

[Hyper-space]

pants down = dream job

i think im fully prepared for the SAT's now........

 

[ckeymel]

...but the actual group-composition mechanics idea and the whole 'Ranger-Ranger-Rogue-Cleric' thing was inspired by a fantastic, lesser known game that I was really enjoying at the time of that story's writing called Monster's Den: Book of Dread.

I enjoy a good gaming challenge so I've been trying to finish Book of Dread, which is a turn-based dudgeon romp with Diablo style loot and Roguelike/Nethack game mechanics, and which does in fact feature a sort of "hardcore nightmare" mode, of course.

So far the best group I've come up with in Book of Dread is Warrior-Warrior-Ranger-Conjurist, and I've gotten pretty far... but boy, the game is tough and I haven't yet bested it.

It took me a while to figure it out, but in the end I found that you really don't need a mage to get far in the game.

I love Monster's Den! Woot!

 

[PhoenixFlame]

I really enjoyed this article. I think a lot of us have been in that "Dream" job interview where there's an x-factor that might or might not get you the job. In games development, which from my limited scope of experiences with them is a somewhat eclectic set of personalities, this is much more apparent.

I think it says something when someone who decides to make games their career is pegged for the passion with which they argue and agonize over small details. While this kind of passion is a double-edged sword and can prove to be somewhat harmful when the tables are turned and they're designing, it does make for some very interesting outcomes.

I would like to think every development company that I respect and like (Mythic, Bioware, and Cryptic, to name a few) has individuals who came up from the ranks and appreciate the nuances of forum communities in making games better.

 

[Orange Monkey]

Kudos to the writer, this was one of the funniest things i have read in a long time, i know how frustrating it can be to have someone in front of you saying ''It's impossible to do that'' when i had Just done the said impossible task.

 

[Kiroshimatsu]

Man... I wish interviews would be more like that... *sigh*

 

[Silva]

That is the most awesome interview story I have ever heard. Showing your arse gets you the job, how's THAT for irony?