This post has not been edited by the GamesBeat staff. Opinions by GamesBeat community writers do not necessarily reflect those of the staff.
The mod scene seems like a great way for aspiring game developers to break into the industry, and it is — but Chris England, the project lead of X-Com spiritual successor Xenonauts, told me in an interview, "Mods do have their dark side."
Just look at the ongoing saga with Valve's employment of DotA All-Stars developer IceFrog to helm DOTA 2, a stand-alone game that will expand the popular Defense of the Ancients mod for Blizzard's Warcraft 3. Controversy surrounds the title; just a little more than a month ago, an anonymous poster claiming to be a Valve employee alleged that IceFrog may have stolen assets from previous employers Riot Games and S2 Games.
England's quick to point out that the mod scene isn't all like that, but he also provided some insight into the underbelly of hobbyist programming.
England explains that the mod scene is "a surprisingly small world" and says that "the same names keep cropping up." And that only means that word quickly spreads around: "You hear about who's good at what they do and who's a douchebag. People who have their ears to the ground might well have an opinion of you before you even meet them."
He's witnessed the same type of drama that's circling DOTA 2 plague other games: "I know of at least one prominent person leading a reasonably high-profile indie team at the moment who was involved in some illegal activity and would have been sent to jail if he hadn't been a minor at the time." England declined to name names, as he's not interested in igniting an Internet firestorm. "I really don't want to get involved in politics."
England has so far successfully avoided such squabbling with Xenonauts. He explains that "adding money to the mix makes things easier in some senses." Since his game is currently self-funded, he says the project is "more legitimate" and that he's able to "attract people who wouldn't work for free but would accept token wages — such as talented students working for beer money."
He also has advice for future would-be developers. For anyone looking to get into the industry, he'll impart this knowledge:
People are full of shit: Everyone can talk a good game, but few can actually deliver — don’t be taken in. If someone’s all talk and no action, cut them.
One leader: It’s difficult to make even a small mod or game. Don’t make it harder for yourself by adding politics into the mix; have one guy make the decisions. Pick the best person for the job and then back him 100 percent.
Keep it simple: Games are ridiculous amounts of work — like, an insane amount. Aim small and you’ll thank yourself later.
Read the rest of Bitmob's interview with England.
