team, game-studioI’m thinking about starting a game company in Ireland. I started building out a ‘rough’ business plan for the product because its hard to do a plan on something like a game. I recently started looking at ways for investment to get the project up off the ground. I know this phase is a long way off but i feel its better to know what will be needed later on and try have it ready before I start. Every where I have looked they state that a good solid team is better than having a great idea. My question is if I have a team where I have known the individuals for years, worked with them before and I know there will be a good team dynamic between us all because we know each other a long time and get on(yet still not necessarily friends) is that better than having say a team that has a senior dev and not a strong dynamic?
That depends on you.
You call it “team dynamics”, I will call it differently. You put a liberal idea against a conservative. The liberal idea is to get people together who know each other. You know these can work well together, so there’s no need for a senior or supervisor. The conservative method can also start out like the liberal one, however you have a senior or supervisor.
The difference is how sure you are about your idea. In the liberal context, you are sure to have more ideas and much more input from your colleagues since you are colleagues. The people don’t feel the pressure to impress anyone and the work environment is open-minded. It will most likely boost the creativity to a completely different level, nonetheless you will take more time to get things done.
The conservative approach does the opposite. People might feel suppressed and not confident enough to speak up if they don’t like an idea. However, you can expect to work faster.
If you think that your idea is solid and will work out, you can do the conservative approach and develop your game before someone else does. If you are unsure about your idea and don’t have concrete plans in your mind, it might be better to take the liberal way to receive some suggestions.
Nevertheless, money is relevant too. In a liberal office, people might tend to “slack off” while thinking about improvements. This means that they would be paid for sitting there and searching for ideas without actually changing anything at the moment. In return, it’s sure to say that a liberal office environment can cost you more money while a conservative might save some.
If you have the time and the money, it’s always advisable to introduce a liberal approach. People nowadays seek for such opportunities - flat hierarchies, working in teams, having actual fun while working. And if your employees are happy, you will get more things done. Normally, you also want to hear their ideas regarding your project as there can always be one loophole you can’t see but others can.
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