Game Consultant
So what’s that all about then?
Under my guidance, TCR grew from a handful of people in a bedroom to a studio employing over 100 people on multiple major projects. That’s a very intense thing to head up and it doesn’t sit particularly well with the idea of being actively, creatively at the centre of projects, where I like to be. I’m someone who is happiest at the coalface, with developers, hacking away at problems and being part of the mad tornado of ideas and solutions that makes development so rewarding. After a certain level of growth, that made me a square peg in a round hole, and it was time for something different.
I’ve always been a writer and I’m loving the opportunity to be just doing that right now. But I also love game development and the idea of being able to drop in and help teams out without the full-time studio management side of things sounds like a perfect fit for me.
What can you do?
As a freelance consultant I can offer you support on most aspects of game development, from creating and refining pitches, enhancing your vision, tackling specific development questions, providing detailed feedback and team support… and so on. Take a look at the Creative Direction section of the site and you’ll get an idea of how wide-ranging and extensive my experience is.
Ok, so what’s the sell?
It’s simple, really. Getting an external brain to take a spin around your project, whether that’s a new idea you’re in process of trying to really form into shape, or a game in development that could do with some fresh perspective and feedback, is always incredibly valuable. I know this because I’ve been in your shoes plenty of times, and bringing in the right person at the right time can make all the difference in the world, Dr Freeman.
There’s no great mystery to consultancy. You get in touch, tell me what you’re looking for, we chat. If it feels like a good fit, we agree an initial schedule, cost and practicalities. You get full access to my experience and I do whatever I can do help by doing what I do best: having lots and lots of ideas about how to make things as good as they can be. Whether it’s helping shape a world or story, giving feedback on a pitch, playing builds and dissecting them with your leads… we can figure all of that out.
Yeah, but you mentioned cost. What is that exactly?
That’s going to depend on a couple things. Like every other consultant, I’ve got a day rate. I’ve also got a finite capacity for projects and I want to be doing things I think I can contribute best to and enjoy. And I’ve worked as a low-budget indie as well as for Tencent, so I’ve been at many points along the scale. We talk, you let me know where you are and what you need and a bit about the project and we’ll take it from there. I’ve got a reputation for being pretty open and honest in the games industry, feel free to ask around.
Gotcha. What’s next?
If you’ve been in the industry for any amount of time, you’ll probably have a non-compete clause in your contract. This means when you leave a job, there’s a period of time where you can’t work on anything that could be seen as competition for your current/previous employer. I’m no exception to this, and it means I’m not going to be actively working on anything until the beginning of next year.
But that doesn’t stop us talking right now. Drop me a line and let me know what you’re looking for and we can talk.