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Scott Rohde on Amy Hennig's Departure [Up: Naughty Dog responds]

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StuBurns

Banned
This sums it up.

I hate the industry more and more for their shady business ways. They fire or close studios becausethey want to make other games or whatever. In which dimension does this make sense?
Irrational faltered because they spent nearly six years making a game that barely sold four million copies.

TakeTwo aren't a charity.
 

Famassu

Member
This sums it up.

I hate the industry more and more for their shady business ways. They fire or close studios becausethey want to make other games or whatever. In which dimension does this make sense?
In a dimension where some dev like Irrational spend, what, 5-6 years developing a straightforward shooter and SSM spends 3-4 years developing some game and not being anywhere near releasing it?
 

Casimir

Unconfirmed Member
This sums it up.

I hate the industry more and more for their shady business ways. They fire or close studios becausethey want to make other games or whatever. In which dimension does this make sense?

principalskinnermoneygesticulation.gif

New IP's are potential risks. And this industry is quite risk averse.


(On mobile so can't post GIF link. Sorry.)
 
I agreed with you that those processes can fail, and do fail. To this extent (fake claimed skills and competency), repeatedly and in such an high profile position and individual, very seldom though. I made a generic comment on hiring processes but you had to read that comment informed with this specific scenario conditions. That's what we're commenting here now. That Corrine Yu career is built on lies and unproven skills.

I am aware of the specific scenario and conditions of your post, and I can sincerely tell you that my response was made with those conditions in mind. I know someone after me made a post about people faking their credentials, but that's not what I was trying to get at.

To provide some background information:
I work as an accountant/information analysis that deals heavily with IT system audits and testing. From my personal experiences, I have seen ridiculous hiring decisions such as an art major hired into our position, a computer illiterate being placed in charged of global banking of a major international bank on Wall Street, and tax directors that have never properly filed a tax return. Basically, it is my personal belief experience that unqualified people can easily be hired and kept on the job due to favoritism, lack of oversight and bureaucracy.

Again, we're going off topic -_-
 

DigiMish

Member
This sums it up.

I hate the industry more and more for their shady business ways. They fire or close studios becausethey want to make other games or whatever. In which dimension does this make sense?

It make sense in the business sense... you know, the only sense that matters.
 

Sakujou

Banned
principalskinnermoneygesticulation.gif

New IP's are potential risks. And this industry is quite risk averse.


(On mobile so can't post GIF link. Sorry.)
New IPs???

Bioshock 1 was the new entry, they fucked it a bit up with bioshock2 but still infinite was just another entry. I still think closing the studio was just an excuse to focus on mobile games....
 

Rojo

Member
Let's just say that she's been riding a false reputation for a long time, and it's largely fueled by the internet's fascination with a "super-smart and hot rocket scientest game developer". Did you know she worked at NASA? Give me a break. Talk with anyone who's worked closely with her and you will hear horror stories of just what a terrible developer she is. She was able to work at MS for so long because she's married to a very competent art director who was on the same team, and I can only assume that they didn't want to lose him. Well guess what? She got fired, he left a few months later, and now here we are picking up the pieces.

Read the Microsoft statement here: http://www.ign.com/wikis/halo-5-xbox-one/Halo_5_Rumors_and_Leaks

“While we consider Corrinne Yu a part of our founding family and can’t wait to see where her talent takes her in her new role, we wanted to clarify a repeated misconception, most recently on an IGN podcast. Corrinne worked on a branch of our tools team and did not in fact work on either the Halo 4 or Halo 5 engine or graphics at all. Our current tools team will surely miss her enviable intellect, but we felt it fair to both her and 343 Industries to ensure that the nature of her contributions was not being misrepresented.”

She didn't do anything on Halo 4, but that's basically all they worked on for 3 years. WTF? That doesn't really match up with what she claims to have done. I have a feeling we were duped.

Did anyone actually go to ign to look up that quote? Keep reading sounds like its fake.
 

Casimir

Unconfirmed Member
New IPs???

Bioshock 1 was the new entry, they fucked it a bit up with bioshock2 but still infinite was just another entry. I still think closing the studio was just an excuse to focus on mobile games....

Ah, sorry I was a bit too limited, on mobile. Basically any title that doesn't target the widest possible set of gamers (and then generates expected sale numbers) would also be discouraged.

Concerning BioShock 3 specifically, the developers had not justified their continued existence to T2/2k. Subjective opinions on the quality of Infinite aside, as mentioned above, supporting a ~200 person team that took 5-6 years to develop a title that only sold around four million is not a worthwhile venture; especially for T2 when they could spend those resources funding other more successful IP's.
 
Did anyone actually go to ign to look up that quote? Keep reading sounds like its fake.

LOL :)

“While we consider Corrinne Yu a part of our founding family and can’t wait to see where her talent takes her in her new role, we wanted to clarify a repeated misconception, most recently on an IGN podcast. Corrinne worked on a branch of our tools team and did not in fact work on either the Halo 4 or Halo 5 engine or graphics at all. Our current tools team will surely miss her enviable intellect, but we felt it fair to both her and 343 Industries to ensure that the nature of her contributions was not being misrepresented. I wonder if the fantards at NeoGaf realize that this is editable by anyone, at any time. Nah, they're too busy being incredibly dumb. Props to peterb0y.”
 
He won't agree to the term fired? then what the hell was it?
did it go down something like this

"So uhh Amy we don't like the term fired so you've just resigned"
"no i haven't"
"yes you have collect your things, you are leaving of your own accord, these security guards are here to help you carry things and very very quietly plead for you to not leave, only they are deaf so won't hear if you respond"
"i don't want to "
"sorry i'm now deaf too lalalalalalalalalalalal"


what a scummy turn of events, either she's insulted someone in the company who wants rid of her, she's had a relationship with someone higher up and its over, her contract renewal stalled when she (obviously to ND) unjustly wanted a little more money or hell they just plain are lying and people who wanted her job forced her out riding on TLOU's tail coats
 
He won't agree to the term fired? then what the hell was it?

Pushed out =/= Fired. The results may be the same, but the context can be very different.

An underperforming staff, or even someone who doesn't fit with the company culture can be fired, and it doesn't mean anything more than "you're not good enough."

Pushed out implies an agenda where one side wins the office politics, or at least an external influence that has nothing to do with employee performance and suitability in the job role.
 

StuBurns

Banned
The people responsible for that game taking nearly six years are still with Take Two.
I don't know who survived the slaughter, I know it was a very small amount, Adrian Murphy is credit as the main studio side producer, so I guess he's mostly responsible for not reigning in production, I don't know if he's still there or not.

Regardless, yes, some staff were spared, but I think that's the logical thing to do, heads hard to roll for the project, maybe it's not 'fair' which heads didn't, but being let go isn't a punishment for the game's poor performance, it's the result of it.
You guys are mixing up take2 and 2K
Technically it's 2K Games, and TakeTwo is the parent company, but I don't think it's an especially meaningful distinction to make, so I didn't make it.
 

foxtrot3d

Banned
So I was banned for a week when this story came out and thus have yet to post my thoughts, now that I'm back I'd like to share them especially reading so many people's reactions.

First off it is clear that Amy was fired/forced out all one needs to do is read the ND statement concerning her departure to see that. Usually when someone departs on good terms with a company such as to try a new experience with another company or move for family reasons the official statement is very happy and encouraging. The former employee is congratulated and there are usually statements and tweets from staff wishing them all the best in their next undertaking. On top of this the employee themselves usually tweets or releases a statement thanking everyone with the usual loving good-byes and what not.

That is nowhere to be found with regards to Amy's departure all of the official statements seem to be crafted with particular laser-like specificity concerning their word choice. There isn't the usual goodbye tweets and loving support you usually see in such a departure. Thus, I think it can be safely stated that at the very least she did not leave on good terms.

But here is my response, who cares? Why does this make ND "bad guys" as I've seen in some posts? This is a business, and a creative business at that, with big ideas and big egos all trying to compete and make a vision come to life, as such conflict and tension is inevitable, that doesn't make anyone a "bad guy." Clearly there were some conflict going on between Amy and the ND head staff, whether it was with Neil and whoever over creative differences or the presidents and her salary who knows. In any event, it was apparent these differences couldn't be reconciled and she left whether the departure was a mutual agreement or one sided doesnt really make a difference.

Amy isn't some deer in the headlights or low level employee with no power, she is a high level sophisticated party capable of negotiating and handling her own affairs. It isn't going to be exactly hard for her to find another job after leaving ND so I really wish people would stop painting this picture of someone screwed out of their job by some shady hipster dudes. Again, this is a business people get fired it's a way of life I'm sure wherever Amy lands she'll be fine.
 
We've yet to see a post saying 'check your PMs.'

Let's not assume the mods have started their interrogations. They're not on GAF 24/7, mind.
 

Corto

Member
but he is still not banned

Corroborating such damning claims is not easy task. And he can always take refuge on the "I just made assumptions from the stuff that is out there on the internet about Corrine Yu previous work. Never claimed she was a hack myself with personal first hand knowledge." On the other hand Corrine Yu is still at Naughty Dog.
 

Sakujou

Banned
Ah, sorry I was a bit too limited, on mobile. Basically any title that doesn't target the widest possible set of gamers (and then generates expected sale numbers) would also be discouraged.

Concerning BioShock 3 specifically, the developers had not justified their continued existence to T2/2k. Subjective opinions on the quality of Infinite aside, as mentioned above, supporting a ~200 person team that took 5-6 years to develop a title that only sold around four million is not a worthwhile venture; especially for T2 when they could spend those resources funding other more successful IP's.

but that is basically some problem of the management and not problem of the team.

so i still dont see enough evidence to kill off the team.

the same goes for amy. she is the person behind the story of uncharted.
1+2 where awesome, 3 had some polishing issues, but i dont think that this is her fault. its more a fault of being pushed to the deadline.

i still believe someone in ND had problems with amys way of dealing with UC.
 

RulkezX

Member
but he is still not banned

You take too much from this. There are plenty of leakers who don't get banned until it's proven their info was crap or lies.

I doubt Bish goes much deeper than asking them how they know the info and then let's then live or die by the validity of their info anyway.
 

Ezran

Neo Member
A guy with 5 posts who isn't bish approved and everyone gets excited?

Do developers not test potential hires before hiring?

Interviewing people is hard. Many companies will only confirm employment history, but not provide a reference for past employees. Friends came out of the woodwork following Corrinne's hiring to try to let us know just what a disaster she'd been at Gearbox and MS, but it was too late. That is where I got the IGN quote from.
 

Guymelef

Member
Interviewing people is hard. Many companies will only confirm employment history, but not provide a reference for past employees. Friends came out of the woodwork following Corrinne's hiring to try to let us know just what a disaster she'd been at Gearbox and MS, but it was too late. That is where I got the IGN quote from.

So you "are" a ND's worker.
Why no Amy info?
 

StuBurns

Banned
Interviewing people is hard. Many companies will only confirm employment history, but not provide a reference for past employees. Friends came out of the woodwork following Corrinne's hiring to try to let us know just what a disaster she'd been at Gearbox and MS, but it was too late. That is where I got the IGN quote from.
If you are a ND staff member, you should really not post that stuff, you could be culpable for defaming and lose of future earnings.

There's a reason people only provide employment history.
 

Business

Member
So I was banned for a week when this story came out and thus have yet to post my thoughts, now that I'm back I'd like to share them especially reading so many people's reactions.

First off it is clear that Amy was fired/forced out all one needs to do is read the ND statement concerning her departure to see that. Usually when someone departs on good terms with a company such as to try a new experience with another company or move for family reasons the official statement is very happy and encouraging. The former employee is congratulated and there are usually statements and tweets from staff wishing them all the best in their next undertaking. On top of this the employee themselves usually tweets or releases a statement thanking everyone with the usual loving good-byes and what not.

That is nowhere to be found with regards to Amy's departure all of the official statements seem to be crafted with particular laser-like specificity concerning their word choice. There isn't the usual goodbye tweets and loving support you usually see in such a departure. Thus, I think it can be safely stated that at the very least she did not leave on good terms.

But here is my response, who cares? Why does this make ND "bad guys" as I've seen in some posts? This is a business, and a creative business at that, with big ideas and big egos all trying to compete and make a vision come to life, as such conflict and tension is inevitable, that doesn't make anyone a "bad guy." Clearly there were some conflict going on between Amy and the ND head staff, whether it was with Neil and whoever over creative differences or the presidents and her salary who knows. In any event, it was apparent these differences couldn't be reconciled and she left whether the departure was a mutual agreement or one sided doesnt really make a difference.

Amy isn't some deer in the headlights or low level employee with no power, she is a high level sophisticated party capable of negotiating and handling her own affairs. It isn't going to be exactly hard for her to find another job after leaving ND so I really wish people would stop painting this picture of someone screwed out of their job by some shady hipster dudes. Again, this is a business people get fired it's a way of life I'm sure wherever Amy lands she'll be fine.

Great post.
 

duckroll

Member
This thread is getting massively derailed, and it should stop. This is about Amy Hennig's departure from Naughty Dog, and it is not a place to throw accusations about other unrelated people and make bold unsubstantiated claims.

@Ezran
You have made some very serious and potentially libelous claims about Corrinne Yu in this thread. They were unsolicited comments which honestly have nothing to do with the content of this thread until you made it about that. I don't know your reasoning for that, and I don't know who you are, but this is not the right place to go about it.

If you want to break a story on this, there are many press sites which I think would be more than happy to take the story and do their own verification and collaboration of the facts. This would in turn provide a perspective which is fair to the individuals involved and provider the public with a more informed picture.

If you don't want to make this a big public scandal, and just want to take cheap digs at a known individual without substantiating anything and hiding behind an anonymous persona, then this is not the place to do that. You have made very specific accusations which go beyond just speculation or hearsay. I hope you realize that. If you want to substantiate any of what you've said and discuss a proper platform to express your side of the story here, feel free to PM me. If you do not want to do that, please stop posting stuff like that here. Thanks.
 

Ezran

Neo Member
This thread is getting massively derailed, and it should stop. This is about Amy Hennig's departure from Naughty Dog, and it is not a place to throw accusations about other unrelated people and make bold unsubstantiated claims.

@Ezran
You have made some very serious and potentially libelous claims about Corrinne Yu in this thread. They were unsolicited comments which honestly have nothing to do with the content of this thread until you made it about that. I don't know your reasoning for that, and I don't know who you are, but this is not the right place to go about it.

If you want to break a story on this, there are many press sites which I think would be more than happy to take the story and do their own verification and collaboration of the facts. This would in turn provide a perspective which is fair to the individuals involved and provider the public with a more informed picture.

If you don't want to make this a big public scandal, and just want to take cheap digs at a known individual without substantiating anything and hiding behind an anonymous persona, then this is not the place to do that. You have made very specific accusations which go beyond just speculation or hearsay. I hope you realize that. If you want to substantiate any of what you've said and discuss a proper platform to express your side of the story here, feel free to PM me. If you do not want to do that, please stop posting stuff like that here. Thanks.

Excellent points. Sorry for the off-topic posts, and thank you for reminding me to not be a dick.
 

Aklamarth

Member
Ezran said:
Interviewing people is hard. Many companies will only confirm employment history, but not provide a reference for past employees. Friends came out of the woodwork following Corrinne's hiring to try to let us know just what a disaster she'd been at Gearbox and MS, but it was too late. That is where I got the IGN quote from.

Getting a idea of personal technical level in a interview is not that hard. What you can't really grok in a interview is how good/bad is that person working in a team. And their personality (some people really disguise well the fact they're dicks at interviews).
 

Ezran

Neo Member
Given the chance to PM mods and substantiate claims, chooses to stop posting. Hmmmm...

I am willing to substantiate my claims to mods. I will stand by my original statement that Corrinne is on her way out. Not sure when that will hit the press though. I am now of the opinion that some of the things I wrote should not have been posted to this forum. I do not take back those words.
 

beast786

Member
I am willing to substantiate my claims to mods. I will stand by my original statement that Corrinne is on her way out. Not sure when that will hit the press though. I am now of the opinion that some of the things I wrote should not have been posted to this forum. I do not take back those words.

Damn !

On topic . No giving of " Thank you leaving Party for working with us" is a sign of leaving in bad terms ;P
 

Corto

Member
I am willing to substantiate my claims to mods. I will stand by my original statement that Corrinne is on her way out. Not sure when that will hit the press though. I am now of the opinion that some of the things I wrote should not have been posted to this forum. I do not take back those words.

You can't take those words back. Your work is done.
 
I am willing to substantiate my claims to mods. I will stand by my original statement that Corrinne is on her way out. Not sure when that will hit the press though. I am now of the opinion that some of the things I wrote should not have been posted to this forum. I do not take back those words.
But more on topic, can you shed any further light on the situation involving Hennig's departure while refraining from character defamation?
 
I've returned to Epic. It's felt like coming home. ND wasn't a good fit for me. Yep, the tight turnaround time is really strange.

Not sure what's so strange about having very tight turnaround times... Tight two year dev cycles isn't that uncommon in the industry either.
 

TheOddOne

Member
I am willing to substantiate my claims to mods. I will stand by my original statement that Corrinne is on her way out. Not sure when that will hit the press though. I am now of the opinion that some of the things I wrote should not have been posted to this forum. I do not take back those words.
Well this certainly took a weird turn.
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
https://mobile.twitter.com/BrianKaris/statuses/441436788209762304?screen_name=BrianKaris

Brian karis said this on Twitter:

I've returned to Epic. It's felt like coming home. ND wasn't a good fit for me. Yep, the tight turnaround time is really strange.

I said it before when this was posted, most places have a month or so of a probationary period to make sure your skills are up to par and that you're a good fit. That's why I find Ezran's claims so hard to believe. He makes it seem like Corrine Yu has deceived her way into her reputation and her current job. Before even being hired and shortly after she would have had to prove herself.
 
If Ezran is a ND employee we can probably add his departure to the thread title too.

Very serious accusations and this thread now seems to have taken a strange turn, not used to reading this type of content on GAF at all.
 
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