Shawn Layden on No Man's Sky

[black070]

Shawn Layden was a guest on the last Live With Youtube Gaming episode with Geoff Keighley, who was asked what he thought and may have learnt from the whole No Man Sky debacle, he had this to say:

“I think Hello Games, Sean Murray and his team, had an incredible vision on what they were going to create. Something never done before. And a very small team had a very huge. ambition. Now, they’re still working at it. They’re still updating it. They’re trying to get it closer to what their vision was. I played a lot when it came out.
I think what we learned from that is that we don’t wanna stifle ambition. We don’t wanna stifle creativity. We don’t wanna put people into slots where they must execute against an action adventure path or a fighting path or a shooting path.
Nobody in development wants to say that they can’t do a thing, right? No one wants to tell someone “No I can’t do that for you.” People are really trying. I think looking at the different industries in which I had the privilege of working, the gaming industry is where everybody has the courage to say “yes.” And they want to try to realize their ambitions. They want to try to make that vision. No one slinks away from a huge challenge. And some times you just don’t get all the way there at the first go.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KESyH7X7aiQ

 

[OminoMichelin]

Nice deflection.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

I wish someone would advocate for me like that when I screw up

 

[SpecialAgentDaleCooper]

Pretty words, but they charged like they made it all the way there on the first go.

 

[BY2K]

Wasn't Sean Murray himself supposed to go?

 

[robotrock]

Shawn Layden's response on this is an infinite times better than Shuhei Yoshida's

 

[Cmerrill]

PR bullshit answer.

 

[black070]

Shawn Layden's response on this is infinite times better than Shuhei Yoshida's

Both seem to point at Sean overpromising.

 

[SpecialAgentDaleCooper]

Shawn Layden's response on this is infinite times better than Shuhei Yoshida's

Infinitely less like driving a bus over hello games? Why is excuse making better?

 

[GribbleGrunger]

A decent man's answer.

 

[Lanrutcon]

[Dodge roll succeeded: No damage taken]

 

[StoppedInTracks]

Great answer.

But then looking at:

I think looking at the different industries in which I had the privilege of working, the gaming industry is where everybody has the courage to say “yes.”

this is no surprise as this guy knows many industries and probably managed a lot of things in the past.

Once again a really good answer.

 

[ClosingADoor]

Now, they’re still working at it. They’re still updating it. They’re trying to get it closer to what their vision was.

They are? They might want to let their buyers know.

 

[Jito]

"All is forgiven because they really tried!"

Have an A for effort Sean.

 

[ElTorro]

None of this explains why they couldn't even write an explanation or apology after they obviously "overpromised".

It also does not explain why they "overpomised" even when it had to be clear to them that the final product would not be what they'd advertised it to be.

 

[SpecialAgentDaleCooper]

[Dodge roll succeeded: No damage taken]

Damage already been done.

Both to NMS reputation and players wallets.

 

[L Thammy]

Wasn't Sean Murray himself supposed to go?

Maybe he wanted to include his own presence, but wasn't able pull it off by the deadline.

 

[Real Hero]

Could you be anymore patronising to everyone involved?

 

[Memorabilia]

That was some beautiful bullshit and professional deflection.

 

[ElTorro]

"Nobody in development wants to say that they can’t do a thing, right?"

"You can't sell a $30 game for $60 and make it look like a big release!"

"Yes, I can."

 

[Hasney]

I wish someone would advocate for me like that when I screw up

Spring-Loaded had an incredible vision when he went to make this post. He might be still working at it, looking to update it. I read it as soon as it came out.
No NeoGAF poster wants to do a mediocre post, right? Spring-Loaded is trying and some times you just don’t get all the way there at the first go

 

[robotrock]

Infinitely less like driving a bus over hello games? Why is excuse making better?

Layden's response reads like Sony is taking some responsibility, unlike Yoshida's.

 

[Neverthelesser]

And some times you just don’t get all the way there at the first go.”

Unless he's talking about individual releases and not updates, I really doubt the next few "go's" will lead to No Man's Sky becoming a fraction of what everyone hoped it'll be.

 

[Neuromancer]

Thats about as reasonable an answer as you could expect without throwing anyone under the bus.

 

[thepenguin55]

I wish someone would advocate for me like that when I screw up

“I think Spring-Loaded and Spring-Loaded's team, had an incredible vision on what they were going to create. Something never done before. And a very small team had a very huge. ambition. Now, they’re still working at it.
I think what we learned from that is that we don’t wanna stifle ambition. We don’t wanna stifle creativity. We don’t wanna put people into slots where they must execute against an action adventure path or a fighting path or a shooting path.
Nobody wants to say that they can’t do a thing, right? No one wants to tell someone “No I can’t do that for you.” People are really trying. I think looking at the different industries in which I had the privilege of working, our industry is where everybody has the courage to say “yes.” And they want to try to realize their ambitions. They want to try to make that vision. No one slinks away from a huge challenge. And some times you just don’t get all the way there at the first go.”

 

[JaseC]

Wasn't Sean Murray himself supposed to go?

He said he was open to it but evidently decided against doing so.

 

[SpecialAgentDaleCooper]

Thats about as reasonable an answer as you could expect without throwing anyone under the bus.

Except they did..."we didnt want to tell these guys no don't go for it, but they couldn't get it done".

Layden's response reads like Sony is taking some responsibility, unlike Yoshida's.

Not sure how you get sony taking responsibility out of that.

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

Thats about as reasonable an answer as you could expect without throwing anyone under the bus.

Thread will still turn to shit tho

 

[5amshift]

"I think Hello Games, Sean Murray and his team, had an incredible vision on what they were going to create."

That first sentence was enough to prove everyone's point.

 

[SeeNoWeevil]

the gaming industry is where everybody has the courage to say “yes.”

It doesn't take courage to say yes to everything. Quite the opposite. I've worked in development for 15+ years and 'yes men' are the bane of delivering quality stuff.

 

[Nibel]

Seems like a very diplomatic answer; not much he can say in his position

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

I guess the people bitter that they were suckered out of $60 for a fake product can rest easy knowing it's ok because hey, they tried.

 

[Upinsmoke]

What do you want him to say? He's not gonna throw him under a bus is he.

 

[deriks]

Translation: they wanted more cake than a their belly could hold up

 

[ISee]

Empty PR answer without meaning.
"They tried."
Okay.

 

[HonMirin]

Both seem to point at Sean overpromising.

And that's what I think this whole debacle boils down to. Overambitious plans, poor time management.

Respect to Shawn for such a diplomatic answer. Says enough without stitching up Hello Games.

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

What do you want him to say? He's not gonna throw him under a bus is he.

Its funny because when Shu talked about it everybody was on his ass for kinda(not really) throwing them under the bus.

 

[RedlineRonin]

I have a new found respect for Shawn after watching him on Keighley's show last night. Didn't know how long he had been in the industry and about his history with PlayStation in Japan. He seems like an all around class act with the right amount of edge (his answer to the "are you worried about Scorpio question I found a bit entertaining)

Seems like a solid dude. Also thought his answer on the NMS issue was the right amount of candor (which we haven't gotten from Shu). Well done.

 

[Yagharek]

It doesn't take courage to say yes to everything. Quite the opposite. I've worked in development for 15+ years and 'yes men' are the bane of delivering quality stuff.

Over promising is also incredibly harmful in any work context. In gaming at least you only need look at Molyneaux for a reminder of how that works out. Murray obviously used the same approach.

Don't promise what you can't or won't deliver and if something has to go, admit it and explain why. People will be more understanding of honest mistakes than deceitful silence.

 

[wesleyshark]

Lol what a deflect

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

Spring-Loaded had an incredible vision when he went to make this post. He might be still working at it, looking to update it. I read it as soon as it came out.
No NeoGAF poster wants to do a mediocre post, right? Spring-Loaded is trying and some times you just don’t get all the way there at the first go

IBelieveInSpring-Loaded.jpg

 

[The Jackdog]

what a fucking nothing answer.

i guess, what do we expect them to say? "we believed him too" "we fucked up"

idk.

 

[Arkeband]

Any competent programmer or team of programmers knows what is feasible to accomplish - this whole "we tried to shoot for the stars" deflection is utterly ridiculous.

 

[IronicSonic]

Nice deflection.

.

 

[wapplew]

What Tshirt will Shawn wear at this PSX?

 

[Yagharek]

Empty PR answer without meaning.
"They tried."
Okay.

This too. It's not a satisfactory answer in the slightest.

 

[Bad_Boy]

I just want Sean Murray to speak on this. And not just hide behind "too busy, working on updates."

He was so vocal before the release.

 

[IAmAnAgnostic]

"You see, they had to over-promise. Because everyone does that, right? Also they tried!"

 

[blankempathy]

At the end of the day the lesson that can be applied to other life situations is don't bite off more then you can chew. Having ideas isn't enough. Being able to execute your plan and not oversell an idea falls on hello games. they screwed up plain and simple. I wonder how many devs have had ambitious plans for a game and ultimately scaled back yet still managed to sell a captivating and good product.

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

What Tshirt will Shawn wear at this PSX?

Lol I chuckled when he said I'm trying to figure out what shirt to wear
Edit: rest of the interview should get a thread because this one is about to go off the deep end like every nms thread since 2013