So, it’s been a while since we wrote on our blog! We had lots of things to take care of and lots of things happened.
First off, we did go through the whole \SPEK.TAKL\ ban episode with a positive outcome. We would like to thank all our fans and new people who discovered the game for your support, you guys are the best! We learned a lot from the release and we’ll see where it leads us.
That said, time goes fast and we continue our hard work on our next big game project. Let’s just say our initial plans have changed, on many levels! We plan on keeping you informed of those big things to come, but right now we have a new aspect of our business to discuss. One that is really interesting, especially if you’ve ever had some experience with clients on a design job: becoming said client yourself.
Clients don’t know what they want
If you worked with clients on creative projects (2D or 3D), you soon realize that clients don’t really know what they need through your services. Clients have a global, oftentimes vague idea, but your expertise helps shine a better light on what they really want, guiding them to the final result. However, this dynamic can sometimes be confusing, time consuming and really test your patience, because a client can offer feedback that can turn in circles. As a professional, it is frustrating because you have to deal with deadlines that can create those dreaded crunches, especially when the client doesn’t manage their time, and thus yours, properly.
Well what happens when the roles are reversed and you are the client?
William and me are now working with an outsourced contractor who helps us design characters for our next game and we now understand what it’s like to have a feel of what you want, but not sure how to communicate it to the person who is paid to help you. You hope that the contractor will offer you many designs to choose from and that they will fit with your demands. Fortunately, our new contract designer is awesome and really delivers with great accuracy.
My past experience really helps me understand both the client and the designer sides. Because I know how frustrating it can be for the designer in such a situation, I try to be in our friend’s position so we can give her all the help and support she needs to prevent any confusion.
Being in the client’s and contractor’s shoes
I now understand how things can go haywire fast if we don’t communicate our needs with the utmost precision. There is nothing worse than being a contract-paid designer and being on the fence about what you have to do, especially on a tight deadline.
It is important to communicate and clarify any confusion that can pop up, even if it is a small detail in the design. When everything is clear, not only the contractor is happy to have a job to do that can be organized to their will, but the client can continue working on their project with a more relaxed state of mind. Creating that trusting relationship will surely help take care of any challenge that will pop in our faces throughout the design process!
In any case, stay tuned for more news to come!