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Author Topic: Too much ego?  (Read 9238 times)

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Offline Nukelavee

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #45 on: April 15, 2011, 09:50:38 AM »
Well, in terms of how things worked out for Global the company,Inferno complicated things in ways we didn't expect.

On the other hand...A lot of people had a lot of fun playing it,  and we produced/created some mighty nice figures and artwork.

In my opinion, the team managed to display a huge improvement in teh "finished" quality of the product, and, had ANY of the "wtf" events not gone bad...those lessons would have made for some serious nice releases.

I think some people have a bit of a misguided opinion of Marco's decisions and actions - Without his sheer energy and optimism, and sales/marketing talents, a lot less would have happened.  Some events simply can't be predicted.

West End's fall, and the Star Wars line are a great example?  The real reason that failed?  West End's owner had 2 companies, the other did import/export of fine leather goods.  They switched from carrying a certain line of shoes and purses...

Hillary Clinton did an interview with Barbara Walters, where Barb oohed and awwed over her shoe/purse combo.

Yeah, turns out it was the line that had just been dropped, meaning the leathergoods business owned by West End's owner went down, taking his other stuff with it.

So, yeah - Barbara Walters and her big mouth are the reason it didn't happen.

How the hell can a person plan for that crap?

On the other hand...who the hell expected Derek to be out in the parking lot when Clark desperately called from the customs impound?

Offline smokingwreckage

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #46 on: April 15, 2011, 10:37:03 AM »
Yeah I'm getting the impression that Marco was pretty good at what he did, actually.

You make some mistakes and some other stuff just goes wrong outside of your control, and bad things all hit just so, and you're out of business, or very close to it. I've seen that, oh how I've seen that.

That West End thing happens ALL THE TIME, by the way.

Offline Clark

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #47 on: April 15, 2011, 01:08:39 PM »
There are a number of appropriate sayings:

All skill is in vain when an angel pees in your barrel.
There is always one more SOB than you counted on.
Fate favours the prepared mind.

Global Games took a triple whammy with Star Wars, the X-Game and trying to get paid on the Inferno deliveries.  Like Wes said, you can't plan for some of these things, especially when the planets align like that all in the space of a few months.

Marco is a talented businessman and his best talent is to recognize talent.  About the only substantial criticism one can make is that he tried to move too far, too fast with Global Games.  That exposed him to risk and when that risk materialized, that was all she wrote.

His next business venture took a decade to build up and in the first few years he funded it out of full-time employment at a "real" job.  Now he uses the profits from that business to fund his movie producing ventures.

Before Tom, Wes, Dave and I got really involved, Global went from retailer to distributor to publisher in the space of a couple of years. The jump to manufacturer was huge but trying to take one boxed game and work it into full-time employment for 3 or more people is something that could have been stretched out over a couple more years. 
« Last Edit: April 18, 2011, 05:32:07 PM by Clark »

Offline smokingwreckage

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #48 on: April 16, 2011, 12:20:08 AM »
Yeah, probably pretty ambitious. There are pretty successful gaming co's where nobody is a full-time employee AFAIK. Majestic Twelve is one. I think Reaper might have one full-time 2D artist and all sculpture is done on a work-for hire basis.

Pure trivia, but years after GG went down, every man and his dog started packaging miniatures paint in drop bottles. Did the Colour Drop System ever actually make it to market?

By pure chance I picked up an indie horror movie magazine and saw what I swear was Marco's name in it about 2 or 3 years ago. And I thought to myself "How many people called Marco Pecota might there be in the English speaking world?"

Offline Clark

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #49 on: April 16, 2011, 12:43:01 AM »
Marco is a long time and best friend.  I am fully aware of his strengths , weaknesses, and limitations as a person given that we have known each other for 30 years.

I will critique but never slag him.

Keep in mind that there would be no LOS without him.  Sure, it was my idea and there would be no LOS without me, but it was his drive that made it happen.

What Marco is doing now is Rue Morgue magazine.  He is also putting together a movie.  Now, if anyone here thinks that raising $7 million while convincing Mads Mikelson and Harvey Keitel that you've got a winner is easy, then step up or shut up.
« Last Edit: April 16, 2011, 08:18:08 AM by Clark »

Offline smokingwreckage

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #50 on: April 16, 2011, 01:33:35 AM »
LOL, no! It was just such a bizarre coincidence- and that was the magazine! Rue Morgue. But, from what you've said it's not much of a coincidence. Movies are another intersection of art and business.

It's been really enlightening hearing people with an actual clue talk about GG. It just makes me all the sadder that it folded.

Offline Clark

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #51 on: April 16, 2011, 08:31:34 AM »
Marco and I are opposite sides of the same coin.  Back in 1996 I made a personal decision to go to law school while he did what he does best: cutting deals and engaging talent to move things forward. There is a plausible chance that if I had stuck with GG and faced down Marco and his (what would only later revealed to be) missteps, then maybe things would have gone different. I don't want to get into that speculation.

Offline Nukelavee

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #52 on: April 16, 2011, 10:40:45 AM »
Same here, Clark.

Btw - Marco basically helped midwife Rue Morgue to where it is today.  He met the founder, Rod G, back when Global was still running, and began to work with Rod then.

I've worked for Marco in both the games industry, and outside it - Marco...is Marco.  He has some faults, but they are far outweighed by his good points.

Blaming Marco for how things went...?  Might as well blame Clark for buggering off to school when he did.

Plus, remember - all of us under 30 at the time, creating a business that had deals going world-wide?

I also seem to recall that the initial art for Inferno may have been funded by a seriously longshot bet at a roulette wheel...

Offline Dave Chase

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #53 on: April 16, 2011, 02:41:12 PM »
Though I am fully enjoying most of the history of what happened and how, I kind of feel this thread  is currently heading in a direction that if we were all in the same room, I would

politely tell you all of you former GG guys to go to a resturant/bar and finish the long talk about things past and catch up to current day.
 :)

It is hard to not be passionate about something you loved and created and were deeply involved in.

What I would like to see (take) from this thread, is what we can do to make things better on the next (new) 3e release of LOS/Planetstorm.

:D

Dave Chase
Freedom is the right to speak your mind.

It is also the right to walk away from those you don't want to listen to.

Offline Clark

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #54 on: April 16, 2011, 07:58:57 PM »
Wes and I are obviously on the same page here.

Dave, I have invited you to a special discussion about the business aspects of LOS.

Offline smokingwreckage

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #55 on: April 18, 2011, 09:09:01 AM »
Well now that they've gone for a beer, the rest of us are free to conspire against them.

Offline smokingwreckage

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #56 on: April 20, 2011, 12:50:20 AM »
Huh, my experience was the opposite. I have never lost a vallejo or a Reaper Master Series. Most of my screw-top citadels were toast within months.

Offline grendeljd

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Re: Too much ego?
« Reply #57 on: April 20, 2011, 09:53:58 AM »
Though I am fully enjoying most of the history of what happened and how, I kind of feel this thread  is currently heading in a direction that if we were all in the same room, I would

politely tell you all of you former GG guys to go to a resturant/bar and finish the long talk about things past and catch up to current day.
 :)

It is hard to not be passionate about something you loved and created and were deeply involved in.

What I would like to see (take) from this thread, is what we can do to make things better on the next (new) 3e release of LOS/Planetstorm.

:D

Dave Chase

I think its great to hear the behind-the-scenes stuff from the past - this site isn't meant purely for business, but also as a place for fans to interact as well. Getting to read this stuff from the few guys currently around that were part of the games original run is like having a bonus special feature dvd on your favourite film. People want to hear it.

I say keep it up fellas - but to be fair to Dave's comments above, don't let it distract you too much from doing a kick-ass remake!  ;D

Now as for the beginnings of paint product discussion within this thread - take THAT to the right part of the forum, please!  ;) ;D
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