“Don’t.”
When asked for advice on embarking on a similar venture, Fallout: London’s venture supervisor Dean ‘Prilladog’ Carter suggests, with a cheeky grin, that besides not being a novice at modding, the most important thing is to “be prepared to put in the work”?
While his tone may appear facetious, there’s a crucial point to consider: never commit to something without having a thorough understanding of its implications and being resolute in your willingness to follow through.
As a direct result of the monumental undertaking that was the mod, Crew FOLON has acquired a profound understanding of the intricacies involved in bringing such a massive and impressive project to fruition, particularly given their novice status at the outset; however, it required a significant amount of flexibility and self-education to ultimately achieve this feat.
Consider the monumental scope of the project, delicately balancing the need to adhere to a predetermined blueprint with the freedom to seize creative opportunities as they arise during development. Carter notes that in an unconventional approach, they chose not to do something, which explains why the resulting dimensions ended up being so substantial. Content material creep kills projects, which is a well-established reality. As a direct result of launching our venture during the pandemic, we enjoyed a two-year period where we could test and refine various ideas without pressure, and it ultimately got out of control. However, once we had conquered that initial chaos, we were left exhausted from all the other concepts we’d explored, feeling more grounded by then.
With the driving imperative to realize that no singular pandemic would yield another “two years’ worth of free time”, Crew Folon seized control of their priorities, developing a habit of posing rigorous yet indispensable queries – “‘Would we truly want this?” Don’t we have now the time to focus on this critical aspect entirely? No.’”
While some may perceive tasks like this as distinct from those in the video game industry, where for-profit studios develop projects driven by passion and interest, not gray space between work and leisure, Carter notes that Crew FOLON needed to adopt a similar professional mindset to bring Fallout: London to life. In the absence of a formal remuneration structure, the project leaders recognized the need for a unified approach to manage volunteers dedicating their free time to contribute to the mod.
“We’ve received a substantial amount of feedback on this issue.” Carter concedes, “We didn’t shy away from running things like a professional studio, even if that wasn’t our original intention.” He admits, “To move projects forward, you sometimes need to take the reins. It’s not all about passion and interest; some people genuinely want to gain experience in the industry to secure employment.” Individuals have expressed a desire to become involved because it’s an engaging activity, citing motivations such as “I want to dedicate my weekends to something enjoyable alongside other people.” As we empower employees to outline their goals and approach, understanding potential changes in growth allows me, as the venture supervisor, to effectively manage each individual’s progress.
When venturing into trade-specific roles, a sudden cultural shift can be jarring. Imagine transitioning from working at Sainsbury’s to an industry demanding rapid-fire execution, where employers suddenly demand “this” and “that,” only to respond with “Let’s get down to business.” The constant pressure is going to lead to a major burnout; you’ll feel overwhelmed, unable to cope with the demands being placed upon you. When individuals undertake projects without investing any capital, they are often prepared to take on more substantial workloads, as our experience has shown that many people have successfully transitioned from such endeavors into professional studios or similar settings. Several individuals who’ve transitioned to gaming studios have achieved promotions within the timeframe it took our mods to finish their training. Notably, many of these professionals have credited our programs with preparing them exceptionally well for this success, praising the quality and relevance of the preparation they received from us.
To mitigate these challenges, leads needed to develop strategies for addressing sudden worker departures and maintaining a positive rapport with potential players. As the Russo-Ukrainian conflict escalated, Crew FOLON faced an unexpected challenge, forcing key questline developers to suddenly drop their responsibilities and depart, leaving the team with no choice but to find ways to remain composed and persevere in the face of uncertainty.
“We’re not a big corporation where losing someone would mean we just hire more people to fill the gap,” Carter says. “We’re a small team with a human aspect; if something were to happen to one of us, it would have a significant impact on the group.” Should any of the department heads experience a sudden incident? Throughout the journey of personal growth, one inevitably encounters setbacks and failures.
That’s the human aspect; you recognize, for instance, I probably wouldn’t alter that anyway. What’s unsettling is that we might just become complacent, thinking, “Four years of recognition isn’t enough; it’s time to move on.” As the trade’s drawbacks become increasingly apparent, individuals are compelled to form unions and advocate for change through protests and revised legislation. I appreciate the flexibility of personnel arrangements? I think it dehumanizes them, and I genuinely appreciate our close-knit family atmosphere.
Crew FOLONS has implemented a more measured approach, Carter notes, where builders are encouraged to contribute without restrictions on their creative freedom, but also held accountable for any poorly handled situations that may arise within the mod’s public Discord channel, with fair and consistent consequences managed by the team. “We’re going to have conferences and tell attendees that out of every ten people who enjoy the experience, there’s likely to be that one individual who will push back,” the modder notes, citing Reddit as a notable exception in terms of its tendency to spark controversy.
“There are moments when even I don’t deny it – myself included,” he concedes, “When trying to do public relations, the facade can slip.” We’re only human at the end of the day, and someone will inevitably spew vitriol your way; then you’ll simply tell them to leave in a curt manner. As a team, we’re essentially individuals who acknowledge shared goals. Following a specific occurrence, we’ve communicated with our colleagues to assertively convey the message: “You’ve had the capacity to execute it better.” As the day draws to a close, one thing that brings me genuine satisfaction is running our own business, because I’m not sure I’d want to operate it any other way. I am not willing to compromise on our values just to fit in with the company’s expectations and become something less than what we are capable of being. Our greatest asset lies in the fact that we’re individuals who collaborate with others as people, fostering genuine relationships.
Carter stresses that his approach, emphasizing the human element and elementary methods, is crucial to maintaining Crew FOLON’s identity as it considers the next logical step: evolving into a full-fledged independent game development studio, an idea some members have been quietly exploring for a while now.
“The modder envisions their future collaborations revolving around a unique and engaging creative pursuit.” “We’re not looking to fundamentally alter our server’s operations. Our approach to engaging with people won’t change either. To be frank, if an investor came to us and demanded specific changes, I’d politely decline and seek out someone who aligns more closely with our values.” We’d find joy in our own growth and take pride in what we do, not devolving into a mere instrument of shareholder whims.
Although the project’s primary focus is on delivering fixes and content for Fallout: London, the team intends to provide guidance to anyone considering embarking on their own large-scale modding endeavour, offering a clear understanding of what such an undertaking entails. Carter believes there are several aspects of game modding that people often overlook, including the need to manage and maintain fundamental venture necessities like a website and Discord to facilitate communication among team members; and the reality that, even when a corporation allows modding of their games, you may not receive recognition or support from them.
“The community is crying out for us to create a video that delves deeply into these key points,” Carter notes. “By doing so, I hope our clarification will be perceived not as an assertion of superiority, but rather as a genuine effort by fellow modders.”
While the desire for creativity may initially inspire us? Were I to have devoted as many hours to my career as I’ve spent in it, I probably would have earned myself a far more impressive abode by now. Despite not earning a salary, I’ve been diligently honing my skills within a creative framework, all without incurring any expenses or seeking financial compensation. As a result, my personal funds have essentially vanished, leaving me with nothing to show for it.
“While many may underestimate the sacrifices involved in tackling complex issues, I firmly believe that acknowledging these efforts is crucial.” It’s crucial to assess the time and resources required for a task before attempting it, considering factors like length and number of man-hours involved. If that’s not feasible, observing others who have successfully completed similar projects can be a valuable learning experience, I would suggest.
