Post on 17-Jul-2015
Building a Solid Foundation for a Game
Startup
Slides: www.slideshare.net/VGVisionary
The valuable lessons I’ve learned from running a game startup in Finland
Answer:
Ask yourself Don’s questions: http://gdcvault.com/play/1022021/Going-Indie-10-Questions-to
Table of contents
• Who is this dude?
• The lessons I really really hope you won’t have to learn the hard way after this talk (or at least you will be able to fix them faster when you stumble over them).
• The road ahead for any game startup
• Summary
• Questions
Who am I?This is a talk by
Vlad MicuFormer Head of Studio at
Critical Force Entertainment
Used to be the PR Manager of
Get Social
Did production, game design and creative direction for
arkavis Siam co. ltd. in Thailand
Wrote for many other international outlets includingGamesauce.org, TechInAsia.com,
PocketGamer.biz, Control Magazine, Gamer.nl, XBLAFans.com, Casual
Connect Magazine and many more.
Currently
Consulting
@vgvisionary
Proud Backer of Kung Fury Coming May 28th 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTidn2dBYbY
My personal lessons & mistakes
• Agreements & Responsibilities
• Adversity & the Reality of Running a business
• Constant Growth and getting Outside Perspective
• Learning to take the punches
A Culture without Shame helps
And a tight-knit community based on mutual trust is quite nice as
well.
The Right People & Responsibilities
“You know in a startup, you only need three people. You need someone who can make
something. You need someone who can sell it. And you need someone to collect the money.
That’s the only three roles in a startup. So which one are you?”
– Guy Kawasaki
Different Attitude & Vocabulary
• Sustainable traction – who’s ever used that word?
• Cash flow positive– or this one?
• Share holders agreement
• Business plan!?
• Go-to-market strategy?
• Product/Market fit
Recommended by @derkdegeus
REALLY have Everything Written Down
• Meetings, e-mails & contracts
• Try docontract.com for contracts!
• Use team communication platform Slack!
• Get your licenses straight: https://tldrlegal.com/
Find a good lawyer and have 15.000+ dollars budget for legal set aside (for 2-3
years)Watch Dmitri Dubograev’s talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXL79-rmvjw
Don’t Wait with Agreements!
Be a dick and demand it. Clauses can always be changed and/or waived later if
needed.www.SeriesSeed.fi
Contracts are Designed for Assholes
Chris Natsuume’s talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0UL_QOho6g&list=PLEoI6ST6os509lBweWPn67UYaMrMDSOLS&index=4
Pitch all the Time, Everywhere
• Know who you are and who you aren’t
• Know what the other person wants and doesn’t have
• Use that to disarm your opponent and put him/her in the defensive
• Make yourself rare/scarce
Learn from Eminem!
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/18/how-to-get-an-mba-from-eminem/
Don’t let Misfortune Define You
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/07/02/magazine/evermans-
war.html?referrer
Summary• Get your agreements straight!
• Embrace adversity & the reality of running a Business.
• Get both legal & outside perspective.
• Keep taking those punches, you’ll get there!
• Most importantly: Talk with each other about failure, entrust each othe with those stories. Foster your community of peers!
Contact me
• @vgvisionary
• Mail me at v.micu@vgvisionary.com
• Slides: www.slideshare.net/VGVisionary
#imlonely