I think it's a bit too easy to always put 100% of the blame on the evil publisher and 0% on the poor overworked devs...
I agree, the Fallouts were some of the best games in history, however, for actually running one's own company, there's a bit MORE involved than talent in creating games.
There's also some talent in administration needed, some ability to negotiate and come up with a *reasonable* contract that has a doable project plan, some sensible milestones and al least halfway founded estimates on manpower needed.
No matter how hard a publisher pushes, there's always an agreement reached on what to do until when and in which quality. And if they failed to reach a remotely doable agreement or if they failed live up to the one reached... well they FAILED. And did so twice in row - spectacularly if I may say so.
The new company I work at also does contract manufacturing. Not games, recombinant proteins in GMP quality, but the principles are the same. Make a project plan, define milestones, estimate project costs and needed manpower, and agree on a mutually reasonable contract. Then, once the contracvt is signed, alocate resources, start the work packages and keep an eye on the milestones. If we'd fail to deliver a product in time, or within quality requirements twice in a row we'd be out of business, too. Heck, probably after the first failure :P
I agree, the Fallouts were some of the best games in history, however, for actually running one's own company, there's a bit MORE involved than talent in creating games.
There's also some talent in administration needed, some ability to negotiate and come up with a *reasonable* contract that has a doable project plan, some sensible milestones and al least halfway founded estimates on manpower needed.
No matter how hard a publisher pushes, there's always an agreement reached on what to do until when and in which quality. And if they failed to reach a remotely doable agreement or if they failed live up to the one reached... well they FAILED. And did so twice in row - spectacularly if I may say so.
The new company I work at also does contract manufacturing. Not games, recombinant proteins in GMP quality, but the principles are the same. Make a project plan, define milestones, estimate project costs and needed manpower, and agree on a mutually reasonable contract. Then, once the contracvt is signed, alocate resources, start the work packages and keep an eye on the milestones. If we'd fail to deliver a product in time, or within quality requirements twice in a row we'd be out of business, too. Heck, probably after the first failure :P
With magic, you can turn a frog into a prince...
With science, you can turn a frog into a Ph.D. ...
and still keep the frog you started with.