IamA white collar guy quitting my IT job to make games, because I just invented an expansion pack for ANY party game. AMA!

What was the daily habit you cultivate in order to become successful?

Which one book do you recommend helped you really push you to become successful?

Fantastic questions! The best habit I've developed is visualizing my goal, and doing at least ONE thing every day, no matter how small, that gets me to that point. Two books I think guide me now more than others. One is Traction by Gino Wickman, which taught me the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), the other is Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal, which speaks about how we can apply lessons and mechanics of gaming to everyday life. Best SHORT book, by far, is Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite by Paul Arden. It taught me to be a notorious contrarian, in the best of ways. Three books, not one. I'm not good with directions.

I can't tell if this ama is satirical or not

Bad timing getting posted on April 1, however, it's legit. I wish I was better at writing satire, tbh. It can be fantastic when properly done.

How did you learn how to program?

I haven't the slightest idea how to program anything. I tried taking a course once and rage-quit after the first lesson. Some people are amazing programmers, and I bow to them and their superpowers. I am not. I love puzzles, so when it comes to IT, I just fix things that are broken.

Wait a minute, so what's your profession before game dev?

I've worked in IT for about a decade, primarily in the service delivery aspect AKA help desk.

Help desk must be frustrating. I don't think I can deal with people asking me "how to turn on computer?!!?" Sigh.

It has it's ups and downs, sure. I love solving puzzles which is why I initially moved into IT support. If something is broken, it's sometimes fun to piece together why. Collect the dots, then connect the dots, as I like to say. However, helping people reset their password for the third time in one week simply because they can't remember is not that.... um.... rewarding :)

You make six figures in the help desk??

There is a broad range of positions within service delivery that pay quite well. Administration, for one, depending on the size of the company. But, higher level technical specializations (let’s call them tier 3-4) can pay right around there too. With great pay comes shouldering a lot of risk and responsibility, though. If things aren’t going well, and a company is looking to trim some fat off the budget, the target is on your back sometimes.

... so you made 6 figures working help desk or what was your actual position? 6 figures is director level pay most places.

Correct. I’ve positioned myself as a seasoned manager and currently focus my work on a more strategic directorate role, not just running the day-to-day operations. HDI has a great cert for this called Support Center Director (though I recommend getting some of the lower tiered certs from them first since they build a solid foundation)

would you say that chaos is a ladder?

It certainly isn't a pit. That said the ladder IS, in fact, real, and I would encourage people to climb it again and again, even after falling.

Thank you for taking your time to answer my questions. Means the world to me.

My pleasure!

So how does Face the Consequences work?

For ages, games have been designed to be won. I'm a notorious contrarian, and I got tired of playing the party games we have on game nights (about 50+ of them now) because winning got boring. And I felt bad about it, a lot of party games are awesome. So I thought, what if instead, there was a reason not to lose?

FTC will be an add-on that you can place on the table no matter what you're playing, and essentially punish the worst player each round, or the player that can't complete the task, or the player that's taking too long... etc. etc. It's very fluid in it's design and the goal is to adapt it to your game nights however you'd like.

In paintball, getting hit with the ball hurts. It causes pain. That pain is the incentive to not get shot, to not lose. Face the Consequences is that pain, but for game night. Maybe I'm just sadistic.

I gather it's an app that plays from your phone?

A mobile app is in the works BUT no, I really like feeling of real things in my hands. It's a box of cards you'll be able to plop on the table when you walk into a party, even if they've already started playing a game.

Ah. I misread your original headline...I thought you quit your job to start an IT company and not the other way round.

Let's be honest, almost everyone who works in IT thinks of quitting daily ;)

If you're smart with saving some of that crazy money it's easy to do :)

Frankly, I think this brings up an awesome topic. I really wish practical financial advice was more of a focus in our educational system. I really EFFED up when I was younger since no one taught me the finer points of financial responsibility. Some of that falls on parents, sure, but perhaps I should have been taught that instead of the minutia surrounding the War of 1812.

All it can take to change that around is a boss that understands and doesn't blame the smallest bullshit on everyone.

Facts! Many people in management roles have simply been there a while, but may not really be fit to manage other people for a variety of reasons. Proper management is hard to come by, but man is it good when you find it. I only hope that I can meet those expectations for my staff.

[deleted]

That last line, let me tell you... the right boss will either make or break your will to stay at a job, regardless of pay or benefits. Glad it worked out!

Nope.

Fair enough. Working in a reactive role on a service desk, though, certainly has it's days.

Photos of some cards are on our Facebook and Instagram, both @ftcgame. The core deck is all ages, but in the spirit of generating internet sensationalism, I seem to have only posted some from the Not Safe For Wimps pack to date. I will rectify this evening. :)

It's a great idea!! Good luck man

Thanks! I really hope you get to enjoy it as much as I have. Sign up to get notified of our launch at ftcgame.fun :)

Would love to, but me being in the UK might be an issue no?

Kickstarter will ship to the US, Canada, EU, and Australia :)

So, sort of "winning is not enough, let's punish the weakest players even more" expansion?

Well, what do you really win, though? There's really no incentive to win or to not lose when you play party games, other than your perceived superiority over your peers. This actually provides the incentive to not lose. Short answer: Yes.

Expanding on that a bit, because I forgot. It's not simply weak players that end up facing consequences. I have hours of playtesting videos where some of our most seasoned party gamers are facing the consequence way more than someone who first joined game night. The consequences do not discriminate.

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lol oh automoderator. You’re the worst character ever.

<3

Is this real? Too lazy to research.

If it is real—-goddamn Redditors love low rent sob stories.

I am, in fact, pretty real. My 4-year-old is sitting on my lap and swatting at the keyboard as I type. At the end of the day, I only hope to inspire some of the other creative folks out there trapped in the day-to-day doldrums of working for other people.

Best of luck to you and child

Thanks for the positive vibes! As a first-time game designer and Kickstarter, I need it! :)

What was your outlook on life before and after?

Frankly, the game changer for me was finding someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I've always been crafty so I had found many ways to make some cash and get by. I had been a serial optimist, so I figured what the heck, everything will be fine. Now, though, I know things will only be fine if I MAKE them fine. I am in control of my future, not chance. I need to leverage my talents to further myself, and not hope that I'll just win some proverbial lottery. I have a family to take care of, after all.

That sounds like my situation now. I've got someone I want a future with. Any advice for those not in such a situation? How to help those that don't know who to live for? (Not sure if that makes sense)

Makes perfect sense, and I'm glad you asked. I'm working on a book of sorts, who's working title is Real Life 180. So many self-help books are "I was a millionaire and now I'm a multi-millionaire!" I'm just a normal guy, though, who turned his life around for real. The thing you're referring to in my book I'm calling the New Image (IT reference, but whatevs).

Essentially, think about what you have now, what you are now. Now, picture yourself as the new image of you that you would like to be. Yes, it's important to have BIG dreams, but also make them realistic so they're achievable. You'll just knock yourself down emotionally for not hitting that HUGE goal soon enough if you don't have the motivation. Start thinking of that New Image of you every day in your head, and think about that one simple step you can take daily to get to that new you. (Not sure if that makes sense) ;)

So this isn't an April Fools thing?

Edit: Sorry automod, forgot the question mark.

No. I'm not only a real person, but a universal expansion pack for any party game is a thing now.

This is a pretty great idea! Game nights can get a little stale sometimes. I watched some of your instagram videos and it seems like these cards could certainly spice up a game.

When is the KS launching and what is the base tier for the complete pack?

Thanks for the feedback! We're just under two months till launch (contest at www.ftcgame.fun has a countdown timer). We are combining the Core and Not Safe For Wimps packs (they'll separately retail for 17-19.99) for 25 bucks in a single Kickstarter-exclusive box. If all our social goals are met in this fun mini-game we have created, then we'll ALSO add an entire user-created deck where backers will be able to submit ideas for consequences, and if they're chosen via voting, that backer will be credited on the card as the creator.

We just got so bored with our game nights, we started adding silly things to spice it up. We started with those mystery jelly beans and Cards Against Humanity. The card czar would just pick the worst card too every round, and that person had to take a jelly bean and hope it didn't suck. Then we added a spin of Pie Face to the penalty. Then, we created a whole meta-pack that we've successfully added to every party game we own to tremendous success. Now that we're in the home stretch, the Insta should have new game play videos weekly with different games and people. Operation will be the next game we feature. If you didn't think it was a party game for adults before, add something that impairs fine motor skills and something that punishes you for failure. You get the idea ;)

All the best luck for you man! Will be contributing to your kickstarter for sure.

Thanks for the positive vibes! I really hope that you enjoy it and have some awesome game nights!

Could you fight Steven seagal in the octagon ? And how seriously would you like to injure him permanently ?

At the rate he's going, I think right now I MIGHT have a chance. I would not wish serious bodily harm on anyone, but I'd give the dude a haircut, voluntary or otherwise.

I like it.

Good.

What will you do when your unemployment benefits expire? How will you afford COBRA?

In an ideal circumstance, I will not file for unemployment because "my" new company will be providing my salary. As for benefits, I'm fortunate enough to have a spouse whose employer has fantastic benefits.

Before quitting, how were you able to generate enough savings to live for 6 months / one year for you and your family?

Are those savings on top of your other savings, such as your emergency fund and your retirement fund/401k?

I have always heard the saying "Don't quit your job until you have proven your model". What's your success criteria for this?

Startups fail at a 90% rate. Most often it is when it is the entrepreneur's first. Want to understand how you're making sure your family is covered and when you decide that you're reasonably certain your idea will succeed (short of just confidence/hoping for the best)

Great question. I will pull the trigger on leaving my day-to-day employment when forecasting and math suggest it's logical. If things don't pan out, I'm not just going to jump ship and put my family at risk. I'm also fortunate enough to have a wife that is gainfully employed and whose employer provides our benefits. If any of this crowdfunding and entrepreneurial reading has taught me anything, it's exactly the lesson you speak of.

Ohhh, so you haven't left yet. Still in the process of quitting?

I was gonna say, dude....

Short answer: I am dumb, but I'm not that dumb.

I say "motivated," but not dumb. ;)

+1

What server did you play World of Warcraft on? What was your race/class and did you have any high achievements in that game? I’m curious because of how driven you became in real life, some of those qualities must have existed while playing WoW.

I played a BE Mage and a Tauen DK Tank on Laughing Skull. Mage was when I was feeling lazy and just button-mashed DPS. Tank was when I really wanted to take the lead and shoulder the responsibility of keeping/switching aggro. I never really focused on achievements in WoW, to be honest. As a career geek and lover of history and stories, I was more about the lore and escaping reality into this world that allowed me to forget all the problems I was facing IRL. I think that in real life, I've tried to avoid that DPS role where I was lazy (I'm not saying all DPS is lazy, of course, just the way I happened to play it), and started to focus on being that tank upon which many other people count on to do their job properly.

Very interesting. Never would have guessed that. I put a solid 3 years of my life playing WoW, escaping from the real world. I had a job and g/f, but just kept those areas barely above water as I poured most of my time in WoW. I ran a fairly successful guild and felt empowered in the game because so many people depended on me. My real life came second unfortunately. When I finally quit WoW, I used that energy on real life and started making better decisions and moving forward. The energy was always there, it just hid in the virtual world for a long time. Appreciate your response and best of luck on your new endeavor!!!

Awesome! I find that people often forget that management skills developed in gaming can be very easily transferred into marketable skills in the business world. Running a guild (successfully) doesn't automatically make you a great manager, mind you. But, once you figure out you can use skills honed in gameplay to make real money that buys nice things, it's addicting. Thanks for chiming in, and keep that energy up!

Glad to hear your story. How were you abke to keep focuses on you goals while managing a dayjob?

Kids, honestly. You think they'd distract you, but anytime I imagine failure, I think of what I'll have to explain to them when they're older. I'm not saying go out and make babies, but maybe find that one thing that will motivate you to keep bettering yourself every day. Honestly, I look at them and well up just thinking about not being able to provide the best possible life for them. Creating something cool and being proud to show them is what's driving me right now. Paying for college is also not a bad thing. :)

Do you need a technical writer? 😀

Sadly, no. I can say though, that technical writers are highly unappreciated. I would never be able to pull of that job. Hats off!

Are you Maurice Moss?

Why are you giving me the secret signal to shut up?

Follow up, how well does that show reflect the life of an IT worker?

I suppose it really depends. Some of my peers are thrilled at working in IT because they have a true love for infrastructure and technology. As I work more on the side of "putting fires out" and "PEBKAC errors", many of those people struggle to find the will to come to work.

Is this an april fools day joke?

Negative.

When you were in your high school years, did you ever want to become anything?

I never really considered any kind of career in high school. I just figured it would pop into my head. After a year of attending college taking general ed classes, I moved to New York to study theatre. Then, after 9/11 I moved back to Michigan because my mother said "no one will ever attack Michigan" and started working in IT because, well, I like eating and IT pays bills. Sadly, theatre does not most of the time.

How'd you get into IT? Did you just read how to code and then you were suddenly a hot commodity? If so, what should I learn to be successful in the technology sector?

Oddly enough one of the things that the technology sector is seriously lacking is someone with fantastic people skills. The ability to speak to non-technical folks in a way they can understand is something I definitely look for in my staff. From a purely technical standpoint, however, focus on security. That sector just grows exponentially as a matter of necessity. For me, I'd just always liked computers and was fortunate enough to have a friend who worked in IT reach out to me and get my foot in the door.

So are you saying that you don't code, and you're more the people-person of that department? Definitely sounds like it'd be up my alley.

There is a fork in the road when you're in any vertical (IT or otherwise) where you can choose to lean towards management (people) or the technical side of things (coding, server OS knowledge, etc. etc.). The administrative path is much harder since there are clearly more employees than management. However, I found that my particular skill set offered the most benefit by solving people problems, not googling the answers to error codes. If you are truly great with people, consider the (harder) management path, because you'll not only be very valuable and desirable to an organization, but you'll feel more fulfilled at the end of the day when you help others grow.

You're the man, best of luck in your endeavors!

Why thank you! Keep being awesome.

They took two cars?

My primary vehicle on two separate occasions. I was... irresponsible.

currently obtaining a degree in computer information technology and have an internship with a big company. what are some ways i can better myself than just my education? i’ve heard books but not sure where to start. book stores are expensive and overwhelming. my end goal is to be a business analyst.

Finding someone who you admire and figuring out what they read is awesome. I made friends with the assistant of a CEO that I admired and worked for. I had her let me know each time an Amazon package arrived with a book in it, and then I'd get a copy for myself. Audible is my friend, but I have tons of paper copies as well.

Certifications are way more valuable than a degree, in my opinion. I've hired people with degrees simply based on who they were as people and then had them get the certs I needed them to have for the position. A solid understanding of business vernacular and the texts of thought leaders in the genre would be a good start. That way, if you're stuck in an elevator with a CEO and strike up a conversation, you'll surprise them when you speak their language.

Any books you’d recommend?

Oh boy... I mean, where do I even begin? Any particular topic?

I’m trying to learn more about computers in general but history bores the shit out of me. i also enjoy organizational leadership books and self empowerment / bettering books.

Fantastic.

1. Tim Ferris - Tools of Titans
2. Jordan Peterson - 12 Rules for Life
3. Malcom Gladwell - Outliers
4. Nicole Forsgren - Accelerate
5. Ghost in the Wires - Kevin Mitnick

900 others, but start there :)

How old were you when you decided it was time to better yourself?

Painfully enough, I was 27. Until then, I was just some free spirit who was coasting along. It was only when I found a person who I really wanted to settle down with that my brain started to take life seriously. Do I wish it happened sooner? Meh, maybe. But then, I wouldn't have these two awesome kids. So, no regrets.

Thank you so much for answering, I'm 24 and I think this year I'm at my turning point after messing up a lot, it really gives me hope to see that you were around my age when you shifted your life in such a great way.

Amazing to hear! It’s never too late, though I know that’s cliché. A fiend of mine decided to go to law school at 35 and now has a very successful practice. The important thing is to push through and focus on that end game goal. The rest takes care of itself.

I'm graduating with my associates in Computer Science and Technology, majoring in Networking and my question is: where do I start? It seems no where will hire a fresh grad unless they have a few certifications as well. I've been trying to at the very least land a IT internship somewhere but even that seems to be impossible. Any advice?

A company I used to work for called CBI had an interesting solution to this. They called it the "academy" where they take entry-level people, train them up, and then leverage them in solid positions. The best advise I can give you is to set yourself apart from your colleagues with something unique. There's a fantastic book on the topic called Change to Strange by Daniel M. Cable. Be different, and hiring managers will spot you.

That's some great advice, thank you for your response!

My pleasure! Reach out anytime. Best of luck!

The real question is why were you playing WoW and not Runescape?

They had me at Leeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrooooooooooyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

At what age did you see yourself transition from basement dweller to finding mild success (like a first job or something)?

Well, job and career are two different things. I'd say the most meaningful change in my life occurred when I was 27, when I really started to actually focus on a career in IT. Though I did work in the field before, it was more of a 'job' and I had no desire (or frankly potential) for growth. Once I started my journey with increased vigor, backed by all the great stuff I was filling my brain with from reading, I haven't turned back. Looking back much further I technically had 'jobs' since I was 16 and could drive, but again, all just 'jobs' and nothing close to a career.

Where did you find inspiration? I'm about to join the workforce in computer science and I'm terrified because I dread the idea of working 9-5 for some jackass for the rest of my life. I've always fantasized about starting my own business in some field of software design, from app/game design to consulting. My problem has been formulating ideas that I was passionate about, and I'm curious to see how your ideas came about.

They say necessity is the mother of invention, and in my case that’s been true. We were super-bored with game nights, and started changing the status quo to make them more fun. Next thing you know, Face the Consequences was born. Just keep an open mind about small bumps in the road you come across in everyday life, and think of possible solutions. No matter how silly, this mindset will assist in helping you create. Keep a journal or list going for ideas too. FTC is not the first idea on my list, and there are many behind it. There’s a lot to be said about tenacity ;)

Currently someone attempting to find work in either the graphic design or computer/IT field. When you started learning to get a job after your snafus, what was your success rates to getting interviews, and how did you manage this? How did you manage to impress companies to actually pay attention to you to want to hire you?

I am fortunate enough to have become a hiring manager and interview weekly for various open positions. What I look for with candidates in the same thing that I’ve found works for me, and that is setting yourself apart from your peers. Great book on the topic called Change to Strange by Daniel Cable. The premise is simple: hire weird people because they’re the ones who innovate and come up with those out-of-the-box solutions. So focus on those hobbies on your resume, but list how they apply to the job you’re looking for. Send your resume with a box of cookies. Be DIFFERENT than what you imagine all the other applicants are. It’s almost like business peacocking (read The Game by Neil Strauss).

What race/class did you main in wow?

BE mage on lazy days, Tauren DK (tank) when I felt like I wanted to take things seriously.

What party games have you been playing that need improving this way?

Short answer, we've been able to apply this to everything with great success. Better explanation: We started with Cards Against Humanity. Huge fans, own all the packs, just got bored with it. Added those mystery jelly beans and had the card czar pick the worst card each round too. That player had to eat a jelly bean. Things escalated from there into this expansion pack. Since then, we've successfully played it with: (partial list)

1. CAH and all it's related expansion packs (even third party)
2. Joking Hazard
3. Disturbed Friends
4. Over the Line
5. Exploding Kittens
6. Operation
7. What do you Meme
8. Superfight (and many associated expansions)
9. Monopoly
10. Reverse Charades
11. I Betcha
12. Telestrations After Dark

I looked at a quick look at some random titles on our game shelf. Essentially, if a game has a winner, that means it has losers, and that means we can apply Face the Consequences to it. Honestly, once you've played it you'll see how it can change the dynamic. I really hope you get the chance and enjoy it as much as we do.

Hi! Lots of questions as I'm finishing up college soon and am considering game design as well!

1. What kinds of games do you like to make the most? Turn based strategy, party games? Do you like board games or card games better?

2. How do you feel about the board/card game industry today? Any favorites? Any you really don't like?

3. Are you interested at all in designing sports? There are several companies right now that specialize in making balls/objects for sports that don't exist yet, or modifications of typical sports balls (Aerobie, Waboba) and I'm wondering how you feel about their presence in the market.

4. I've had games and sports strengthen some relationships while destroying others. How do you feel about the use of games for social bonding versus for competition? Do games help us work out problems we have with each other?

5. I'll stop here--streaming board games on twitch is a much smaller market than streaming video games. Live play of board games is mostly regulated to culturally dominant strategy games such as Chess and Go... do you feel that there can be a future for streaming of board game play with the rise of arguably more exciting esports market?

Fantastic questions, all! Lets dive in.

1. I love designing games that challenge our normal way of thinking. At one of my previous jobs, I helped create Hacker Treasure Hunts where we would set up elaborate games to determine which IT Security person made the best hacker. THAT was awesome. A board game will be on the horizon soon, but right now the focus is party games simply because I'm an extrovert and crave the attention a group of drunks can give me.

2. I am very encouraged to see a pattern of growth in the current in-person gaming industry. Digital games, though awesome (and I'm a huge PC gamer) lack that in-person dynamic that we need as people. Just like in Ready Player One, when James tells Wade at the end that reality is better. We need real, in-person human contact to survive.

3. I encourage ANY kind of creative design that challenges the status quo. I am also a fan how the market can create fads out of seemingly ridiculous things. My view is that if a creation, no matter how silly, makes someone smile, then it was worth it. We need more positive vibes on this planet.

4. I think games are invaluable in strengthening relationships. If a relationship is broken during a game, I suspect there are other factors in play, and the game simply escalated things past the breaking point.

5. eSports are huge, no doubt about it. I used to freelance write for a PC gaming website (www.opnoobs.com - dizzyjuice was my pseudonym) and they are very heavily investing in eSports. As for watching people play real-life games online, frankly I'd rather find other humans to play with in person. Similarly to the surge in popularity of YouTube videos of kids playing with toys, I think kids should just go outside and play with their own toys instead of watching someone else.

Thanks again for the great questions!

The real question. Horde or Alliance?

Also, which class did you main!?

I started WoW in the Alliance before I knew anyone in it. After a while found friends who played, and they were all Horde so I transferred both of my mains over. I think each side has its benefits and drawbacks. Mage and DK (DPS or Tank) depending on if I was feeling lazy or productive. (note: not all DPS is lazy, just me when I play it)

That's awesome! (Horde all the way!)

Congrats on your success! Hopefully others can be motivated to do what they love from your story!

Thanks!