Why can't I finish my game?

[Ryue]

• No one does any work
solution: Do they know EXACTLY what you expect them to do?
• Team members drift away
solution: Keep in weekly contact with your team.

So what do you suggest if these two don't work (you have a plan, agreed on deadlines, contact them on a regular basis and... nothing)?

Unfortunately, there's no way to force someone to remain in contact. There are only 2 things that will keep someone working on a project, passion or payment. If they don't have the passion, and they aren't being paid, you have little recourse.

From experience there: Payment doesn't help always (had a few teammembers who disappeared despite getting paid)

[Rosstin]

Paying people isn't ENOUGH. You also have to motivate them, make them feel that the game BELONGS to them. That they enjoy working and enjoy working for you. If making your game isn't on their minds almost every day you're doing it wrong. If you don't meet with people weekly and keep in touch with them and be available to them at least 80% of the time, they will disappear.

And some people really do just suck and you can't work with them. Learn to identify these people.

[Applegate]

I'd hazard that if someone's getting paid, it's really part of their job description to be motivated to earn their pay.

[Rosstin]

Unfortunately this is not always the case.

[Mad Harlequin]

And some people really do just suck and you can't work with them. Learn to identify these people.

Shouldn't we have an explicit definition of what "sucks" in this context? Everywhere the word is used, it's subjective . . .

[Tyrantauranox]

Yeah, there are some people who won't get things done, even if you pay and keep them clearly informed about their tasks and deadlines. A test with clear requirements and a deadline can help to filter out some of the chaff. (nothing's certain, of course)

[Applegate]

Unfortunately this is not always the case.

Isn't that more of an issue of hiring the wrong people then, rather than saying it's the hiring party's job to motivate the freelancers/employees to earn their pay? It's kind of absurd to ask someone for pay for your work, and you need them to motivate you. I guess it can happen, but I think in that case, as the one paying, you should give 'em the boot instead of work hard at motivating them.

It's different if they work for free, of course.

[Auro-Cyanide]

I'd hazard that if someone's getting paid, it's really part of their job description to be motivated to earn their pay.

Not necessarily. I do agree that people should most definitely complete the work they are paid for but I think commissioners for visual novels should also most definitely be making a big effort to motivate the workers for a couple key reasons. One major one is that if they like you and your project, either consciously or sub-consciously, they will do better work. They might even be more inclined to throw freebies your way because they enjoy the project. The other major one is that you are unlikely to be paying them in bulk. Therefore you need them to stick around to see a project through, and that can take years. If they aren't personally invested in your project there can be very little to prevent them quitting from it like any other job. Keeping them interested and motivated has positive consequences without any great cost to you. It can definitely beat having to drag them every step of the way.

HR is a massive industry in and of itself. Don't underestimate how much that side of things effects the way people work.

[Rosstin]

I made a flowchart because everything is better with those.

[kmarsel]

I'd hazard that if someone's getting paid, it's really part of their job description to be motivated to earn their pay.

Not necessarily, especially if everything is "at will". What if this were a corporate job? You pay your employees, therefore, you expect them to complete the work. Usually said employee will be excited for the first couple of months while everything is still new and fresh, but once all of that wears off, so can motivation. If they can quit at any time, what's to stop them from leaving? Still, you want to ensure that the employee you've already invested time/resources in will stay with your company for long-term. It's important to figure out how to motivate your employee so he/she will stay with the company when he/she isn't necessarily as invested in the work/company as you are.

Just commissioning someone to do the work for you helps, but fostering a connection with that person is ultimately what will make that person stay. If he/she enjoys working on the project and enjoys working with you, then it's very easy to stay motivated and he/she is more likely to stick with the project until completion. If they're invested in your project, they'll be more flexible with their time/resources as well, and will be more inclined to work with you rather than against you if you run into any hiccups. And of course, if you've managed to foster a positive relationship, then you've opened up the possibilities on teaming up again.

[Rosstin]

I'd hazard that if someone's getting paid, it's really part of their job description to be motivated to earn their pay.

Not necessarily, especially if everything is "at will". What if this were a corporate job? You pay your employees, therefore, you expect them to complete the work. Usually said employee will be excited for the first couple of months while everything is still new and fresh, but once all of that wears off, so can motivation. If they can quit at any time, what's to stop them from leaving? Still, you want to ensure that the employee you've already invested time/resources in will stay with your company for long-term. It's important to figure out how to motivate your employee so he/she will stay with the company when he/she isn't necessarily as invested in the work/company as you are.

Just commissioning someone to do the work for you helps, but fostering a connection with that person is ultimately what will make that person stay. If he/she enjoys working on the project and enjoys working with you, then it's very easy to stay motivated and he/she is more likely to stick with the project until completion. If they're invested in your project, they'll be more flexible with their time/resources as well, and will be more inclined to work with you rather than against you if you run into any hiccups. And of course, if you've managed to foster a positive relationship, then you've opened up the possibilities on teaming up again.

+1,000,000

[octacon100]

Excellent article and lots of great advice here! People need to be passionate about what they are working on, regardless on if they are being paid or not.

I'm working a job now, and I'm not passionate enough about it to work into the night, but I'm so passionate about the games I'm working on that midnight rolls around and I'm still up, and didn't notice what happened.

If you want to lead a project, that's how passionate you have to be about it. And if you can inspire others to be passionate about the project as well, then that's how a great team comes together.