Video game developers at Activision Blizzard say they'll walk out Wednesday • Hacker News Board

Re: Video game developers at Activision Blizzard say they'll walk out Wednesday

#421

Post by AOsborn » Tue, Jul 27, 2021, 9:49 PM UTC

nineplay wrote: post #367

bennysomething wrote: post #344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So if I'm hiring someone at what point am I allowed to use my own personal discretion? Am I allowed to dislike someone? Am I allowed to say I don't like them so please don't hire them?

Why don't you like them _and_ which of those reasons will affect their job performance? Do they dismiss any approaches besides their own? Do they think mentoring is a waste of time? Do they think that their code is so obvious that there's no point in documenting? Do they think their code is so perfect that unit tests are unnecessary? These are good reasons to dislike someone and not hire them. Do you dislike them bec…

> Why don't you like them _and_ which of those reasons will affect their job performance? > Do they dismiss any approaches besides their own? Do they think mentoring is a waste of time? Do they think that their code is so obvious that there's no point in documenting? Do they think their code is so perfect that unit tests are unnecessary? These are good reasons to dislike someone and not hire them.

> Do you dislike them because they seem kind of boring? Get over yourself.

This is an interesting discussion that brings a lot of vitriolic comments.

A counterpoint that you seem to be dismissing: building a successful team often requires a good cultural and team fit. Hiring just on 'merit' alone doesn't guarantee success.

Consider the example of hiring a 'superstar' that the other team members do not like which would consequently impact the performance of the team as a whole because they don't work optimally. For the manager in charge of the team, culture fit is an important factor alongside others.

Re: Video game developers at Activision Blizzard say they'll walk out Wednesday

#422

Post by craftinator » Tue, Jul 27, 2021, 9:49 PM UTC

void_mint wrote: post #382

craftinator wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's also worth noting that the military is a toxic cesspit for sexual abuse. Comparing any sane workplace to the military is a joke. Nobody should want to be like the military, including the military. Can confirm true from experience. To be fair, the military (USMC experience only) is structured to intentionally harass all members below certain ranks continuously, with the idea being that it keeps them sharp and w…

> Sexual assault in the United States armed forces is an ongoing issue which has received extensive media coverage in the past. A 2012 Pentagon survey found that approximately 26,000 women and men were sexually assaulted that year; of those, only 3,374 cases were reported.[1] In 2013, a new Pentagon report found that 5,061 troops reported cases of assault. Some are optimistic that this increase in reports is indicati…

I think people may be missing the connection between punishments being with severe, and kept at a low level. A platoon will do a lot more to punish someone than a battalion.

Justice under the UCMJ is similar to how a grand jury operates, where the highest ranking officers will hear a case with evidence, and make decisions about guilt and punishment. Platoon level punishment is much more freeform, and tends to ignore those rules about type and duration of punishment; much more corporal in nature.

Re: Video game developers at Activision Blizzard say they'll walk out Wednesday

#423

Post by jjdin14 » Tue, Jul 27, 2021, 9:50 PM UTC

ihumanable wrote: post #57

jjdin14 wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

US customs never had concentration camps holding children, they did have places for holding illegal immigrants though.

I'm sure those children will feel so much better when you explain the difference.

Maybe their criminal parents who put them in that situation should be the ones doing the explaining.

Re: Video game developers at Activision Blizzard say they'll walk out Wednesday

#424

Post by nineplay » Tue, Jul 27, 2021, 9:52 PM UTC

cletus wrote: post #415

bennysomething wrote: post #344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So if I'm hiring someone at what point am I allowed to use my own personal discretion? Am I allowed to dislike someone? Am I allowed to say I don't like them so please don't hire them?

A lot of behaviour is obvious in aggregate but hard to identify in particular cases. If you make a job posting, get 5 applicants, interview 3 of them and hire 1 it's hard to point a finger and say you did (or didn't) do anything wrong. But let's say over the course of a year you receive 10,000 applications for various positions and 15% of those are African American. Now say that 10% of applicants get to the interview…

I remember the study about "second syllable names" and I remember a lot of people justifying it. "A good candidate would use a 'professional' sounding name".

Re: Video game developers at Activision Blizzard say they'll walk out Wednesday

#425

Post by sangnoir » Tue, Jul 27, 2021, 9:52 PM UTC

yarg wrote: post #362

nineplay wrote: post #310

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I want to make a point about "culture fit" "culture fit" is one of the biggest causes of workplace discrimination and I still see it pushed in 'hiring training' as perfectly valid criteria. Things I've seen teams consider "culture" - will the candidate go to our weekly study session at the micro-brewery? - will the candidate stay after work to play multi-player games with us? - is the candidate entertained by all t…

Culture fit doesn't have to stretch that far - it does not need to be pervasive and it does not need to be toxic. We had a guy from Gaza in our office - he complained about informal emails sent to invite people for drinks because it was sinful, he complained about a manikin that got dressed up at special occasions because it was immodest. I don't know what lines to draw here - but be careful when playing with double-…

He should have insinuated being a recovered alcoholic instead, that works for me when I feel I'm being unduly pressured.

As someone who doesn't care for drinks, the quickest way to shut-down all that drinks-are-vital-to-our-culture talk is to declare that I used to have a problem with the drink, but I'm sober now, and watch them stammer something about the event being optional.

Re: Video game developers at Activision Blizzard say they'll walk out Wednesday

#426

Post by dleslie » Tue, Jul 27, 2021, 9:53 PM UTC

TameAntelope wrote: post #327

dleslie wrote: post #278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like I said, I work in the industry. I've worked on several projects with teams on more than one continent. The much-repeated "it'll slow down collaboration" is only a factor of how terrible your company's communication strategy was at the outset. If your company worked entirely verbally and contained little to no digital communication or memory, then you'll have a terrible time. 100% remote work makes intercontinent…

I cannot be more direct about this, it is not seamless, or even close to seamless, in general, to work across continents such as you describe. Maybe you've cracked a nut here, and we'd all benefit from your wisdom, experience, and stories, but that is not the experience most folks have working across continents or cultures.

It's been seamless for us for 5y.

We did crack the nut: we stopped being ameri-centric, and we rejected the notion that productivity must be directly observed during the process to be measured. We rejected "core hours" and we rejected ephemeral vocal communication. If it's not on record it has no value to us.

We have people working at all hours of the day. We have teams split across continents. We have team meetings, but we schedule them a week or more in advance, and even then they're optional. We make prodigious use of Miro, Basecamp, and other collaboration tools. We don't consider any collaboration "finished" so much as "in progress" and often a "meeting" could take course over days, as team members from around the world chime in. There has never been, and will never be, an office.

It works great.

Re: Video game developers at Activision Blizzard say they'll walk out Wednesday

#427

Post by kayodelycaon » Tue, Jul 27, 2021, 9:53 PM UTC

rdaystrom wrote: post #411

yarg wrote: post #362

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Culture fit doesn't have to stretch that far - it does not need to be pervasive and it does not need to be toxic. We had a guy from Gaza in our office - he complained about informal emails sent to invite people for drinks because it was sinful, he complained about a manikin that got dressed up at special occasions because it was immodest. I don't know what lines to draw here - but be careful when playing with double-…

Aren't all swords double-edged? I would think that a single-edged sword would simply be a knife. Or an axe.

Sabers? Katanas?

Re: Video game developers at Activision Blizzard say they'll walk out Wednesday

#428

Post by madamelic » Tue, Jul 27, 2021, 9:54 PM UTC

crooked-v wrote: post #316

madamelic wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't get that vibe, but can definitely understand that. I actually disliked it at first until I realized I was being lumped in with people who had an agenda I didn't have ("Women didn't fight in wars! Women avatars should only be allowed to play Medic!") I mean, Battlefield has never really been about super serious war simulator, it has always had a goofy undertone. Battlefield has always been a little wacky. The…

You can see how they're going all-in on the 'wacky' part with the trailers for BF2042. Driving away from a tornado in a tuk-tuk, a knives vs defibrillators battle, etc.

I am so excited for BF2042. I've had to remind myself a few times about not pre-ordering it.

I hope, with the weather stuff and higher end hardware, they lean more into destructive environments. I am still kind of surprised they haven't and have been re-using the same destruction and relying on a single scripted large-scale destruction.

I want to get that feeling of the first time using a grenade launcher to open up walls but even better.

I guess it may be more about game design and keeping maps accessible rather than a technical limitation or a lack of desire on DICE's part.

Re: Video game developers at Activision Blizzard say they'll walk out Wednesday

#429

Post by Aeolun » Tue, Jul 27, 2021, 9:56 PM UTC

dougmwne wrote: post #377

bennysomething wrote: post #344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So if I'm hiring someone at what point am I allowed to use my own personal discretion? Am I allowed to dislike someone? Am I allowed to say I don't like them so please don't hire them?

No. You better be able to articulate what job-relevant reason is behind your dislike and be able to express it in those terms. If you go with your gut feel alone, you could be easily selecting for physical attractiveness, extroversion, a nice smile or some of the many less acceptable biases. Maybe you have perfectly diverse personal discretion, but most people choose copies of themselves or attractive members of the…

> You better be able to articulate what job-relevant reason is behind your dislike

I have to work with them? If they have a shitty personality that’s going to be hard.

I’d much rather select for unconscious biases than hire terrible people just to satisfy some people’s idea of what is politically correct.

Re: Video game developers at Activision Blizzard say they'll walk out Wednesday

#430

Post by CobaltFire » Tue, Jul 27, 2021, 9:57 PM UTC

cletus wrote: post #415

bennysomething wrote: post #344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So if I'm hiring someone at what point am I allowed to use my own personal discretion? Am I allowed to dislike someone? Am I allowed to say I don't like them so please don't hire them?

A lot of behaviour is obvious in aggregate but hard to identify in particular cases. If you make a job posting, get 5 applicants, interview 3 of them and hire 1 it's hard to point a finger and say you did (or didn't) do anything wrong. But let's say over the course of a year you receive 10,000 applications for various positions and 15% of those are African American. Now say that 10% of applicants get to the interview…

Sidestepping the parent (and the mention of the studies; I have heard of but not read them) to ask you a question:

Where did you find/learn the term "second syllable name" and "first syllable name"? I tried looking it up and struck out (aside from some requests for baby names like that), though it's quite descriptive and makes perfect sense.

It did lead me to the wikipedia article [0] about African-American names, which enlightened me a bit on the origins of some of those.

[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_names