BLACK ICE

[Different]

You just landed a job interview with Activision Blizzard because you're looking to be a game developer, you love their games, and you're really excited to start developing the next World of Warcraft, StarCraft, HearthStone, etc. If everything checks out well, then you've just landed yourself a six figure job, working for Activision Blizzard.

But here's the problem: let's say it normally takes you 45mins to get to their headquarters, but due to the black ice on the roads and really slow traffic, it'll take you 2 1/2 hours to get to your destination. Worst case scenario is you having a really bad car accident and risk your life and health for a six figure salary job.

The interview starts at 11am, but then you forget to set your alarm, thinking that you can wake up at 9:45am instead of 8am, thinking that there's no black ice on the roads. If you're late for the interview, they'll find someone else and you'll have to keep looking for a job.

Another problem you have, is that you're 3 months behind on the rent, and the landlord is thinking about kicking your ass out, unless you land this job with Activision Blizzard as a game developer, and pay him back, eventually.

There's no way in hell, you'll make it to this interview by 11am because you woke up at 9:45am, knowing how long it'll take you to get there. Good news is, there may be hope. So the question begs... what would you do in this awful ass situation? Be careful because at least one of these answers is a trick answer.

[Master Raiden]

Not one of the options, but I would try calling them and ask to change it to a video interview since it's too dangerous to drive with black ice on the road. Going to the interview is no guarantee that you'll get the job anyway, so it's a lot to risk for potentially nothing. I could also say that my car/tires are unsuitable for poor conditions.

At least that will hide the fact that I woke up late, which is never a good excuse for anything.

[Northadox]

1) I would NEVER willingly sign up to produce garbage, exploitative proprietary software! Even if it wasn't for my radical opinions concerning computing ethics, I would still hold my nose at the thought of helping develop the kusoge Activision-Blizzard puts out, not even mentioning the terrible treatment of developers in these sorts of industries where software is just this junky product with a shelf-life rather than something that can be re-used. CRINGE!
2) Imagine having a 45 min commute to your job by default, both ways! I loathe the CRINGE practices of building places just far apart to require the use of automobiles or public transporation to get to rather than planning communities around walking! Total CRINGE, dude!
3) Public roads? Personal automobiles? CRINGE practices which should be abolished, despite the feigned sense of freedom they may offer! I wish I was a libertarian so I wouldn't even have to believe in roads! Automobile traffic isn't something the Amish need to deal with, so they've got that on us! CRINGE!
4) Imagine renting an apartment (or ANYTHING really, CRINGE!) and not just leeching off your parents until they decide to kick you out, and then just buying cheap land in the middle of nowhere and living in a shack you've built in the woods without a permit! CRINGE!
5) Imagine needing an alarm to get up instead of just having a perfect circadian rhythm where you go to sleep when the moon falls and wake when the sun rises! CUH-RINGE lack of discipline in this generation of zoomers!

Not being really serious here. Unless I was actually..? Haha that would be funny

[TRUC]

*laughs in Canadian winter tires*

[Mia]

Stay the hell home and tell them to reschedule. I'm not risking my life over a chance at a job.

[Kribbles]

Another problem you have, is that you're 3 months behind on the rent, and the landlord is thinking about kicking your ass out, unless you land this job with Activision Blizzard as a game developer, and pay him back, eventually.

I feel like this means you gotta do it. Honesty always wins out, kinda wish you could do #1 and #2 both. It's also a bit... well... a lot of interviews are virtual now too. I'm sure they'd be understanding too.

[Uptight 534]

So, I “landed” a job, but still have to interview… Yeah, I would call them, explain the roadway concerns and ask if they can reschedule or do anything virtual. Honestly, with being COVID, doing a virtual interview is common and not “unprofessional” whatsoever.

If a game developer (as opposed to a hospital) forces you to drive in poor road conditions and cannot be flexible during these, “unprecedented times” (*groan*), than you would be better off not working for them.

[Different]

Not one of the options, but I would try calling them and ask to change it to a video interview since it's too dangerous to drive with black ice on the road. Going to the interview is no guarantee that you'll get the job anyway, so it's a lot to risk for potentially nothing. I could also say that my car/tires are unsuitable for poor conditions.

At least that will hide the fact that I woke up late, which is never a good excuse for anything.

Bad news is, you have to show up in person. No video interviews will take place 🥶

I'd rather just get kicked out by the landlord than risk becoming a "game developer" (i.e., menial labourer) for a company like Blizzard.

What gaming company would you prefer to work for and why?

1) I would NEVER willingly sign up to produce garbage, exploitative proprietary software! Even if it wasn't for my radical opinions concerning computing ethics, I would still hold my nose at the thought of helping develop the kusoge Activision-Blizzard puts out, not even mentioning the terrible treatment of developers in these sorts of industries where software is just this junky product with a shelf-life rather than something that can be re-used. CRINGE!

What gaming company would you prefer to work for and why?

Stay the hell home and tell them to reschedule. I'm not risking my life over a chance at a job.

But it's six figures 😮🤩💰

I feel like this means you gotta do it. Honesty always wins out, kinda wish you could do #1 and #2 both. It's also a bit... well... a lot of interviews are virtual now too. I'm sure they'd be understanding too.

Yeah you don't have much of a choice but to do it in person. Good luck on the slippery roads 💀

So, I “landed” a job, but still have to interview… Yeah, I would call them, explain the roadway concerns and ask if they can reschedule or do anything virtual. Honestly, with being COVID, doing a virtual interview is common and not “unprofessional” whatsoever.

If a game developer (as opposed to a hospital) forces you to drive in poor road conditions and cannot be flexible during these, “unprecedented times” (*groan*), than you would be better off not working for them.

But it's six figures 💰😱

[Mia]

But it's six figures 😮🤩💰

But it's putting my life at high risk, which goes against every fiber of my being. I've been in a car on black ice before, and our car spun out into the other lane. We weren't even driving fast either. If there was oncoming traffic, would I even be here today? Why would I want to work somewhere where they don't care about my basic well being enough to reschedule?

[Uptight 534]

But it's six figures 💰😱

I would prefer to take less money and work for a company that will not treat me like crap.

[Camer the Dragon]

But here's the problem: let's say it normally takes you 45mins to get to their headquarters, but due to the black ice on the roads and really slow traffic, it'll take you 2 1/2 hours to get to your destination. Worst case scenario is you having a really bad car accident and risk your life and health for a six figure salary job.

I mean I don't drive and won't drive (no car), I'd use the bus/train which would go slower if it ran at all

The interview starts at 11am, but then you forget to set your alarm, thinking that you can wake up at 9:45am instead of 8am, thinking that there's no black ice on the roads. If you're late for the interview, they'll find someone else and you'll have to keep looking for a job.

Here's the issue, you'd only wake up late if you were bold and reckless, if you're bold and reckless then that's where you've gone wrong. You're 3 months behind on rent and you can't even be bothered to set an alarm properly. You should wake up with hours of leeway especially when there's a decent risk chance. Since if you woke up at 7am and told them they'd have a much higher likelihood of looking at your situation and being sympathetic (plus you'd have a much higher chance of getting there) than if you woke up without any leeway at 9:45am.

Another problem you have, is that you're 3 months behind on the rent, and the landlord is thinking about kicking your ass out, unless you land this job with Activision Blizzard as a game developer, and pay him back, eventually.

Assuming you don't end up landing the job
1) Ask other people for money whilst you are trying to find a job if needed, e.g. parents, friends, etc.
2) If this does not work, try to find odd jobs so you can at least get some money together to show the landlord you're serious
3) If this does not work try moving into someone else's house (e.g. family, friends) and paying them rent, you'll probably have to pay less and they'd be more lenient on payback if they saw you trying to get a job.
4) If you're literally on your own then you messed up by not setting the alarm, very bad move, hopefully your landlord has sympathy if they see you trying to apply to lots and lots of jobs.

There's no way in hell, you'll make it to this interview by 11am because you woke up at 9:45am, knowing how long it'll take you to get there. Good news is, there may be hope. So the question begs... what would you do in this awful ass situation? Be careful because at least one of these answers is a trick answer.

1) Shouldn't've woken up late, dumb move
2A) If you have a car don't be an idiot by driving fast on the black ice, you're not only risking your own safety but other's safety too and that's dangerous driving
2B) I) If you take public transport then it'd be too slow anyway so don't bother if it won't get there until like an hour after the interview time
2B) II) The public transport may even be cancelled
3) Contact the job place and explain the situation and apologise for not being able to come in person
4A) Ask if there can be a video interview (this is a game dev company, considering the type of work that goes on you can do it remotely so there should be a decent possibility)
4B) If there can be no video interview, ask to reschedule the interview either to later that day or to another day
4C) If they do not allow this for such a situation then either you're being punished for waking up late (once again, dumb move) or they are completely blind to outside situations and you'd end up fired in like a week anyway from some tiny thing


The main problem that arose here is the fact the alarm wasn't set because of someone being reckless and not planning for every likely possibility, which in the situation they were in they 100% should have.

But the options in the poll here's how I feel about each:
- For sure call the company and ask if you can either do a video interview or have the interview later. (1st 2 options go together)
- Don't be an idiot and recklessly drive on the black ice, it's bad for you, it's bad for others and could get you in trouble
- If they won't trust you with a video interview then they won't trust your word on "oh I had a Doctor's appointment" and they'd ask to see proof, which you have none of
- Telling them the car broke down (or that the insides of the car froze) is an option, however you've still not given leeway which won't be seen as good to the company (i.e. why didn't you call at 7am or 8am)
- Riding a bike would be very unsafe if there was black ice as well, possibly more dangerous than being in a car so this is a no-go as well

[Northadox]

It's really funny that this post was made pretty much immediately before Microsoft announced their acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. Because of this, it makes me want to work there even less!

What gaming company would you prefer to work for and why?

I don't think I'd work in any business that does gamedev, because what that means is developing proprietary software for financial gain. To a company, whose motives are "profits first", there's no motive to make something like a video game free/libre software, unlike software whose main intention is not to entertain, but to be useful. As such, I'd never WANT to work for a gamedev "company". I'd rather just work on games on my own time, not work for any company that does it, because that means developing proprietary software and that's CRINGE!

[Kribbles]

But it's six figures 💰😱

I-is six figures supposed to be a lot? I also don't see a point if you're gonna be crunched to do a bunch of work every few months, working 70+ hours before release. Crunch culture is disgusting to me, I wouldn't even be able to use my six figures.

It also cuts into what Delphinoid says, video games like that aren't a passion project: they're just there to rack in as much money as possible and call it quits. I wouldn't feel proud of my work. So why would I bother?

But this is getting off the point of this discussion...

Yeah you don't have much of a choice but to do it in person. Good luck on the slippery roads

Snow tires and 4 wheel drive, baby!

[a7x3]

I'd re-evaluate my life and wonder why tf I'm trying to work for Activision

[Lego-man945]

I'd re-evaluate my life and wonder why tf I'm trying to work for Activision

Activision was just bought out by Microsoft. AFAIK Microsoft treats its workers above average (I think they got rated a 3.5 for work/life balance by its employees?)

[Camer the Dragon]

Activision was just bought out by Microsoft. AFAIK Microsoft treats its workers above average (I think they got rated a 3.5 for work/life balance by its employees?)

is that 3.5/5 I assume?

[Lego-man945]

is that 3.5/5 I assume?

ye

[a7x3]

Activision was just bought out by Microsoft. AFAIK Microsoft treats its workers above average (I think they got rated a 3.5 for work/life balance by its employees?)

After hearing about this I do wanna get my hopes up that things will change, and I feel this is exactly why Microsoft bought them in the end. Let's see what happens I guess

[Different]

I'd rather just get kicked out by the landlord than risk becoming a "game developer" (i.e., menial labourer) for a company like Blizzard.

After hearing about this I do wanna get my hopes up that things will change, and I feel this is exactly why Microsoft bought them in the end. Let's see what happens I guess

They might be able to compete with Sony, now.