Advice: That’s How We Make Money
2008 April 6
In the last few weeks, it occurs to me that doctors, lawyers and game designers have more in common than meets the eye. Specifically, we get paid for listening and offering advice, and that advice is the result of years of accumulated knowledge.
I’ve had three separate opportunities in the last few weeks to do this outside of my normal client and professor duties. Today, this became more clear than ever when a potential client said:
I don’t need you to do anything on the project. I just want your advice.
It’s one and the same thing. If I’m giving you advice, I am doing something, just like a lawyer’s doing something when he suggests you do X, Y and Z, or not do it as the case may be.
You know…as someone whose in law school and writes about video games as a part-time hobby, I found this post remarkably comforting. I never quite understood why I found the two fields so connected in my head. I think it’s because they’re all such an intense combination of complex rule systems and being able to think outside of them when needed.
It is well-accepted in law and medicine that consultations require fees. Why do you think the client(s) you trade with feel your expertise is different? Do you think it is because you are a game designer?
It’s true that we do listen and then offer advice as game designers, but its a rare case where someone comes to you only for your design opinion. Unless you have a proven long term track record, I have no idea how to attract people’s attention. I guess I just haven’t thought about the whole freelance designer thing enough to be convinced that I would be listened to.