How many programmers are working on ED?

Old Duck

Old Duck
I thought I once read in this forum that Frontier had something like 100 people working on ED, but I re-watched the "behind the scenes" video from FX2017, and it doesn't look like 100 people.

[video=youtube;5MYuX9vrP_o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MYuX9vrP_o[/video]

Moreover, it seems many of these people are in various support roles (voices for stations, sound effects for Thargoids, Ed Lewis, etc). That's why I'm wondering how many programmers are working on ED. I'm particularly curious since Frontier is supporting three (four if you include the Mac) different platforms, each requiring some specialty skills unique to that platform.

Obviously Frontier knows the answer, but I don't expect them to share their secrets. Perhaps a few of you have a ballpark idea from your years following Frontier, going to various events, visiting their headquarters, etc.
 

Aussiedroid

Aussiedroid
Well, Wikipedia suggests around 300 employees in total. That would be across the 3 games/projects I guess. So it might be around 100 working on ED in total, but that would likely include all of the other roles needed, managers, designers, sound, art, programming, support, social etc. Who knows what the breakdown would be between these roles, but programmers specifically might only be a couple dozen.
 

lysan

lysan
Probably only a handful is working on ED 100% the rest is on off on different projects. This is normal.
 

Agony_Aunt

Agony_Aunt
I don't recall FD every saying 100 programmers. I seem to recall them saying a year or so ago they had 100 people working on ED.

Developing a game takes a lot more than just programmers.

Some people, such as Customer Support will support the company as a whole. Some people will be dedicated to just ED, or at least for long durations. Some will work on ED as and when they are needed. For example, artists will likely get pulled between different projects as needed.

Even if you put a gun to Braben's head, he probably could give you no more than a rough indication of how many people or programmers are working on ED at any point in time.
 

Whitehair

W
Here is an example from the team I am currently responsible for. We manage 15 systems.

1 boss :)
1 Functional designer
2 programmers
2 (functional) testers
6 Functional controlers
 

Archvillain

Archvillain
It sounds like Fdev uses their proprietary game engine for most of their games. So a significant slice of the studio's programmers may be "assigned" to working on the game engine (including support and features for the games) rather than assigned specifically to one game.
 

askavir

askavir
It takes more roles than just programmers to develop a game (or any software project). From those 100 people working on ED, only a much smaller group wil be programmers/developers.

You need game developers, server developers, devops team, art designers, 3d artists, sound artists, leads/managers, game designers, etc, etc.

As a server developer myself, I would bet my own nuts that having 100 developers working on the same project at the same time would result into a complete mess, unless the project is extremely large and extremely well compartmentalized.
 

Taimaru

Taimaru
I would think that there were people that were deliberately not filmed in that video as they are working on stuff we're not allowed to see yet. In other words Frontier only showed us what they wanted us to see as they knew we would analyse every pixel in every frame. :)
 

Shanaeri

Shanaeri
Who cares how many. It's the quality and quantity that is produced that matter.

If you think Fdev are in trouble, a quick read of their annual report will soon set you straight https://frontier-drupal.s3-eu-west-...eleases/financial/FrontierAR17-FullReport.pdf

Here's some highlights..
O Operating Profit up 550% (£7.8m)
O Revenue up 75% (£37.4m)
O Positive cash flow(up 610%) to £3.4m
O Sale to tencent raised £17.7m and was to “improve and accelerate Frontier’s growth into the key Chinese market and help drive scale-up of the business.”
O Elite had in excess of 2.7m cumulative sales from Dec 2014
O Monetisation of both PC and Elite will NOT include pay to win features.

Why on earth would they scale things back?
 

A D

A D
Don't know who does what at FD, but the following is from their web site:

"The business has around over 325 full-time employees and is headquartered in Cambridge, UK."

...I imagine there are quite a few programmers among them.
 
Last edited:

Old Duck

Old Duck
Tom Melegaris said:
*looks up from watching credits...

*sips more coffee
Click to expand...

There are credits? Where do I find these, the main menu? I'll have to look. I'm used to seeing credits after finishing the game (something like Uncharted will scroll for 10-20 minutes like a Marvel Movie). Obviously there is no "finish the game" with ED.

Jack Schitt said:
He's right, Ed, time to 'fess up. How many people are working on you right now?
Click to expand...

That explains why his hair and beard always look so, so fine!
 

thirstyfish

thirstyfish
Old Duck said:
There are credits? Where do I find these, the main menu? I'll have to look. I'm used to seeing credits after finishing the game (something like Uncharted will scroll for 10-20 minutes like a Marvel Movie). Obviously there is no "finish the game" with ED.



That explains why his hair and beard always look so, so fine!
Click to expand...

Pretty certain main menu is where to go.
 

-VR- Max Factor

-VR- Max Factor
Shanaeri said:
Who cares how many. It's the quality and quantity that is produced that matter.

If you think Fdev are in trouble, a quick read of their annual report will soon set you straight https://frontier-drupal.s3-eu-west-...eleases/financial/FrontierAR17-FullReport.pdf

Here's some highlights..
O Operating Profit up 550% (£7.8m)
O Revenue up 75% (£37.4m)
O Positive cash flow(up 610%) to £3.4m
O Sale to tencent raised £17.7m and was to “improve and accelerate Frontier’s growth into the key Chinese market and help drive scale-up of the business.”
O Elite had in excess of 2.7m cumulative sales from Dec 2014
O Monetisation of both PC and Elite will NOT include pay to win features.

Why on earth would they scale things back?
Click to expand...

Yeah, but if they carry on like this Fdev will collapse. ;)
 

Old Duck

Old Duck
Shanaeri said:
Who cares how many. It's the quality and quantity that is produced that matter.
Click to expand...

It is the quality that I care about. However, quality can be adversely affected by a staff spread too thin.

I'll look at the credits sometime today, as that will answer my question (especially if the credits detail who is working specifically on what).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom