New day, new reply. You may have read my reply that outlines (at least based on my observations and hearsay as an outsider) how Bungie encourages an open, aggressive and "nothing is off the table" collaborative sharing of ideas. With that said, I also feel it is important to bring up a similar, related and very important topic. But far less pleasant and fuzzy. So, be warned. And if your panties are easily twisted, you may want to stop reading here. *deep breath* You're not special. Sorry to be the one to break it to you, but the facts are the facts, and the sooner a person faces them, the better they can respond properly to the reality. There is not some huge corporation sitting around with a blank checkbook "hoping that some bright person with ideas will come through the door". If that is your career plan, get a Plan B. NOW. Because your plan A sucks. Many people have had that identical "I am more of a big picture, idea sort of guy, ya know? I don't like getting bogged down in the how's, why's and work it takes to get it done, I just come up with the idea and then there are other people who should be able to "make it happen"." No seriously. Millions of people have had that plan. It doesn't work. The reason that the folks at Bungie are respected and each given a voice at the table is because each of them CAN actually DO something and they are among the best in the world at what they DO. The idea part, that is a side-effect and a bonus of them being good at their real job. So, don't do drugs, stay in school, work your ass off at SOMETHING, and then, if you are really good at whatever it is you find yourself doing, maybe, just maybe you will be in an environment where you ideas, your dreams, they are worth listening to because people respect you for what you HAVE done and what you CAN DO. Yes, I know. Mom told me that I was a special snowflake too. That's a mom's job. Don't hate her for it. She loves you and you should never take that for granted. But if you think that "having a good idea" is all it takes to get somewhere? Plan B. Now. And a Plan C isn't a bad idea either. Sorry.

I have no personal experience as to what happens on the other side of the velvet rope, but I have gotten some clues, hints and inferences over the years. There is 1 real, "idea guy". That's Jason. There are things that he can do in support of his ideas, there are skills that he has, but his passion and his proven ability is to spin a universe our of thin air. Everyone else on the team is there because they do something (or a collection of somethings) VERY well. And because they are all so good at what they do, they also tend to be creative and have ideas. Beyond that, there is no hierarchy, pecking order, layered structure or "chain of command" when it comes to ideas, suggestions, criticism, questions, what-if-the-phones-rang, you name it, input. From everyone. I imagine that it is possible that someone could hear Marty working, him looking pleased and proud, raising his eyebrows with a look like "These Viennese certainly know good music when they hear it!" and someone tells him that it needs to be "more bouncey" or that it has [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_UsmvtyxEI]"too many notes"[/url]. Marty then considers the source and the potential meaning of such comments and takes them under advisement. I am also reminded of an intern (who came from the lame excel developing team if I remember correctly) who suggested "pregnant sentinels that were on like fire and went werrrroooowww wapoWW! and stuff". Sounds silly doesn't it, pregnant sentinels? Yeah, Halo 2's Enforcers. Thank you Skip freakin' Weasel, intern, ladykiller and game idea guy. So, the ability to offer input and ideas isn't restricted. People just have to clearly express their ideas, defend them, modify them, and champion them if they really believe in them. And then, even so, some brilliant ideas end up cut. It doesn't hurt the ego of a professional when their "baby" dies. They are there for the work of the team, and every idea (except Skip's apparently) goes through a lot of tough consideration before it makes it to the disk.