Originally Posted by Morello

exceptional people are in the habit of behaving in a way that is exceptional.

Originally Posted by Morello

Good question, let me try to do it justice.

Some of it is raw ability in your field (such as design, art, etc), but leadership and senior contributor are different paths, with different requirements. Let me talk a bit about that;

Imagine someone that is an amazing game designer, but doesn't like leading people and coaching them. This would lead them onto the path of Principle Designer. This path has them doing more and more difficult designs, but without being the core leader (though all design requires some leadership at Riot). Someone like Xypherous is a great example.

Alternatively, someone who is a great designer who also can coach, mentor, set direction and lead goes into leadership - jobs like Lead Champion/Lead Live Designer, Lead Designer, Design Director, or VP of Game Design. You do less game design in these roles, day-to-day, but handle strategic issues and spend more time with people than with scripts. I fall squarely into this category these days, as does Zileas.

Both roles require a mastery of craft, but they focus on different strengths and have different workdays. I spend a LOT of time in meetings or working with individual designers on game theory or helping them when they're in the weeds. A Principle designer (we have none yet since we have a pretty inexperienced team overall - many of our designers are first-time designers, including all the ones you guys know!) would be devising new systems or even entire game pitches, unraveling the toughest design challenges and other difficult problems, and implementing it themselves.

For Leadership, though, you have to have the ability to work strategically, collaborate like a mother****er, and look at the big picture. Additionally, I think it's a requirement to be able to motivate and inspire people, resolve conflict effectively and keep things objective and goal-oriented.

Originally Posted by Morello

... - my preference would be to hire only people better than me

Originally Posted by RiotNate

I completely agree with this statement Morello. The bar is constantly being raised at Riot, as it should be. The people on my team are a reflection of me and the work that I put in daily and have for the past couple years here. They are my legacy and I take pride in that fact.

Originally Posted by Gewcebawcks

I've applied for jobs 4 different jobs at Riot: from QA, to Senior Creative Designer... Over 10 years in technology/gaming industry.

No call backs. Was told "not qualified enough"

Riot doesn't want me? Fine... clearly they have something against hiring local, well trained, highly experienced, vastly creative, hard-working, dedicated employees....

Originally Posted by Ardack

What are the chances RIOT would ever higher someone remote?

Originally Posted by Gewcebawcks

I've applied for jobs 4 different jobs at Riot: from QA, to Senior Creative Designer... Over 10 years in technology/gaming industry.

No call backs. Was told "not qualified enough"

Riot doesn't want me? Fine... clearly they have something against hiring local, well trained, highly experienced, vastly creative, hard-working, dedicated employees....

Originally Posted by CawkBeefSandwich

Morello what's your requirements for a QA Engineer position?