The ‘New Norm’
April 17 2020
In case you didn’t hear, there’s currently a global pandemic going on.
Like many of you across the world, we’re doing our best here in Canada to help flatten the curve. For Big Blue Bubble that’s meant moving operations from our office in downtown London to offices down the hall from our bed.
This week marks one month since we made the move to working from home and as a result, we thought it’d be a great opportunity to check in with people across the Foregone team and see what they’ve been working on and how they’re coping with this temporary ‘new norm’.
What’s your home office setup like?
With so much of our work being digital and the ease of modern computer setups, the transition to getting the team set up at home was relatively painless. The biggest hurdle was finding an area to call their new office.
KAILEY: I’m lucky enough that at home I have a small office. It is crowded with boxes of teaching supplies and books because my wife is a primary teacher, but it is perfectly functional. I am, however, relegated to a single monitor due to the little space. WFH problems. Oh, also I don’t have my sweet office chair I’ve had for so long with BBB!
In some circumstances, the timing actually couldn’t have been better for finding a spot to set up shop.
HAYLEY: This has been interesting because I actually moved during the pandemic! Fortunately, the set up was pretty painless. As there wasn’t anything yet in the new spare room, I was able to set up a desk and workstation quite quickly. And of course, my cats are enjoying being my workmates.
What’s the best part about working from home?
Working from home definitely comes with its benefits; the ability to sleep in a few extra minutes, to wear PJs until noon, or most importantly have easy access to one’s favourite treats.
DINO: High-quality pour-over coffee multiple times a day! Delicious slow cooker meals and access to a house full of snacks has definitely also been both a positive and a negative.
The biggest benefit, and most commonly shared one, was the extra time they got to reinvest in themselves.
DREW: Working from home reduces my commute time and morning preparation time by about an hour and a half, give or take. This has given me more time to spend with my family and other at-home hobbies.
What do you miss about the office?
As great as it can be working from home, it’d be a lie to say that “office life” isn’t missed.
KAILEY: People. Adult people. Sound that isn’t my own music or children. Working from home has been great and I would love to always have the option to put in a day from home! But, not being around the people I’m used to being around, day in and day out is trying. As much as things can get crazy at times, I love going to work.
NAIHA: I miss seeing my peers and friends and making stupid jokes in meetings.
HAYLEY: Probably taking breaks with people. However, I am trying to still do this via video calls – it’s almost as good 🙂
What are your top tips for working from home?
1. Maintaining a schedule is key – especially to emerge from the pandemic with gains
DINO: Maintaining the same sleeping routine as I would have if I commuted to work has been very helpful. I’m still up at 5:30, using the time for a morning workout instead of spending it on a commute.
2. Remember to get up and take breaks.
DREW: Take small breaks! This could mean, getting up to stretch, drinking lots of water, and even stepping outside a few times a day. Since I have my office set up in a basement, there isn’t much natural light that comes in. So going outside gives me a little rejuvenation to help get me through the day.
3. Communicate.
HAYLEY: Since you can’t just drop by someone’s desk at the moment or attend meetings in person – utilizing email, video and voice calls, and chat rooms have become key tools.
What are you currently working on in the game?
With a clear roadmap in place, the move to working from home has definitely been easier than if we were in the early stages of production on a game. Our main focus in recent weeks has been finalizing our update scheduled for early May.
DREW: Currently I’ve been working on testing out some of the new features and the miniboss that’s planned to release next month.
NAIHA: I’m working on adding colors and texturing 3D assets for June’s big update.
KAILEY: All the things. Being lead means it’s really hard to stay on a single task. In the last few days, I was working on getting the most recent release together and making sure it all went smoothly. As I write this I’m just finishing up with a few QOL changes for keyboard and mouse players.
Thank you to everyone who’s joined us on this journey and shared Foregone with their friends. Seeing streams throughout the day has become an escape for the team and something for us to all enjoy together as we work to bring more exciting content to the game. We hope that you’re all keeping safe, and we look forward to continuing to bring you more updates – whether that be back in the office or from the comfort of our homes.
– Foregone Team
PS: Stay safe <3