A developer post-mortem is usually intended to show where a developer thinks they failed or succeeded and use that as a tool for future devs. Mike Slone, one of the developers behind Saints’ Row 2, uses the format to discuss how he dealt with his crumbling marriage while working on the game.

“Even a year or so after the divorce, most of my coworkers didn’t realize I’d had any marriage trouble, let alone a divorce. I quietly took down my photos of my wife after everyone had gone home one night.

I found out one day that several of the men in my room had been through divorces and marriage crises, and some were even currently going through them, so I told them my story.

Everybody dealt with their situations a little differently. Common threads, though, were alcoholism and “workaholism.” Most game developers love what they do, and it can be a welcome distraction when they feel they’ve got nowhere else to go.”

Developer crunch time is well known for causing strain in relationships, with its long hours away from home. Hopefully more devs take Slone’s advice and reach out for help.

[via]

– Filipe Salgado