Argentics

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re an engineering company that’s specialized in VR, AR, and visualization services. We do work for industrial, oil and gas, and power generation company. I’m the co-founder of the company, and we started two years ago.

What challenge were you trying to address with Argentics.io?

We outsource some of our AR and VR services to expedite client requests when needed.

What was the scope of their involvement?

For one of our clients, they handled the development and design of a VR project. We had equipment that needed to be placed in an environment for our clients. They handled basic movements and controls as well as the environmental settings for the project. That process included UV mapping and texturing for the product. They used Unreal Engine for real-time 3D imaging creation. As soon as we have more work like this, we intend to call them.

What is the team composition?

We worked with one main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Argentics.io?

We found them on Upwork while interviewing companies. They seemed like the best fit for the job.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $1,600 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed a contract with them in November 2018, and the project took about a week.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’re very satisfied with their work. They were always there to make sure the scope of the work matched up with our vision and were very receptive to our feedback. Their team was open and helpful, so we’re happy with them.  

How did Argentics.io perform from a project management standpoint?

Their response time was very fast on this project. We had a tight deadline and budget, and they met both of them. They were easy to work with over Skype, despite us being located in different time zones. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a reliable, consistent process that we appreciated. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is key. That will help you avoid errors in the process. Our project was short, but they still did a great job of keeping us all in the loop.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Impossible Engine is a video agency with offices in Oregon and Texas that creates video and VR content for our clients for broadcast, web, and tradeshow use. I manage the creative staff and creative output of Impossible Engine's Austin, TX office.

For what projects/services did your company hire Argentics.io?

One of our clients approached us to build a VR game for a fast-approaching event. It was a great opportunity for us to grow our client base within the company. But our internal development resources were devoted to other tasks and we didn't have the capability to hit the aggressive deadline without outside help. Specifically we needed an integrated code/design team to get to a working prototype quickly.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was a fun, engaging VR game that could be run on a gaming laptop and set up and used by our client at the upcoming event as well as future events. The game needed to be created in the Unity game engine since that's the engine our shop uses and would allow us to open the project file and fix things down the line if needed. Similarly, we selected the Oculus Rift platform as it was the VR platform we had the most experience using. The initial design called for an online database to store high scores so players could compete across the world though this capability was later removed.

How did you select this vendor?

We did a search locally as well as on competing sourcing platforms. I interviewed 7 vendors/individuals and met with the rest of our team to land on the two companies we liked the best. Initially, we hired Argentics along with one other vendor to rapid prototype the game. The two vendors had relevant prior work as well as a multi-person team they could devote to the project. Argentics' protoype was far and away the winner at the first review and we moved forward with them.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Internally, our team, with input from our client, developed a detailed Game Design Document which we passed along to Argentics that contained a game treatment, scoring logistics and visual references. Argentics then took it from there and within a few weeks had a working prototype that we were able to play and evaluate. They designed and built all of the 3D scenes and objects as well as coded all of the interactions and internal logic. They also did all of the sound design.

What was the team composition?

I always dealt with either the design lead or the project manager so I'm not sure how many people were involved from Argentics' side.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The feedback we received from our client was great. Company leadership even played the game at the event and it was a hit with the crowd. People were lining up to play the game.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Argentics.io hit every deadline and were good at setting expectations. They were responsive up to and including the day of the event in getting last-minute changes made, bugs fixed, etc. Changes from our internal team as well as from our client were dealt with very quickly. Our main communication was through Skype chat. Language barriers were not an issue. The time difference was not a huge issue, I just had to plan for it and make sure to get our reviews and feedback back to Argentics early so they would see it during their workday. Although they were very responsive after hours as well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

What impressed me the most is how well they translated our concept into a beautifully rendered, working game in such a short time. It looked great and it was actually really fun to play. I think their attentiveness to design really makes them a cut above the rest of the vendors we considered.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that come to mind.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm an independent game designer and producer/project manager.

For what projects/services did your company hire Argentics.io, and what were your goals?

My client was in need to producer MVP of the strategy game to attract the investors for funding the game project in his full range. As I've worked before with Argentics.io over similar project, I've asked them to participate in this one.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We worked before over a set of smaller game projects, and Argentics.io has proved their skill, good work organization, and reasonable costs management on the level enough to propose them mentioned MVP project.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

They were responsible for the preparation of GDD, production plan with milestones, and budgeting of the project. MVP of the game was produced in Unity 3D.

The project contains the starting screen and a single basic game scene - two armies are clashing in the battle to take control over the enemy base. The player gets control over one of these armies, directing the frontal and flanking assaults to defeat the opposite army. The game ends when the enemy base is destroyed.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

There were 3 code developers, 2 graphic specialists, 1 project manager and 1 product manager.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

When MVP was released, the client was happy with the result enough to begin crowdfunding and social media campaigns to extend the product to the full range game.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

During the project, we conducted weekly stand-ups, during which I've received constant work reports, partial deliverables, and other document/content updates. Communication was smooth and fast, I've worked directly with dedicated SPOC. Deadlines were meet without any delays.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I think their strong point is their flexibility in the project approach, especially when the client changes game conception. They are doing a lot to satisfy the client's expectations and meet hard project points (like timeline, scope, and budget).

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I think they are good in overall measurement. The minor problems we were meet during the cooperation, and which are natural things in remote work, were solved quickly and with goodwill.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CEO of a startup in the digital healthcare sector. We create assistive technology solutions for patients who suffer from visual, cognitive, or mobility challenges. Our emerging mobile application guides patients and caregivers through the drug therapy experience, improving medication safety, adherence, and data collection.

For what projects/services did your company hire Argentics.io?

Our application needed an avatar character presence to help guide patients through their drug therapy experience. Argentics was asked to create and animate a demo character from scratch as an introduction to the application.

What were your goals for this project?

Project goals included the completion of a stage 1 3D character model, the completion of an animation scene to be utilized in product demonstrations, and establishing a baseline character that could be improved and utilized throughout the application in future phases.

How did you select this vendor?

We found Argentics through an extensive search of developer sites and local talent.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

3D character development, rigging, and animation.

What was the team composition?

The team was composed of 3-4 individuals, including a project manager, a dedicated artist, and senior development support.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The project is still in early stages, so we cannot share at this time.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Great communication, very response team, helpful, and always on schedule. They asked the right questions and were flexible in meeting times.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Project organization and management were very good, and we found the open channel of communication to be excellent.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They performed their job as expected, and exceeded in many areas, so there was little downside experienced.