This works for me in mechanical construction projects.

Specifying durations from deliverables rather than absolute dates has transformed the way I run projects. So instead of saying "we'll be on site 2 Feb 11", thus setting ourselves a deadline without holding others accountable for their deadlines, we say "we'll be on site 3 weeks after all design review issues are closed, and this list of actions is complete".

It's not a silver bullet. It has worked wonders for controlling risk associated with penalty clauses in contracts, and cuts out the need for a lot of communication (i.e. bitching and CYA tactics). I'm convinced that it justs makes everybody more accountable, somehow.

Now if only I could find a WBS/Gantt chart tool that supports durations and not dates... MS Project doesn't.

Taskjuggler supports durations http://www.taskjuggler.org/

A game publisher would consider this to be playing hardball and move on. Work-for-hire gamedev is a really bad business.

Exactly this. I had a brief foray into this. A mentor of mine had taken over the reigns for the mobile division of a large publisher. He asked me to work on a few titles for them, and I gladly did. It sounded fun.

He was great (and remains a mentor and friend), but my GOD was the larger legal department a nightmare. They attempted to put 100% of the risk on to me. I lasted about 3 weeks before I had to tell my friend that his company was insane, and they weren't budging. Unfortunately, even as a high level executive, there wasn't much he could do.

Thus ended my brief career as a freelance game developer:)

This is yet another reason for software developers to unionize. Otherwise it'll continue to be a race to the bottom as developers continue undercutting each other and giving away any leverage they may have had.

That would be a terrible reason to unionize.

Let developers race to the bottom for bottom-feeder work. It's no concern of yours, since that's not the sort of work you want.

You're a professional, and will deliver high-quality work in exchange for a premium rate. There are plenty of clients out there who are willing to pay for things to be done right.

All that unionizing would accomplish is dragging you and me down into that pit you describe. I'll thank you to refrain from doing so.

Are you experienced with this? It sounds plausible, but the publishers sound like the kind of assholes who would have a way to screw you even then.

I've done many advertising campaigns who's dates shift based on the client dragging their feet delivering assets. We absolutely put them on the hook for getting critical stuff to us and then saying it's 3 weeks from that delivery date.