For those reading my blog, if you have any questions you'd like to ask me, you can post them in here or shoot me an e-mail which is posted in my profile (Click my name in the Profile box on the right and you'll see Email in the contact panel once the page loads up).
I'll also read requests for me to touch on certain topics you'd like more information on, if I have any that can help.
Over the next couple weeks I'll starts posting more information on some of the different roles in the Game industry and how to figure out which one is right for you and how you can prepare yourself if you want to study in those roles.
Cheers,
Ben
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Reasons to work in the Game Industry.
Working in the Game Industry can have it's perks! From massive launch parties to collaborating some great ideas on an up and coming title.
Making games!
For most people, they join the game industry because they have a huge passion for video games. When you're a video game fanatic, making games is the greatest job in the world! Plus you get the work on project that thousands, if not millions of people around the world will play. It's a hell of a lot of work, but in the end, does it ever pay off! It's a great feeling seeing a game that you've worked on for months/years finally make it to the shelf.
Salary
Another reason why some people choose to work in the game industry. Not all positions pay the same, but if you are a programmer, chances are that you'll be making a pretty good income. Entry level jobs usually pay pretty well, depending on the studio.
Knowledge
One of the things I loved is that everyday I would learn at least one new thing. The game industry is always evolving. New things and new ways of doing stuff is always coming out. You have to evolve with it, you have to learn new things on a daily basis. You'll also get to share your own knowledge on a daily basis with others in order to achieve goals or tasks. Or even just discuss different implementation techniques!
The People
I've always found that the people that you work with make the job so much better. Most people will love video games just as much as you, if not more. So you'll have something in common from the start. Plus with all the hard work that goes in each and every game, I find this brings teams together and you'll make some good friends really quick. I always found that people I worked with treated me almost like family and I loved it. Maybe not all studios are like this, but it's great if you work in one with this kind of setting.
Events
Most studios I know will have a few events throughout the year, not including launch parties and holidays! These are great for relaxing, getting to know more people around the studio, and meeting their families. These events are very social, just don't let the open bar make you go too crazy! Launch parties are pretty fun, everyone gets together to celebrate the release of the studios latest game or games. Sometimes it's even a really cool themed party at the beach or something of the likes.
Living the dream
Most people that work in this industry are here because they want to be. To them working extra hard into the wee hours of the morning is rewarding and makes them feel like they are accomplishing great things with their life! I'm a workaholic and being a programmer has always kept me busy, maybe even too much at times. It's a great feeling to be working along side others who share that passion and will be there with you every step of the journey, or project. This is an exciting career, if you want it to be.
Making games!
For most people, they join the game industry because they have a huge passion for video games. When you're a video game fanatic, making games is the greatest job in the world! Plus you get the work on project that thousands, if not millions of people around the world will play. It's a hell of a lot of work, but in the end, does it ever pay off! It's a great feeling seeing a game that you've worked on for months/years finally make it to the shelf.
Salary
Another reason why some people choose to work in the game industry. Not all positions pay the same, but if you are a programmer, chances are that you'll be making a pretty good income. Entry level jobs usually pay pretty well, depending on the studio.
Knowledge
One of the things I loved is that everyday I would learn at least one new thing. The game industry is always evolving. New things and new ways of doing stuff is always coming out. You have to evolve with it, you have to learn new things on a daily basis. You'll also get to share your own knowledge on a daily basis with others in order to achieve goals or tasks. Or even just discuss different implementation techniques!
The People
I've always found that the people that you work with make the job so much better. Most people will love video games just as much as you, if not more. So you'll have something in common from the start. Plus with all the hard work that goes in each and every game, I find this brings teams together and you'll make some good friends really quick. I always found that people I worked with treated me almost like family and I loved it. Maybe not all studios are like this, but it's great if you work in one with this kind of setting.
Events
Most studios I know will have a few events throughout the year, not including launch parties and holidays! These are great for relaxing, getting to know more people around the studio, and meeting their families. These events are very social, just don't let the open bar make you go too crazy! Launch parties are pretty fun, everyone gets together to celebrate the release of the studios latest game or games. Sometimes it's even a really cool themed party at the beach or something of the likes.
Living the dream
Most people that work in this industry are here because they want to be. To them working extra hard into the wee hours of the morning is rewarding and makes them feel like they are accomplishing great things with their life! I'm a workaholic and being a programmer has always kept me busy, maybe even too much at times. It's a great feeling to be working along side others who share that passion and will be there with you every step of the journey, or project. This is an exciting career, if you want it to be.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Reasons to avoid the Game Industry
So before I start telling you about the positive side of the Game Industry, here are the negative things that you should know.
Crunch time
From Alpha to Beta stages of the game it is crucial to be at work everyday. During this stage you’ll be polishing the game and fixing bugs from the QA testers. During this time you cannot take any vacation time, which can last up to 2-4 months, if not more. If you’re lucky, you’ll get testers that know what they are doing, if not you’ll get bugs that take days to fix or testers that don’t know what a bug is or how to describe it. As sad as that sounds, there are testers out there getting hired that don’t understand what a bug is and you’ll waste hours obtaining the information you need from them to continue.
Overtime
With crunch time usually comes a lot of overtime. This can depend how badly, or smoothly things are going and you may end up staying all day and into the night which can be difficult when you have family at home.
Constant Learning
The is also a good thing for those that like learning, as you'll be doing a lot of it, especially when you first start out. You'll be constantly learning new languages, software’s, engines etc, and you have to do it quickly and effectively. The Game Industry is constantly evolving and you will be doing a lot of research at work and at home.
Making games requires a LOT of work
No matter what your position (Programmer, Artist, Designer, and Producer) there's always something to do. At the beginning of the project, you will be doing lots of documentation, and then implementation of new features followed by testing and bug fixing. That’s a pretty general overview of a project. There’s also the fact that something you had been working hard on can be cut from the game and you have to move on. You may also work on a game or feature that you don't like at all, so you'll have to suck it up, or find work at a studio that makes the genre of games you like. Everything you do will depend on something or someone else which can slow you down and be very frustrating. You have to manage your time efficiently, and you’ll be dealing with pressure and stress on most days.
Creative Input
With what I mentioned before about not getting attached to a feature, creative input links into that. With some studios, you will get paid to do the job you are assigned to and that’s it. They won't care if you get a breakthrough idea or if you point out that something is stupid or doesn't make sense. Obviously not all studios are like this, but if sharing your ideas is something you really like, this is something to ask during an interview.
Risks
Studios sometime take a lot of risks in order to create their video games. If you are not comfortable working in a risky industry, making video games may not be for you.
Finding a job
This is probably the hardest thing to do if you don't have any experience in the game industry. You may have to move far to work for some studios, depending where you live. This is one of the many reasons why people will stop trying to get into the Game Industry, as they don’t want to leave family, friends, their home, etc.
Family
With everything I've mentioned so far, you can see that it can be hard to raise a family with all the stress, overtime, and moving around. So make sure that this is what you want in life. If you're thinking of starting a family, these are quite a few things to consider.
There is often a misconception that because you love playing games, making them will be just as fun but this career has it’s downfalls too. As you can see making games can sometimes be just as boring and tedious as any other job so don’t be too quick to think it’s all glamorous.
Crunch time
From Alpha to Beta stages of the game it is crucial to be at work everyday. During this stage you’ll be polishing the game and fixing bugs from the QA testers. During this time you cannot take any vacation time, which can last up to 2-4 months, if not more. If you’re lucky, you’ll get testers that know what they are doing, if not you’ll get bugs that take days to fix or testers that don’t know what a bug is or how to describe it. As sad as that sounds, there are testers out there getting hired that don’t understand what a bug is and you’ll waste hours obtaining the information you need from them to continue.
Overtime
With crunch time usually comes a lot of overtime. This can depend how badly, or smoothly things are going and you may end up staying all day and into the night which can be difficult when you have family at home.
Constant Learning
The is also a good thing for those that like learning, as you'll be doing a lot of it, especially when you first start out. You'll be constantly learning new languages, software’s, engines etc, and you have to do it quickly and effectively. The Game Industry is constantly evolving and you will be doing a lot of research at work and at home.
Making games requires a LOT of work
No matter what your position (Programmer, Artist, Designer, and Producer) there's always something to do. At the beginning of the project, you will be doing lots of documentation, and then implementation of new features followed by testing and bug fixing. That’s a pretty general overview of a project. There’s also the fact that something you had been working hard on can be cut from the game and you have to move on. You may also work on a game or feature that you don't like at all, so you'll have to suck it up, or find work at a studio that makes the genre of games you like. Everything you do will depend on something or someone else which can slow you down and be very frustrating. You have to manage your time efficiently, and you’ll be dealing with pressure and stress on most days.
Creative Input
With what I mentioned before about not getting attached to a feature, creative input links into that. With some studios, you will get paid to do the job you are assigned to and that’s it. They won't care if you get a breakthrough idea or if you point out that something is stupid or doesn't make sense. Obviously not all studios are like this, but if sharing your ideas is something you really like, this is something to ask during an interview.
Risks
Studios sometime take a lot of risks in order to create their video games. If you are not comfortable working in a risky industry, making video games may not be for you.
Finding a job
This is probably the hardest thing to do if you don't have any experience in the game industry. You may have to move far to work for some studios, depending where you live. This is one of the many reasons why people will stop trying to get into the Game Industry, as they don’t want to leave family, friends, their home, etc.
Family
With everything I've mentioned so far, you can see that it can be hard to raise a family with all the stress, overtime, and moving around. So make sure that this is what you want in life. If you're thinking of starting a family, these are quite a few things to consider.
There is often a misconception that because you love playing games, making them will be just as fun but this career has it’s downfalls too. As you can see making games can sometimes be just as boring and tedious as any other job so don’t be too quick to think it’s all glamorous.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
The Game Industry
There are a lot of gamers out there and a lot of these gamers believe that making games is as much fun as playing them, which is not always true. While there are some fun and positive aspects to working in the game industry, most people's perception of how making a game works is skewed, which is what I hope to clear up in my next few posts.
The game industry has changed a lot over the past few years. As with any company, they are driven by profit rather than pushing the boundaries or coming up with new innovative ideas for games. Since often times innovation includes risk, they take the safe rout and simply push for more sales. Obviously not all companies are like this but you can be sure that the majority are.
There's also the fact that most companies nowadays get more applications, mostly from new graduates, than they can handle. So if they can replace you with someone who has the same amount of knowledge, but at a lower salary, chances are that they are going to do just that. This is often called ‘re-structuring’ and includes layoffs we’ve been hearing about lately. While I believe some companies have been affected by the economy, most are not and are using it as a reason for layoffs.
That's why, if you still want to work in the Game Industry, you have to really be passionate about video games. There's nothing worse than working for a studio for a couple of years and then to be brought into an office to be told that your services are 'no longer required'. Just like that, your out of a job with no clear explanation in less then 5 minutes. It's happened to me and to a lot more people in the industry than you may think.
So, in the next few days I'll post about what I think are some positives and negatives of the Game Industry and hopefully clear up some misconceptions too.
The game industry has changed a lot over the past few years. As with any company, they are driven by profit rather than pushing the boundaries or coming up with new innovative ideas for games. Since often times innovation includes risk, they take the safe rout and simply push for more sales. Obviously not all companies are like this but you can be sure that the majority are.
There's also the fact that most companies nowadays get more applications, mostly from new graduates, than they can handle. So if they can replace you with someone who has the same amount of knowledge, but at a lower salary, chances are that they are going to do just that. This is often called ‘re-structuring’ and includes layoffs we’ve been hearing about lately. While I believe some companies have been affected by the economy, most are not and are using it as a reason for layoffs.
That's why, if you still want to work in the Game Industry, you have to really be passionate about video games. There's nothing worse than working for a studio for a couple of years and then to be brought into an office to be told that your services are 'no longer required'. Just like that, your out of a job with no clear explanation in less then 5 minutes. It's happened to me and to a lot more people in the industry than you may think.
So, in the next few days I'll post about what I think are some positives and negatives of the Game Industry and hopefully clear up some misconceptions too.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Introduction
Hello and welcome to my blog!
I've worked in the game industry for a little bit over 3 years. Over that time I've gained a lot of knowledge on how things work in this industry. I've had my fair share of good and bad experiences. I'm starting this blog in order to share my knowledge and experiences with others.
One of the things I remember the most before I got into this industry is that there is very little information out there for those that want to get in this industry. With that said, I'll be posting information on roles in the game industry and what is expected from those role.
Other topics may pop up here and there, but my main focus is to provide information on the game industry to help those that may want to eventually work in it.
Cheers,
Ben
I've worked in the game industry for a little bit over 3 years. Over that time I've gained a lot of knowledge on how things work in this industry. I've had my fair share of good and bad experiences. I'm starting this blog in order to share my knowledge and experiences with others.
One of the things I remember the most before I got into this industry is that there is very little information out there for those that want to get in this industry. With that said, I'll be posting information on roles in the game industry and what is expected from those role.
Other topics may pop up here and there, but my main focus is to provide information on the game industry to help those that may want to eventually work in it.
Cheers,
Ben