Games Industry

[jaeger138]

So I'm sure everyone's heard this before, but I did a search and couldn't find anything that answered this.

Of course, like many gamers I want a job in the industry. I'm aware that now isn't the best time for the industry, but that can be said for a lot of indsutries right now.

I'm asking how? All the jobs I see are for seniors with plenty of experience, or involve skills I don't have. I'm not a good artist and I don't know design or programming. I can't afford to take classes in anything either, but I'd really like to learn the skills necessary to get a job. I'm young so I'm open to learning but I'm poor through lack of a job so I need cheap/free ways to help me. I don't care so much which aspect I enter into, I like design, I wouldn't mind learning to code, I wouldn't mind writing, story or journalism, I just really want to know where I start. I don't have a degree but I don't think it matters if you know what you're doing these days.

So if anyone can help, I'd really appreciate it. And hopefully anybody else with this type of question will be able to use this thread for advice too. I may also consider compiling good info into an advice thread which can be added to at any given time.

EDIT: Also, I notice QA testing always seems to require bilingual applicants, anywhere that just wants a dude who speaks English?

 

[New Troll]

There are several freeware coding programs out there. I would suggest looking into one of them and just see if you have what it takes to program.

Personaly, I don't. I have the skills for the job, but not the drive to continue doing that day in and day out for the rest of my life. To me, it was so very freaking boring.

On a related note, I wouldn't mind becoming a columnist in "the industry" though.

But anyways, I just recommend doing some research, which you can do a lot of these days on-line, and trying to find your niche. And then just keep fine tuning till your day comes. And most of all, try to have fun!

 

[cobra_ky]

go to your local library and find some books. then start making games. any kind of of game. they don't even need to be computer games; board games, card games, whatever. just keep making games. chances are you will suck at first. keep making games until they are awesome. while you do this, you'll figure out which parts you (really) like and which parts you're good at. focus your job search on these areas.

what game companies want to see more than anything is that you have made interesting games. do that and they won't care how you learned it.

 

[jaeger138]

Well I have written a few articles as I am interested in Journalism as writing seems to be the only thing I can train without having to get software or books or something. But I would like to get into other aspects and have recently started using the trial of Flash MX, but it's hard going as I'm not a very good artist and things don't tend to turn out the way I might like, and I'm only making small animated pictures! Let alone movies or games.

Anyone know what code would be most beneficial to learn besides ActionScript?

 

[cleverlymadeup]

you'll have to learn how to code or do design stuff in order to really get into the game industry.

as for not being bilingual, you can easily learn another language and there's tons of free ways of doing so. starting at your local library for both coding and languages will help

 

[LiquidGrape]

Don't aspire to be part of the industry.
Aspire to be part of the form!
...apart from that, I'm sorry to say I have nothing of use to add.

 

[jaeger138]

you'll have to learn how to code or do design stuff in order to really get into the game industry.

as for not being bilingual, you can easily learn another language and there's tons of free ways of doing so. starting at your local library for both coding and languages will help

Lol, thanx, but I'm not gonna learn Danish just because I saw a job posting that required it. I'm in the process (early stages) of learning a language but I'm not doing it for a job, lol.

But what code would be best to learn? C++? Or VC? Or plain old C?

Don't aspire to be part of the industry.
Aspire to be part of the form!
...apart from that, I'm sorry to say I have nothing of use to add.

Whichever way it's put, I want a job! lol. I'm not expecting to get rich or make a blockbuster hit, I just want to be a part of it and make some games I'd love to play.

 

[Calobi]

you'll have to learn how to code or do design stuff in order to really get into the game industry.

as for not being bilingual, you can easily learn another language and there's tons of free ways of doing so. starting at your local library for both coding and languages will help

Lol, thanx, but I'm not gonna learn Danish just because I saw a job posting that required it. I'm in the process (early stages) of learning a language but I'm not doing it for a job, lol.

But what code would be best to learn? C++? Or VC? Or plain old C?

Do it from C up. Trust me, if you become good at C, all the rest of the concepts will be cake.

 

[jaeger138]

Do it from C up. Trust me, if you become good at C, all the rest of the concepts will be cake.

I assume you speak from experience, but would there be any point learning C? Isn't it outdated? And if i'm not going to use it then would it be more worth just learning C++ or another industry standard code? I ask because I don't have a clue, but I'll look into learning C for now unless you or someone else thinks I'd be better off starting somewhere else.

 

[cobra_ky]

Do it from C up. Trust me, if you become good at C, all the rest of the concepts will be cake.

I assume you speak from experience, but would there be any point learning C? Isn't it outdated? And if i'm not going to use it then would it be more worth just learning C++ or another industry standard code? I ask because I don't have a clue, but I'll look into learning C for now unless you or someone else thinks I'd be better off starting somewhere else.

C and C++ are similar enough that it doesn't really matter. i'd say go with C++ first so you don't get bogged down in crap like pointer arithmetic.

or better yet, learn Java or python. personally i don't like java that much, but it'll force you to learn object-oriented programming and it seems like it's all the rage nowadays. personally i love python and i know there's some good free game development tools for it. it's what i used for all my game development classes.

 

[jaeger138]

Can anyone suggest any books or free reading/net downloads that would help with C++?

C and C++ are similar enough that it doesn't really matter. i'd say go with C++ first so you don't get bogged down in crap like pointer arithmetic.

or better yet, learn Java or python. personally i don't like java that much, but it'll force you to learn object-oriented programming and it seems like it's all the rage nowadays. personally i love python and i know there's some good free game development tools for it. it's what i used for all my game development classes.

So what's the positive points of python? Is it just as hard as other things or is it quite easy to use?

 

[Chocomint]

Python is very easy to use and intuitive.

I used to work at a place where you didn't have to be bilingual to work in QA. They basically trained you from scratch if needed, only problem was it was a temporary position, so at any time you could get a call saying they didn't need you anymore.

 

[cobra_ky]

Can anyone suggest any books or free reading/net downloads that would help with C++?

C and C++ are similar enough that it doesn't really matter. i'd say go with C++ first so you don't get bogged down in crap like pointer arithmetic.

or better yet, learn Java or python. personally i don't like java that much, but it'll force you to learn object-oriented programming and it seems like it's all the rage nowadays. personally i love python and i know there's some good free game development tools for it. it's what i used for all my game development classes.

So what's the positive points of python? Is it just as hard as other things or is it quite easy to use?

it's definitely easier to read. i knew c++ and java for years before learning python, so i'm sort of biased, but my guess is it would be easier. honestly i'd look at a few books/websites, see a few languages, and go with whatever looks easiest/most fun.

we used it in game development because we were working with a bunch of free software game engines and libraries written around python.

 

[jaeger138]

Well free sounds good, lol. I'm all into freeware and I guess if I want to build a portfolio I'd need to publish it for free so using free stuff would be ideal. Thanks for all the advice everyone, I shall attend my local library hastily tomorrow and see what I can find in the tiny section on IT.

 

[Calobi]

Do it from C up. Trust me, if you become good at C, all the rest of the concepts will be cake.

I assume you speak from experience, but would there be any point learning C? Isn't it outdated? And if i'm not going to use it then would it be more worth just learning C++ or another industry standard code? I ask because I don't have a clue, but I'll look into learning C for now unless you or someone else thinks I'd be better off starting somewhere else.

While C isn't as useful in a lot of practices as object-oriented languages (Such as C++) it forces you really understand how languages work. The college I'm in goes for a year of C then half for C++. The idea is that C teaches you a base on which other languages can be built on. If you can follow pointers and not get terribly bogged down you'll be better off than many other programmers.

If you want to jump straight into making bigger projects, though, learning an object-oriented language would be better suited. And there I suggest C++; although I don't have experience with much beyond that. If you're OK with starting smaller, you can use OpenGL and other APIs to make some nice little games and learn the ropes then start making bigger ones.

Summary: C is good for getting a good base to learn other languages. Object-oriented languages will probably be more useful.

 

[eatenbyagrue]

As always, try and get a job at the bottom: maybe a bug tester, or as an intern. With hard work and time, you should be able to work your way up.


I remember EGM (before they went defunct) used to publish a monthly column where they'd interview people inside the industry and ask them stuff about their jobs (how they got it, what they need, what it entails, etc.), so I figure you could try hunting down back issues for a start.

Me, I'm doing it old school: I'm gonna use my degree in Journalism to get a job at some game publication, then maybe use that as my proverbial "foot in the door".

 

[Knonsense]

QA jobs require bilingualism? Well, there goes my recommendation. QA is supposed to be torture anyway.

Anyway, try to educate yourself and put together a portfolio. Maybe look for a game design community (though it might be hard to find one outside of a university).

But, yeah, it is really going to be hard to get such a job without college. If not impossible.

Here's a link to something from the IGDA: http://www.igda.org/breakingin/

 

[jaeger138]

QA jobs require bilingualism? Well, there goes my recommendation. QA is supposed to be torture anyway.

Anyway, try to educate yourself and put together a portfolio. Maybe look for a game design community (though it might be hard to find one outside of a university).

But, yeah, it is really going to be hard to get such a job without college. If not impossible.

Here's a link to something from the IGDA: http://www.igda.org/breakingin/

Lol, no, it just seems that all the QA jobs I've seen require me to speak another language. One I saw recently was Japanese to Spanish translation. But I don't think it's impossible, just harder work to get where you want to go.

 

[Knonsense]

QA jobs require bilingualism? Well, there goes my recommendation. QA is supposed to be torture anyway.

Anyway, try to educate yourself and put together a portfolio. Maybe look for a game design community (though it might be hard to find one outside of a university).

But, yeah, it is really going to be hard to get such a job without college. If not impossible.

Here's a link to something from the IGDA: http://www.igda.org/breakingin/

Lol, no, it just seems that all the QA jobs I've seen require me to speak another language. One I saw recently was Japanese to Spanish translation. But I don't think it's impossible, just harder work to get where you want to go.

Huh. I wasn't aware that localization fell under the umbrella of QA.

 

[jaeger138]

Huh. I wasn't aware that localization fell under the umbrella of QA.

Me either, but like I said, all the QA postings I've seen lately have been thus. It just seems odd as some of these postings were for jobs in the UK. How likely is is that you'll find a person who speaks English, Japanese AND Spanish in this country? Kinda specific, huh.