Gaming careers.

[Good morning blues]

I make amateur games as a hobby and I don't want to turn it into a career. Maybe ask for donations for the next one, but not a career.

 

[SimuLord]

About the only chance I'd ever have of making it in the games industry would be as the staff accountant for a games company once I finish my CPA certification three or four years from now.

 

[Fightgarr]

I'd love to do concept art for games at some point. I wouldn't want it to be my entire career though. Art is my thing and art is what I'll do for the rest of my life. If it leads me to the games industry that's great, if not, I'm fine with being a piss poor artist.

 

[Avatar Roku]

I'm interested in being a programmer, focusing on either physics or AI. I'm sixteen and I've been programming for years, but I'm just now starting my first actual project. What I'd like to know from anyone who's in the industry is this: Am I getting ahead or lagging behind? Should I be fluent in a bunch of programming languages by now or do I not have to worry about that until university? Is it difficult to get a job in the games industry? How competitive is it?

You're very similar to me. I took a programming class in High School (in Java, by the way) and in two years I'll be taking a college level class at the high school. Whether or not I get into the games industry, I know that what I'll end up doing will involve programming, I absolutely love it.

 

[Nutcase]

If you're a programmer, write efficient code. If you write an algorithm that uses 100 lines, try to write it in 50. Use loops only when absolutely necessary. You will be called upon to come up with solutions to strange problems from the interview on. Practice writing these problems in C++, if you can complete these in under 3 hours then you're ready for an interview:
http://the-name-less-blog.blogspot.com/2005/12/cc-puzzles.html

Wait, what? Tricks, language lawyering and memorization do not equal productive or marketable programming skill. Unless you are trying to get employed in India, in which case it might be marketable.

Furthermore, LOC measurement has nothing to do with efficiency of code, not using loops is silly, and the two even run counter to each other.

A person wishing to be a programmer should keep learning about general, high-level concepts, software engineering and production. For the pro, languages and tools will end up being mostly interchangeable. Being able to do short, neat hacks is no guarantee of being useful for filling real-world specifications with maintainable code, which is what being a professional programmer is about.

 

[zen5887]

With a bit of luck I hope to get into composition for video games. I love music and I love games, makes sence.

However I'm not sure if I'm up to it, I don't think its an easy industry to break into but I've still got 2 years of my degree to get better so we'll see how we go =D

 

[OneHP]

Did anyone look at "5. C/C++ : Multiply x by 7 without using multiplication (*) operator. " and immediately think:

Spoiler

y = x/(1/7)

?

 

[insectoid]

I didn't...but that would seem the best way to do it.

 

[irrelevantnugget]

I study Communication Sciences.

One of the four possible specialisations in this course, is Journalism.
Within that option, I can work on certain subjects, one of which is 'Gaming'.

So yeah. I'm considering gaming journalism, but we'll see. Plenty of other interesting options remain.

 

[Labyrinth]

I concur with your comment about how the Escapist seems more intellectual than most forums. I've never encountered so few grammar and spelling mistakes.

Yes indeed. And next to no webspeak.

To the OP, I've always considered doing graphic design and modelling for games. Due to my artistic ability, it's likely that I'd be sketching characters and locations. Would be quite fun to get down to some of the newer graphic levels. That said I can see myself working in something less high-tech because I'm a huge fan of older games which have depth.

 

[Ancalagon]

I'd like to end up in games programming. I'm doing a Computer Science degree, which I have a year-and-a-half left to run, but the majority of the programming in it is done in Java, so I've got a stack of C++ books by my desk that I'm plodding through as well. If anyone has any suggestions concerning good books to read on the subject, I'd be very grateful.

I also have a final project to do for my degree on my chosen speciality, AI, so I'm hoping I can do something that can go in to a portfolio for that, and I might take a year out teaching abroad after I'm done, and work on more stuff then.

Can anyone advise on the importance of learning a scripting language (Python, Lua, etc.) as well? I gather it's a good thing to have; is it worth taking time out from all my other learning to work on that? And if so, what's the best one to go for?

Finally, as a student, I get free versions of a lot of applications used in the industry: Maya, for example. Is it worth learning the basics of these, not with the expectation of using them on a daily basis, just to better understand other parts of the game-making process?

 

[Nutcase]

I'd like to end up in games programming. I'm doing a Computer Science degree, which I have a year-and-a-half left to run, but the majority of the programming in it is done in Java, so I've got a stack of C++ books by my desk that I'm plodding through as well. If anyone has any suggestions concerning good books to read on the subject, I'd be very grateful.

I also have a final project to do for my degree on my chosen speciality, AI, so I'm hoping I can do something that can go in to a portfolio for that, and I might take a year out teaching abroad after I'm done, and work on more stuff then.

Can anyone advise on the importance of learning a scripting language (Python, Lua, etc.) as well? I gather it's a good thing to have; is it worth taking time out from all my other learning to work on that? And if so, what's the best one to go for?

Definitely useful. I have gotten started learning Python, and I'm ATM not even interested in using it for game scripting, but prototyping, small apps, text manipulation, and a glue language.

As for reading recommendations:

The Pragmatic Programmer - about the process of creating software, good for basically any programmer, but even better for someone who has limited experience.
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs - this is about fundamentals of programming. The code used in the book is in Scheme, which is a dialect of Lisp, which is a traditional language for e.g. AI. I recommend checking out this book regardless of whether you ever intend to write a line of production code in Lisp.

Finally, as a student, I get free versions of a lot of applications used in the industry: Maya, for example. Is it worth learning the basics of these, not with the expectation of using them on a daily basis, just to better understand other parts of the game-making process?

No. It's hard enough getting to grips with your own side of things. The only way I see this becoming relevant was if you became a toolchain developer, ie. working on a level editor.

 

[TMAN10112]

I though about getting a job in part of the design process, but I think I would be better in something science or history related. I am still considering it though.

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

I want to be a concept artist, I usually have great Ideas for vehicles and weapons and the like.

 

[Syndef]

I really, *really* want to be a game designer. I have all these ideas in my head that are dying to get out. However, I understand that this kind of job is hard to get. It's the fun part of making games, and there are only a few. The only way is to start my own company, but we all know how risky that is.

 

[Ancalagon]

Definitely useful. I have gotten started learning Python, and I'm ATM not even interested in using it for game scripting, but prototyping, small apps, text manipulation, and a glue language.

As for reading recommendations:

The Pragmatic Programmer - about the process of creating software, good for basically any programmer, but even better for someone who has limited experience.
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs - this is about fundamentals of programming. The code used in the book is in Scheme, which is a dialect of Lisp, which is a traditional language for e.g. AI. I recommend checking out this book regardless of whether you ever intend to write a line of production code in Lisp.

Finally, as a student, I get free versions of a lot of applications used in the industry: Maya, for example. Is it worth learning the basics of these, not with the expectation of using them on a daily basis, just to better understand other parts of the game-making process?

No. It's hard enough getting to grips with your own side of things. The only way I see this becoming relevant was if you became a toolchain developer, ie. working on a level editor.

Thanks for the response, I really appreciate the input. I'll order the books today; they both look like I could get a lot from them.

 

[dirtboy69]

always wanted to get into the gaming industry on the programming side and never even got into school for it. i did run a very unsuccessful used video game store for a few months last year. got some great games real cheap in the end.and the big ass sign that hung above the door. it the rent on the building i had was cheaper id probably be still running but hey

 

[SomeBritishDude]

I wouldn't want to become part of the gaming industry. I think it'd become pretty tedious, I'm no good with computers and have you ever been around game designers? The smell is horrendous, I'm not even joking.

I suppose if I was a part of the industry I'd want to become a concept artist. I am a art student after all, and I love some of the stuff thoughs guys do.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

Yes. I am considering getting into a career in gaming, and in fact, The developers RARE (Viva Piñata and Banjo kazooie) are based within 10 miles from my home. I would consider giving them a call.

 

[Dommyboy]

If I were to work in the gaming industry I could get around with most of the careers. Deciding which one I want to follow is different though. Slightly out of the topic but does computer science courses require strong advanced math skills?