Thursday, November 12, 2009
Mothers, Don't Let Your Children Grow Up To Be Game Developers
Bruce On Games has a very good list of reasons why you don't want to work in the (mainstream) games business:
Bruce On Games: You Don't Want to Work in the Video Games Industry
For the most part, I think his list is pretty accurate insofar as my experience goes. Though I think in American companies, there are quite a few more game designers than he seems to indicate. The role of "designer" isn't what most wannabes think it is, though. It's not designing games whole cloth - more like being a level designer on the design committee. There's a lot of scripting involved. And filling out spreadsheets. And whining to programmers that you need such-and-such a feature.
I used to recommend the experience for people who might want to become indies down the road. It's still good on-the-job training, but the larger studios are so compartmentalized now that it doesn't provide the breadth of experience that used to be worthwhile. So I'm now hesitant on that recommendation - unless you get a job with a small studio.
Labels: Biz
- posted by The Rampant Coyote @ 7:15 AM (Permalink)
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When I left Sensory Sweep (since I was pretty interested in getting paid) no other game company in the state was hiring. The more I thought about it, working in the game industry wasn't any fun. The only game that I worked on that I liked (My Japanese Coach) drove me nuts because of the publisher and the management.
Now I'm working at the University of Utah and the work is no more or less exciting than working the the game industry and I can still work on my own games at home. Even better now since there's no overtime!
Working in the game industry was nice, I'm glad I did it. I'm also glad that I only did it for a year and a half.
Now I'm working at the University of Utah and the work is no more or less exciting than working the the game industry and I can still work on my own games at home. Even better now since there's no overtime!
Working in the game industry was nice, I'm glad I did it. I'm also glad that I only did it for a year and a half.
My current day job is MUCH more fun than the Sensory Sweep gig, on the whole. And making games as an indie is 1000% more satisfying.
Yeah - I think it is valuable to "do your time" in the mainstream business, still, if you have plans on going indie on the other side. But I think to get the most out of it, you should work with a smaller studio / smaller projects, and have the chance to be more involved in aspects of the project outside of your specialty.
Yeah - I think it is valuable to "do your time" in the mainstream business, still, if you have plans on going indie on the other side. But I think to get the most out of it, you should work with a smaller studio / smaller projects, and have the chance to be more involved in aspects of the project outside of your specialty.
I worked for three months for a REALLY small studio that makes casual games. I was supossed to be a designer, but I didn't design ANYTHING. All I did was scripting (for quests that were already designed) and dialogue. But mostly dialogue.
So... yeah, small studios (we were 5 people working on this game) are not what they are made out to be. In general, that is.
Or maybe I just had bad luck =/
So... yeah, small studios (we were 5 people working on this game) are not what they are made out to be. In general, that is.
Or maybe I just had bad luck =/
Can you telecommute for this kind of job? Could I be, say, a paid beta tester at home or would sending me the game over the internet not fly?
Because that would make actually finding a job within reach a lot easier, given the "nobody's hiring" part.
Because that would make actually finding a job within reach a lot easier, given the "nobody's hiring" part.
@ Diego:
Well, "designer" is such a catch-all term these days -- if a game dev isn't specifically an artist, programmer or tester, then hey, let's call them a designer.
And there are certainly divisions in what qualifies as a "designer" (at least three off the top of my head):
1) Lead Designer: Comes up with original game design, i.e. the overarching set of features and gameplay.
2) Level Designer: Builds game levels; can run the gamut from placing tiles for a 2-D game, to building 3D architecture and placing objects, to full-on terrain/environment creation. (Often overlaps into artist territory...)
3) Script Designer (aka "Programmer Lite"): Scripts AI behavior, character dialogue, events, object properties, and possibly UI.
So when a game designer gets hired for the "Game Designer" position expecting to do #1, or possibly #2, but ends up doing #3... (>.<)
Well, "designer" is such a catch-all term these days -- if a game dev isn't specifically an artist, programmer or tester, then hey, let's call them a designer.
And there are certainly divisions in what qualifies as a "designer" (at least three off the top of my head):
1) Lead Designer: Comes up with original game design, i.e. the overarching set of features and gameplay.
2) Level Designer: Builds game levels; can run the gamut from placing tiles for a 2-D game, to building 3D architecture and placing objects, to full-on terrain/environment creation. (Often overlaps into artist territory...)
3) Script Designer (aka "Programmer Lite"): Scripts AI behavior, character dialogue, events, object properties, and possibly UI.
So when a game designer gets hired for the "Game Designer" position expecting to do #1, or possibly #2, but ends up doing #3... (>.<)
And either way you end up deep in the #2... :)
And actually, it's often somebody in a business suit who comes up with the overarching set of features and gameplay. Probably because of some license or last year's hit game. The lead designer has to work within those constraints.
And actually, it's often somebody in a business suit who comes up with the overarching set of features and gameplay. Probably because of some license or last year's hit game. The lead designer has to work within those constraints.
@DGM
I'd be amazed if any company was willing to hire a telecommuting tester. Tester is the lowest rung on the ladder and probably the easiest position to fill.
I'd be amazed if any company was willing to hire a telecommuting tester. Tester is the lowest rung on the ladder and probably the easiest position to fill.
D'oh @ Califer
Hopefully I can find some way around that in part once my portfolio exists proper, :knocks on disability'ish wood:
Hopefully I can find some way around that in part once my portfolio exists proper, :knocks on disability'ish wood:
Totally agree with this article. My experience wasn't nearly as grueling as stories I've heard from friends, but there is definitely an element of taking advantage of people because it's such a coveted job.
The point about design schools was especially harsh, but I've suspected that for some time. It really brings home the fact that post-secondary education is a BUSINESS. It's about enrollment to pay the college's expenses, market conditions or practicality be damned.
I guess it goes with a story I heard from a comp sci professor I talked to at a GDC a few years ago: He told me that 4 year schools that would normally never stoop to game development were modifying their programs because interest in traditional comp sci was flagging but people were crazy about games.
The point about design schools was especially harsh, but I've suspected that for some time. It really brings home the fact that post-secondary education is a BUSINESS. It's about enrollment to pay the college's expenses, market conditions or practicality be damned.
I guess it goes with a story I heard from a comp sci professor I talked to at a GDC a few years ago: He told me that 4 year schools that would normally never stoop to game development were modifying their programs because interest in traditional comp sci was flagging but people were crazy about games.
@ Califer
Beta testing was just an example. The real thrust of my question was the security issue of sending the game over the internet.
Beta testing was just an example. The real thrust of my question was the security issue of sending the game over the internet.
Yeah, by scripting I meant "using xml to enter the dialogue I just wrote, into the game, which could have been done by a tool but hey, I wouldn't be a 'designer' if I wasn't scripting right?" *sigh*.
I mean, I knew I was going to have a million constraints, that's the way it goes even for small teams, but not even being allowed designing how a quest progresses (which sequence of people you have to talk to in orther to progress) was insulting to say the least.
Anyway, the game got cancelled and now I don't work for them anymore thanks to that...
But don't get me wrong, they were really nice people, but my boss had... well, he thinks he is a designer but all he does is take other games and change the theme and PRESTO you've got your original game. (He actually said this to me like it was the most wonderful way to make a game...)
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I mean, I knew I was going to have a million constraints, that's the way it goes even for small teams, but not even being allowed designing how a quest progresses (which sequence of people you have to talk to in orther to progress) was insulting to say the least.
Anyway, the game got cancelled and now I don't work for them anymore thanks to that...
But don't get me wrong, they were really nice people, but my boss had... well, he thinks he is a designer but all he does is take other games and change the theme and PRESTO you've got your original game. (He actually said this to me like it was the most wonderful way to make a game...)
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