Going Indy

So you want to go Indy?

I see a lot of posts on forums that look something like this:

I want to break into the game industry, but I really don't want to waste my time going to school or anything. I've got this great idea for a game and I know it will be the greatest. I'm thinking I'll just skip the whole job thing and just start my own game company. Can you give me some advice?

Anyone who has followed my blog for a while knows that I am a pretty strong advocate for the more traditional route to a job in the game industry: get a degree, then get an entry level job and move on from there. The biggest problem with posts like the one above is that it looks like whoever wrote it:

• Doesn't really want to work hard
• Is trying to skip all the prep work
• Thinks their great idea is so great that everyone else is dumb for not realizing it
• ...and finally, doesn't have a clue!

But let's say we're talking about someone who has really prepared and wants to seriously consider going independent rather than working for another game developer. What should such a person consider when trying to make this decision?

Motivation

The first question you should ask your self is why? There are many motivations people have for choosing to go independent:

1. A veteran in the industry may decide that it's time to break out of the mold and start a company that is run the way they want it to be run.
2. A student may decide that going independent is the best way to extend their project from school and turn it into a completed, marketable game.
3. In the current economy, going independent is a viable alternative to unemployment.
   

These are all good reasons to consider going independent. If this is something you are seriously considering, then realize that you have a lot of work ahead of you. Running your own studio is much harder than just getting a job and working for someone else, so make sure you know what you are getting yourself into!

Do Your Homework

First, starting an independent game studio is much like starting any other business. You have to consider what form your business will take (e.g. sole proprietorship, corporation, etc.). There are licenses to get and bank accounts to create. Will you have employees? Triple all of that!

If you have never run a business, then you need to do some research and find out exactly what it takes to start one. One resource I can definitely suggest is your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The SBDC is a branch of the federal Small Business Administration. They offer free information and advice and can also facilitate a small business loan. Check them out at http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/sbdc/index.html.

Are You a Business Person?

I have been self-employed for almost 20 years. I think the most important lesson that I have learned is that being really good at what you do (e.g. art, programming, game design) does not necessarily mean that you are good at running a business. In truth, I am really good a programming, but I suck at running a business.

In order to be successful, you are going to need someone who is really good at business. If creating art or writing code is what excites you the most, then you probably are not that person! Someone who is truly good at business gets excited about things like marketing, sales, budgeting, and cold-calls...these are not things that I love to do.

So, if you are seriously considering starting an independent studio, make sure that you have someone on your team who dreams of running a business more than they dream about creating a great game.

So Many Hats to Wear

If you truly are thinking about going solo, then remember that the full responsibility will be yours to make things work. As an independent computer programmer, I estimate that I spend only 25% of my time actually coding. The other 75% is spent finding work, getting people to pay me, and doing paperwork and other administrative chores. You may be able to run solo for a while, but eventually you will have to bring in other people who are experts at business so you can focus on your area of expertise.

And so much more...

Of course, there is no way I could go into all of the details of starting an independent studio in one post. Hopefully this has at least given you some food for thought. Going independent is a hard road, but it can also be rewarding. And there has never been a better time for independent studios in terms of technology and opportunity.

Until next time...Good luck!

Robert

All Roads Lead…

Well, it has been quite a while since I posted to my blog, and of course, a lot has happened. I have moved on to "greener pastures" after begin laid off, yet I am still going strong. Stay tuned here for my current venture. Until then, let's continue my topic on how to break into the game industry.

In my last blog ("Let's Make a Deal"), I talked about the three most common ways to get an entry level job in the game industry: programmer, artist, and game tester. While these three "doors" are the most common entry points, there are certainly other possibilities!

There are so many types of jobs in the game industry that I couldn't possibly cover all of the options. However, after reading this post one thing should be apparent: There are many roads that lead to the doors of the game industry. If you want to be a part of this great field, then there is a place for you regardless of your age, background, or choice of education.

The following positions are part of the standard production team for most studios. They were not included in the previous post because they are typically less likely to be available as entry level positions.

• Producer/Associate Producer
  
  Producers are the project managers of game development. They are responsible for leading the production team, insuring that the project is on time and on budget, and interfacing with management and the publisher. Associate producers typically assist the producer. Whereas the producer may have responsibility over several projects, the associate producer may only assist with a single project. Of course, each studio is different.
  
  
• Game Designer
  
  It seems like everyone wants to be a game designer. Everyone has this great idea for a game and thinks that qualifies them to be a game designer.
  
  "If Studio X only realized how great this game idea is they'd hire me!"
  
  Of course, it takes more than just a great game idea to be a game designer. Among other things, you must have excellent communications and writing skills. You should have a broad background in humanities such as philosophy, history, and psychology. Finally, you should be designing games, even if they are paper based!
  
  As one reader of my last post pointed out, it is possible to get an entry level job as a game designer. In fact, the last studio I worked at had done so. Just realize that it take more than a great game idea.
  

The positions below are often support positions in the IT (Information Technology) department, but can also be directly involved in the game depending on the type of game.

• PC Support
  
  Do you have a knack for working with PC and Macs? Can you configure and troubleshoot? Load software? Install hardware? Most studios need people with these skills to keep a multitude of workstations working, configured, and upgraded.
  

• Network Engineer
  
  Most studios have a relatively complex internal network and they need someone with the skills to build it, configure it, tear it down, set it up, and keep it running. This includes knowledge of servers to support version control, SharePoint, Wikis, web servers, and other such tools.
  
  
• Database Manager
  
  Many companies use databases for internal purposes. Furthermore, many games such as web-based and social network games are built on modern databases. Studios often need skilled database managers to design, maintain, and tweak their databases or get essential information out of them.
  

• Web Developer
  
  The web is used in many ways in the game industry. Many games have a community website that allows fans of the games to get involved, post feedback, or ask questions. Many studios also use the web to market or distribute their games. Finally, many games are based on the web. For all of the reasons, most medium to large size studios need experienced web developers to accomplish all of this.
  
  
• Community Manager
  
  Many game studios have large community websites with blogs and forums that must be maintained. This community manager is responsible for keeping the fans happy and informed.
  

The positions below are not directly related to creating games, but are essential nevertheless. These positions could certainly provide careers in their own right, and could also lead to positions that are more directly involved in making the games.

• Marketing
  
  Marketing is responsible for getting the word out about the newest games. If you have a degree in marketing and want to apply it to a creative field, then the game industry might be the perfect fit.
  
  
• Sales
  
  Sales is sometimes handled by marketing, but is also often its own department. People who are successful in sales are successful with other people. Sales personnel are responsible for finding buyers and distributers for games. This might include getting your game out to online distribution points such as Big Fish and Steam as well as brick-and-mortar stores such as Wal-Mart and GameStop.
  
  
• Graphics Design
  
  Someone has to design those flashy boxes that game come in as well as a multitude of other marketing materials including flyers, posters, t-shirts and more. If your penchant is more along the line of business graphics design rather than game art, this might be the place for you.
  
  
• Customer/Technical Support
  
  Some game studios maintain a technical support department so that customers can call in and obtain help from a human being in areas such as game installation, game bugs and crashes, and other technical support issues.
  

So there it is! Again, this is not a comprehensive list, but it does demonstrate that there are ample opportunities for people who didn't necessarily get a game-specific degree (except perhaps the game designers). Basically, any position that you would find at a medium to large company probably exists at a game studio--human resources, accountants, receptionists--the list goes on. These opportunities also offer entry points to people in other professions who would like to cross-over into the game industry.

Next time we'll talk about one more possibility: Starting your own game studio.

Robert

Let's Make a Deal!

You probably don't remember watching the game show Let's Make a Deal as host, Monty Hall, asked the proverbial question: "Is it behind door number 1, door number 2, or door number 3?" Picking the correct door meant winning the grand prize. Picking the wrong door meant, well, not winning the grand prize.

Although finding a job in the game industry is not a game of chance, it is important that you understand the viable entry points (or we'll just call them "doors") so that you properly prepare for that position. As it turns out, there are three common doors to choose from.

Door Number 1 - Game Tester

Becoming a game tester is often touted as one of the easiest ways to at least get your foot in the door (boy, how far will I be able to stretch this analogy!). Behind door number one you can expect many hours of playing games, finding bugs, and documenting those bugs with great alacrity. The movie Grandma's Boy might be your reference for this position, or perhaps you have watched The Tester, a reality TV show where participants compete for the rare prize of a job as game tester for Sony. Consider these two references as "dramatizations" only.

One thing is true about game testers...they actually do sit around all day long and play games. As fun as this might sound, get ready for some really grueling work as you play the same game over and over and over. A student once asked me if game testers got to choose the games they tested (indicating that Pokemon might not be his thing). No such luck. As a game tester you will play games you love, games you hate, and everything in between. The important part of being a game tester is the ability to spot, reproduce, and then accurately report bugs. This is mostly done by comparing the game you are playing to the game design document (often over 100 pages long).

Game testing is tedious, and the pay probably won't allow you to buy your dream car (or even your dream game system), but it is a valid door into the game industry. For example, in the company I work for, one game tester was recently promoted to producer while another tester was promoted to designer. The key to climbing the ladder is to do your job well, take initiative, and communicate your desired career goals with others in the studio.

Door Number 2 - Game Programmer

It is quite possible to get an entry level position as a game programmer. These titles often go by the name "Junior Programmer". As a junior programmer, it will be your job to be part of a team of more experienced programmers. You will be expected to make a real contribution to the project, and you will also be expected to listen, watch, and learn from the other programmers around you.

Keep in mind that even a junior programmer is expected to have mastered the core concepts of game programming. For most game jobs this will mean having a Bachelor degree in computer science, being fluent in C++, and having a working knowledge of both 2D and 3D game programming concepts. You will almost certainly have to complete a programming test before you will even be considered.

Being a junior programmer means lots of hard work, and probably some overtime (especially during crunch). Since this will be your first game programming gig, you will probably find yourself putting in some extra hours as you learn more and more about what it is to be a game programmer. In this position, it is important to get your assignments done, research skills that you don't have, and ask for help when you need it. Most of your companion programmers will be more than willing to take time to help you better yourself.

Door Number 3 - Artist

Entry level positions are also available to artists. As an entry level artist, you will be expected to work as part of a team of artists on a particular project creating assets that will be used in the game. Depending on your skill level and the type of game, this might be anything from creating marketing materials to creating 3D models. Another common area for entry level artists is creating art for the UI (UI = User Interface).

Just as with a junior programmer, even a junior artist (I'm not totally sure they use that title!) will be expected to have mastered the core tools which may include Adobe Photoshop and one or more 3D modeling programs such as Maya or 3ds Max. Most employers will want to see a portfolio of your existing work before they interview you.

As with any game development position, being an artist will mean hard work and some overtime. One of the most essential skills you will have to learn is the ability to get large amounts of work done by a certain deadline. This often means knowing when a piece of art is "good enough" and moving on to the next item. Artists rarely have the luxury of poring over a certain piece of art until it is "perfect". However, you often have a chance toward the end of the project to add additional polish to your work.

Door Number ?

To keep this article short, I have intentionally limited my discussion to the three most common doors for entering the game industry. There are certainly other ways to break in, but these are the most common entry level positions. In my next post I'll discuss more of the positions that make up a working game studio.

One important thing to keep in mind is that you should have an idea of your target entry level position long before you are looking for a job. For example, if you are getting ready to choose a college, make sure the college offers a program that will prepare you for the entry level job you are targeting. Even if your entry point is as a game tester, you will most likely have a career goal that comes after that, and this is what you should focus on during your education.

R

Anatomy of a Game College

Continuing on with my thread about game education, I would like to share my thoughts about a particular program that I am very familiar with because my son attended there. This post is not designed to either endorse or criticize the program at Full Sail. Although I am very pleased with the education that my son received their (and he is, too), any student considering a program at or like the one at Full Sail should take the time to learn about all of the details--positive and negative--before making a choice.

As I have stated in my previous posts, attending a specialized game college has its advantages and disadvantages. For my son, the advantage was that Full Sail offered a focused, accelerated program that allowed him to get his degree in game programming in only 2 years (remember this point as your read on). He was not interested in a traditional four-year college because he didn't want to take four years to go through college. He also felt that a traditional program would spend too much time on material that had nothing to do with game development. At the time (2005), Full Sail was one of the few specialized game colleges. Interestingly, he was first attracted to Full Sail because of their music program, which is also considered to be very excellent. When his career focus changed to game development, Full Sail seemed like a great pick.

Short Cut?

Before I continue, let me briefly discuss my thoughts on traditional vs. non-traditional programs. It can be argued that traditional four-year colleges offer a better, more well-rounded education. Sometimes when I hear potential students (like my son) say that they don't want to attend a four-year college because they feel the general education will be a "waste of their time", I automatically jump to the conclusion that this person might be just using this as an excuse. Personally, I feel that the breadth of education offered by traditional programs is very valuable. Many employers may also feel the same, wondering if a student who opted for an accelerated program was looking for some kind of short cut to their education.

Having said that, I also realize that you can't force a square peg into a round hole. There are different kinds of students who learn or excel in different types of environments. Knowing my son, I could see that he would flourish in an environment like Full Sail but wouldn't necessarily flourish in a traditional program. As a student, you should take a hard look at your motivations for seeking a specialized program, and make sure that you don't somehow think this is the "easy way". I can tell you from experience that getting an education from Full Sail is anything but easy!

The Program

At the time my son attended Full Sail, the game development program was offered as a two-year degree. They had just upgraded the program so that the student actually earned a Bachelor’s degree by the time they were done. This is very important because having a certified Bachelors degree is leaps and bounds better than just receiving a technical certificate of some kind.

Full Sail is a 24 hour, 7 day a week school. This means that your classes could potentially fall on any day of the week, at any time of the day or night. Realistically, most of the classes occurred between the hours of 8:00 A.M and midnight. Very few sessions were held on Sunday.

Students take 2 (count em - two!) classes each month. Each class takes a month to complete and typically meets three times a week. Each class session is 8 hours log and is divided between 4 hours of lecture and 4 hours of lab. The average student should then plan on at least another 4 to 6 hours per day outside of class to complete the required homework and projects. In other words, you will be investing at least 12 hours every day to your school work. This doesn't leave a whole lot of time for smelling the roses (or partying). Those who don't take this commitment seriously generally end up dropping out.

Attendance and Academics

One of the things that Full Sail recruiters don't emphasize enough is their attendance policy. Since Full Sail is so accelerated, missing class is not tolerated. If you miss one class session, you might be able to catch up. If you miss two class sessions, you are automatically failed and have to retake the class another time.

Again, because of the accelerated nature of the program, there isn't a lot of slack for missing or failed assignments. Basically if you don’t complete one or two assignments, or fail a single exam, it is likely that you will fail the class and be required to take it again.

Students can be put on academic probation. This means the Full Sail will require the student to take from 1 to 6 months off of school before they are allowed to return and continue their studies. Academic probation can be invoked for failing too many classes, attendance problems, or if your GPA falls below a certain level.

Retake Policy

Realizing that the accelerated nature of the class might scare away potential students, Full Sail recruiters are quick to stress that you can retake any class that you want to until you pass it. However, they may leave out the nasty details, such as:

- Students are charged a retake fee (potentially over $1000) each time they retake a class.

- Although students can theoretically take a class as many times as necessary, there is a fundamental limit on how many times you can retake courses because of the 3 year time limit put on completing the program (see below).

- If you have to retake a class, this will generally delay your entire program. For example, let's say you fail 3D Programming I. Had you passed it, you would have continued on to 3D Programming II. But since you failed it, you can't take 3D Programming II, or any other course that had 3D Programming I as a prerequisite. The result is that you may only be able to take one class instead of two next month, and so on until you have a chance to repeat and complete 3D Programming I (which isn't guaranteed to happen the next month).

Time Limit

The Full Sail program is designed to be completed in 2 years. However, few students are able to accomplish this. It is almost inevitable that students will have to retake one or more courses. Furthermore, Full Sail enforces a 3 year completion time limit. What this means is this: if you do not complete your program in 3 years, then you cannot graduate and you will not be allowed to finish.

Failure became a real possibility for my son. He had to retake a few classes, and then this cascaded to delay future classes that he could take until he had completed the prerequisites. During the last six months he was faced with the possibility that if he failed a single class for any reason, it would be impossible for him to complete the program in the 3 year time limit. This means that you could spend over $50,000 dollars, invest 3 years of your life, and complete 90% of the program only to be told that you will not be allowed to graduate!

Perks

On the positive side, all students in the Full Sail game development get a free laptop! Hey, if nothing else, you'll get a cool laptop for that fifty grand you paid for tuition! Other perks include:

- State of the art equipment
- 24 hour access to labs
- An expansive technical library
- Credible instructors who really know their stuff
- Many connections with people inside the industry, including regular visits from recruiters and other reps

Cost

At the time my son attended Full Sail, the cost of tuition was around $56,000 (includes books). This is a lot of money, but not so bad if you compare it to a four-year program. For example, in-state tuition at a local college for four years plus books will run you about $8,000 per year (not counting housing and food). Out-of-state tuition will raise this to about $15,000 per year. So, the cost of attending a college in your state of residence will run about $32,000 over four years (just under the cost of Full Sail), while attending an out-of-state college will cost you about $60,000 in four years (about the same as Full Sail). Of course, these are just estimates and you should check the actual costs of any school you are considering. The bottom line is that the cost of attending Full Sail is about as much as it would cost you to attend an out-of-state college.

Career Placement

Full Sail does an okay job of helping students position themselves to get a job after graduation. But like any college, they cannot find a job for you. You will hear legendary stories of students who got their dream job offer before they even graduated (and this does happen). However, these cases are definitely the exception. The reality is that you will be graduating with about 30 to 50 students (each month) and all of you will have to vie for whatever positions are available at the time. It took my son 9 months to get his first job.

The Bottom Line

Full Sail is a great school. My son feels he got what he expected, and has now been working as a game programmer for over 2 years. However, his success was due to his dedication, and he came very close to not being able to complete the program. As an interesting side not he and two friends all began Full Sail at the same month. Only he completed the program. The drop-out rate at Full Sail is about this high.

If you are considering attending Full Sail, or any other specialized, focused, game college, keep these things in mind:

- Make sure you understand how much time you will have to invest daily to complete the program, and be honest with yourself as to whether you are willing to invest that much time.

- Really, really, really make sure that you are aware of all of the schools academic, attendance, and related policies.

- Make sure that you understand that the college does not make the student. Any program you attend will require you to completely dedicate yourself to the task if you want to succeed.

One final caveat! This discussion of Full Sail’s policies is, to the best of my knowledge, accurate as of the time my son attended their program. It is entirely possible that some or all of these have changed since then, so make sure you find out for yourself!

That's it for now!

R

What School Is Best For Me??

I am proud to announce that I can finally reveal the game that I have been working on for the last six months: Dark Void Zero. Released in January for the Nintendo DSi, my focus was on the iPhone and PC versions that will be released on April 12. Be sure to pick this one up. It was great fun to program and even more fun to play!


Now for this week's subject. I receive a lot of questions about what kind of school or program I would recommend for students seeking to get into the game industry. There are basically three paths that you can follow in this regard:

1. Standard four-year colleges

Most four-year colleges offer standard degrees that are applicable to game development. The obvious example is a Computer Science degree if you want to be a game programmer. Many four year colleges are also starting to offer concentrations or specializations related to game development.

A four year degree from a standard college is still the preferred degree by most companies because these programs are based on accredited, standardized programs of study. Even better, attending a college in your home state will cost you significantly less that any other educational option.

2. Technical colleges

Technical colleges are intended to provide pratical education on a specific subject in a short amount of time. The rise in popularity of game related careers has inspired many of these colleges to offer game related programs.

The jury is still out on the usefulness of technical degress since they aren't generally regarded as highly as a standard, four-year degree. The main advantage of a technical college is that the program is focused and can generally be completed in two years or less. However, you will probably pay more to go to a technical college than a four-year institution.

3. Specialty colleges

You can think of specialty colleges as super-technical colleges. A few of these have made a name for themselves (DigiPen and Full Sail come to mind) as premier colleges in the field of game development. They offer stringent, focused programs of study with an emphasis on the student completing a "real world" game-related project by graduation.

Like technical colleges, a degree from a specialty college may still hold a certain stigma when compared to a traiditional four-year degree. Critics of such colleges question how much students can really learn in these hyper-accelerated programs. Proponents argue that this kind of time-pressure mimics the real-world of game development and prepares the student for the work environment. Specialty schools are also typically the most expensive choice

So which type of college is right for you?

The quick answer is that you should attend the type ofcollege that you can afford and that meets your learning style and situation.

If money is the major consideration, then try to find a four-year college in your own state that offers a traditional degree that meets your goals. If you can find a program that also offers a concentration or specializaton in game development, then that's even better.

However, different people have different learning styles, and some people just can't fathom spending four years to earn a degree. The general education required to achieve a traditional degree is sometimes perceived as wasted time that could be spent learning their true love: game development. For such people, a specialty school might be the answer, especially if that school offers a standard degree. For example, students who graduate from Full Sail's game development program do so with an accredited four-year degree. "General ed" courses such as history and psychology are custom designed to be relevant to games, making even them easier to swallow!

Finally, let's say you already have a full-time job and/or family that makes it impossible for you to attend a full-time college or specialty school. In this situation, a technical program might be the ticket. Most techncial colleges adapt their program to working students, often including large, online components that can be completed according to the student's schedule.

Remember: for most employer's the real question isn't where you went to school but what you know. I have personally worked with programmers from all three types of schools. In every situation, the programmers had excellent skills. When it boils down to it, it is the student more than the school that may determine the effectiveness of the education. You literally get out of your eduacation what you are willing to put into it.

There is one more important point to make on this issue: Not all game design courses are created equal! Some programs try to provide a general course of study that touches on all aspects of game development: design, art, and programing. Others focus on one aspect of game development such as design, art, or programing. Contrary to the scenario presented by some advertisements, most careers in the game industry are specialized. This means that you should specialize to. Before you enroll in any program, you should know which area you want to specialize in, and then chose a program that focusses on that area.

That's it for this post. In my next post I will go into detail about one specialty college that I am intimately familiar with! Come back next time to see why!

Robert

P.S.

The Princeton Review just completed a report on the top fifty game design schools. You can read their report at http://www.princetonreview.com/top-fifty-undergraduate-game-design.aspx.

To school or not to school?

Well, I've spent the last six weeks in crunchy goodness getting my latest game out. By the next time I post I should be able to let you all in on the name of the game. But not yet!

Today's topic is education. One of the most common questions I get from people interested in pursuing a career in the game industry is whether or not they should get a formal degree.

At first glance, this seems like an odd question. If you want to be an accountant, you'll get some kind of degree in accounting. If you want to be a lawyer or a doctor, you'll have to get an advanced degree in either law or medicine. So, it seems like the answer to this question would be a resounding "YES!"

However, there is a decided split of opinion on whether or not a formal degree is essential to pursuing a career in game development. Those who favor an education point out the classic benefits of having a degree, while those on the other side see a degree as just another piece of paper, and stress the creative elements of game development that can't be learned in a lecture.

Once again, we can blame rock 'n roll.

After all, how many rock stars have music degrees? These people made it becuase they practiced their craft and pushed on with their dream. In the same way, there are legitimate stories of people who have made a great new mod (think Counter-Strike) or a great new game (think Portal), and then went on to game development glory without the hassle (or expense) of a formal education, right?

Actually, both co-devleopers of Counter-Strike graduated from college with formal degrees while the co-developers of Portal were all students at DigiPen. Somehow this point is often left out when these stories are told.

In the early days of game development, it was much more common for a brilliant game idea to be enough to ensure a bright future as a game devleoper. And there are people out there -- renegades of our industry -- who made it on sweat and blood more that textbooks and Cliff notes. Well, not to worry, even with a degree, you'll still have to put in the sweat and blood!

For the record, I am a member of the camp who strongly encourages newcomers in our industry to pursue a formal degree. I'm not saying that it is impossible to get into the game industry without a degree, just that it is more difficult.

Now that the game industry has matured, the hiring practices have become more akin to those found in the corporate world. Scan the job postings on Gamasutra and count the number that require a formal degree. There are several key reasons why having a degree tends to make you a much more appealing candidate for any employer.

1. A student with a formal degree has successfully completed a gamut of courses that have been analyzed and certified to effectively teach the material at hand. Schools, professors, and curriculum all have to be accredited by third parties for quality and relevance.

2. As you go through school, your knowledge of the subject matter is continually tested and verified. All of this is rolled up into two significant marks: your GPA and your completed degree. While you could read all of the same books and do all of the same “homework” on your own, there would be no third party verification that you had successfully learned the material.

3. Bypassing a formal education means you miss out on a significant part of the classroom experience: practical knowledge and mentoring from those who are professionals or educators in the field.

4. Many employers see school as an analogy of the work environment. In school you have to show up on time, meet deadlines, and perform under pressure. The same is true in the job environment. The fact that you succeeded in school under such a structured environment is seen as evidence that you might also succeed at the job.


For many companies, a degree is a kind of litmus test. When faced with a stack of 100 applications for a single job, the first stage of rejections might simply be based on who has a degree and who doesn’t. This creates a catch-22 situation. While most companies ultimately hire based on “what you know” no matter how you learned it, it may be difficult to ever get the opportunity to show what you know if you can’t get people to take your resume seriously.

That's it for this post! For those of you who have decided that it is in your best interests to pursue a degree, the next big question is what kind of degree or school is best? That's next time!

Robert

Location, location, location....

First, let me say that the feedback from my last blog was welcome and stimulating (see my entry at http://tinyurl.com/ydex9qn). Ad to that the honor of being chosen by Gamasutra to be the featured blog of the week! I had hoped to keep up my once a week "resolution", but as you can see, I haven't quite done so. But now the show must go on!

Last week I discussed some issues that make getting a job in the game industry slightly different than some other fields. This week I'll discuss one of the practical side effects of this difference: location. Although jobs in the game industry are spread out all over the world, they tend to cluster in certain areas. If you live in one of those clusters, then it will be much easier for you to find a job. If you don't, then get ready to move!

When it comes to location, the game industry is much like other entertainment industries. For the music industry, the main hub is Nashville. For dance and stage acting it's New York. For movies, Hollywood. So where are the major hubs of activity for the game industry?

Although there is no single location that companies flock to for the game industry, there are several cities that have become prominent hubs:

• Los Angeles, CA - not surprising since its home to the entertainment industry in general
• San Francisco, CA - especially prominent for the games journalism and marketing sectors
• Seattle, WA - must have something to do with a small company started by Bill Gates
• Austin, TX - mostly known for a wealth of smaller independent studios

While there are locations scattered across the U.S. (and the world) where you can find a job in the game industry, you increase your likelihood of getting a job if you live in one of these key hubs. The need to be willing to relocated was particularly relevant to my situation.

At the time that I began considering a move into the game industry, I was living in Grand Junction, CO. This is a moderate sized city close to the border of Utah. The closest large cities were Salt Lake City, UT to the west and Denver, CO to the east, each about 250 miles away. Suffice to say that Grand Junction is too small to have any game-related companies, so I knew I was going to have to move. If I wanted to stay relatively close to "home", then both Salt Lake City and Denver were prospects.

Unfortunately, there are only a handful of game companies in both Salt Lake City and Denver. In order to find a job in the game industry, I had to expand my horizons. So I extended my search to include the western half of the United States. I landed my first job in Dallas, TX. This meant moving 1000 miles away from my family in Grand Junction, but it was a move I was willing to take.

After the studio in Dallas laid off many of its employees, I was faced with an even more difficult decision. With the economic and job situation at the time, I was forced to consider any job in any location in the United States. Even that wasn't enough, and eventually I took a job in Canada!

The moral of this story: to get your first job in the game industry you'll probably have to move. To get your second job in the game industry, you'll probably have to move.

Unfortunately, the game industry is also pretty notorious for high rates of turnover. That means that you probably won't only move once during your game career. You may move every time you get another job. This is where living in a hub that has many game companies becomes a real advantage. The more game companies that are in the area, the less likely that you'll have to pack your bags every time something changes.

A particularly useful resource in this regard is David Perry's Game Industry Map located at http://www.gameindustrymap.com. This site allows you to search the world for game related companies. If you search for a particular location, it will show you a map identifying all of the game related companies in that area. It's like the Google Maps of the game industry!

That's it for this week. Stay tuned next week when I delve in to the big question of how to best prepare yourself for a job in the game industry.

R

So, you want to be a rock star?

I thought I would start the year with a series of posts related to getting into the game industry. I get emails from students and others all over the world asking me questions about this.

In some ways, the game industry is like any other industry. You get an education, typically with a major in the area that you are targeting. Once out of college you start looking on job boards, etc., for jobs that interest you and send in your resume. Like any other job, a college degree doesn't guarantee you a job, and it sometimes takes months to find your first one. Once you get your first entry level job, you work your way up the ranks. Sounds easy, right?

The Creative Industry

Although the path indicated above will work in general, there are some aspects of the game industry that set it apart. People often talk about "breaking into the game industry" in the same sense as people talk about "breaking into the music industry" or "breaking into acting". Because the game industry is a creative field, their are several barriers to getting a job that you don't find in other industries. Saying you want to be a programmer is like saying you want to be an accountant or plumber -- learn the skills and you'll eventually get the job. But saying you want to be a game programmer is more akin to saying you want to be a rock star. Not only will you need the skills, but you'll have to be the best of the best just to get considered. The same is true of most jobs in the game industry.

What makes the game industry different? Here are a few thoughts:

• The game industry requires higher levels of technical skills compared to similar jobs in other industries.
  
  Game programming typically requires cutting edge skills to create cutting edge software that pushes the envelope of the technology. Art must be top notch. Designers must be exceptionally creative. Producers deal with the worst possible scenarios for keeping their projects on track.
  
  
• The game industry requires higher levels of creativity.
  
  Making games is still more of an art than a science. Just like it's hard to define what makes a great song, it is hard to define what makes a hit game. Everyone making a game is required to implement technology in creative and innovative ways. For example, a graphic designer has to do good art. But a game artist has to do good art and make it move or make it 3D or make it any number of things, all while keeping within a memory or resource budget! Programmers have to make computers do things that they don't want to do while remaining usable, responsive and fast. You get the idea. Also, some people are able to break into the game industry by demonstrating their creative talent alone, completely bypassing the traditional route.
  
  
• The game industry is part of the entertainment industry.
  
  Like the film and music industries, the game industry delivers entertainment. This has two consequences. First, our products are non-essential in the sense that people could live without them if they had to. Second, we provide a way for people to escape reality or experience alternate realities or just have 15 minutes of fun! In other words, if people are going to shell out money for our product, then it had better meet whatever emotional need they had for buying it in the first place!
  
  
• The game industry has an aura of celebrity.
  
  Gamers aren't just consumers of our product. They become fans. They perceive those in the game industry as wizards who concoct a special magic. Although the game industry hasn't quite reached the level of celebrity as the film and music industries, it is still perceived as a field where it is a privilege to be involved. No one talks about breaking into the banking industry, but you have to break into the game industry. This means, for example, that getting in might be as much about who you know as it is about what you know.

So there it is. I'm not suggesting that other industries don't require just as much skill and commitment. I'm simply pointing out that the nature of the game industry and the aura surrounding the entire entertainment industry make getting a job in the game industry a little harder.

That's it for this post. Next week I'll dig a little deeper into the ramifications of trying to break into a field based on the entertainment industry.

A New Year's Resolution

Well, it's the beginning of a New Year and the start of a new decade.

One of my resolutions this year is to make regular entries into my blog. Most of my past blogs have been about my entry into the game industry. I have thought a lot about what kind of content I wanted to move forward with. Should I share my genius insights into game programming? Rant about the projects I am working on? Or continue sharing my roller-coaster ride through the game development world?

There is a plethora of information out there about game programming techniques, and people far more qualified than I to write about them. So, although I may share a trick or two as I go along, programming will not be my main focus. Instead, I will continue to deal with the basics: how to prepare for or break into the game industry, basics on success in this field, and occasionally a new programming trick I that has helped me.

So, here's to a great new year. Thanks to all of you (yes, all 5 of you!) who have followed my blog and left feedback. As always, feel free to post questions or even suggest topics that you would like me to cover.

SO, what am I working on anyway?

I am currently working on a project whose name I cannot disclose. I can mention that it is being co-developed for the iPhone and PC, and possibly the Mac, and that it is a 2D retro platforming shooter. I think it will be great fun and hope you'll all pick it up when it is released. One of the big challenges of this project has been learning a whole new platform of skills. This is my first project on the iPhone, and my first project to ever use OpenGL. As you probably know, you must use a Mac to develop for the iPhone, and this is also the first real work I have done on a Mac. In addition, the iPhone uses a variant of C/C++ known as Objective C, and I have never used objective C. Finally, I have had to learn how to use the in-house game engine that we are using to accomplish all of this. In total, I have had to learn FIVE new technologies for this project: Mac Leopard, OpenGL, Objective-C, XCode (the development tool for the iPHone), and the new game engine.

This underscores my first point of the year for those who may be trying to break into the game industry: FLEXIBILITY.

No matter what your ambitions (programming, art, design), the tools of the trade are constantly changing. There is a dichotomy between the need to generalize and the need to specialize, and it may be difficult to know exactly how to balance these two extremes. For example, I often get questions about which programming language to focus on from those who are interested in game programming. The answer depends on what type of game development you are interested in: AAA titles? Web based? Mobile gaming? I'll cover this question in more detail in a future blog. The important idea is that two years ago I would have never told someone they should brush up on their Mac/Xcode/Objective C skills because at that point most of this technology didn't even exist (or at least, wasn't being widely used for game development).

Being in the game industry (as with many technology careers) means you must certainly specialize in something (e.g. C++ programming), but be aware of almost everything else so that you can easily change gears and pick up a new skill when the opportunity presents itself. Before now, I would have never marketed myself as an iPhone developer, but I knew I could pick up the skill because I have had plenty of experience programming.

If you are currently in school, try to expose yourself to a wide variety of technologies. For example, if you are a computer science major, take courses in a wide variety of programming languages and topics. You might not think it is important to learn databases or web development if your target is to be a game developer, but those are exactly the technologies that are being used for the burgeoning social gaming platforms (think Facebook and MySpace). So, even if you focus on a core language, make sure you at least get exposed to other languages.

I would also recommend an inter-disciplinary approach. First, choose which area of game development you are really interested in (e.g. programming, art, design, or production). While you focus on that area, take classes (or read books, etc.) on other areas so that you understand how they work. For example, every programmer should have a basic understanding of how art is created for games and the tools that are used. In my current project I have had to do a lot of work that would typically be done by an artist (e.g. convert and resize art assets). Artists should understand the basics of programming and how that might affect the art they create. Designers and producers should understand the basics or both art and programming and how it impacts them.

As a programmer, I have read over 20 books on programming, but also several books on game design, and a book on game production. I have taken an online class in Maya, and have become proficient in Adobe Photoshop. Additionally, I have programmed in over 10 different languages (my core skill). If you are having trouble deciding on what your focus should be, I would suggest scanning the job boards at sites like Gamasutra.com and Gamedev.net. Look at the types of jobs that are available and the skills they required. Some will be very focused, such as a job requiring experience with the Unreal Engine. Others (often smaller companies) will ask for individuals with a wide variety of skills. Which jobs sound the most enticing to you? This will give you an idea of where you might want to focus.

In closing, while specialization is important (e.g. you must have one core skill that you are completely competent at), it is also important to have a general background of knowledge that you can draw from so you can adapt to change and new opportunities.

Thanks for reading! I hope to be diligent and add a new post each week, so stay tuned and leave your feedback.

R