Do you work in the video game industry?

Autoduel76 said:
I spent 5 and a half years in the game industry. I worked for one company that I loved and 2 that I hated. However, in all of them I worked insane hours during crunch time for projects (which can last months...even years in some cases). [...]
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Autoduel76, what is your avatar from? It's cool and reminds me a lot of Wasteland, but I doubt it's from Wasteland because I've played that game dozens of times and never saw it.

Thanks for your feedback, I really appreciate. Thanks to everyone who's posted in this thread.


Walpknut said:
Not to be a dick but, Learn Spanish, dude.
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Not to be rude but, those kind of sentence intro-qualifiers are stupid and self-defeating.

And I was using Google Translate with a bit of Spanglish thrown in. I do plan on learning Spanish at some point, but I kind of dislike the language so I have no particular motivation to do it in a hurry.


I've seen quite a few mention other similar fields that pay better and without the crunches... May I get an example of these? For example, what would a graphic artist do as a stable, not-insane job as his 9-to-5 instead of gaming graphics? What about a programmer? I really don't think I'd be happy programming database or some crap. Any kind of apps I'd probably be cool with though, or web design.
 
sea said:
Sduibek said:
I've seen quite a few mention other similar fields that pay better and without the crunches... May I get an example of these? For example, what would a graphic artist do as a stable, not-insane job as his 9-to-5 instead of gaming graphics? What about a programmer? I really don't think I'd be happy programming database or some crap. Any kind of apps I'd probably be cool with though, or web design.
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Graphic artists are fucked. Any art and design field is super competitive and you will probably be working long hours for shit pay. if you are a contractor then you have to deal with a variable cash flow and the prospect of just not having any opportunities, period, or not being able to meet the demand of your employer and/or clients. Working for a games company may actually be a step up.
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Well that sucks. What about the other stuff? I mean, at the end of the day my biggest passions are music, drawing and design. If I can use those in a job that isn't gaming and just do gaming stuff on the side, I'm okay with that too.
 
sea said:
Graphic artists are fucked. Any art and design field is super competitive and you will probably be working long hours for shit pay.
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It depends.
Designers and concept artists are less affected by crunches but during production you usually don't need many of them so it is harder to get in. But there are also different jobs in this field: 3d, 2d, GUI and level artists, animators, level designers... All of them have their pros and cons.

Sduibek said:
Well that sucks. What about the other stuff? I mean, at the end of the day my biggest passions are music, drawing and design.
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If you are creative, and can draw good and fast then concept art will suit you.
If you are more into design - design or level design.
During a production most of these fields are connected with each other, so it's good to be capable in most of them, but you need to be really good with at least one.

You just need to find what suits you and do it :) Start with smaller projects, indie games or try as a trainee in a bigger company if there there is such a possibility.
 
I'm hoping for a job as a concept artist in the future.

or I'll just start my own indie company, because game design is the ultimate dream.

fuck people who say it's no use, you won't know for yourself before you try.
 
If I had any talent, I'd try to make an Android or iOS app. That market doesn't contain many games I'm interested in, but the potential earnings are simply too massive to ignore.
 
Lexx said:
Walpknut said:
Didn't Josh Sawyer started by designing Black Isle's Web Page?
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Yeah, but that was like 20 or what years ago. Times changed and it is pretty unlikely to get into the business nowadays with a job like that.
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But even today many people still get jobs as new comers. I am not claiming to know how it is in the gaming business. But I guess it is not al that different to other professional branches. At least when it comes to design, graphic etc. there are many people which learn their job with design and then start work on fields in social marketing.

it might be even sometimes a higher chance then you think.
 
Crni Vuk and I think others who've said similar have a good point -- it's not always necessary go to directly into your dream field. Some people start out doing Facebook apps/plugins (UGH), or doing boring shit on the iPhone, or start out making advertising commercials (lol). But once you have experience and can show, with some kind of portfolio, that you are talented and know your shit, that opens up possibilities.

Plus as they always say, for many jobs it's not what you know, it's who you know. If you are close or known by someone who think you're awesome, having them in your corner is way better than going alone and hoping you impress your interviewer.


Makagulfazel said:
If I had any talent, I'd try to make an Android or iOS app. That market doesn't contain many games I'm interested in, but the potential earnings are simply too massive to ignore.
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You are saying can't do programming, art, sound, anything?
 
A friend of mine who wanted to get involved with vidga games spent two years in technical school and started working at this "small business" making ARM microprocessors. Two years later the company was purchased and he specializes in making microprocessors for Android phones.

He ain't leaving ARM, as it's a ridiculous amount of money, but he's making vidga games at home that are awfully awesome, and he seems fulfilled when I talk to him.
 
person said:
A friend of mine who wanted to get involved with vidga games spent two years in technical school and started working at this "small business" making ARM microprocessors. Two years later the company was purchased and he specializes in making microprocessors for Android phones.

He ain't leaving ARM, as it's a ridiculous amount of money, but he's making vidga games at home that are awfully awesome, and he seems fulfilled when I talk to him.
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Awesome! Sounds like what I might end up doing (well except software side instead of physical processors)

Thanks for sharing.
 
That's along the lines of what I planned for myself, before I became destitute. Build up my knowledge resources in the Real Estate field, use them to acquire property (and be able to keep it), and make my living off of rentals, then create my own content in my own spare time. I have no particular love for homes, but I gravitated towards Real Estate for its adaptive nature in being able to carve out your own niches, work to your own strengths, and your cashflow was entirely dependent on you own abilities. Meanwhile, if I wanted to publish a book, I COULD spend a few months/years (the latter would be more practical) living off of scraps while I typed up a couple drafts, and then hope I could get them noticed by a publishing company. Or, I could spend years getting a degree so I could get a job as an editor, or a columnist, working my way from the ground up before finally "getting noticed" to have a shot as publishing my own material. Either way, I'd have to spend years working towards SOMETHING, so I just figured I'd rather build up personal, financial independence; then I would be "free" to use my time as I saw fit, making a dream come true, or letting it go.

Really, the "best" routes toward personal happiness are rarely EVER the "same roads traveled" by most; they're something unique and creative, they "go against the grain". Working tolerable jobs so you can live your dream, rather than working your dream and slowly turning it into a nightmare of monotony, is a fine example of such a choice.
 
Or being unemployed due a recession hitting it's stride as you leave university. :V
Ah well working on a portfolio so one one day may reach the heady heights of employment in something vidja games related.
 
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=233gpzDbtGQ[/youtube]

Chet Faliszek, who worked on Portal, Portal 2, Half-Life 2: Episode 1, Half-Life 2: Episode 2, Left 4 Dead, and Left 4 Dead 2, recently did a presentation on getting into the games interesting....very interesting to watch....
 
That recent interview with MCA had him saying at the end that it is good to make your own little RPGs or just games and have that as part of a portfolio. So someone like Lexx could just walk in and show them his games.

Any final thoughts?

If you enjoy making RPGs, then go ahead and use the existing tools out there to make them – that’s the first thing we look for in people wanting to break into the industry; they’re already out there creating fun on their own.
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Sduibek said:
Crni Vuk and I think others who've said similar have a good point -- it's not always necessary go to directly into your dream field. Some people start out doing Facebook apps/plugins (UGH), or doing boring shit on the iPhone, or start out making advertising commercials (lol). But once you have experience and can show, with some kind of portfolio, that you are talented and know your shit, that opens up possibilities.
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What you need, and that is what pretty much all teachers tell me and we have quite good teachers is ... patience. There are a lot of illustrators which sold tickets in a theater before they ever got known. Graphic Designers which delivered newspapers before they start their day.

It is one of the most competitive fields. Regardless if you work with art, graphic, design etc. Because 1. there are many talented people out there and because many think they can do it as hobby and that means you have a hell lot of competition from non professional people do never ever just ditch someone only because he was not on a collegue! And to make things most of them are very skilled but because they do it in their free time not knowing the true value of their work they usually sell it many times to cheap.

The irony is that today with all the connection, networks, forums and web sites it is much harder to sell your work as professional. Of course it has its advantages probably more advantages then disadvantages if you have great talent. Because now you can work faster, you can make your self easier known and you can get easier in contact with people. But in the past making design was more then just knowing photoshop. As example everyone with a PC at home can take a software, watching tutorials and he can learn eventually how to use it effectively. When making designs required more hard work without the computer it was much more difficult to get into it.

You have to love what you do. Or you will never be successful. And I mean more then just "this is my hobby".

To tell you this. I am getting depressions if I am not making art, or anything that has to do with "creativity". Not saying you have to be a lunatic, but it sure helps.
 
Crni Vuk said:
To tell you this. I am getting depressions if I am not making art, or anything that has to do with "creativity". Not saying you have to be a lunatic, but it sure helps.
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The only thing that immediately comes to mind is listening to music. If I could never listen to music again I would be very very sad. I would listen to music 24/7 if possible. If I had a mediocre girlfriend, I'd rather listen to music than spend time with her. Some music I enjoy so much, that it gets me so sublime and relaxed that I'll fall asleep listening to it (even if it's death metal or whatever). I would enjoy a day that consisted of laying down, closing my eyes and listening to music for hours.

To be honest if I became deaf I'd probably be suicidal for many months coming to grips with the fact that I'd never hear music again.

Unfortunately I don't think that's really a career :mrgreen: But, maybe some kind of sound tech or something? Some kind of job in a recording studio? :shrug: If I had a job in which I could hear music a lot and be constantly hearing new music that would be amazing.
 
i'm working in square enix on a short-term contract... got into it by pure luck probably... before i was working in an architecture company doing 3d visualization... they went bancrupt, i sent 100 new applications to anywhere i could think of and now im working with these guys doing front-end coding... no previous experience in the field, just a bit of know-how from personal projects :ugly: ... and a solid portfolio http://koivistik.com/


working on this thing... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG6NRhqVSw4
 
That reminds me to update my blog. Can't make websites so a blogfolio it is. :P
Oh and figure out how to paint in Photoshop like equilerex's fellers looking at space ship picture.
 
equilerex said:
i'm working in square enix on a short-term contract... got into it by pure luck probably... before i was working in an architecture company doing 3d visualization... they went bancrupt, i sent 100 new applications to anywhere i could think of and now im working with these guys doing front-end coding... no previous experience in the field, just a bit of know-how from personal projects :ugly: ... and a solid portfolio http://koivistik.com/


working on this thing... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG6NRhqVSw4
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Wow, great portfolio! 8-) :clap:

So you do both game design for pay and for hobby?

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I see from various sources around the web that video game industry, whether you're talking art or programming or design, makes less than the "other industries" counterparts.

That being said, what are some examples of these jobs?

For example, my understanding is the best-paid job is probably programming. Personally I enjoy programming and I'm definitely not terrible at it.

So where do I go or what do I do to make good money doing programming? I see the comment that video game industry pays less, but they don't mention what other industries are that would pay well. Are we talking programming for mobile apps, programming databases, some kind of accounting shit, what?
 
someone told me that the need for people which do something with graphic and websites are very sought. There are many people out there which can do either graphic or programming. But to get someone who understands both might be a bit difficullt.
 
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