[gameprogrammer] Re: gameprogrammer Digest V4 #5

On Sat, 2007-01-06 at 22:57 +0800, mutahhir hayat wrote:
> Hi,
> 
>    I'm a newbie to the whole games development scenario. However, i've
> been inspirated and played games since i was very young. Being good at
> computers from the start, I thot i'd make a career out of it. Now, I
> have a bachelors degree in Computer science, with a good solid
> programming ability. I'm working in a place for the past three years
> that is basically interested in developing simulations of certain
> physical systems. But, i've been thinking of switching to game
> development since its why i came to working on computers in the first
> place. I'm a pretty resourceful programmer and problem solver, so i
> tend to believe i'll be able to fare well in this industry (just like
> every driver believes he's a good driver :) ). Now, the problems are
> as follows: 
> 
> 1. I've got very little experience with games. 
> I've read up a good lot and i'm not bad with openGL. Recently i
> developed an AI that could play scrabble. Also been working on SDL,
> some 2D vector graphics based UI development engine, and a basic
> raytracing engine. Also working on a physics model for racing sims. 
> 
> 2. I don't know what experience and the sort of projects i should have
> under my belts before i start job hunting

Write a complete game. I can not emphasis this enough. Write a complete
game. I teach game development and I can tell you the difference between
programmers who get jobs and those who do not. Those who do have written
a complete game.

Better than writing a game is writing many games. A great learning
experience is to try to write a game per month for several months. This
will teach you many valuable skills. Mostly how to stop fiddling around
and get the job done. I give this advice to all of my students. Everyone
who has followed that advice is currently working for a major studio.
The rest, eh... not so much.

> 3. I dont live in a country that has a lot of game development houses,
> so where would it be most feasible to start job hunting. 

Well, I know there are is a lot of development going on in the US, the
UK, and Japan. I'm sure there is development going on in other
countries. My understanding is that getting a job in Japan is very
difficult and you must speak the language. I don't know about the UK.
The situation in the US is a bit odd right now because of security
measures due to 9/11, political pressure from US business to make it
easier to hire from out side the country, and political pressure from
the large number of unemployed programmers in the US. I have no idea
where you are from but it matters if you are trying to get into the US
right now. A lot of things are really messed up in the US right now due
to 9/11 and the wars. Competition for game development jobs in the US is
fierce. It is typical to get hundreds (of even thousands) of resumes for
every game programming job at a major game company. 

By far the easiest way to get a job in game development is to start your
own company. Write games, sell them. If your company takes off, then
great, you make all the profits. If not, then you have all that
experience to put on your resume. Game companies are looking for
pragmatic people who can hit the ground running and ship games. Shipping
games is all that counts.

                Bob Pendleton

> 
> 
> So, there are a lot of people out there who have probably been in my
> situation and if they could, i'd really like some help with this. If
> you could tell me certain broad areas of projects that i could
> undertake that would look nice on my CV and preferably find me a job..
> I'd be grateful. BTW, i'm "hoping" to find a job by the end of this
> year. :P And i've got some time off, and i dont mind tough projects,
> but i'd like to be sure that my efforts are being directed. 
> 
> Thanks.
> MT
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