Transcript Breaking Into Professional Game Development

Breaking Into
Professional
Game Development
By
Simon Hurley
&
Patrick Deupree
Game Developer Myths
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We all drive expensive sports cars
We're all rich
We get paid to deathmatch all day long
We spend most of the day dreaming up new games
We all work from 4pm to 3am
We work on games “until they're done”
It’s not a “real job”
And so on...
The Reality of Game Development
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Making games is hard!
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Long hours
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Generally more than just a 40-hour-per-week job
Crunch time is inevitable, and can last days or months
Can wreak havoc on personal life and relationships
Can have an impact on health and well-being
Low pay (when starting out)
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Technology is complex and ever-changing
Entertainment and creativity are often difficult to judge
Compared to that of a similar job in another industry
Royalties and bonuses are unreliable and often late in coming
Must be largely self-taught and self-directed
The Reality of Game Development
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Lack of job stability
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Often hired (initially as a contractor)
Startups are often risky
Many companies ship one title (or less) and then die
Publishers often pull out of projects (and funding)
And even then not every developer lasts forever...
There aren't that many AAA titles
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The games industry is an increasingly competitive market
Most developers do smaller-scale games, not GTA, Unreal,
Zelda, or Half-Life kind of titles
Publisher dollars drive much of the development and sales
Walk into a game store and look at the shelf: how many
games have you heard of before? Played? Rented? Bought?
So why be a Game Developer?
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It's a lot of fun!
You get to work on fun & interesting things
You get to express your creativity and flex your intellect
on a daily basis
You get to work with like-minded, creative, and brilliant
people
Most companies have a very strong sense of team
You get to write cool games that other people will play
and enjoy!
It sure beats McDonalds or corporate America
How Do You Get a Job
(at a Game Company)?
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There is no one “right” way to do it
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You must set yourself apart from the competition
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It’s very competitive - hundreds of applicants per job
You need to make the ‘A’ List, not the ‘T’ List
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But there are a lot of wrong ways
There’s really only 2
Inspiration vs. Perspiration
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You must be able to prove that you have the talent, can do
the work, and aren’t a (complete) social mutant
Useful Things to Do First
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Work outside of the game industry (even if still in
school)
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Get a degree
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Experience with large-scale software development, art
creation, etc. is ideal
Shows that you can do a lot with your time and still
succeed
Get mod experience if that’s all that’s available
Helps you with a well-rounded education
Shows you can finish what you start
Play lots of games
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Know your craft and be able to speak about the industry
If you're not playing them, why would you want to make
them?
Job Search Process
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Step 1 – Build your skills towards your goal
Step 2 – Build a portfolio and write a resume
and cover letters that show what you can do
Step 3 – Profit – no, wait…
Step 3 – Contact developers and network
Step 4 – Blow them away in your interview
Step 5 – Get ready for the most rewarding hard
work you’ve ever done
Necessary Things to Have
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Persistance
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A solid portfolio
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Better to have one good demo than 5 old, so-so, or unfinished ones
Shows you can finish what you start
A good resume
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No substitute – this is a must!
Should contain your best work only, and be easily accessible online
Should be tailored to your work, and to the company’s needs
A good demo
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Don't be afraid to contact developers
However, don't be a pain (that's worse than never talking to them at all!)
Not the most important thing (portfolio and experience means more),
but it can be useful or required
A passion for games and what you do
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Because you're going to be doing a lot of it
Things to know - Programmers
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C++ is the most-used language for games
Learn OO, design patterns and UML
MATH
Research algorithms and techniques (Google is your friend)
Microsoft Visual Studio
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The de-facto standard for most games
GCC - Playstation 2/Linux (dedicated servers)
New tools (Intel, XNA, etc.)
Learn some level design and art tools
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Useful for making placeholder art/test levels
Useful for communicating with LDs/Artists
Helps you write plug-ins
Makes for a more well-rounded developer
Things to know - Artists
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3D Art: 3D Studio Max, Maya, Zbrush, newer tools
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2D Art: Photoshop, Paintshop Pro
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These are the most-used tools
Take classes and read books/tutorials
Buy the student versions or use the free versions (Gmax,
Maya PLE)
These are the most-used
Learn the features/capabilities/plug-in
Animation: Character Studio, Maya
Learn some programming and level design
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Helps to communicate better with others
Things to know - Designers
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Max/Maya
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Current, common licensed editors: Radiant
(Quake4/Doom3), UnrealEd, Hammer (Source)
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Still very heavily used
Learn more than one tool
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More and more these are becoming the de-facto level design
tools
Shows flexibility & talent (not just skill) – important
Learn scripting languages (low-level “programming”)
Learn to be a designer, not just a level designer
Understand what makes a game fun, how moments
emerge, and the importance of flow and balance
Things to know – Production
(and everyone else)
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Microsoft Office Suite –Word, Excel, PowerPoint
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Microsoft Project and Visio
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Useful for scheduling, planning, and diagramming
Basic management techniques and principles
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Useful for documentation, spreadsheets, and communication
Take a business/management class or 3
Source control software
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Everyone uses it or something like it
Things to know – “Game Designers”
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In general, you're NOT going to make it into the
industry as a “game designer” or “idea guy”
Game companies typically have far more ideas to
develop than time to develop them
Game concepts are often publisher or business-driven
Learn how to do something else (program, art, levels,
management) and then rise from within
Remember, everyone has ideas – including publishers,
company owners, senior developers, and movie studios
Remember the Golden Rule – whomever has the gold,
makes the rules (and the games)
Writing a Resume
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The purpose of a resume
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No, it’s not a letter – nor a C.V. or a college application
General guidelines
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Its one, single solitary purpose is to get you an interview
Everything on that paper should point towards the job
Even non-development experience is better than none
Include everything you have worked on in this field
Don’t include extraneous information
Your name and contact info should be on every page
Make it a universal format (.doc/.txt/.pdf)
Choose your method of delivery carefully
Balance flexibility with focus
Writing a Cover Letter
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Don’t use a form letter – write each personally
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Don’t make it too long
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Try to find out the name of who it’s going to
Include relevant company/job description info
2 paragraphs, 4 sentences each (max)
Don’t beg, brag, or butt-kiss
Explain (concisely) why you fit the job, and why the
company is where you want to work
Don’t tell them what you can do, but how what you can
do will benefit them and fit the job
1 good, aimed letter is worth more than 10 bad, massmailed ones
The Programming Demo
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Something to show that you know what you're doing
Typically in lieu of shipped titles
Programming
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Doesn't have to be a complete engine
Complete, simple games are good
2D games are good, 3D games are better
Have something finished to show
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One finished thing is better than 5 halfway done things
The Art/Level Design Portfolio
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A portfolio is a showcase of your best work – not a
dump of everything you’ve ever done
Build an easily-to-navigate web site and email the link –
don’t send huge files
Snail-mail demo reels (videotapes, DVDs)
Include content specific to the job/company you are
applying to (and point them directly to it)
Show a variety of skills, but a focus on what you will
use for that job
Use common formats, screen shots, and downloadable
content
Doing Your Homework
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Game Companies vs. Corporate America
Targeting a specific company – it’s not “all good”
Choosing where you want to work
Choosing what you want to work on
Company knowledge (basic and specific)
Strengths and weaknesses of the company
What you have to offer – and how it fits their needs
Who are the people to get your name in front of ?
Contract to hire – try before you buy
A note about about relocation
Networking
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Networking – “it’s not what you know, it’s who you
know” – actually, it’s both
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Someone known to a developer will almost always be
hired over “someone off the street”
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Be able to prove show your talent – any time, any where
Don’t be afraid to start a conversation or approach someone
Chemistry is often as important as talent and experience
Putting a face, voice, and impression with a name is important
“Knowing someone” is how most people get their jobs
in this (and really any) industry...
Networking Opportunities
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Local:
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National:
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Dallas UTD Computer Games Conference
Dallas IGDA meetings are another
Guildhall at SMU – talks and guest lectures are often public
QuakeCon & CPL
Austin Game Developer’s Conference
GDC has a large recruiting floor section (and a lot of after-hours
socializing)
E3 is (was?) usually a bad place to catch someone’s attention
New conferences and trade shows are popping up all over
Online:
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Online forums and development pages –the right ones
Getting a QA position (testing games) can be a great place to start
The Interview
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The 3 P’s
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The 3 F’s
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Be Flexible (be ready for a change in plans)
Be Friendly (smile, learn and use names)
Always Follow up (the same day)
The 3 C’s
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Be Polite (manners, stand up, listen)
Be Patient (wait, don’t be pushy)
Be Prepared (bring everything you might need)
Speak Clearly (think before you speak)
Be Confident (show them you can do it and more)
Don’t Condescend (there’s a big difference but a narrow gap
between confidence and arrogance)
SHOW ENTHUSIASM!!!
Questions to Ask
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What is the company working on?
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What is the job description?
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What exactly will be expected of you?
Who's your boss?
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Who is funding it?
What is the backup plan?
Where is the project now? When does it ship?
Organiziational structure of company?
What software can you use?
Will you be credited?
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Not always up to the developer
The Job Offer
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Look at your contract before you sign it!
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Non-compete clauses
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Generally not enforceable in some states (including TX)
IP question - who owns your spare-time projects?
Will they send you to E3/GDC (larger companies)?
What kind of benefits are offered?
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Let a lawyer take a look at it (if possible)
Health/dental/life/vision insurance?
401K/IRA?
Bonuses/royalties?
Negotiate if you don't like something
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If you can’t, decide if it’s a deal-breaker
What to Expect when you get Hired
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Probationary period
Working on other people’s game ideas
Working your way up
Continuing education and learning form the industry
Listen and learn from those around you
Make you mark & prove yourself via results, not talk
“You’re only as good as your last game”
Keep your ear to the ground
Things to Remember
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Always Be Ready!!
Time is the most precious commodity anyone has
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Spend your time wisely
When trying to get someone’s attention, remember that you are asking
them to spend their time as well
Get out of your dorm room or parents’ basement – go network
There is no such thing as luck – make your own
It won’t happen overnight – give yourself lead time
Do whatever it takes to get in – be prepared to take a risk or two
Be persistent – but take a hint
Recruiting companies – don’t count on it, but it can’t hurt
Always be improving your skills and knowledge – stay current on
what is going on in the industry
Critics vs. Developers – you want to be the latter
May You Live in Interesting Times
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Movie and music industry – lots of parallels (though
not the way Uwe Boll does it)
The Internets – use the tubes
Next-gen development changes
Portable gaming vs. desktop/TV gaming
Online components to games – critical
Changing demographics - games are not just for the
kids anymore (despite what Jack Thompson insists)
Gameplay (fun) vs. Visual Appeal (pretty) – it cycles
Even if you're unhappy, ship your game (finish what
you start)
Sources and Useful Links
Chris Stark, who co-wrote many of these slides
(thanks Chris!)
http://www.cliffyb.com/things2ask.html
http://www.cliffyb.com/how-to-get-hired.htm
http://www2.ravensoft.com/getajob.htm
http://www.gamespot.com/features/6129276/index.ht
ml
“Get in the Game! Careers in the Game Industry” – by
Marc Mencher, 2003 (ISBN 0-7357-1307-3)
“Do what you love, and you’ll
never work a day in your
life.”
– Chinese Proverb