Transcript Careers in the game (and simulation) industry Dr. Lewis Pulsipher Copyright 2010 Lewis Pulsipher Teachgamedesign.blogspot.co m Pulsiphergames.com pulsiphergamedesign.blogsp ot.com.

Careers in the game (and
simulation) industry
Dr. Lewis
Pulsipher
Copyright 2010 Lewis Pulsipher
Teachgamedesign.blogspot.co
m
Pulsiphergames.com
pulsiphergamedesign.blogsp
ot.com
 Questions:
 Age
 Play games how many hours a day?
 Ever make a game?
 Think making video games is easy?
 What do you want to do?
 Think all you need is a great idea?
Who am I?
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Designed my own games from a very young age
Began playing commercial wargames in early ‘60s
Early video game experience: Atari 2600, DOS
Designer of six commercially-published board wargames (most
recently, foreign language editions of Britannia, Nov ‘08)
Worked in computer support (programming, chief of
PC/network support) at Womack medical center 9+ years
First to teach game design in North Carolina as far as I know
(Fall ’04)
Presently writing book about how to design games, and how to
teach people to design games
Monthly contributor to Gamasutra/GameCareerGuide (and
“expert blogger” there)
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Teaching is my profession, game design my avocation
Games good to me (met wife thanks to D&D!)
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Pulsipher.net
http://pulsiphergamedesign.blogspot.com/
http://teachgamedesign.blogspot.com
November 6, 2015
Some of my games
Note about the slides
 Slides are provided primarily for those
who want detailed notes later, not as
an accompaniment to the talk
 Consequently, they are “rather wordy”
 Available at
http://pulsipher.net/teaching1.htm
 Or just go to pulsipher.net (not .com)
and look for teaching material
November 6, 2015
My Objectives
 Is this a good career?
 What career specializations are there?
– Three main ones—programmer, artist,
game designer
 How do you get there?
– Teach yourself or go to school
A career?
 Video games make more $$$ than
movies
 Simulations industry is growing rapidly
 The majority of Americans play video
games
 (The tabletop game industry is going
great guns as well.)
 Can be lots of fun at times
BUT:
 Subject to instability in employment
 Work long hours
 No, you won’t be a “rock star”
 People often leave games for other
work (such as simulations)
Careers—dose of reality
 Game creators don’t play games much at
work!
 Making games is work—though many will tell
you it’s very stimulating work
 “Passion” and love of games is expected, it’s
not nearly enough to get you a job
 You must have skills that the studio needs!
 You have to prepare yourself to compete with
tens of thousands of wannabes!
 And you won’t get rich
Careers--artists
 Most numerous—artists
– 2D concept artists
– 2D storyboard artists
– Environment artists (2D and 3D)
– 3D modeling of characters
• Two to eight weeks for one main character!
November 6, 2015
Careers-programmers
 Programmers second most numerous
kind of employee
 25 years ago programmers also did
most of the art and design—not any
more
 Requires use of logic, methodical
analysis, patience, problem-solving
 Paid much more than artists and
designers
Careers--designers
 Game designers are usually experienced
game creation employees before they
get a designer job
 Some level designers may be hired
directly out of school
 Ideas are worth “nothing,” it’s the
execution that counts
 AAA video games tend to be “designed
by committee”
Other categories
 Producers—ultimately in charge of
making the game
 Sound persons
 Composers
 Accountants, marketers, business
managers, IT guys, etc.
How do I get there?
 You have to prepare yourself to be
valuable to the studio
 For every job open there are dozens of
people wanting it
 Wanting a job badly won’t get you one
 Passion won’t get you a job
 No one is going to “give” you a job—
you have to earn it
Things you should want for
yourself, for the good of your
long-term future
 Prepare yourself so that you can obtain non-
game-industry jobs as well
 If you’re going to a college or university—a
good idea in most cases--get a real degree
– Specialized game schools are not only expensive,
they are accredited only as trade schools, not
colleges—not a real degree
Three things the video game
industry wants from “new
blood”
 Ability to work in teams
 Ability to think critically (“critical
thinking”)
 Understanding of the pipeline process
Three things every employer
wants from you
 Good written communication skills
 Good oral communication skills
 Ability to work in a team (yes, that
again)
Teach Yourself?
 The “School of Hard Knocks” can work,
but takes a lot of self-direction
– It’s how I learned
 You don’t have to have a degree to get
a job in our industries. This is different
from most, these days
Or go to school—”local” schools
teaching game creation
 FTCC has an Associates degree in “Simulation
and Game Development”
– This is where I teach, primarily the game design
related classes
– “College Connections” classes are open to high
schoolers (juniors and seniors)
 NC State has a concentration in games in
both their Fine Arts and Programming/
“Computer Science” departments (Bachelor’s
degree). Nothing for designers
Why a community college?
 It won’t cost an arm and a leg, you
won’t be deep in debt when done
 You can continue at a four-year school
if you wish
 Small classes (nothing with a hundred
or even 50 students)
 Many cc instructors talk with students,
not at them, and are concerned for
their success
Online resources
 GameCareerGuide.com – specifically for
people who want to become game
creators
 Sloperama.com – good advice about
getting into the industry
 Gamasutra.com – the #1 site for those
who work in the video game industry
 Gamedev.net – Popular site more
programmer-oriented
IN SUM:
There is no “easy button”
If you want something, you have
to work for it.
If you want an easy job, keep
looking, and good luck.
If it was easy, they wouldn’t pay
you diddly squat (flipping
burgers is easy, and pay is
minimal).
Questions?
Comments?
END
 Show space invaders
 “naked” game (DK)
 Prototypes?