Comments on: Shall We Play a Game? http://ithirewire.com/it-industry/shall-we-play-a-game.html Stories, insights, and tips on how to stay balanced (and get ahead). Sun, 14 Mar 2010 08:34:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Michael Bryan http://ithirewire.com/it-industry/shall-we-play-a-game.html#comment-228 Michael Bryan Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:59:03 +0000 http://ithirewire.com/?p=261#comment-228 Here is part I of the gamasutra article I referenced above and meant to include. The article is dated but still has relevant points - http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3300/designers_notebook_how_to_get_.php Here is part I of the gamasutra article I referenced above and meant to include. The article is dated but still has relevant points - http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3300/designers_notebook_how_to_get_.php

]]> By: Michael Bryan http://ithirewire.com/it-industry/shall-we-play-a-game.html#comment-227 Michael Bryan Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:55:50 +0000 http://ithirewire.com/?p=261#comment-227 Hi Shi, Thank you for your post and question. It sounds like you are doing a lot of the right things already. There are definitely challenges with getting your foot in the door in any industry (with limited or no professional experience) but I agree it is even harder with a specialized industry like gaming. A few recommendations I would make are 1) Consider an internship with a gaming company (often unpaid but can be gateway to a position with that gaming company or leverage experience to get hired at a different company) 2) Consider a game testing / QA position with a gaming company (often low pay but an entry level, no experience required role and a way to get some industry knowledge and network with other gamers) 3) Consider game specific degrees / schools such as Full Sail http://www.fullsail.edu or UCF’s FEIA program http://www.fiea.ucf.edu/shield/showpage.php?page_id=1. 4) Join Associations such as IGDA - http://www.igda.org and network with local / national members regarding gaming opportunities, tips, etc. You also mentioned that moving was not an issue so I would focus your searches on game industry job boards (http://www.gamasutra.com or http://www.gamejobs.com) or game company websites specific to some of the gaming hubs: California (Los Angeles and San Francisco area), Texas (Austin), North Carolina to name a few. If you still find it difficult to get a gaming job, I would focus more on the related technologies such as C/C++ programming specific to real-time applications, distributed system environments, 3D graphics, etc and leverage that related professional experience to get into the gaming industry (We have had a lot of success in placing professionals without specific gaming experience, but with related technology experience – specifically in the simulation field (DOD or otherwise)). Also, here’s a link to a related article on Gamasutra about this very subject - http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3302/designers_notebook_how_to_get_.php Best of luck and let me know if I can provide any more insight. Hi Shi,
Thank you for your post and question. It sounds like you are doing a lot of the right things already. There are definitely challenges with getting your foot in the door in any industry (with limited or no professional experience) but I agree it is even harder with a specialized industry like gaming. A few recommendations I would make are 1) Consider an internship with a gaming company (often unpaid but can be gateway to a position with that gaming company or leverage experience to get hired at a different company) 2) Consider a game testing / QA position with a gaming company (often low pay but an entry level, no experience required role and a way to get some industry knowledge and network with other gamers) 3) Consider game specific degrees / schools such as Full Sail http://www.fullsail.edu or UCF’s FEIA program http://www.fiea.ucf.edu/shield/showpage.php?page_id=1. 4) Join Associations such as IGDA - http://www.igda.org and network with local / national members regarding gaming opportunities, tips, etc.

You also mentioned that moving was not an issue so I would focus your searches on game industry job boards (http://www.gamasutra.com or http://www.gamejobs.com) or game company websites specific to some of the gaming hubs: California (Los Angeles and San Francisco area), Texas (Austin), North Carolina to name a few.

If you still find it difficult to get a gaming job, I would focus more on the related technologies such as C/C++ programming specific to real-time applications, distributed system environments, 3D graphics, etc and leverage that related professional experience to get into the gaming industry (We have had a lot of success in placing professionals without specific gaming experience, but with related technology experience – specifically in the simulation field (DOD or otherwise)). Also, here’s a link to a related article on Gamasutra about this very subject - http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3302/designers_notebook_how_to_get_.php

Best of luck and let me know if I can provide any more insight.

]]> By: Shi http://ithirewire.com/it-industry/shall-we-play-a-game.html#comment-226 Shi Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:03:36 +0000 http://ithirewire.com/?p=261#comment-226 last comment for shi- darcil23@msn.com last comment for shi- darcil23@msn.com

]]> By: Shi http://ithirewire.com/it-industry/shall-we-play-a-game.html#comment-225 Shi Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:02:56 +0000 http://ithirewire.com/?p=261#comment-225 I presently enrolled in school trying my best to get the ball rolling on learning C++ and Java, I already have degree in Computer animation ( Flask, photoshop, 3d max, maya, premiere, etc, and another degree in management. I'm going for my masters in information systems, but my passion is gaming what direction could I possible take to land a job! Either creating, directing or learning? I live in Philly but relocating is not a problem! Getting in the industy is the probleM? I presently enrolled in school trying my best to get the ball rolling on learning C++ and Java, I already have degree in Computer animation ( Flask, photoshop, 3d max, maya, premiere, etc, and another degree in management. I’m going for my masters in information systems, but my passion is gaming what direction could I possible take to land a job! Either creating, directing or learning? I live in Philly but relocating is not a problem! Getting in the industy is the probleM?

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