I just recently graduated from college with my Bachelor's in Game Software Development, and I am living in the Seattle area so software/game companies are not the issue. Now that I am out of school, I know they want to see a portfolio a long with a resume, so I am going to get my own personal website just for this purpose, but I am not sure what I should showcase. Here is the problem I am facing, I know there are many different programming positions that specialize in graphics, tools, ai, etc... I have 3+ years of C++ knowledge and would consider myself proficient in that language.
Questions:
1. What kind of demos are they more or less looking for?
2. Should I make my demo's using OpenGL/DirectX vs. SFML/SDL
3. Should I make my demo's using ABOVE ^^ or engines(UDK, Unity, etc...)
4. For my resume, I don't have any industry experience just before and during school that is non factor, do I still put that on my resume?
5. If not, what kind of stuff should I put on there?
That is all I can really think of at the moment, your suggestions and guidance is really appreciated, and thank you in advance.
Portfolio suggestions
1. From research (according to Blizzard Entertainment), they look for complete games or mods. In my portfolio, I am listing relevant projects to the area I want to specialize. I'm interested in making tools and apps to help the developers more so than the actual game logic and scripting. My portfolio only has one game and the rest are tools.
2. I don't think it matters.
3. Using a pre-existing engine to make a game means you have a overall understanding of each part of the game, unless you worked in a team and focused on a specific area.
4. If you have no experience, I would personal put it down. There may be transferrable non-technical skills.
I'm also in the same situation as you except I live in a terrible state for game developers and have ~2 years of software industry experience. Don't mean to hijack your thread but my problem is whether I should put in my business projects and if they will help at all in my portfolio.
2. I don't think it matters.
3. Using a pre-existing engine to make a game means you have a overall understanding of each part of the game, unless you worked in a team and focused on a specific area.
4. If you have no experience, I would personal put it down. There may be transferrable non-technical skills.
I'm also in the same situation as you except I live in a terrible state for game developers and have ~2 years of software industry experience. Don't mean to hijack your thread but my problem is whether I should put in my business projects and if they will help at all in my portfolio.
Your portfolio should demonstrate the work you feel is your best, work that you could have an interesting discussion about, work that you're passionate about.
It's actually rather easy to spot the difference between that kind of work, and work people have built specifically for their portfolio because they feel that's what "employers want to see in their portfolio."
Every employer will want or expect different things, but most of them want you to be interested in the work you do, so it's best to focus things that interest you, that you think are awesome, rather than try to guess what they will think is awesome.
It's actually rather easy to spot the difference between that kind of work, and work people have built specifically for their portfolio because they feel that's what "employers want to see in their portfolio."
Every employer will want or expect different things, but most of them want you to be interested in the work you do, so it's best to focus things that interest you, that you think are awesome, rather than try to guess what they will think is awesome.
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