You will, if ever, only get hired depending your skills. Look for ex. at this guy that got hired by google:
http://googlecode.bl...s-to-html5.html
As for freelance coding etc., it's in general very hard to make enough money to survive...
Planning...yea good idea, but usually you end up using much more time for a specific app.
Game Career Planning - Early Learning Stages
Author
Good day, everyone
I want to thank everyone who replies here. Everything was seriously considered by me.
Surely, there are two extremes in planning. One game developer plans little and another plans according to a game dev school covering years or an aspiring AAA game with a huge team. Most people are in the middle somewhere.
I believe that we have covered all basic issues.
Thanks,
3Ddreamer
I want to thank everyone who replies here. Everything was seriously considered by me.
Surely, there are two extremes in planning. One game developer plans little and another plans according to a game dev school covering years or an aspiring AAA game with a huge team. Most people are in the middle somewhere.
I believe that we have covered all basic issues.
Thanks,
3Ddreamer
The pitfall there is twofold.
First, if you only learn to maintain project discipline in one-month increments, you will flounder and burn out hard as soon as you land in an environment that demands a project whose lifetime is measured in years.
Second, a month isn't long enough to do anything interesting, not at this point in your growth.
I stand by my earlier statement: pick a year-long project, and go do it. Put as much love and polish as you can into that project, but limit it to exactly one year. If you don't have enough time in a year to finish your goals, learn the difficult but necessary skill of knowing what to cut back on. If you have extra time, polish it more - there's always room for improvement.
You seem like a very unproductive programmer.
How about making a much more general plan for only the next month? Does anybody see complications with this idea?
First of all, how old are you and what are you doing now? This is important because if I would not give a 29 year old working adult the same advice I would give to a 15 year old teenager.
The biggest problem I see with your plan is this:
2006 - 2012 : Modding games and simulations, learning about computers in general, and sharpening 2D and 3D art skills: Goals all accomplished.
What this says to me is that you even though you say you want to make games, you spent 6 years not making games. This is like someone who aspires to be a racer but spent 6 years modifying car engines, learning about cars in general, sharpening car fixing skills instead of actually driving.
My suggestion for the next 1 month: Go make a game. Start now, stop hesitating. By have a game up and running by 30th Sept.
You can only be a good chef if you keep cooking and learning from your experience. To train to be a professional sportsman, you have to keep doing the sport over and over again. To become a game designer, you need to actually start making games! There really is no substitute for experience. Furthermore, the game you make should be the game you enjoy making. There is really no games that you absolutely must make to become a game developer.
Good luck! Feel free to send me a message if you need any help or someone to talk to.
@ApochPiQ
I don't know. I don't mean to pick you apart and judge you, I just find the way you look at programming to be very different than how I view it, and it interesting to me in that respect. You sound like you spend far too much time trying to remember every last detail before moving on compared to how quickly I like to make progress. Again, I'm not judging you, I'm just really interested.
I moved onto Programming with the Win32 Api after about a day of learning C++. Don't get me wrong, I take programming very seriously. I know when I've gone too far and need to take a step back and prepare, but I also really enjoy jumping in head first, feeling lost, and figuring out a solution.
Just to let you know... I was suffering from a 4 day long insomnia when I wrote that about you... (when you go that long without sleep; you enter a psychosis until you fall asleep). By the way you've replied you've showed a lot about your character and you have my respect.
If you're interested. I would enjoy hearing more about what you do with programming. So feel free to message me if you want to. I most likely won't agree with any advice from you. Right now you have me interested. How long have you been programming and what level would you say your at? What have you've acomplished project wise?
I don't know. I don't mean to pick you apart and judge you, I just find the way you look at programming to be very different than how I view it, and it interesting to me in that respect. You sound like you spend far too much time trying to remember every last detail before moving on compared to how quickly I like to make progress. Again, I'm not judging you, I'm just really interested.
I moved onto Programming with the Win32 Api after about a day of learning C++. Don't get me wrong, I take programming very seriously. I know when I've gone too far and need to take a step back and prepare, but I also really enjoy jumping in head first, feeling lost, and figuring out a solution.
Just to let you know... I was suffering from a 4 day long insomnia when I wrote that about you... (when you go that long without sleep; you enter a psychosis until you fall asleep). By the way you've replied you've showed a lot about your character and you have my respect.
If you're interested. I would enjoy hearing more about what you do with programming. So feel free to message me if you want to. I most likely won't agree with any advice from you. Right now you have me interested. How long have you been programming and what level would you say your at? What have you've acomplished project wise?
Author
Hi, Legendre
First of all, how old are you and what are you doing now? This is important because if I would not give a 29 year old working adult the same advice I would give to a 15 year old teenager.
[color=#008080]My age is 46, so feel free to talk in mature terms and criticize all you want. I welcome it.
[color=#008080]Research stage is where I am. For me, it is basically having a good look before I leap into it. An even better comparison would be having a good look at the area within eye range in the canyon before I leap, if you know what I mean. Game development is complex for even the simplest developer, so charting a course is more important the more complex the journey. ( You mean, if I want a huge system, I might have to plan? Yeah, that is exactly what I mean.) If I were going to game dev school or working for a corporation game developer, then the organization would have a general plan for me in their system. In my case, I will be an indy game developer and must make my own plan, placing the onus on me.
[color=#008080]Once I feel that I have C# learning sources and tools which are good for my needs and not ones which would send me in the wrong direction, then I will begin C# programming in a systematic way. Two days ago I began researching C# learning sources and tools. Today I will begin writing my first C# programming if I can squeeze it into a busy day.
[color=#008080]The only forums which suit my qualifications are Beginner for most things and Creative/Visual Arts where my intermediate level in 2D and 3D would be acceptable. I have not studied programming since college in 1986 when I was borderline beginner/intermediate level in both BASIC and COBOL programming. That year I created one 2D game and one 3D game for IBM PCs. Those things are long ago absolete! LOL
The biggest problem I see with your plan is this:
What this says to me is that you even though you say you want to make games, you spent 6 years not making games. This is like someone who aspires to be a racer but spent 6 years modifying car engines, learning about cars in general, sharpening car fixing skills instead of actually driving.
My suggestion for the next 1 month: Go make a game. Start now, stop hesitating. By have a game up and running by 30th Sept.
You can only be a good chef if you keep cooking and learning from your experience. To train to be a professional sportsman, you have to keep doing the sport over and over again. To become a game designer, you need to actually start making games! There really is no substitute for experience. Furthermore, the game you make should be the game you enjoy making. There is really no games that you absolutely must make to become a game developer.
Good luck! Feel free to send me a message if you need any help or someone to talk to.
[/quote]
Well, there is more to my life history. My mother had a disease called Lupus and disabled so I had to focus on her and not a career. Later a couple other disabled loved ones got my attention which delayed my entry into game development, so you see that there are other legitimate delays not attributed to procrastination in some people's lives.
Depsite other people's needs, I still managed to earn a living and learn Win XP, Win Vista, Win7, Computer and Network Security, administrate a popular modding website, and become intermediate in 2D and 3D art while creating well over 100 3D models for several simulations. Trust me: It would be a challenge for anybody to care for disabled loved ones and accomplish all this.
Moving to the next point, I feel that for most people, this would be perfect advice that you gave. In my case, I will not just be the chef, I want to be the executive chef and owner of the restaurant, put in symbolic terms compared to game development. Making games [cooking food] will be added to overseeing others [kitchen help, waitresses, accountants, managers, janitors, and so forth].
I solute every person who only makes the game [ only cooks food ] and not the tools and certainly not the system with all the tools and creating the game combined. Being only a game maker may allow a person to focus on the talents at hand, so it has advantages.
Many people in these forums don't seem to understand that making a game is fine, but game developer can potentially be far more than only making a game. On one extreme some people make games only and the other extreme is the game developer who makes the tools and a custom system [game engine] for the game and a specialized suite for game development (servers, website, intranet, and so forth). Most people are in the middle of these two extremes.
I am one rare bird who wants to eat everything and fly everywhere. People like me can not be tied to a parent bird or flock for too long. Someday I will become a mature indy game developer and fly where only I may go. Any flock would never follow me because every flock has a leader bird who has different ideas. They will all do just fine for it, too. Any loner bird would not follow me for very long because each bird has individual wants, needs, and capabilities. Such an independent bird does not need another independent bird and will do just fine, too. The other birds are always going to wonder what I am doing and why, but to each his own.
Any way you define it or describe it, indy game developer is inevitable for me.
Thank you for the offer of help, by the way - nice gesture
3Ddreamer
[quote name='3Ddreamer' timestamp='1344895924' post='4969218']
How about making a much more general plan for only the next month? Does anybody see complications with this idea?
First of all, how old are you and what are you doing now? This is important because if I would not give a 29 year old working adult the same advice I would give to a 15 year old teenager.
[color=#008080]My age is 46, so feel free to talk in mature terms and criticize all you want. I welcome it.
[color=#008080]Research stage is where I am. For me, it is basically having a good look before I leap into it. An even better comparison would be having a good look at the area within eye range in the canyon before I leap, if you know what I mean. Game development is complex for even the simplest developer, so charting a course is more important the more complex the journey. ( You mean, if I want a huge system, I might have to plan? Yeah, that is exactly what I mean.) If I were going to game dev school or working for a corporation game developer, then the organization would have a general plan for me in their system. In my case, I will be an indy game developer and must make my own plan, placing the onus on me.
[color=#008080]Once I feel that I have C# learning sources and tools which are good for my needs and not ones which would send me in the wrong direction, then I will begin C# programming in a systematic way. Two days ago I began researching C# learning sources and tools. Today I will begin writing my first C# programming if I can squeeze it into a busy day.
[color=#008080]The only forums which suit my qualifications are Beginner for most things and Creative/Visual Arts where my intermediate level in 2D and 3D would be acceptable. I have not studied programming since college in 1986 when I was borderline beginner/intermediate level in both BASIC and COBOL programming. That year I created one 2D game and one 3D game for IBM PCs. Those things are long ago absolete! LOL
The biggest problem I see with your plan is this:
2006 - 2012 : Modding games and simulations, learning about computers in general, and sharpening 2D and 3D art skills: Goals all accomplished.
What this says to me is that you even though you say you want to make games, you spent 6 years not making games. This is like someone who aspires to be a racer but spent 6 years modifying car engines, learning about cars in general, sharpening car fixing skills instead of actually driving.
My suggestion for the next 1 month: Go make a game. Start now, stop hesitating. By have a game up and running by 30th Sept.
You can only be a good chef if you keep cooking and learning from your experience. To train to be a professional sportsman, you have to keep doing the sport over and over again. To become a game designer, you need to actually start making games! There really is no substitute for experience. Furthermore, the game you make should be the game you enjoy making. There is really no games that you absolutely must make to become a game developer.
Good luck! Feel free to send me a message if you need any help or someone to talk to.
[/quote]Well, there is more to my life history. My mother had a disease called Lupus and disabled so I had to focus on her and not a career. Later a couple other disabled loved ones got my attention which delayed my entry into game development, so you see that there are other legitimate delays not attributed to procrastination in some people's lives.
Depsite other people's needs, I still managed to earn a living and learn Win XP, Win Vista, Win7, Computer and Network Security, administrate a popular modding website, and become intermediate in 2D and 3D art while creating well over 100 3D models for several simulations. Trust me: It would be a challenge for anybody to care for disabled loved ones and accomplish all this.Moving to the next point, I feel that for most people, this would be perfect advice that you gave. In my case, I will not just be the chef, I want to be the executive chef and owner of the restaurant, put in symbolic terms compared to game development. Making games [cooking food] will be added to overseeing others [kitchen help, waitresses, accountants, managers, janitors, and so forth].
I solute every person who only makes the game [ only cooks food ] and not the tools and certainly not the system with all the tools and creating the game combined. Being only a game maker may allow a person to focus on the talents at hand, so it has advantages.
Many people in these forums don't seem to understand that making a game is fine, but game developer can potentially be far more than only making a game. On one extreme some people make games only and the other extreme is the game developer who makes the tools and a custom system [game engine] for the game and a specialized suite for game development (servers, website, intranet, and so forth). Most people are in the middle of these two extremes.
I am one rare bird who wants to eat everything and fly everywhere. People like me can not be tied to a parent bird or flock for too long. Someday I will become a mature indy game developer and fly where only I may go. Any flock would never follow me because every flock has a leader bird who has different ideas. They will all do just fine for it, too. Any loner bird would not follow me for very long because each bird has individual wants, needs, and capabilities. Such an independent bird does not need another independent bird and will do just fine, too. The other birds are always going to wonder what I am doing and why, but to each his own.
Any way you define it or describe it, indy game developer is inevitable for me.
Thank you for the offer of help, by the way - nice gesture
3Ddreamer
@3Ddreamer:
People here critical shit heads. :/ (my only tip: You're better than indie games. You're only an indie game devoloper as long as you say you are. Say you're a business! And that's what you are.) And, you are right about gaining the proper resources before jumping into it head first. Sometimes it's fun to do that, but having good material to fall back on and read is how you make progress. As soon as you start reading some shitty book, you'll be back to looking for different books. What made you decide to go with C#?
People here critical shit heads. :/ (my only tip: You're better than indie games. You're only an indie game devoloper as long as you say you are. Say you're a business! And that's what you are.) And, you are right about gaining the proper resources before jumping into it head first. Sometimes it's fun to do that, but having good material to fall back on and read is how you make progress. As soon as you start reading some shitty book, you'll be back to looking for different books. What made you decide to go with C#?
First of all, calm down. I'm just giving you some advice based on personal experience. Not shooting you down or anything.
Not true. Some games can be developed easily.
E.g. Take a look at the games on a flash portal such as Newgrounds. Google around for tutorials. You'll see how easy a beginner can make similar flash games in just a few days.
Why did you do all these instead of actually making games?
If you look at head chefs who are also owners of successful restaurants, they have quite a passion for cooking and actually spend a considerable amount of time cooking before they got to where they are. You will not find one who spends years learning how to do the accounts, managing janitors, learning how to manage the front etc, instead of actually cooking.
Well, if you make tools, servers, website, intranet and so on, you're not a game developer. Because a game developer, well, develops game.
E.g. If someone say he is a chef, you'll expect him to know how to cook. You'll not call someone who make pots and pans a chef, nor would you expect a chef to be able to make pots and pans.
All I am saying is this: If you want to make games, make games. Stop waiting.
Game development is complex for even the simplest developer
Not true. Some games can be developed easily.
E.g. Take a look at the games on a flash portal such as Newgrounds. Google around for tutorials. You'll see how easy a beginner can make similar flash games in just a few days.
I still managed to earn a living and learn Win XP, Win Vista, Win7, Computer and Network Security, administrate a popular modding website, and become intermediate in 2D and 3D art while creating well over 100 3D models for several simulations.
Why did you do all these instead of actually making games?
Moving to the next point, I feel that for most people, this would be perfect advice that you gave. In my case, I will not just be the chef, I want to be the executive chef and owner of the restaurant, put in symbolic terms compared to game development. Making games [cooking food] will be added to overseeing others [kitchen help, waitresses, accountants, managers, janitors, and so forth].
If you look at head chefs who are also owners of successful restaurants, they have quite a passion for cooking and actually spend a considerable amount of time cooking before they got to where they are. You will not find one who spends years learning how to do the accounts, managing janitors, learning how to manage the front etc, instead of actually cooking.
Many people in these forums don't seem to understand that making a game is fine, but game developer can potentially be far more than only making a game. On one extreme some people make games only and the other extreme is the game developer who makes the tools and a custom system [game engine] for the game and a specialized suite for game development (servers, website, intranet, and so forth). Most people are in the middle of these two extremes.
Well, if you make tools, servers, website, intranet and so on, you're not a game developer. Because a game developer, well, develops game.
E.g. If someone say he is a chef, you'll expect him to know how to cook. You'll not call someone who make pots and pans a chef, nor would you expect a chef to be able to make pots and pans.
All I am saying is this: If you want to make games, make games. Stop waiting.
This topic is closed to new replies.
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