Getting into the industry
Author
I have been coding for some time now and have been trying to get into the industry for about a year. I have a couple of decent game demos. I am in the U.K and would really appreciate any advice from people in the industry how they got into it. If it makes any difference I am 25 and have a Physics degree.
thanks in advance
Andy
If the worst comes to the worst, and you can''t get a job as a game programmer, you can always apply for a job like "mission scripter". It''s so much easier to get a job in the games industry when you''re actually working for a company. You can network more easily, and can also prove that you can meet deadlines/work under pressure. etc.
Plus games companies like to hire internally.
Plus games companies like to hire internally.
quote:Original post by Oxyacetylene
Plus games companies like to hire internally.
Maybe some do, but a lot don''t...
Anyway, There are a number of companies that are based in the UK http://www.codemasters.com/
http://www.climax.co.uk/
and im sure there are more
I''d if you can, i suggest going down to one of their offices and talking to some of their developers. Make sure you know their games beforehand though...
you''re in bad luck. Companies are going bust left right and centre at the moment in the UK. You have a Physics degree, you can code, I''d think it should not be too hard, if only the business was in good state.
I got in in 1998, which was a different time, and probably a lot easier than now. I used a recruitment agency. Aardvark swift, If I remember correctly. They setup interviews and everything quickly, in fact, I got 3 offers right at the start with little experience in games. Nowadays, they are loads of unemployed professionals, so for a newbie, it would be hard. If you get hired, expect to be hired on the cheap, Experience counts a lot there too, and even then, you won''t get paid much, they exploit the fact that people joining the industry are dedicated to the job, and therefore, extra hours and little pay.
Video games developer white pages
I got in in 1998, which was a different time, and probably a lot easier than now. I used a recruitment agency. Aardvark swift, If I remember correctly. They setup interviews and everything quickly, in fact, I got 3 offers right at the start with little experience in games. Nowadays, they are loads of unemployed professionals, so for a newbie, it would be hard. If you get hired, expect to be hired on the cheap, Experience counts a lot there too, and even then, you won''t get paid much, they exploit the fact that people joining the industry are dedicated to the job, and therefore, extra hours and little pay.
Video games developer white pages
And many with one foot in the grave.
*Off topic*
Yo Oxyacetylene, what are your thoughts on the current Dundee game development scene?
Yo Oxyacetylene, what are your thoughts on the current Dundee game development scene?
I''m in a similar stuation to you, knealeaj. I graduated this year with an Astrophysics degree and am trying to break in to the industry. I''ve found that everyone wants 2+ years of commercial programming experience, so if you''ve been working as a non-games programmer for a while that should work in your favour. Trouble is that the non-games IT industry also wants 2+ years of commercial experience too...
I was wondering about doing another degree. Possibly Artificial Intelligence, High Performance Computing or a Games Programming Masters. The AI and Games programs are interesting, but I''m worried that since they''re so specialised I''ll never be able to get a job to use them. The HPC degree is at least 50% software engineering, so I can at least say that I''m qualified. Anyway, do any of the experts here think that doing one of these courses would help someone like knealeaj or I get in to the industry?
[teamonkey]
I was wondering about doing another degree. Possibly Artificial Intelligence, High Performance Computing or a Games Programming Masters. The AI and Games programs are interesting, but I''m worried that since they''re so specialised I''ll never be able to get a job to use them. The HPC degree is at least 50% software engineering, so I can at least say that I''m qualified. Anyway, do any of the experts here think that doing one of these courses would help someone like knealeaj or I get in to the industry?
[teamonkey]
Here''s a good strategy: Find a new technology and specialize in that for a while. Like right now, cell phone gaming is pretty new. Typically, all the SDKs and everything you need to make home-brew projects is freely available, so it is not too hard to teach yourself.
See, the nice thing about new technologies is there is much less qualified competition. You aren''t going up against guys who have been doing that exact thing professionally for 2+ years.
Then after you "break in" and have spent time programming at a game company, you will find it much easier to land that position doing the super-cool 3D console/PC games.
See, the nice thing about new technologies is there is much less qualified competition. You aren''t going up against guys who have been doing that exact thing professionally for 2+ years.
Then after you "break in" and have spent time programming at a game company, you will find it much easier to land that position doing the super-cool 3D console/PC games.
Another thing i haven''t seen mentioned / asked here is what are you *currently* doing job-wise? I know that game development experience is always requested / required, but commercial development of any kind can''t hurt. I know a lot of people that got jobs are various software places, and through contacts and experience there, they were able to hire on at game development places.
I know a lot of people that are interested in game development, know how to code and are very passionate, but they are working in a completely unrelated job field.
Not being from the UK I don''t know what the general programming job market is like though, so this may not be useful at all!
Best of luck to you.
I know a lot of people that are interested in game development, know how to code and are very passionate, but they are working in a completely unrelated job field.
Not being from the UK I don''t know what the general programming job market is like though, so this may not be useful at all!
Best of luck to you.
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