What kind of fame? All you get is sweaty nerds! Yach!
Teenage girls after 16 are something, boy!

I became a games programmer because the opportunity arose, and I couldn''t see myself saying anything but ''yes''

Its not the money - most people I know with similar skills & qualifications earn more...

It IS the lifestyle I want. I don''t wear a suit, I don''t have to arrive on the dot of 9am, and I get to do something I really like doing all day.

Personally, if I am making enough money to live, and I''m *happy* - then I''m a winner. I know heaps of people that are unhappy in their jobs, or just can''t take the 9-5 drudge, and I know how much more relaxed I am than them.
(except at RTM time, when things get a little crazy!)

This doesnt mean you have to be a games programmer to be happy, but for some people (like myself) - it''s the perfect job.

Zaph

I don''t think that there is really anything new I can add to this discussion, but here''s my take.

For me, the ultimate goal of a career is to get paid for what you love doing. This is exactly what a game programming career is. I get to work with people who are just like me on projects that are incredible.

Face it, when I go to work, I don''t have to deal with suits telling me to cut my hair or wear better clothes. Hell, my boss who is the owner of the company wears jeans and a T-shirt (just like me).

Also, I get to work with technology that no one outside of the game industry can. How else can you program for the Dreamcast?

And as far as the money issue goes. Who the Hell cares? I get paid very well for doing something that I would do anyway. And this way, I can devote all my energies toward game programming. Far more energy I could if I had to spend all day programming some "Intranet Solution."

I don''t know if this has already been posted, but here is my $0.02 on this issue. A lot of people have been mainly talking about game engine development. There is another side to game development, tools. And programming these is just like programming "business apps". I recently downladed a copy of a Game Programming lecture form Robert Huebner and one of the key parts of developing a game that he list is ''Game tools''. In it he states that ''Tools should account for 50% of your programming effort" apparently Jedi Knight was 50% tools, 50% engine. I know that the first games that you create wont need that many tools, but your later ones may.

I''m not trying to deture any one from game programming just trying to make sure everyone keeps there eyes open and not blinkered.

As I said just my $0.02 or seeing as I''m from the UK that should be 0.02p!

Yes, there is a lot of tools development in game programming, but I would rather program a level editor than some COM interface for a databse (I interviewed for a job just like this).

Edited by - I-Shaolin on 1/28/00 6:02:55 PM