How much do employers value XNA projects on a programmer's resume/portfolio?

kibokun · 2009-11-28T20:52:29

First, I invite anyone to give feedback/comments on my current project and resume: http://code.google.com/p/skyblocks/ http://ryangee.hostzi.com/ It's internship season and I've been working in overdrive to make time to work on an XNA game to have at least one completed project on my resume. I chose XNA because of time limitations. I wanted something that could showcase my ability to write a finished, polished game, but using C++ and DirectX would have been much more difficult to get a project done in 2 months while taking very time-consuming classes. For reference, I started Skyblocks on Nov 18th, so I think I'm moving along at a reasonable pace. However, I understand that this does not show a potential employer that I can jump into their C++ & DirectX / OpenGL codebase and contribute on day 1. I have a working knowledge of C++, but I don't think it's necessarily enough yet. I have a reading knowledge of DirectX, but I wouldn't call myself totally capable yet, either. My question is: Where does this leave me in the eyes of an employer when applying for an internship in games? I'm not asking anyone to predict my success or failure. I'm in need of advice on how to best allocate my time. This XNA project over the last 10 days or so has cost me 99% of my free time. I'd like to spend that as productively as possible. Thanks!

Games Career Development Business

Started by kibokun November 28, 2009 07:13 AM

11 comments, last by zer0wolf 14 years, 4 months ago

Fenrisulvur

186

November 28, 2009 08:18 PM

Quote:Original post by zer0wolf
I've read through that last post twice now, and I'm still failing to see any sort of genuine rebuttal to Tom's advice. He stated that feeling that spending X amount of time working on an XNA project isn't a waste of time just because it won't necessarily directly lead to a career in game programming. Of course it isn't a waste of time, so I don't see how it was bad advice.

No, he scorned kibokun for asking which technology would be most conducive to gainful employment in the field he is seeking to enter. It's a legitimate and reasonable query, and Tom's answer is a browbeat.

Quote:Original post by zer0wolf
Yes, game programming IS hard. A programmer has to take a number of steps before they can arrive at any sort of level of "mastery" at programming. Completing a C#/XNA game, even if doesn't directly afford the OP a job, provides a number of benefits:

* It demonstrates the ability to follow through on a project.
* It demonstrates the ability to take a given set of technologies (in this case C# and XNA) and apply them towards the development of a game.

Trying to refute the importance of these two (very big concepts) is dumbfounding.

I'm not refuting either of these benefits, just emphasising that if C++/DirectX were significantly more conducive to kibokun's project goals (employable experience and relevant portfolio pieces), then it definitely would be worth using them to implement the project instead. Other factors definitely come into the decision, but the question was whether or not using C++ would demonstrate a more employable skillset.

Professional C#/XNA game development is more than a mere microcosm, though - aptitude with XNA is very employable (relative to C++/DirectX) - and as noted, there are other compelling reasons to use XNA.

Quote:Original post by zer0wolf
BTW, C++/XNA is NOT the "AAA Xbox 360 dev route". XNA is built around working with C#, not C++. Also, XNA is designed for ease of use and productivity, not efficient use of the Xbox's system resources. Commercial retail and the majority of XBLA titles are developed in C++ with DirectX (or purchased middleware, which is going to be based around those technologies).

Duly noted; redacted. I'm not sure where I got that false snippet from, did MS use "XNA" for SDK branding before its .NET-based incarnation?

NickGravelyn

855

November 28, 2009 08:33 PM

Quote:Original post by Fenrisulvur
Quote:Original post by zer0wolf
BTW, C++/XNA is NOT the "AAA Xbox 360 dev route". XNA is built around working with C#, not C++. Also, XNA is designed for ease of use and productivity, not efficient use of the Xbox's system resources. Commercial retail and the majority of XBLA titles are developed in C++ with DirectX (or purchased middleware, which is going to be based around those technologies).

Duly noted; redacted. I'm not sure where I got that false snippet from, did MS use "XNA" for SDK branding before its .NET-based incarnation?

"XNA" represents ALL of Microsoft's gaming technologies: native DirectX, XNA Math, XNA Game Studio, and the Xbox XDK. It's a brand rather than a single technology. Most people (even most MVPs who have given up trying to correct people as you can see in my post above) use "XNA" just to mean XNA Game Studio or the XNA Framework (the C# bits) which is why it gets confusing when people see "XNA" on an Xbox dev kit or used in other contexts.