Hey, guys.
Thanks for all your replies.
The reason I ask is that I’m interested in becoming a professional game
developer.
I wanted to know from you how you went about getting the job and possibly
what qualifications you have.
I’m currently working for a company that does software for computer
controlled industrial machinery and have my BSce in Computer Science.
I’m just curious as to how one goes about getting into the industry.
Thanks in advance.
Mario de Sousa
Speaking for myself getting into the industry
is quite hard.
I’ve been working in the IT industry and doing
game related things as an hobby.
From time to time, I apply to game studios
here in europe but most of the time they are
interested in programmers that already have
released some titles or have some GREAT demos to show.
Cheers,
Paulo
Mario de Sousa wrote:>Hey, guys.
Thanks for all your replies.
The reason I ask is that I’m interested in becoming a professional game
developer.I wanted to know from you how you went about getting the job and possibly
what qualifications you have.I’m currently working for a company that does software for computer
controlled industrial machinery and have my BSce in Computer Science.I’m just curious as to how one goes about getting into the industry.
Thanks in advance.
Mario de Sousa
SDL mailing list
SDL at libsdl.org
http://www.libsdl.org/mailman/listinfo/sdl
That’s the answer… release a game.
As the demand for games programmers is about the same as the number of
experienced game programmers, game companies will be taking risks
employing a “wannabee”, especially when experienced developers are
available. I too am a wanabee.
So the answer to get into the industry is to have released a game. I’m
gambling that it doesn’t have to be a game in a box in a computer game
shop, but can also be published on the net. My plan is to produce a
game, and publish it solely for the purpose of breaking into this
market.
As I see it this is the least you (or I) will need to do.
David Bean. BSc Computer Science (Hons)On Thu, 2003-12-11 at 11:13, Paulo Pinto wrote:
Speaking for myself getting into the industry
is quite hard.I’ve been working in the IT industry and doing
game related things as an hobby.From time to time, I apply to game studios
here in europe but most of the time they are
interested in programmers that already have
released some titles or have some GREAT demos to show.
I just do it ( http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/ ) because that’s the way
I’ve always spent my life… programming and writing games.
That I get PAID for it now is just a bonus, to me! I’m quite honored. 
This is SO off topic, Sam’s gonna kill us all, I swear! I’ll shut up now!
Maybe it should move to the “linuxgames” mailing list, perhaps???
-bill!On Thu, Dec 11, 2003 at 11:21:20AM +0000, David Bean wrote:
So the answer to get into the industry is to have released a game. I’m
gambling that it doesn’t have to be a game in a box in a computer game
shop, but can also be published on the net. My plan is to produce a
game, and publish it solely for the purpose of breaking into this
market.
Bill Kendrick wrote:
This is SO off topic, Sam’s gonna kill us all, I swear!
Indeed.
One answer to the question about how to get into game-developing is:
Networking. Go network on www.igda.org - lots of developers there just
waiting to answer your exact question.
Regards,
\Mikkel Gjoel
And if you get the job with the big game company be prepared for the
fact that you will now just be one cog in the game development machine.
You will no longer be in charge of every part of game development. You
won’t know why the decisions were made the way they were. You will not
be consulted on things you are used to being in charge of. And, you will
have to live with the organization as it exists.
What I am trying to say is that the transition form being an independent
game developer to working for a company as a game programmer can be
traumatic. It can be a very painful experience. Going from being the
only fish in the pond to being a minnow in an ocean is hard to deal
with. Be prepared for some hard knocks on your ego. Be prepared for the
competition you will face.
I have seen people come completely unglued when their preconceptions of
what is was like to be a game programmer came in contact with the
reality of the job.
Bob PendletonOn Thu, 2003-12-11 at 05:21, David Bean wrote:
On Thu, 2003-12-11 at 11:13, Paulo Pinto wrote:
Speaking for myself getting into the industry
is quite hard.I’ve been working in the IT industry and doing
game related things as an hobby.From time to time, I apply to game studios
here in europe but most of the time they are
interested in programmers that already have
released some titles or have some GREAT demos to show.That’s the answer… release a game.
–
±--------------------------------------+
What I am trying to say is that the transition form being an independent
game developer to working for a company as a game programmer can be
traumatic. It can be a very painful experience. Going from being the
And with some (quite successful) game houses (no names) you will probably
find that you are overworked and underpaid and under-training. Not wanting
to put prospective developers down but it’s a tough business!
Neil.
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
Hi!Am Donnerstag, 11. Dezember 2003 19:30 schrieb Neil Brown:
What I am trying to say is that the transition form being an independent
game developer to working for a company as a game programmer can be
traumatic. It can be a very painful experience. Going from being theAnd with some (quite successful) game houses (no names) you will probably
find that you are overworked and underpaid and under-training. Not wanting
to put prospective developers down but it’s a tough business!
Well, all of this is true, but not only for game studios. I think the same
applies for every other software company, also I can only ensure this for a
very big european business application company.
BTW: The best way to get into a job is to play volleyball with one of your
future teammates and start doing some free-time-programming with him 
Matthias
(BTW: I am not a full time programmer, but a student of the science of
physics)
Matthias Bach | GPG/PGP-Key-ID: 0xACA73EC9
www.marix-world.de | On Keyserver: www.keyserver.net
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.2.2 (GNU/Linux)
iD8DBQE/2Mf1lnJmS6ynPskRApXJAJ94x8ShJgHfd4pW97A6ByxPKgeSNACgk+R/
JBtiv/Rkeb91Dt5xOAq5ANo=
=HepC
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
You forgot to mention that, in any kind of software development, after a
certain age no company will hire you no matter how good you are. Like sports,
it’s a short-lived career.
JPOn Thursday 11 December 2003 08:12 am, Bob Pendleton wrote:
I have seen people come completely unglued when their preconceptions of
what is was like to be a game programmer came in contact with the
reality of the job.
I must add that my experience in the IT industry
is the same.
Sometimes one feels like an employer of a production
line.
Bob Pendleton wrote:>…(cutted)…
And if you get the job with the big game company be prepared for the
fact that you will now just be one cog in the game development machine.
You will no longer be in charge of every part of game development. You
won’t know why the decisions were made the way they were. You will not
be consulted on things you are used to being in charge of. And, you will
have to live with the organization as it exists.What I am trying to say is that the transition form being an independent
game developer to working for a company as a game programmer can be
traumatic. It can be a very painful experience. Going from being the
only fish in the pond to being a minnow in an ocean is hard to deal
with. Be prepared for some hard knocks on your ego. Be prepared for the
competition you will face.I have seen people come completely unglued when their preconceptions of
what is was like to be a game programmer came in contact with the
reality of the job.Bob Pendleton
I have seen people come completely unglued when their preconceptions of
what is was like to be a game programmer came in contact with the
reality of the job.You forgot to mention that, in any kind of software development, after a
certain age no company will hire you no matter how good you are. Like sports,
it’s a short-lived career.
I probably left that out because I am currently living that situation. I
was laid off from my last full time job (R&D on doing
games/entertainment on cell phones) on my 49th birthday in 2001. I
haven’t been able to get an interview for a full time technical job
since then. I was able to get contract software testing work off and on
for the next year, but nothing since this time last year.
All I can say is that I was very lucky to be able to keep doing
technical work through my 40s. Most people don’t make it through their
30s.
I was also very lucky that I learned in my 20s that you have to save
between 10 and 20 percent of your gross income if you expect to survive.
All programmer go through dry spells. Technical jobs pretty much dry up
every 10 years of so. I’ve seen in happen in the early '70s, the early
’80s, the early '90s, and the early '00s.
Programming is a tough profession.
Bob PendletonOn Thu, 2003-12-11 at 15:11, j_post wrote:
On Thursday 11 December 2003 08:12 am, Bob Pendleton wrote:
JP
SDL mailing list
SDL at libsdl.org
http://www.libsdl.org/mailman/listinfo/sdl
–
±--------------------------------------+
You can establish your own small company (just a few people) and to sign
a contract with game publishing company. When you finish your game they
will sell it and will pay you a percentage. This is good way to start.
Mario de Sousa wrote:> Hey, guys.
Thanks for all your replies.
The reason I ask is that I’m interested in becoming a professional game
developer.I wanted to know from you how you went about getting the job and possibly
what qualifications you have.I’m currently working for a company that does software for computer
controlled industrial machinery and have my BSce in Computer Science.I’m just curious as to how one goes about getting into the industry.
Thanks in advance.
Mario de Sousa