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Is it cool to post jobs in this thread? Pretty sure I've seen them before... If there are any Gameplay programmers out there Austin, TX based LightBox Interactive is looking for one! We're also looking for an experienced Tools programmer. jobs@lightboxinteractive.com or PM me for details.
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Sep 2, 2011 16:31
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The extent of my formal education was calc 1 and linear algebra 1 in university, but I've been good at math for a while, and I'd say problem solving skills end up being more important that rote math knowledge. I've worked on physics systems too, and that's mostly all linear algebra unless you're creating stuff from scratch. Speaking of, here's a physics question that will create arguments, even in very educated/smart people: If you take a pencil into space, and you apply an impulse on the tip exactly tangential to the center of mass, what will happen?
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Sep 2, 2011 19:08
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r2x posted:Honestly I would get comfortable with a programming language before tackling real game stuff. You should know most of the the features that the language has very well (and be able to apply them). Then I would look up guides on making small basic games (maybe a puzzle game first) using update and draw calls and such. If you are using C++ I would recommend using SFML for handling a lot of stuff. I am using it to port a game from C# XNA to C++ and it seems pretty straightforward. That said the best way to learn is to just simply do it. A good idea is to always be doing small projects on the side. One thing to note is that if you're learning your first ever programming language, C++ is not a good first choice. It's got a lot of complicated and finicky features that are kind of unique to C++, which will just serve as an obstacle to understanding if you're still trying to wrap your head around more basic concepts like classes vs. objects and flow control. C# is a good one to start with; it's a lot more streamlined than C++ and uses mostly the same syntax. I started with just plain C, but C is NOT a very good language to make games (that's not saying it's impossible - it's just difficult). It's good if you're just trying to learn "programming", but if you want to jump right in and make something like a side-scroller, then a more modern language will be much easier.
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Sep 2, 2011 19:17
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The Cheshire Cat posted:One thing to note is that if you're learning your first ever programming language, C++ is not a good first choice. It's got a lot of complicated and finicky features that are kind of unique to C++, which will just serve as an obstacle to understanding if you're still trying to wrap your head around more basic concepts like classes vs. objects and flow control. C# is a good one to start with; it's a lot more streamlined than C++ and uses mostly the same syntax. I started with just plain C, but C is NOT a very good language to make games (that's not saying it's impossible - it's just difficult). It's good if you're just trying to learn "programming", but if you want to jump right in and make something like a side-scroller, then a more modern language will be much easier.
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Sep 2, 2011 19:40
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Splat posted:If you take a pencil into space, and you apply an impulse on the tip exactly tangential to the center of mass, what will happen? Maybe I'm falling into a trap, but how is the answer not "The pencil will move away from you and rotate (with the tip initially moving away from you. Meanwhile, you'll move back in the other direction and rotate in the opposite sense as the pencil"? Do people neglect the linear momentum? edit: vvvvvv What force is causing the opposite end to spin toward you? Draw out a free-body diagram, you'll see that there's linear motion. Male Man fucked around with this message at 21:21 on Sep 2, 2011 |
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Sep 2, 2011 20:32
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Male Man posted:Maybe I'm falling into a trap, but how is the answer not "The pencil will move away from you and rotate (with the tip initially moving away from you. Meanwhile, you'll move back in the other direction and rotate in the opposite sense as the pencil"? I like problems like this, so here's my take on it. If you stretch your arm, you push your body into the opposite direction. If you push something instead of simply stopping, your body would continue that motion corresponding to the lost energy. Pushing the pen itself should only send it spinning, as the opposite end moves into the opposite direction. If you don't hit tangetially, it will move away while spinning. If you hit the center of mass dead on, it will move without spinning.
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Sep 2, 2011 20:55
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I probably could have been a game programmer but unfortunately when I was attending college I met a guy who I considered a very good programmer. He gave me the book "C++ in 21 Days" and told me that when I got to Day 9 (which was pointers) that if I understood it ok, I would be a good programmer. If I didn't understand it, I should Get The Hell Out Of Programming Forever. Well of course Day 9 rolled around and I didn't really understand pointers at first and also wasn't really very good at programming in my classes and so I changed majors and transferred out of the school. No joke. Of course later I got back into programming (I'm still not very good) and discovered that only the most hardcore of hardcore programmers instantly understand pointers; most people have a little trouble. And of course now I understand them just fine. Still that set me back about 10 years. So what I'm saying is start small and realize that if you just work at something you can chip away at it and make great strides. Programming is like breaking out of Shawshank - take a little bit of new knowledge with you every day and you can accomplish amazing things.
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Sep 2, 2011 21:30
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Save Russian Jews posted:Right now I'm in Comp Sci 101 and Pre-Pre-Calc (I hosed up a placement exam after 7 years without math and zero prep, but am whizzing through it now and should probably be in at least Trig). Where would you recommend I start picking things up like this, when my understanding of math and programming broaches things more complicated than Fahrenheit-Celsius conversions? It's a WYSIWYG editor strapped on top of... Flixel, isn't it? - which is itself a Flash library. As you master the toolset and make high level stuff, you can look at the (Flixel?) code that drives that, and then as you master THAT, you could look at the code that drives (Flixel?) itself. And now you're down to ActionScript 3.0 bare metal, which is itself an ok jumping-off point into a more advanced language like C# or C++. I'd probably go to C# next, though, just because XNA is integrated and, like before, takes care of a lot of the more low-level stuff for you. Then as you master XNA, dig deeper into C#, and NOW you could move onto C++ and pick a library to get started with (like OGRE), and learn it, and then drill down into it, and... etc. I may be wrong about Stencyl being built atop Flixel, but point is, you can start super high-level but inspect the code itself any time you choose.
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Sep 2, 2011 21:32
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I know we've got some game industry artists in here... Anyone interested in doing up a congratulatory gang tag for SA GameDev VI? I'd be giving it to notables that entered the competition. It would need to be 125x36, GIF (if animated)/PNG/JPG, and be below 20k if it happens to be animated. That is, unless one of the competitors does a decent one first. EDIT: VV Eeeh... hmmm. Probably something that says "SA GameDev VI" or "SomethingAwful GameDev Challenge" or similar for starters - whatever fits. It might be cool if it built itself up in animated fashion, to go with the game building theme. One word emerges from a sketch, another resolves from pixely ASCII art, another might build up in green tinted 1's and 0's? Or just words dropping into place, etc. Those are just random thoughts, though. Shalinor fucked around with this message at 23:56 on Sep 2, 2011 |
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Sep 2, 2011 23:14
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Got any particular ideas? My arch-nemesis, Blank Canvas Syndrome, has been hounding me this week.
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Sep 2, 2011 23:32
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A somewhat out of the blue question, I'm honestly not sure where to ask but I figure there may be some music people in this thread: Does anyone have a recommendation for a good (preferably free) music sequencer - the kind of thing that might be able to produce a simple chiptune-style bit of music as a midi/wav/mp3/whatever that would be usable as background music in a game. I have a fairly good knowledge of musical fundamentals, but no real ability on any instruments, so I'm trying to find something where I can just score out a piece of music right on my screen without having to give it input from a midi keyboard.
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Sep 3, 2011 01:36
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You have a couple options. You could use PXTone, the program the Cave Story guy made. I don't like it too much because it uses samples but doesn't have VST support. You could use the demo version of Fruity Loops, which is the exact same as the full version minus the ability to save tracks (you can get around this by saving them as MIDIs) and use a variety of VSTs to simulate chiptunes. I'll list a few. VOPM - X68k - very similar to Sega Genesis, complicated but very good once you figure it out Pooboy2 - Game Boy - it's great!! Peach - NES - not great, uses pretty lame samples and everyone will know you're using it. Famisynth - Famicom - Okay, better than Peach by a mile but still not great. ProtoPSG - MSX, Master System - It's pretty cool. I haven't worked with it much but it seems decent! ymvst - Atari ST - I used this a lot when I was just getting started. It seems simple at first but you can do neat things with it. Uh, there are about a million more and I don't want to make too big of a post. Alternatively, you can let me do it for you and save yourself the time and effort. I'll do it for free, pal ; )
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Sep 3, 2011 02:14
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I have a couple of options for how to get my CS degree. The required fundamental programming series is all in Java, but it still requires doing a quarter of C++. My question is this: Would I be better off focusing my elective coursework on advanced Java classes/techniques or should I try to become more rounded in C++? I'm thinking that if I primarily use Java to code the projects in my portfolio, having a greater mastery of Java would allow me to include some more polished and functional items by the time I graduate. Thoughts? Edit: I can probably rephrase my question a little better: In the future job market for entry level game programmer jobs, would I be better off becoming proficient in both C++ and Java or dedicating all my elective credits becoming a master of Java and building a robust portfolio of mainly Java projects? Harold Ramis Drugs fucked around with this message at 03:17 on Sep 3, 2011 |
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Sep 3, 2011 02:53
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The Cheshire Cat posted:A somewhat out of the blue question, I'm honestly not sure where to ask but I figure there may be some music people in this thread: Does anyone have a recommendation for a good (preferably free) music sequencer - the kind of thing that might be able to produce a simple chiptune-style bit of music as a midi/wav/mp3/whatever that would be usable as background music in a game.
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Sep 3, 2011 04:44
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Harold Ramis Drugs posted:Java or C++?! Knowing more about one language over another isn't the point of a CS degree. You learn enough theory and concepts not just about languages but software design, algorithms and hardware. You choose what's best for what you're trying to do and you're on the path to gain that wisdom. That being said, please do not dance and try to avoid C/C++. You need to learn about memory and how to manage it properly. This will make you a better engineer/programmer; not just for games, but anything in the software industry. After your first year, you should ideally not care about what language you would need to use. That and you would be hard pressed to find any significant amount of games programmed in anything else other than C/C++ on dedicated systems. ShinAli fucked around with this message at 04:54 on Sep 3, 2011 |
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Sep 3, 2011 04:49
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Echoing the 'learn about memory management' thing. Even though managed languages have really taken off, you still need to think about how the underlying memory actually works, because even managed languages can leak, and badly.
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Sep 3, 2011 05:16
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Save Russian Jews posted:Vino and r2x, thanks for the encouragement/help. I am trying to find a jumping-off point for teaching myself game development concurrently with my degree, and it's kind of tough without specific tips like the ones you gave; there's just so much garbage information out there right now. SRJ, We are in the same boat, but with me it has been 12 years since actual schooling, dropped out of High School and aced the GED test before I turned 18. Thanks to some encouragement from this thread I moved away from a fast-track Game Design cert to a full fledged CS degree. It will be interesting to see where we are in 4 years!
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Sep 3, 2011 06:48
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Harold Ramis Drugs posted:I have a couple of options for how to get my CS degree. The required fundamental programming series is all in Java, but it still requires doing a quarter of C++. My question is this: Would I be better off focusing my elective coursework on advanced Java classes/techniques or should I try to become more rounded in C++? If you write your portfolio in Java for programming jobs, you will be shooting yourself in the foot. The language experience should translate across pretty well. C/C++ isn't that difficult to pick up once you know Java. It's just that you're expected to have picked that up BEFORE you're hired; We're not going to train you on basic C/C++ language stuff if we can even remotely avoid it.
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Sep 3, 2011 15:31
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Chasiubao posted:Echoing the 'learn about memory management' thing. Even though managed languages have really taken off, you still need to think about how the underlying memory actually works, because even managed languages can leak, and badly. Quoting this for emphasis. Although I did learn C first, my courses are all in Java. Knowing about pointers from C though has given me a very good implicit understanding of how memory management works, so even though I don't need to manually allocate and free memory with Java, I still understand when the garbage collector will do it on its own. The important thing about managed languages is that they prevent memory leaks from unreferenced data, but they don't prevent memory leaks from sloppy coding. If you've got a dozen arrays filled with data you no longer need, it's still going to sit in memory until the program is closed. As far as the garbage collector is concerned, data is still "in use" if you've got a variable pointing to it. Java is still a better language to start with than C++ though, since the syntax is a lot easier to pick up. Personally I think that Java has much nicer looking coding practices too, so your code just might end up being more human readable when you move to C++. The most confusing part about C++ is that it's basically designed so that if anyone has ever asked for a feature in a programming language, they've put it into C++. This makes it very confusing to learn because there are a ton of features you will probably never actually need to use - but you still need to know them because someone ELSE might use them, and you might need to look at their code some day. The Cheshire Cat fucked around with this message at 16:56 on Sep 3, 2011 |
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Sep 3, 2011 16:49
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So my year-long contract with Sony is up at the end of this month. My plan all along has been that if I didn't have something else lined up right away, I was going to move back in with some friends in Seattle and try my luck there. It looks like that's going to be the case, so it's off to Seattle I go. I lived there for a few months last year, but not really long enough to get a good sense of the industry scene. I'm sure there are plenty of Seattle natives in here. Any advice for an environment artist? Any good local communities or groups where I can make contacts, local hangouts, etc.? Any career newsletters that focus particularly well on the Seattle area?
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Sep 3, 2011 18:05
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The Cheshire Cat posted:And when managed languages do something like open a file on your hard drive, underneath all the magic buffers and streams, there's still fundamentally a native, unmanaged resource. C# introduced a really nifty using keyword, but it's still not enough to catch all cases.
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Sep 3, 2011 19:22
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A small minor question, but if I were to set up a website portfolio, does it matter what my domain name is? (Like not something obscenely long and hard to remember or leetspeak or whatever) Using my name for a domain name just seems dull but that seems like what I see in some examples. edit: err after I hit post, I remembered some domain names that aren't straight up names. Well, does it really make one look that much more professional?
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Sep 4, 2011 23:02
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Having a domain name helps your site and your folio to be more easily remembered. This is a great thing. I don't think I will ever forget PoopInmyMouth.
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Sep 4, 2011 23:42
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Ehhhhhh
Snooty fucked around with this message at 11:43 on Feb 17, 2018 |
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Sep 5, 2011 06:56
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I'm guessing its super difficult getting into concept art? I've only spotted one "Character Concept Artist" opening recently, at Guerrilla Games. I applied but it's been almost 3 weeks ("if you have not heard from us within three weeks, your application was most likely unsuccessful") and I haven't seen them looking at my website (I am watching the stats like a HAWK) - I guess my total lack of experience outside mods puts me way behind a lot of applicants. -> http://www.elizabeth-edwards.net/ I'm trying to get some good 3d done so I'll actually be employable but, jeez, I've been saying that for a while now. At least I'm getting to grips with Zbrush at last (WIP): 
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Sep 5, 2011 22:38
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Zvezda posted:I'm guessing its super difficult getting into concept art? I've only spotted one "Character Concept Artist" opening recently, at Guerrilla Games. I applied but it's been almost 3 weeks ("if you have not heard from us within three weeks, your application was most likely unsuccessful") and I haven't seen them looking at my website (I am watching the stats like a HAWK) - I guess my total lack of experience outside mods puts me way behind a lot of applicants. -> http://www.elizabeth-edwards.net/ As somebody who's been looking at concept applicants lately (though an actual artist could give you better feedback); - You have zero environments, which hurts a lot (some studios might need character concept specifically, but variety is very prized at smaller outfits like ours) - You have zero inorganic/mechanical concepts (guns, vehicles, etc), which hurts, but again some places have more specialized concept people - Most of your portfolio is faces and generic, mildly sci-fi characters. Need more variety and MORE in general. Also, a decent amount of studios these days outsource a lot of concept to houses like Massive Black, so you'll see less openings than you might think. For us having a bunch of passable 3D wouldn't really help you either. It's good to know a concept artist understands 3D, but in our case, we want concepts that really blow us away, so presenting what you have + some okay 3d models just dilutes your profile instead of building on and improving on what you already have. icking fudiot fucked around with this message at 23:34 on Sep 5, 2011 |
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Sep 5, 2011 23:31
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Zvezda posted:I'm guessing its super difficult getting into concept art? I've only spotted one "Character Concept Artist" opening recently, at Guerrilla Games. I applied but it's been almost 3 weeks ("if you have not heard from us within three weeks, your application was most likely unsuccessful") and I haven't seen them looking at my website (I am watching the stats like a HAWK) - I guess my total lack of experience outside mods puts me way behind a lot of applicants. -> http://www.elizabeth-edwards.net/ But, every single image there has the same style, and that style is "sketchy / unfinished." I get that it's a style in and of itself, but that's still the sense I get. I would be curious if you could work in any style other than that. Can you take an illustration to a polished point? Can you do realistic? Could you produce a look-and-feel illustration to act as a key visual? Can you match someone else's style? What you've got up there reminds me less of a concept artist's stuff, and more like what our non-concept artists draw when not doing 3D stuff. Some of them use it to inform their design, some of it does get used as concept art, etc, but the point is that our actual concept artists blow their stuff out of the water. That's who you're competing with, not the 3D artists doing illustration on the side. I would second that the 3D stuff in no way helps your case there. Only put 3D up there if you're actually applying as a 3D artist (and then it needs to be competitive 3D showing a good range of talent... etc). I would also second the notion that there just aren't many concept art gigs out there. It's the single most competitive realm of game art; There are a TON of traditional artists out there that couldn't find a market in fine art and are now falling bad into media as a way to pay the bills. So if you can do 3D, career-wise, aiming for a 3D art position instead would probably open some additional doors. Shalinor fucked around with this message at 23:45 on Sep 5, 2011 |
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Sep 5, 2011 23:40
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icking fudiot posted:As somebody who's been looking at concept applicants lately (though an actual artist could give you better feedback); Thank you. I am worried about lack of variety and I have been doing environment concept art for an indie game but I don't think it would do me any favours on my portfolio until I get, well, better. As for the 3d, I'm assuming once I get proficient at it, it'll be my main skill and the job I'm looking for instead of concept art. Shalinor posted:First: I Am Not An Artist(tm) Thank you! Drawing is just what I've been doing longest and it'd be lovely to be able to take it into a career - wishful thinking, really. 3D is my goal (I don't like to admit it but I know I'm up against impossible odds with concept art) and it's what I've been putting my time into recently. Just, my heart's not been in it lately which is a big part of why I'm posting - I need motivation in the right direction. I default back into drawing stuff I'm comfortable with instead of pushing myself with 3d.
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Sep 6, 2011 00:27
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Three overall questions: Would it be a good thing to apply to a QA job just as I have started college? I am doing fine balancing a 20 hour per week part time job right now with schooling, but rather the intent of the question is: even though i just started going to school for a CS degree, does that show a desire for the business and would be kudos on my side to be hired on? Do we have someone in the thread from an HR department or just a good Samaritan that would be willing to take a quick peek at a resume that isn't built into a website yet? (I am working on that but want to get a foilio under my belt before I go in that direction) And lastly, do we have anyone that works at Timegate in this thread as well? Is there someone I should address on the cover letter? edit: #gamedevgoons is vacant right now, Labor Day causing it or is the channel just not populated as much? Stormin Mormon fucked around with this message at 01:59 on Sep 6, 2011 |
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Sep 6, 2011 01:28
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Stormin Mormon posted:edit: #gamedevgoons is vacant right now, Labor Day causing it or is the channel just not populated as much? People don't idle in it too often right now. I'll try and open up IRC more often to catch anyone else around.
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Sep 6, 2011 06:31
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1. Doubt it. 2. Throw it up on well, any free site, and you'll get all the critiques you could ever want from everyone in this thread  Also, I've never heard of a part-time QA spot in this industry, but I suppose the times they are a-changin'! Yeah I stopped going into the channel as well but I'll try to make an effort to be there, although I don't have much to say these days.
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Sep 6, 2011 06:32
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Bethesda supposedly has a QA Intern position available, Stormin Mormon; I was considering applying (disabled vet preference heh), but my knowledge of QA pretty much extends to "what it stands for" and my programming skills are probably worse. If you've got any better than what I'm working with, it might be a good gig (paid, if I remember correctly, just not paid well). Then again, I'm just a guy who probably knows less than you, so take all of this information as such.
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Sep 6, 2011 06:47
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Chasiubao posted:Also, I've never heard of a part-time QA spot in this industry, but I suppose the times they are a-changin'! It's basically unheard of, yeah.
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Sep 6, 2011 07:03
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Note Block posted:It's basically unheard of, yeah. I didn't think so 
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Sep 6, 2011 07:47
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Eeeehhhhh
Snooty fucked around with this message at 11:42 on Feb 17, 2018 |
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Sep 6, 2011 11:25
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Watchlar posted:Following this discussion from a non-US perspective is pretty interesting. This is indeed a very US-centric thread but then again the sheer number of US companies is always going to make that the most useful point of view. In Europe as a whole I would say the biggest difference is that companies aren't so reliant on specific qualifications and online portfolios when recruiting - though that is changing and some of the international places now demand a portfolio with all CVs / resumes. I'd also put it as being easier to enter and more accepting of strange entry paths, despite the problem for many with language barriers. This despite the fact also that education and societies are so varied across Europe. I guess that having so many different routes of entry by its very nature means that the companies involved can't set definite "you must have this experience exactly to apply" requirements without limiting themselves to recruiting from a single country. There's also less concern about relocation. To many people I know, moving from the UK to Serbia is less a worry than it seems some folks have in moving from Texas to California. Though this might just be that people in the thread only mention relocation as an issue when they care - the vocal minority and all that. Having said all that, I only have direct experience of Europe - so if I have the wrong ideas about the US, people in this thread are to blame :P
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Sep 6, 2011 12:33
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Tell me what to do. My father is on his death bed half way around the world and I can't concentrate on my work.
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Sep 6, 2011 13:03
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Ehhhh
Snooty fucked around with this message at 11:42 on Feb 17, 2018 |
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Sep 6, 2011 13:20
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I would guess that the relocation thing is largely cultural. We're a society of settling down and building a homestead rather than seeking out new places and people. Personally, I have a handful of Ukrainian and Russian devs on my list of possibles if American places fail me. I've lived there before and I know the language, so it's an option. Hell, most of them require knowledge of English, actually... https://instagram.com/mutatedjellyfish/
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Sep 6, 2011 13:28
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Watchlar posted:To be honest following the industry from this perspective makes me really adverse to the idea of ever working for an AAA studio, no matter how cool the product is. The European AAA seems maybe to have less crunch on average than the US version -- where I am (France) I am not sure I can crunch by any normal definition of the word. I get a base 37 days holiday (plus 9 or 10 of national holidays) and it is illegal for me to work more hours per week than I do (39.5). Technically I can only average at most 37.5 days a week so I have to take at least a day of vacation per month to take that to the monthly legal quantity. In the UK I could sign away the limited hours right - but here it is pretty much set in stone that I can do no more than 220 hours overtime in a year and all of that is paid as such.
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Sep 6, 2011 14:03
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