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Shalinor posted:We got a giant box of controllers from Logitech, to promote GRAVITAZ with. I resisted the urge to roll around in them... barely. Kind of cool to be working on a game that attracts sponsorship This is so far beyond your first videos in terms of quality that I was genuinely shocked. The audio is a lot more clear and everything has a nice layer of professionalism about it.
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Apr 25, 2012 00:45
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I put up some money when the Kickstarter first started, so I'm eager to see how the project develops. As I'm nearing the end of my contract, I found that I've unfortunately missed the boat on hiring seasons for most QA jobs around Austin (hell, even Zynga isn't hiring at this point), so I've been throwing out my resume to companies I've never heard of. While I was at work, I missed a call, and searching up the number it seemed to be from Sony Online Entertainment. When I finally got the voicemail, it was from the no-name mystery company, and the callback number they gave me was completely wrong.  I think I'd be wise to avoid this one.
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Apr 25, 2012 02:00
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NINbuntu 64 posted:This is so far beyond your first videos in terms of quality that I was genuinely shocked. The audio is a lot more clear and everything has a nice layer of professionalism about it. Unfortunately, it really didn't change anything. We've gotten nary a peep of press, aside from the few that already covered us. Hoping maybe a few catch us with tomorrow's news, but thus far, I'm getting a definite sense of "oh, yeesh, another Kickstarter". We've got one more solid stab we're putting together this weekend, so we'll see next week.
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Apr 25, 2012 04:55
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RoboCicero posted:I've always wanted to work as a designer, but my intuition is telling me that I should work as an engineer for a while since it opens more doors up down the line (including using the salary to do one of those self-funded start-ups where people work for a year or two and emerge, blinking, into the light with Aquaria or Super Meat Boy or what have you) than an design position, even if I'm putting off ~my dream job~ for the moment. I think your intuition is correct. I have a friend coming out of college who turned down a design position at Rockstar to work at Zynga because of the pay difference. He knows he won't be making the kind of games he loves, but it is gonna help him pay off student debts and give him more financial freedom in the future. I made the opposite decision, and turned down a high paying software engineering job to be a game programmer at a company I really wanted to work at. I'm in a lucky spot where the money difference didn't matter as much, but I still do second guess my self on occasion. I will say that I think that it is generally a bad idea for a person with good programming skills to market him/herself as a designer, due to the huge pay difference, especially at junior positions.
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Apr 25, 2012 23:50
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crazylakerfan posted:I will say that I think that it is generally a bad idea for a person with good programming skills to market him/herself as a designer, due to the huge pay difference, especially at junior positions. At smaller mobile studios, increasingly, teams don't want designers so much as they want programmers that can design. The odds of a programmer being able to design are better than the odds of a designer being able to program, so... there you go. Having the solid engineering history on your resume would do you serious favors when applying to such, so long as somewhere in your portfolio there's also evidence of design skill. EDIT: You'd be head and shoulders above the designer that has a portfolio showing some basic coding skills. Solid programming skill is an experience thing. It's harder to convincingly prove you've got the code chops in portfolio form than it is to prove you can make a fun game. EDIT: VV Yep. Design tests are brutal, because how else can you verify someone's abilities? It's a difficult skill to quantify. Hiring for a tech designer is a bit different, though, as is hiring for designer/programmers at smaller studios. Having that coding background gives you a verifiable skill, something that proves you know stuff, which usually gets you past the weed out crap and into phone screens/interviews (where you'll get asked process stuff, get drilled on design quandaries, be asked to justify all your decisions, etc). ... I will probably take a lot of flack from the designers in here, but I feel like most of the kerfluffle they put designers through in the test has to do with justifying the position as being Real Work, more than giving useful information to the team about skillset. At least, I do when those tests are still administered to experienced designers with clear track records. I've seen senior designers with 10+ years in the industry get asked to design entire card games as part of first-round interviewing, before they even get a phone screen. Entire design documents, stuff that would take almost a week. To get past the weed out stage of ONE interview. I mean, what the hell. Shalinor fucked around with this message at 00:41 on Apr 26, 2012 |
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Apr 25, 2012 23:53
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I've taken the great advice of everyone in this thread and decided to go into the programming position. Not only does it help me shoulder my loans, it also means that I'm in a great position if I want to do something on my own or move to another company.Shalinor posted:EDIT: You'd be head and shoulders above the designer that has a portfolio showing some basic coding skills. Solid programming skill is an experience thing. It's harder to convincingly prove you've got the code chops in portfolio form than it is to prove you can make a fun game. This is a little bit funny, since all my coding interviews have been "do you know what design patterns are? When will I want to use a linked list versus a vector? What's polymorphism? Congrats!" while I had to go through 5 phone interviews for my design position, once wrote about 15 pages over one weekend for a design test, and in one memorable moment, flew out for an interview only to wake up naked in a locked concrete room with no exits. I guess it just proves your point that competent programmers are highly valued, while designers have to be really good designers to get the position.
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Apr 26, 2012 00:06
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Shalinor posted:At smaller mobile studios, increasingly, teams don't want designers so much as they want programmers that can design. The odds of a programmer being able to design are better than the odds of a designer being able to program, so... there you go. Having the solid engineering history on your resume would do you serious favors when applying to such, so long as somewhere in your portfolio there's also evidence of design skill. I've always been curious how prevalent Technical Designer positions actually are at most studios. Oddly a lot of the studios we've worked with seem to fall either on the side of strictly defined "designers" who don't code much if at all, or they have no actual "designers" and create things entirely with programmer-designers who wouldn't call themselves TDs if asked. We certainly ran the latter way for many years. I've moved more towards design as we needed it and have taken on the majority of the design work but it's a bit scary thinking about having to face interviews if something went poorly here - I'm comfortable coding (I still do quite a bit of my own implementation) but not on an interview/algorithms level anymore, and our design has always been so DIY/informal that formalized design tests seem somewhat foreign/unknown as well. I know we try to snatch up design-inclined coders when we can find them.. it can be tough to find a smart, gameplay-inclined programmer. But outside of Bioware, Riot, and a few others I don't know of many people actually in a TD role.
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Apr 26, 2012 03:25
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 Heard it here first guys, Leamington is the epicenter of the games industry 
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Apr 26, 2012 15:27
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We're about to push my first piece of content work live. Even though it was simple spreadsheet changes from a script-generated template, it feels great to have that work do to. 
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Apr 26, 2012 17:41
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Just applied somewhere that isn't going to lay a ton of people off before I hear back from them. Although if a major major studio suddenly cuts most of their staff, I guess the only good news to come out of that might be that I officially know that I'm the problem! Then I can hold this entire industry hostage by threatening to apply to places... Muahahahaha.
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Apr 26, 2012 20:04
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If anyone has game design or pitch documents they would like to get feedback on, I'm happy to help out while I'm a free agent. Simply PM me for contact info.
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Apr 26, 2012 21:34
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I've lost my job, don't really know what to do. Please let me know if you have something for me.
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Apr 27, 2012 16:24
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BizarroAzrael posted:I've lost my job, don't really know what to do. Please let me know if you have something for me. Did this have anything to do with your issue of being paid less or whatever that was?
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Apr 27, 2012 16:27
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Mega Shark posted:Did this have anything to do with your issue of being paid less or whatever that was? No, I never asked about that
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Apr 27, 2012 16:49
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Sorry to hear that dude. Did they just not feel you were working out during the probationary period or was it a layoff? Hope you can land on your feet, that sucks 
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Apr 27, 2012 16:55
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BizarroAzrael posted:I've lost my job, don't really know what to do. Please let me know if you have something for me. What line of work do you do? Where are you located?
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Apr 27, 2012 16:56
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Currently based in Newcastle, England, I was a Data Manager, and I've previously worked as a Build Engineer/Technician.Sigma-X posted:Sorry to hear that dude. Did they just not feel you were working out during the probationary period or was it a layoff? Thank you, but I'm not optimistic, after it took over a year to get that job, most of it in no fit state to do things on my own back, like I am now. Probation didn't work out. I knew I wasn't getting as much done as I'd have liked but I thought it was from being out so long. Really thought it was fine until about a week ago when my responsibilities were handed off to someone else. I think the decision had been made then, I've had no problems with the new tasks, I just handed something in that was way ahead of schedule and was up to spec. Maybe it was just busywork. I'm deep in debt now, and I just can't bear the thought of another year jobless.
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Apr 27, 2012 17:09
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drat that sucks dude, just keep your head up, believe in yourself (you've gotten this far) and I'm sure something will come up soon. It's a really tough climate but places are hiring all the time.
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Apr 27, 2012 21:50
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concerned mom posted:drat that sucks dude, just keep your head up, believe in yourself (you've gotten this far) and I'm sure something will come up soon. It's a really tough climate but places are hiring all the time. I'm not really convinced I have gone far. Years of QA without even getting senior, just Compliance. And I never really chose to do Build Engineering/Data Management, it was first what I was offered in place of QA, and then the only thing I could get after a year unemployed, which didn't really pay enough, and now I'm told may be too much for me. And I never saw where I could go with it that I really wanted to do. And now I have the difficult questions to answer, the interviews, the relocation, after I thought it was done with. I'm not sure I'm even good at anything any more. I don't want to feel this way, which means I probably need prozac and Magic the Gathering. I'm trying to make myself update my CV and get in touch with people that might help.
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Apr 27, 2012 22:17
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Alright, feeling a little better now. I have some possible networking events coming up, so getting new business cards made. Should I put a job title? I'm looking at build engineering, production, maybe senior QA within a developer, so I don't want to put something that might make something think I'm not interested in some other area.
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Apr 30, 2012 19:55
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BizarroAzrael posted:Alright, feeling a little better now. I have some possible networking events coming up, so getting new business cards made. Should I put a job title? I'm looking at build engineering, production, maybe senior QA within a developer, so I don't want to put something that might make something think I'm not interested in some other area. I think you need to focus. Example: If you were to apply with us and you said you'll do anything, we'll think you'll jump at the first chance you get to do the job you really want. What is that job? If you know that is the job you can do and it's the job you want then your confidence will show. Blanketly applying for any job you think you can do is not a good approach, in my opinion. Also, where is everyone? Crunch time talking about taint?
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May 1, 2012 15:27
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anime was right fucked around with this message at 07:07 on Apr 18, 2017 |
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May 1, 2012 16:19
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BizarroAzrael posted:Alright, feeling a little better now. I have some possible networking events coming up, so getting new business cards made. Should I put a job title? I'm looking at build engineering, production, maybe senior QA within a developer, so I don't want to put something that might make something think I'm not interested in some other area. You should put what you are good at and what you want to do. You need to find that intersection. To be honest, given your job history, I really think you ought to reconsider whether "games industry" is where you'd find that intersection. You might be happier in an environment that would let you put your skills to use in a different industry - maybe IT or something? I don't know if it's your dream to work in games or what, but I certainly don't think you've felt that any of the games jobs you've had we're dram jobs - just jobs in games. I'm not saying  , but I do think you should take the time to reevaluate what will really make you happy. I don't think I've ever seen you post about a job in games that hasn't been a mixture of fear, disappointment, or loss.With that said, with your background, you aren't going to find a producer role that isn't very junior. You might benefit from doing some research on who is likely to attend and what positions they are likely to have open. You could always make two business cards if you really wanted to do so, but honestly I don't even think a business card is useful for the low level positions you're looking at.
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May 1, 2012 17:02
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Sigma-X posted:You should put what you are good at and what you want to do. You need to find that intersection. It's an environment I want to work in if I could just get paid properly and some job security. I just seem to get all the lovely luck when raises and promotions get handed out. I've seen people do less time in QA and do less to distinguish themselves go into AP roles, even design, and I see no reason why I shouldn't have had those opportunities. I just want to be held to the same standard as those guys. But yeah, build engineering seems to be a total waste of time.
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May 1, 2012 17:35
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BizarroAzrael posted:But yeah, build engineering seems to be a total waste of time. If you want stable employment in games, you need to develop and demonstrate a strong skillset that is generally applicable. I don't know what that is for you, but neither QA experience nor build engineering works terribly well as the foundation for such. Figure out what you want to do in games, and aim at that. Your work history thus far reads as "I want to be in games, but I have no clue what I can do well within games, so I'm just taking any job offered."
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May 1, 2012 17:43
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looks like I didn't get the temporary software engineer position at NetherRealm. I don't know what I should do now if I can't even get a job where the guy interviewing me is calling it an internship 
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May 1, 2012 18:27
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NextTime000 posted:looks like I didn't get the temporary software engineer position at NetherRealm. I don't know what I should do now if I can't even get a job where the guy interviewing me is calling it an internship Internships are almost as hard to get as regular jobs, and for this industry the term "internship" is used interchangeably with "undergraduate associate" or "temporary position" or "junior position" or "junior contractor" or whatever. There's a 35-year-old dude here at Disney Int who's technically an "intern" and that just means he's in his initial probationary period before full-time hiring. Don't let the junior-level titles trip you up and take it as a "Well, didn't get that one, on to the next one!" type of situation.
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May 1, 2012 18:39
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Mega Shark posted:Also, where is everyone? Crunch time talking about taint?
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May 1, 2012 18:41
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This thread seems like it wants a topic again. I was going to post this in the Giant Bomb thread, but it's probably more relevant here. Anyone have any games they've worked on quick looked on Giant Bomb? I think they've only done one of mine. It was a PSP game of a popular franchise. From what I remember, I think Vinny was kind of positive on the game, which was cool.
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May 1, 2012 18:46
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Mega Shark posted:Also, where is everyone? Crunch time talking about taint? ... but! A Game About Knitting hit beta yesterday, and should be ready by next week for release. I am feeling much better just with that done, and the Kickstarter also ends soon. We'll be starting our iOS game a month later than planned, but eh, that's life.
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May 1, 2012 18:47
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I'm waiting to hear word back from the Burbank mothership that will determine whether or not I'm still employed come June and all my evenings and weekends are occupied making game art of various levels of quality and success for my portfolio in the event that the Mouse says
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May 1, 2012 18:53
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Mega Shark posted:Also, where is everyone? Crunch time talking about taint?  Who knew learning how to use Vectors in photoshop properly would come in so handy?Oh and playing a lot of Payday and Killing Floor. Bachelor life loving owns.  In other news I've upgraded my tablet! From an old gen Bamboo One ...to an old gen 4x5 Graphire 1 that was lying around the office. 
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May 1, 2012 18:54
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Mega Shark posted:Also, where is everyone? Crunch time talking about taint? Staggering around under crunch time. No talking about taint, but I did spend 20 minutes talking with the artists about ribs the other day. Wow, I'm even trying to cut the BBCodes. wodin fucked around with this message at 19:00 on May 1, 2012 |
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May 1, 2012 18:56
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mutata posted:Internships are almost as hard to get as regular jobs, and for this industry the term "internship" is used interchangeably with "undergraduate associate" or "temporary position" or "junior position" or "junior contractor" or whatever. There's a 35-year-old dude here at Disney Int who's technically an "intern" and that just means he's in his initial probationary period before full-time hiring. Don't let the junior-level titles trip you up and take it as a "Well, didn't get that one, on to the next one!" type of situation. thanks for the info, this was just also one of the few times I have gotten past sending in an application. I got the info from the Career Services people from my school and being able to have an HR person to directly contact I think helped me get to the phone interview better.
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May 1, 2012 19:04
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Aliginge posted:In other news I've upgraded my tablet! From an old gen Bamboo One I upgraded to a 24" Cintiq for home (I guess from a 12 inch, and I've also been using an intuos4 and a dying intuos3). Box is 80 lbs. Everyone's asking it how I'm going to get it home from the office (answer: strength from powerlifting + Honda Fit).  This is not going to make me a better artist though. But it may motivate me to do more personal art at home. e: also, the Graphire 1 4x5 was the first tablet I ever had.  That thing was awesome and getting it when I was 13 or so is probably why I'm an artist today.
Frown Town fucked around with this message at 19:09 on May 1, 2012 |
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May 1, 2012 19:07
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I've been at gloops for 4 weeks now. It's pretty awesome. We just moved in to our permanent offices in San Francisco and it's great. Small teams, great bosses, good atmosphere. One of our execs just posted this: quote:gloops International opens new studio in San Francisco! Are you a top-notch mobile game engineer, digital artist, data analyst, tools engineer? gloops International is growing and has opportunities for top talent... we are a fully-funded mobile games studio managed by industry veterans with openings for mobile game engineers, analytic tools engineer, and data analysts. Competitive compensation and profit-sharing. Come join us at gloops. We're Seeking Fun! Come check us out! So what i'm saying is, if you're a mobile programmer, tools programmer, a data analyst, artist or UI artist, please shoot me a PM and I'll fill you in on the details. We're not looking anybody super entry level, but a year or two of experience seems to be fine. We're making mobile games for iOS and Android. edit: Also, are all you guys looking for work using recruiters? If you have experience, Recruiters will help you find jobs you didn't even know about. They usually get first crack at a lot of positions. The big ones are Game Recruiter, Von Church, and places like Robert Walker and Wahl & Case for Japanese companies here in the US. Give them a shot if you haven't yet. milquetoast child fucked around with this message at 19:19 on May 1, 2012 |
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May 1, 2012 19:08
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Chainclaw posted:This thread seems like it wants a topic again. I was going to post this in the Giant Bomb thread, but it's probably more relevant here. Anyone have any games they've worked on quick looked on Giant Bomb? Two so far: http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-the-sims-3/17-3417/ (definitely the better / more hilarious quick look) http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-mutant-mudds/17-5617/ (this one is a technicality, I only did a tiny bit of sprite animation)
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May 1, 2012 19:15
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BizarroAzrael posted:It's an environment I want to work in if I could just get paid properly and some job security. I just seem to get all the lovely luck when raises and promotions get handed out. I've seen people do less time in QA and do less to distinguish themselves go into AP roles, even design, and I see no reason why I shouldn't have had those opportunities. I just want to be held to the same standard as those guys. I think you'll have to accept that until/if the industry gets unionized, the pay will be bad, the hours will be bad, the entrance bar will be crazy high, and opportunities for advancement will be low. That's just the way it is right now. (Mobile and casual games companies seem to have fewer of those problems, though, which is how they have been able to snap up talent from the hardcore space in recent years.)
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May 1, 2012 19:18
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Aliginge posted:In other news I've upgraded my tablet! From an old gen Bamboo One
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May 1, 2012 19:31
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They've been able to snap up talent from "the hardcore space" because that's where capital is going.
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