From Coder to Game Designer?

FortKnox asks: "I, originally, asked this in my journal, but figured more people would have the same questions. As most coders, I'd eventually like to crack into the gaming industry. Yes, this is similar to an older AskSlashdot, but that was more about how someone going into college wants to get into the gaming industry. My question is how does a veteran computer professional crack into a designer job?"

"I am a coder by trade, so I would like to try and get a job as a game designer. What kind of experience (besides other game company experience) grabs attention of gaming companies? Project Management experience? Software Architecture experience? Create a design document (high and low level) for a game?

Most people say 'You need a demo or create a game for gaming companies to consider you', but the time it takes to make something like that isn't available to all; yes, I understand that most gaming companies require long shifts, which I am fully capable of doing, but that isn't the same as having the extra time to design and code a game. Is there anything besides a lot of luck that will help get a job in the industry as a designer? As a side question: Do designers make enough to support a family well, or is the pay pretty low?"

Comments

Well, here's a thought

[grundy]

OK, I'll admit I don't know much about gaming companies, but I do know a bit about making yourself attractive to the folks you want to be hired by.

You don't have time to design and create a full-blown massively multiplayer game, fine, I understand, I barely have free time. Have you at least taken the time to build your gaming related coding skills?

How familiar are you with the various 3D interfaces, have you built small demo apps to teach yourself anything? How is your knowledge of physics and calculus, been there done that, have a textbook on the shelf or in a box somewhere? Or have you been touching up the old math skills lately?

See where I'm heading, by taking an active interest, learning the basics, understanding what's involved, you are making yourself more attractive as a prospect. If I was looking for folks, your experience would weigh in well, but how much am I going to have to teach you from scratch. Compared to someone who at least has done some short demos, or has built their own games, you're looking like a lot of extra work.

You mention design as well. Have you ever sat down and roughed out a complete plan for a game? Planned out the artwork, the psuedo-ai, the plot, the music.

Here's my 0.02USD. Build a game from scratch (I know what you said, hear me out). It doesn't have to be Quake IV, build a toddler game. Something that talks and puts up pretty pictures when a kid hits a letter on the keyboard.Pretty basic sounding, but it's complex enough to give you some time with developing the app (make it cross platform to really impress) designing the app, test usability on peoples children, go all out.

You may find that you absolutely despise game development. I know I did. I think a lot of people have a pipe dream about how cool it would be doing game development, and the reality check is might harsh.

Do you really want to make games?

[kevin42]

Having spent 2 years as a senior programmer at a game company, I would reccomend you ask yourself if you really understand what you said about long shifts.

If you can't find the time to make at least a simple game, you are never going to be able to deal with working for a game company (I know I couldn't, which is why I left), many of which will require you to pull 14-16 hour days during crunch mode, which often lasts several months, and happens several times a year (e3 demos, releasing a game, producing demos to get project funding, etc).

Having said that, I know at least one programmer who came on right out of college and worked his way into a design position pretty fast. All he did was work hard, and contribute a lot to the game design process while he was working as a programmer. It quickly became obvious he was good at design, so he was put in a design role. Getting into a game company as a programmer would be a good start, and if you really are talented as a designer (just wanting to design games doesn't mean you *can* design fun games) and express your desire to management, you probably will get there pretty fast.

Personally, I'd rather code, and work an 8 hour day. :)

(Don't) start out doing support and tools

[Vito]

I'm sure you can poke around and find out where I'm coming from, but where you're lucky enough to have actual support for the technologies you use in your games, the companies doing the support have this giant, perpetually unfulfilled need for capable, interested coders doing documentation and tools.

I say perpetually unfulfilled because most people who come into these positions aspire to be game programmers, and eventually game designers, and so they come in to learn the ropes, punch out a few really high-quality, in-depth docs to get themselves noticed, and then get poached by game companies to do in-house tech. And sure, they contribute back to the support team for a little while, but after they feel they've repaid their debt, they're gone. They start out doing in-house tools and cleanup/robustness stuff, and maybe they contribute a neat gameplay feature or effect here and there, and by the time the next project comes around, they're doing much more programming because they end up knowing the tech better than anyone else. It's not far from lead programmer to lead designer in some circles.

But as other people have posted, game programming is probably not where you want to be. Gaming is the Hollywood of this industry, which means a few people are rich and famous, and (in most places) everyone else gets paid 1/4 to 1/3 of the normal salary everywhere else, and is fully expected to work 16 and 18 hour days until crunch time, when you should start sleeping at the office. You're perpetually indebted to your publisher, you have nothing but unrealistic deadlines and overwhelming pressure to perform, and someone coming from a cushy IT jockey job would probably realize they don't have to put up with that kind of shit.

And they don't.

If you want to get into the game industry because you want your work to be fun, because you're winding down your wage slave responsibilities, but don't want to stop working, because you want to do cool shit again, get into support and tools.

It's the best of both worlds. Every game company using the tech you're supporting will see your work, read your documentation like the Bible, and ask you questions as if you were their priest. Every new tool and feature you make gets praised to the heavens. You get to write sample code -- mini game demos -- to show off new features and functionality, providing you with 100% of the fun with 0% of the pressure or workload. There's always something new to work on, and you never have to dote on the old stuff (except to keep it updated with new versions of the technology).

A lot of you might be saying that you still have to write documentation, and documentation sucks. Well, I agree. That's the drawback, but that's also what you're getting paid for. You get to screw around with expensive technology, work on video games all day, and all you have to do is write down how you did it when you're done. That's it. Small price in my book.

So if that sounds interesting to you, ask around, see what companies support their tech, and see what kind of turnover they have. If you've got a solid C/C++ background, have done Visual Studio or CodeWarrior plugins, scripted Max or Maya, worked with COM or debugged drivers under Linux, and you have absolutely no aspirations to be the next Warren Spector or Shigeru Miyamoto, but just want to do fun code and cool shit without the pressure of actually publishing a game, try support and tools.