For the life of me, no matter how hard I try, I cannot gain any employment within the games industry or web/multimedia industry. I have three pieces of paper: Dip. of Multmedia, Bachelor of Multmedia and a Diploma of IT (Majoring in the Software Development of Games), and nobody will give me a job. I have lost count how many jobs I have applied for (after 60, I stopped counting). I've spoke with THQ and they won't hire me because I'm not skill enough for them. 5 years down the drain I say. I could have stayed home, become a wizard with Worldcraft/Hammer, 3dsmax, Photoshop, etc in those 5 years and become a successful mod team member. Training Sucks!
Peices of paper wont make you talented unfortunately, no matter how hard you rub them. I have found it hard getting work in the games industry in particular. Often these studios arent after a peice of paper, they look for technical ability and artistic flair. I might be wrong, but this is generally what ive picked up along the way (havent broken into the games industry as of yet! but i wont give up).
The best advice i can give is to use what you have learnt from your academic diciplines toward learning the programs you mentioned like 3dsmax and photoshop, these are some that are widely used in the industry. Build up your folio so that these studios dont look at you as someone they have to train from scratch, you will already know the basics atleast.
This will give you more confidence when applying for jobs I imagine also
The paper can and will help but I also think its a concept of researching the best areas in which to get into. I could see how they would feel that a multimedia degree of any sort would not be much use to them. And - as was talked about at the student panel at AGDC - companies are not really interested in seeing paper with games development on them as it is too niche of an area of study.
For example: When (for programming) you come up with a degree that says Computer Science companies have a decent understand of what that student was taught and should know from their time during that degree. Thus they have a basic idea of the quality of applicant they are getting.
quote:Originally posted by inglis
I have a friend that is in his last year of a degree- did the course so he could get into the games industry. in his final year and they havent even touched 3D yet. in the end he will only end up with about 2 months of 3d, and thats UNI 3D....useless.
There was no 3D at all in my uni course, unless you count a little bit of algebra, but I am a programmer. Was he doing programming or art type things?
In my opinion, a piece of paper is equal to:
-another bullet point on your resume'
-affording you that time to push into the area you wish to go
-showing determination and ability to complete something big
-contacts, contacts, contacts - it's all about the people
what you get out is what you put in. Go to the conferences, get stuck into the social side of the industry, talk to people. Don't wait 'til the end of the year and send out "I WANT A JOB" letters.
Education is valuable. Just because you cannot get work yet, it doesn't mean it's been a waste of time. I had trouble with my dip. of multimedia (it was lame as far as games is concerned) but the workload was light so I did more relevant stuff on the side.
Maybe what you need to do is focus on a particular area (do you want to be an artist or programmer?) and work on that particular skills set. I noticed you don't have a folio linked from your profile. Where is it? Show your work, improve it, get a temporary job to get some cash, keep going. Turn your 7 posts into 70 or 700, you'll get a job m8 [:)]
im at the Uni of Tasmania and in the 3rd year they have a unit called Computer Graphics and Animation which involves using OpenGL to do some 3D programming stuff...the only games programming unit they have is in the Honours year and is called, funnily enough Games Programming, which goes back to the stuff covered in the 3rd year unit and applys it all to games...
come to Tas I say and keep me company!
My advise is to try and be as different as possible to everyone else looking for their first game job, this means using your imagination... It's so important to stand out from the crowd if you want to get noticed.
As you'd all be aware most studios advertise they prefer applicants with industry experience, while this is essential for senior roles it's often not really that important if the studio see's an outstanding, creative and original portfolio/demo from an inexperienced applicant, (I know of many studios who hire inexperienced staff) and as most of you agree, formal qualifications for artists usually means absolutely nothing.
Of course knowing somebody on the inside often helps, but timing can be just as important.
Keep your eyes on the gaming news sites and any mention or rumor of a company acquiring a new contract means it's time to act, don't wait for studios to advertise positions, and don't be too fussy... getting your foot in the door is more important than choosing who you want to work for, it'll pay off in the long run.
I know it's difficult and it seems to be getting harder all the time, but if you persist and have the talent you will eventually get in.
Agreed, "absolutely nothing" probably was an overstatement and yes formal training can teach people how to schedule time etc, but when it comes time to looking through dozens of artists resumes/portfolios it's the quality of content and presentation that usually counts for most.
Seeing something that jumps out and tells you "this person has a special talent" will always win (and get an interview) over the highly qualified but average applicant.
Also, just because a person has completed and passed a course in game development doesn't always mean they've learnt the nessasary skills needed to hold a job in the workplace, some argue that certain people pick up bad and difficult to break habits during some forms of institutional training, and therefore prefer to employ self taught applicants.
http://www.sumea.com.au/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1366
Mario from Sidhe Interactive says that all there programmers are uni graduates. That blows your theory out of the water.
In jobs like accounting and e-commerce than the degree counts a lot. In the Game dev industry i think it's aminly how well you can do what you do. Not how you learned to do it.
My dream job would have to be either a games designer or executive producer. With the courses I have completed I understand the fundamentals of communication, hr, project management, graphic design, teamwork and other skills. Also, outside of that I've completed AMEB level 8 pianoforte (I could teach if I want, but I couldn't stand brats [:D]) and AMEB level 4 theory. Apart from that, I've learnt alot from playing heaps of games and I find myself not playing the games anymore, but analysing and thinking, "where would the designers put in this corner of a room?" or "There is going to be an enemy right HERE!" (*BAM *BAM!) [:D]
In my moderate experience of job hunting/gaining, tertiary edu. seems to be a good enticement for getting interviews but not landing jobs. It does(or should) indicate the applicant has good academic skills, that's all. I've been told tertiary qualification can be a tie-breaker if two applicants are equally suitable for the position.
Personally I have found Networking is the way to go. It is even more powerful that having experience or good work (that comment should raise some eyebrows! ...within limits, I mean) Replying to advertised jobs is like a lottery, their might be 70+ applicants, 20+ of them might be all qualified for the tasks, better odds at the casino.
network.brownnose.worktheroom.presstheflesh...how? well if I had a good answer to that I would be working in the games industry [:p]
I also like morphine, find myself analysing games. But not stuff about maps or what ever but the characters. This is cos my dream job would be to be a character modeler, so what i do is observe the charters as they run around and stuff and look at proportions and textures, that kind of stuff. I think it helps a lot, because you are kind of indirectly learning from the people who are already at the point you want to someday be in. Enter Paul Steed :P
I just recently finished worked on UT2004 at Epic Games and I am now working at Digital Extremes. On the Programming side of game development, a degree in computer science is almost essential. On the art and design side, a degree is not essential at all, but that doesn't mean it won't help.
If you think you can just do a degree and walk into a job in the games industry your sorely mistaken.
On the other hand, I have a degree in Information Technology and the only thing that it has helped me with is getting through US immigration to get my work visa. Without my degree I would have never had the oppotunity.
I put very little value on a piece of paper.