http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums Learn everything you need to know to get into the videogame industry! en Fri, 24 May 2013 05:35:45 GMT vBulletin 5 http://gamecareerguide.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6368&goto=newpost Thu, 23 May 2013 02:11:54 GMT [post deleted] ]]> Other/Off-Topic Jaime9873 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6368 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6367&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 22:28:48 GMT It's been a while since i posted here, but i would like some thoughts on something. I am currently attending the art institute of philadelphia and i am going for game art & design. I was in film, but im changing it to game art next semester. I'm not the greatest artist, but the GA&D program has more storytelling and writing elements than film. My passion is writing and storytelling and i would like to have a job in it after i graduate, even if it's writing for a a game journalism company to work my way up. Thoughts? ]]> Writing CollegeWriter19 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6367 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6364&goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 15:41:43 GMT Hey everyone,

So like many posting here, I'm looking for guidance and help in changing my career. For a couple years, I've been working as an accountant and then as a business intelligence consultant, but I did some soul searching and discovered that I wasn't really happy. I came to the conclusion that I wanted to follow my passion and make video games. It's something I've always wanted to do as a kid. Ideally, I'd like to work as a producer, game designer, or both.

I graduated college in 2008 and have a degree in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship. While I know it's not ideal for the industry, it certainly isn't bad. I figured the best way to get into the industry was to jump right in. When I had an opportunity to visit a local game studio, I jumped at the chance and made some connections. I joined IGDA and started reading up on events that I could participate in my area as well. So in January I took part in the Global Game Jam and won an award for the game my team and I made.

Shortly after that, I got an interview with the same local game studio I visited a while back. It was a QA position and I was excited by the opportunity to work there. I wanted to make sure I nailed the interview; so I played a few of their games, discovered a couple bugs, and wrote a bug report for them. I got the idea from here http://sloperama.com/advice/lesson5.htm (Thanks Mr. Sloper!). I nailed the interview but I didn’t hear anything for a while. 2 Months later, I got a second interview and a month after that is where I’m currently sitting. I haven’t heard a thing for a while and I’ve tried contacting them multiple times but to no avail. Both interviews went well so I don’t know what’s going on.

I’m currently at a crossroads. I’m not really sure where to go from here. I’ve been following the advice here: http://sloperama.com/advice/lesson12.htm to buff up my portfolio but I think I’m going to need to do more than this. I’m self- studying as well, reading books like The Art of Game Design and Level UP! I thought about heading back to school as well. The question is do I go for a Masters or start over and get a Bachelors and THEN a Masters? The other idea is to become an indie developer. I don’t really know which is best option.

I could really use some help. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! ]]> Getting Started FutureGameDev http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6364 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6362&goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 02:38:27 GMT Guys I am really wanting to get into game animation and Im confused on which program is the best for it. I have read up on it and its really good... Guys I am really wanting to get into game animation and Im confused on which program is the best for it. I have read up on it and its really good points for each. Do you guys have any suggestions on which would be better to use to get started in game animation? Thanks in advance!! ]]> Getting Started jdory18 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6362 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6357&goto=newpost Thu, 16 May 2013 16:33:12 GMT I'll be heading off to college in a year, and I was looking for some advice about the options that are available for a degree in game design.

First off, I live in Ashland, Ohio. My immediate and extended family all live here, as well as my girlfriend of 2 years. For a while now, my plan has been to go to college online, possibly at Full Sail. This would have allowed me to save on living costs by living at home for a year or two, before moving near OSU where my girlfriend will be attending and take advantage of the resources they have there (clubs/groups, and an awesome library I'd be able to use).

Lately however. I've started to have concerns about how getting an online degree would affect the quality of my education, as well as how a potential employer would look at it. Other than that, my only concern is with the lack of dealing with people in person, which I feel is important to learn.

Other options I've considered are a "build your own major" at OSU (since they don't offer game design). My
Concerns with that are the same as with online: quality compared to receiving an actual game design degree from a different school, and how an employer might look at it. I've also considered the Art Institute of Pittburgh. The distance from home and my girlfriend(about two and a half hours), I coul handle. My concerns are with the extra money that I would spend on living costs, because I'd have to spend all for years away from home. I also noticed their program description doesn't mention much of the leadership, or technical aspects of game design, which is very important to me.

Ideally, I'd like to do online, while taking advantage of the resources at OSU (maybe even take a couple classes their somehow?) and not have it affect my quality of education or chances for employment.

I've had a hard time finding people to talk to about this, and I've never actually spoken with someone in the industry. I'm going to California in September, where I might be in contact with a friend of the family who works for EA, but until then, I'm hoping you guys might have some advice or suggestions. ]]> Getting Started Spudguy314 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6357 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6356&goto=newpost Thu, 16 May 2013 07:26:01 GMT Alright, let's see who is brave enough to put their entry on display now that the deadline has passed. I'll go first.

Title: No Rest For The Wicked!
Platform: Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA)
Players: 2

Central theme: No Rest For The Wicked (No Rest for short) is a two player action-strategy game played from the top-down perspective! In life, you were a pair of evil rich twins that murdered and thieved! But when a goodly wizard killed you both, he put a curse on you to never rest and banished you inside your estate! For centuries now, you have wandered the halls of your ancient home in dreadful boredom, with no way to sate your evil natures, not even a mouse to catch and torture! But what's this...?! You hear the voices of some innocent youth in the drawing room! Remembering all the young peasant boys you bullied and tormented eons ago, you both get ready to have the best time you've had in years!



Gameplay: The goal in No Rest is to scare everyone to death! Players are presented with a top-down view of the mansion, which has maze-like passages ala Pacman. In level 1, a group of teenagers enters the old house on a dare, trying to snap a picture of the ghosts rumored to live there! Delicious! But watch out - the flash of a camera is deadly to a ghost! (See 1)

Sneaking up behind a teenager will frighten them (See 2), causing them to run away from you down a passage. If you can scare them again before they recover, their heart will explode! But ghosts move extremely slow! Nimble young teenagers will always recover from their fright before you can sneak up on them again. Every time you surprise the same teenager, he will be less startled and recover faster. After enough scares, he will overcome his fear and no longer run from you. Teenagers that have become "Unafraid" will chase you, trying to snap a picture!



The only way to kill these dang pests is by working together! Plan and position yourselves so that one ghost scares the teenager towards the second ghost, who can surprise them before they can catch their breath! If you can scare your victim again before they recover... THUD! Dead before they hit the floor!

As connoisseurs of cunning, you wouldn't be happy if it was that easy though! Ghosts can move through walls, but they can't see through them! Players can only see what their ghost would be able to, so you have to be careful not to float through a wall and into the frame of someone's shot - you can only scare from behind! Several portraits adorn the walls off your mansion, which are connected portals that clever ghosts can use to set up surprises.

Eventually, word gets out that a bunch of teenagers went missing inside your old home. This draws a lot of attention, and soon the humans stalking your halls are a lot more dangerous than teenagers! Later levels include the police, documentary filmmakers with powerful spotlights, and even... a secret branch of the military with... ghost bullets?!



So show that old wizard that no curse is going to stop you from having a good laugh! After all, there's no rest for the wicked! ]]> Design bob http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6356 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6353&goto=newpost Tue, 14 May 2013 14:35:05 GMT Hello. i introduce myself first, my name its Sebastián im 25 years old and i live in Argentina. I have knowleadge in Java Programing (certified),... Hello.
i introduce myself first, my name its Sebastián im 25 years old and i live in Argentina.

I have knowleadge in Java Programing (certified), finished reading Beginning Android Games 2nd Edition (Mario Zechner), also Half-Real (Jesper Juul), and currently reading about Game Design.

I now feel prepared to get into a proyect:
Any sugestions on how to start?

I dont have any preference in programming or design or art (i dont draw a lot but i can do it) or composing music (6 years Classic Guitar player, 3 and a half years Electric Guitar player).

Of course i mostly prefer Android but getting into a proyect right away (a small team) would be a great start. I need mostly a little guide.

I mostly look forward to make games for Google Play because of how easy it is to get in the market (despite if its a good game or bad or whatever)
Ouya can be a good option too.

Thanks a lot, im looking forward to start and have LOTS of energy and time available.

Sebastián. ]]> Collaborate scanevaro http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6353 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6349&goto=newpost Thu, 09 May 2013 19:09:40 GMT Hi guys, just wondering if anyone knows what the best way to record my screen would be on a mac? I need to do a short gaming tutorial and record my... Hi guys, just wondering if anyone knows what the best way to record my screen would be on a mac? I need to do a short gaming tutorial and record my screen actions. I just want it to be the best possible quality so I can zoom in afterwards. I havent used macs much so I dont know :(

Plz help! ]]> Other/Off-Topic jasonBomb http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6349 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6346&goto=newpost Thu, 09 May 2013 01:42:43 GMT Schools I am looking at are more just regular state schools really...because they are so cheap and I will walk out with barely any debt when I leave.... Schools I am looking at are more just regular state schools really...because they are so cheap and I will walk out with barely any debt when I leave. However, they just have straight Computer Science...no game curriculum.

I did look into it more math wise, and they do have some higher math that seems useful to programmers such as two courses in Linear Algebra for the later years.

The big game design schools I really am looking at are RIT and Drexel...none of those for-profit bs scams. I mean, the programs seem promising, however its just so expensive...to the point where is it worth going in debt $200,000 or more after school?

Its not just I am going to get a degree and expect to be handed a job, I have been doing stuff on my own really. I've taught myself C++ and then easily after that C# and then Java with AP Computer Science "just took the exam Tuesday, AP Calc AB was today...and then only AP Physics B then I am done!". I've made simple little text games, and have gone to the states for a high school computer fair contest with my little tournament bracket manager program. Then even in college, I want to collaborate with people there to do even bigger more so actual game projects rather than my rinky dinky little programs. So I am hoping, the experience I will hopefully develop will really make up for it...

Tl;dr Are the game design schools worth the price compared to the regular comp sci programs at local universities? ]]> Getting Started cactaur http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6346 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6345&goto=newpost Thu, 09 May 2013 00:48:41 GMT Completed second year of college and now I have to make my MAJOR decision. START...(optional) Side short story...I have always had a knack for... Completed second year of college and now I have to make my MAJOR decision.

START...(optional)
Side short story...I have always had a knack for algorithms. Why my family and friends played video games for fun, I observed every sequence that occured. Looking for ways to devour the toughest artificial intelligence (Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 AI is awesome!) and any wannabe pro competitors. Before attending college, I built a few medicore games with DarkBASIC, and kept myself busy in programming for the headache(Linux) and fun of it. When declaring a major as a freshman for college, I choose mechanical engineering due to a interest in mechanics, but soon realized I did not bear the passion for mechanics as I did for computation, and switch my discipline to computer engineering in my sophmore year. Now I at the fork in the road between computer engineering and computer science. A interest and passion respectively. It kind of embarassing to have the thought, because of the prestige that comes with telling people your majoring in engineering, but I do not want my pride to cause me to waste my time. I recently programmed a website and almost couldn't stop thinking of the next feature to implement and now I acquired a position with my university programming electronic forms and databases and couldn't sleep because I kept programming (note I do not get paid for overtime as a student). I desire to specialize in algorithms (trying to build up some courage to take on reading The Art of Computer Programming, fortunate to find volume one thru three for thrity dollars) and artifical intellgence. I also scored an internship with General Electric as a software engineering this summer. I continue to delve myself in game programming and physics books, enjoying ever second.
END

If I decided to major in computer science, I will have wasted six credit hours: Introduction to Chemistry and General Chemistry I. The computer science and computer engienering degrees are ABET accredited at my university. Also, the computer science degree will allow me to work more time at programming the electronic forms and databases for my university, since the workload will be less than that of computer engineering. Thus allowing me gain even more experience as a programmer.

I want to be a game programmer and/or designer. I plan to build two games for an embedded OS before graduating as an undergraduate in order to build to supplement my resume for the game industry. I desire to work for DICE(Frost...bite!), NaugtyDog, Kojima Productions(FOX Engine!), or Bethesda. This being independent from what major I choose.

So whats the divide. I do not think the computer science degree at my school is as rigorous as I would desire, but I know I will makeup in my freetime conducting my own CS projects. My fear is that I do not see myself applying computer engineering because it is hardware base. Now I don't even think I needed to write this post. Well maybe just for affirmation. The other concern is finances. I'm currently 70% grants and scholarships and 30% student loans. Not heavily in debt, but a penny was too much for me. Lol!

Here's a summary below:

Computer Science
More time to delve into my interest(algorithms and artificial intellgience)
More time to work as a programmer
Software base
Passionate, would do for free

Computer Engineering
Consumes a lot of time
Hardware base
Interested, don't think I will apply half of the concepts in what i'm interested in

I apologize for the loosely expressed essay.

Now your opinion, encouragement, or guidance, etc... ]]> Getting Started agorapax http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6345 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6343&goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 17:02:19 GMT I've been doing a lot of research and back-and-forth talks with Digipen recently, and am just looking to get some perspective from those who have a little more hands-on experience with the school and just what they think of their exposure so far.

A little background on myself: I live on the other side of the country from Digipen, and am a year into a Computer Information Systems degree at a local tech school. I enjoy it, and could definitely see myself making a career in programming; coupled with the fact that I have always had the pipedream of an education in game design, I've decided to go for broke (literally) and take the plunge. I will be applying this fall for the Fall 2014 semester, so this is something I still have plenty of time to mull over.

I'm an older gent, at least in regards to your average undergrad: I'll be 27 when/if I decide to go to this school. I've done the research, I certainly know the risks, and frankly, the challenge factor of a school like this is what excites me the most. I like the idea of being able to commit my time to schooling and learning something I'm actually interested in; even the cost of tuition there has done little to dull my interests (which I assume many people say until they actually start).

My questions, I suppose, are aimed toward those with intimate experience with the school, or people with the know-how to weigh in and speak their mind about it. I want to know how people are enjoying their time there, if they feel like their hard work is sustainable and if they feel like they're actually absorbing useful information. What are your fellow students like, and do you mesh fairly well with most of them? Is everybody there pretty passionate, or do some seem less enthused (which I can't possibly imagine, going to such a tailored and specific type of school)? Also, if there's anything else you can think of, such as possible books and material I could be brushing up on to somewhat prepare myself for the academic landslide I could soon experience? Speak your mind, and thanks for reading! ]]> Getting Started adam10mm http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6343 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6339&goto=newpost Mon, 06 May 2013 08:11:40 GMT Currently puzzling if i should take the course , i live in singapore by the way... Currently puzzling if i should take the course , i live in singapore by the way :)

http://www-iit.tp.edu.sg/iit_home/ii..._structure.htm

Someone check this course structure out and tell me ..( its a 3 year course )
I am interested in like modeling ,designing levels or maps( such as placing terrain and stuff) and i think a little of programming wont hurt right?
I am also a story person , love to make story and share them :)
More of a visual person and can not just stare at words and numbers ( programming )
Guys help me out will ya ? let me know if this course is just for profit or another name to attract people but the course is actually computer science ?
I need the answer quickly as i am left without much time to actually decide...
Thank you!! ]]> Getting Started physix3 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6339 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6336&goto=newpost Sat, 04 May 2013 22:24:51 GMT Did any site or individual ever examined what did game designers study? If so what are they? And if not what are probable the most common... Did any site or individual ever examined what did game designers study?
If so what are they? And if not what are probable the most common degrees/certificates they have? ]]> Design yudencow http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6336 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6335&goto=newpost Sat, 04 May 2013 13:12:06 GMT Hello!

I'm Debu, a freelance digital artist currently working in the indie games industry. Due to the nature of my circumstances, all my work is completely non-profit (i.e. free to whoever wants it done); not only does my work get exposure, but I find that I get to work on some awesome projects, and meet some great people this way. However, my current project is coming to a close, and I want to secure my next position, so I'm on the look-out for potential causes to turn my hand to. This doesn't have to be game-related, but I am particularly interested in the indie games industry, as I consider myself a hardcore, long-time gamer.

To anyone who would like to work with me, I can offer (amongst other things!) previous experience in the indie game industry (and other fields), a solid knowledge of game design and general design processes, the ability to meet deadlines and work with both individuals and groups of people, and a firm grasp of industry standard graphic design software. Also, I'm enthusiastic, hard-working, and flexible when it comes to working with other people's concepts and ideas.

If you'd like to see examples of my work, my portfolio site is at matt-harding.com - or, I can be reached via PM here at GCG, and through my e-mail address, which is fatal_strike@hotmail.com - I welcome any questions or inquiries.

I look forward to working with you! :D ]]> Collaborate Debujin http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6335 http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6332&goto=newpost Fri, 03 May 2013 05:34:34 GMT Hello fellow developers,

My name is Ricardo Valenzuela and I'm the game designer and writer for stillalive studios, writing to all of you now from Ecuador.

It was in this exact same forum where I found a thread one year ago which would lead me to be in the position that I'm now, working as a member of a distributed development team, and I'm forever grateful for the existence of this website and the community behind it.

After a year of working on the project called Son of Nor, we have finally reached a stage where we need the support of the community to go on. We have launched a kickstarter campaign which you can see here: http://kck.st/ZT8VUu and although we have started on the right foot, I'm certain that we will need all the support we can get if we want to make it.

Please give this game a chance, check it out and if you like it please back us and spread the word.

I will be eternally grateful for your help and your support, since the funding of this project will change my life forever (living in Ecuador with no game industry and no opportunities. Were migrating is really hard just because of where I was born)

In advance thanks for your time and your support.
- Ricardo

]]> Other/Off-Topic rvalenzuela http://www.gamecareerguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6332