#career-chat
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but its a multiplier
some people do learn faster than others, and can think faster. If they are not trained, they wont become anything
And vice versa
It's just one of those fields that we simply dont know about enough to make any valid claims imo
but work is most of it. If you have high IQ or whatever, its just easier for you, but still gotta work and practise
you could call it talent
i have indeed seen talent for programming in some people, and in others just not
I know some of you hate the guy, but hey
https://youtu.be/fjs2gPa5sD0
ive seen people (myself and a few others) who learned basics of programming in a week, and had 0 difficulty
ive also seen people that no matter what they do they have huge difficulty with it
in computer science universities its super easy to see
Psychology Professor Dr. Jordan B. Peterson explains why IQ is a good predictor of success in the job market. The more complex the occupation, the higher the requirement of cognitive abilities. By ignoring this reality we do a big disservice to those who don't have the requirements even for simple jobs and get left behind. Both the conservative response 'They should work harder!' or the liberal view 'Everyone has the same potential!' are wrong and are ignoring the hard facts of intelligence.
some people just coast
and other people cant do shit
not only in programming btw, also in stuff like art
I'm far from stupid. But I've seen how my shitty memory gives me a hard time in coding stuff.
I can't imagine if the person intellectually struggles on top of that
I still stand by my opinion tbh, history shows how IQ levels have shifted drastically over different generations
different people have different talents
it just keeps increasing, and afaik is highly correlated to the environment/interests of the specific individual
@plucky hatch im dreadfully bad at remembering text
its made me HORRIBLE at history and language classes
doesnt affect programming
As soon as Im dealing with classes that branch out and it gets a bit spaghetii, Im done
my memory is borderline non-functional, but I can still write half decent code
a lot of programmers have shitty text-memory
At best, it's a way to measure how smart a person is right this instant, not a way to measure how smart they are at any given time prior or the potential of how smart they can be
but improved/good visualization-memory
obviously they should all just use Blueprint
Personally, I believe that ''IQ'' is more of a domain specific thing
It's not a general thing
Some people have a ''business IQ'' others... ''gaming IQ'', etc
To be fair, and this is purely from experience, I've felt stupid my entire life π
lmao
Though the more I followed my goal (to become a badass programmer), the smarter ive gotten
Can I have "sleep IQ"?
best IQ
@finite mulch can we all? D:
π
To the memory thing @plucky hatch I used to think I have bad memory, which was visible in how I coded a few years ago. This instant though, I can remember a significant chunk of the code ive written over the past 6 months or so
sometimes prior, it's just muscle memory to me at the moment
I just remember to open file X and scroll down that much to find what I need
That's an issue 
hahahahaha
I can't tell you what I did yeterday either tbh π
It's more of a long-term memory thing
my short term is still hugely shit
IQ is only relative to a demographic. It's defining parameters are controversial enough
considering it has arbitrary bases. Its about as bullshit as a lie detector -almost no scientific creditability.
Point is though, this wasn't the case a few years ago
I struggled to remember even the simplest lessons π€·
so are we now underselling each other in how crappy we are?
Just saying, if you are a programmer and hang out with game dev, programmers, etc.
It is very likely that you have surrounded yourself, unvoluntarily with smart people.
@vernal kraken dont start a cult ;-;
neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerd
leave the room if you're the smartest
π€
Where is the ''Smartest person'' detector
i thought whiteboard tests are good for IQ? π€
I also wonder how IQ plays out in Generalists, Specialists and Multi-Specialists.
πΏ π΅ πΏ
Going to comment without reading this whole conversation, but in my experience persistence in game dev is more important than a few IQ points here and there.
Not really something we can quantify
i like my specialists T-shaped
Lots of smarter people than I don't have the patience to do good work.
In the field of social psychology, illusory superiority is a condition of cognitive bias wherein a person overestimates their own qualities and abilities, in relation to the same qualities and abilities of other persons. Illusory superiority is one of many positive illusions,...
Like how many game dev actually can Code, Design and Art at a fully proficient level?
The concept of T-shaped skills, or T-shaped persons is a metaphor used in job recruitment to describe the abilities of persons in the workforce. The vertical bar on the letter T represents the depth of related skills and expertise in a single field, whereas the horizontal bar...
@round belfry - you're probably right there
And the person who can Code, Design and Art at a proficient level must also perceive the world differently, connect dots that others can't.
"Innovation is found at the crossroads of multiple disciplines''
i agree
imagine being someone who can proficiently Code, Design and Art...
Get an interview for a level designer job and the interviewers respond ''sorry, we are looking for a JUST level designer''.
Innovation comes in starts and stops though. It's a long term investment and is important for your career. But if you are just trying to get a job they have a very specific problem to solve and trying to determine if you can do it.
How many people understand the benefits of being able to do multiple things
They want to know if you can get the released in 2 years. They don't really care if you come up with something new.
What im saying is some people in the video games industry will be looking for someone who is only 1 thing
And won't understand that there are benefits when you also have a strong background in complementary areas
Let's say a level designer with a background in 3D modeling and programming
Some people will see that as less of a LD rather than a Super LD
this again...
Yeah, I'd say to a degree generalism is underrated. On a smaller team, being able to have a conversation with the modeler as a designer is important. It's benefited me directly as we don't really have anyone overseeing the asset pipeline. But at the end of the day they just want to know if you fit the role and get the job they want done.
Do you think a VFX artist who has a background in coding and game design is less of a VFX artist?
Will he get a higher salary?
No, I dont care. I care about thr ability to do the job I hire him for.
Hell get the salary he negotiatrd within the seniority bracket
"We want someone with this specific background" is a covenient lie we tell applicants who fail rule 1.
what's rule 1?
Don't be a..
Dont be a dick
<
its also rule 2 and 3
Hey I passed that one π
Most of what I've gotten though were "We're looking for someone within a specific seniority level"
thats valid
isn't the specific background already checked once you're at the point finding out about the personality?
which happens likely on premises
sometimes the project does need a senior or can only afford a junior
"Don't be a dick" is an open statement meant to reinforce the status quo of the current ruling class.
wat
How much of an ego must you have to qualify as a dick? π
@flat gazelle i'd be disappointed though if the job descriptions says "senior" and only later reveals junior pay
sometimes the project does need a senior or can only afford a junior yeah this is pretty much
my last application
It was kinda funny though because they approached me
that's super weird
Then you run
They had hired the junior prior though
baaad sign
huh, why's that? o.o
nothings case
Not enough money to fund the project. Sinking ship
the senior on junior pay
like anything else that diverges greatly from the job description and likely skype call
yeah
though i still have to have a screening call for a fulltime positions where they give out salary numbers
when freelancing it's one of the first things they ask
π
That's odd, it was supposedly a new ubisoft studio
in berlin?
Abu Dhabi
uh ok
the guy was quite eager to reach me, too
π€·
It just felt so odd when they changed their mind
maybe they anchored and did so poorly?
unless they pulled a bait&switch those things can happen
not sure what the term anchored means in this context π€
They did state they had a hard time finding the candidate though, so maybe they just found someone with more experience π€·
I'd assumed they approached me due to the lack of options π
the number of people willing to move to abu dhabi AND offer your skill set is probably quite small
We didnt even get to that point sadly π€·
They ran π
π
my reaction to anchoring as a freelancer: politely declining. as a fulltime employee: testing if they'd be willing to come into my direction, if not decline politely
I should run from my current job honestly. I really wanted to get some game dev work on my resume, though.
Remote and doesn't pay well. I looked for like 6 months and no one else would look at me.
@flat gazelle mfw for a freelance contract i anchored at twice what i was willing to accept, and got accepted
it puts other contracts in perspective doesnt it? π
yup
Offtopic question
my search appearances have been increasing significantly over the past couple months on linkedin
good sign?
Thank you sire
@plucky hatch Thansk for the advice mate. I will definately take it on board
Hey guys I am a junior college students and need to find an internship for my computer science degree over next summer. I could go find any random computer science internship but I prefer one specifically having to do with game development. Does anyone know any good ways to find an internship opportunity with a game studio?
job indeed, internships are quite popular these days...
@dull acorn plenty of internship opportunities all over. Just goggle whatever company you're interested in working for maybe in the future and add "internship"
Try big names first if you have no clue who you want to work for.
Otherwise, look out for Paid/Royalty job offers remote (some are onsite) on UE4 forums or here #looking-for-talent
But be quick, IIRC, a lot of companies close out their applications for Summer Internships in the Fall of the previous year
If not, at the end of the year
As you can imagine, they get hit by hundreds if not thousands of applications throughout the year
Hey! I am programmer, currently learning Unreal and want to do a project for portfolio that I can use for Job search. I use Unity3D at my work and We don't use Unreal, so I need to make it a game that xna help me in job search in positions for unreal programmer. What is a good game genre in terms of scope (A game that can be done in a couple of months) and which can showcase my programming skills. π€
Battle Royale
I'm willing to pay for ue workout / exercise animations. If anyone's interested send me a DM.
@frosty minnow #looking-for-talent
What is very important to cover in portofolio for artists ? Right now im doing modelling, texturing, level design and lighting, and usually just post the whole level in artstation sometimes with a cinematic, should I also post each prop I make for the level aswell ? Should I make a lighting breakdown for each portofolio piece that focuses on lighting more than props and models aswell or ?
is all of that your VERY BEST work?
none of it is filler or worse than any other part?
The portfolio should be the pieces that best decribe your skillevel, so only the best stuff.
Ah alright! Well I got some fillers im gonna delete
What should I show on the good work ?
@flat gazelle Allow me to make use of your higher knowledge sire, may I ask what recruiters/interviewers look for on a candidate's git profile?
Nobody wants to see the drawings yor parents hung on the Fridge. They want to see what you can do now.
no clue
artist
Hmm, allow me to ask another question then
Oh
I took you for a programmer this whole time π
VFX artist, so not too far off
I also have a artstation piece whoch was a game jam it does not look very good but it showcases some fundemental to advanced blueprint usage as of level design should I keep that ?
Kamii, it depends what your goal is. if you want to advertise as a generalist, show a spread. otherwise focus it
Back in 2013-15 I did some modding/private server work, illegal work for the most part (for anyone who'd used it anyway). Would it be a good idea to make that public on my profile, or would it scare people off? π€
Namely things like ASM mods to eliminate certain crashes etc
C++ hooks and whatnot
Thank you, is it normal to advertise as a generalist in todays industry I thought it be good stuff for indies but what if later I want to get higher up is it only specialist ?
Thank you sire!
So you wouldnt be particularly dissuaded to hire somebody based on such experience hmm?
AAA doesnt use many generalists, but there is a market for them in indie an medium sdized studios
nah
not as experienced as glad, but if a programmer comes to me with "ive made hacks for real games in the past", he gets full mark
it shows very good skill at understanding a mess, as hacking is based on reverse-engineering
unless its really illegal, like a hacking a bank
Nah just your generic memory mods, asm mods and whatnot
nothing that'd get me in jail π€
I've just always felt insecure about it, given its not particularly something im proud of
not even 1% of programmers know asm this days
working around blocks to fix someone elses shit shows understanding
just the only option i had back then π€·
so being able to tinker with asm for hacks shows very high skill
yuoll be sowing it to other coders who will likely get it. not a hr bot that people seem to think does the reviews π
π¦ rip
sorry for all the typos. injured an arm so I am only lefthanded now
All good! Value text* regardless π
isnt trash a hidden folder?
i dunno, i trashed it anyways
It was pretty shitty, young me was just more proud of it
yeah, sentimentality doesnt do one many favors when jobhunting im afraid
yeah
Btw thanks Glad, thought it be mean just to leave off like that haha
hehe np
hello, can anyone help me with the career information in Europe. i am an architecture student in Viet Nam and will go to france next year to finish my DPEA. Currently i am learning UE4 archviz step by step and doing quite well, understand some basic material, sequencer and simple blueprint... . but what part of UE4 should i really focus on learning to prepare myself if i want a job. Because i have no interest in working as Game dev , only in archviz so learning advanced knowledge of creating material, code... seem not suitable for me ?
for archviz it's probably not worth it to go into the majority of the UE4 feature set, but having working knowledge of blueprints, mesh pipelines and material creation is probably worthwhile to get into
plus sequencer and the like for camera movement
but I am not an archviz person, so it could be what I'm saying is bogus. it's just what seems most reasonable to expect from someone doing UE4 archviz
fulltime freelancers, what do you do and how long did it take to get to 100% freelance?
Programming, a day?
Not sure what that last question refers to exactly.
If you're asking how long did it take to set everything up and start working full-time freelance, then maybe a few weeks (putting portfolio and website together), if not less.
But if you're asking if people usually go part-time to full-time freelance, and how long that takes. No clue. I started from day one.
And I assumed that's what most people do.
How'd you start out just doing it full time? cs degree?
Game Dev degree π
Based mostly on art
π
But that had nothing to do with it
I have already built up a solid portfolio based on game jams and other projects
I don't freelance but I run a tiny company. Took me like what, 15 years of work to get to that point? π
I did start up my own "legit company" last Nov though
official
So, that's what... two years
I started full-time right after graduation in Summer 2017
Tbh it's not the official stuff that matters but when you actually start working on company stuff
It took me some time after formally registering the company to start working on it π
It took me hmm, a week or less
Used LegalZoom
Worst experience ever and probably wouldn't recommend it if you have the time
But, relatively cheap.
But if you have the time, and/or don't have the cash to do it through them. You can do it cheap (albeit it'll take a bit longer to establish yourself)
are you full time UE4 c++ or do you do other things as well?
@fickle hatch what kind of company, games or?
@fathom oasis engineering but we're making something that's basically a videogame
(so I do placeholder art / stuff as needed)
oh so like proof of concept stuff
Well, depends on the company/contract
Sometimes people just want a specific game system done
Others want a whole prototype done
Some want a full game to release π
I've done them all
nice, i've not really pushed in the programming direction but I've made stuff. Trying to figure out how to get closer to game dev full time rather than part time
Honeslty, I wouldn't bother
Getting a gamedev job would be one of the easiest ways to get to full time gamedev
You're sound guy right?
π
You should honestly concentrate on Sound
Like get yourself 100% expert on Sound tools for Game Dev
Find some indies and do sound design for them, get paid some peanuts at least, get comfortable with it, keep going
Default Engine, WWise, FMOD, etc
You're in for a rather bumpy road my friend, but you will get there eventually π
Yea, I do sound design mostly. I've gotten freelance gigs and developed audio plugins, used fmod/wwise and so much in engine UE audio stuff
Yeah, I'm looking for a sound dev actually for my project, hohohoho
But seeing how I've never seen you post on #looking-for-work
Or anywhere else
oh does that work?
I am going to assume your problem is you are doing a poop job at advertising yourself
lol yea, I haven't decided the best ways to do that
You should figure that out so you can reach your goals faster
Are you doing advertisement stuff like consistent posts on LFW sites or is it more word of mouth?
Consistent lol
I have only ever had one (maybe two) posts in #looking-for-work
And somehow I get PM'd quite a bit every week
Other places like forums, upwork, freelancer help as well
The more places you are, the more exposure you have, the more of a chance people will find you
Anyway, eventually, through WOM, and just seeing you around, people approach you
Well, at least that's what people tell me when they first hit me up
That's good to know, I guess I'll start on that then. I imagine that's probably what's making my freelance gigs slow
What would I be looking for if I'm looking for someone to help me develop a story/lore for my game? Writer? Not sure I see too many of those in #looking-for-work. Anyone know of a decent place to search for that type of talent?
Story designer
Or storyboarder, writer, narrative director, etc.
Something along those lines.
But it's a bit tricky. Some people are really good at creating worlds, but aren't great at writing dialogues.
i worked on a game that used a single writer to come up with character names, backgrounds, quests, the main story, item names, item descriptions, place names. It's seriously a lot of work
Im pretty good at writing fps stories,deciding names,main story,backstory,etc and blueprints(only single player) @fading wind
@fading wind narrative designer if you are looking to develop lore that also has to be contained in the world somehow
Hey ughhh anyone know how to get a SVN server setup? If so DM me please
@wide jetty #source-control
Thx
@silk dew π yeah it is a lot of work
When I was running D&D games, for a 2 days session it would take me 2 weeks of work.
π«
I need help I want to make a battle Royale game can anyone help me
Give me a battle Royale full tutorial please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please
wtf
clearly a career topic as well
Please help
you're not in the right place
Surely that's a parody account
@iron nova check out the br template on ue4 marketplace https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/slug/battle-royale-template-inventory-minimap
@grave totem
Already have it thank you very much π
Can you help me more @ @grave totem
a) This is the career channel.
b) Most people are busy with their own stuff. If you have specific questions, ask in the relevant channels.
When looking at a portfolio, would you prefer lots of projects showing variety, or a few highly polished pieces?
Highly polished ones
yeah it seems like that makes sense, I'm always conflicted by the idea of "be really good at a few things" or "show that you can do more then one thing"
A couple of bad pieces can kill an otherwise good protfolio
Noted, thanks guys
Guys, serious question here. I've been making a portfolio for quite a while. However, in my portfolio I'm using 3 packs I bought from the asset store for free (All of which are visual) and have downloaded from the internet some personal use pictures for inventory item icons.
Am I allowed to use this project as a portfolio? If I understand correctly, I can't publish the code because some of it is not mine. But how about the personal use pictures?
It's already stated with bold letters in the first stage with a disclaimer which packs are used and that the sole purpose of their usage is to show actual practical examples (like using weapon models). I'm a developer btw, not an artist.
developer as in programmer?
so long as you're not misrepresenting someone else's work as your own, I don't see a problem with it
yes,I'm trying to show gameplay functionalities
not unless the license has something weird in it
@lilac walrus I'm good with law etc, I've tried googling anything from UE4 about the subject or portfolios in general and I cant seem to draw a line on this
I think it's fair if you're trying to show functionality based on a weapon model for instance
how does this stack up?
I don't know law well enough, but my presumption would be that anything that is considered auxiliary for demonstration purposes, especially for an individual, would not constitute commercial use
@sharp path why you're bothered about portfolio usage terms? most artists just link their Artstation/Behance/Deviantart page (which is not a portfolio)
CC has explanation on their license: https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/NonCommercial_interpretation
@elder mist i'm not an artist. but I am using assets of others. I'm bothered because I don't know If I can upload the source code when it contains the work of others in it
Edit: and also whether portfolio means commercial use
@sharp path sorry it was not cleat that you're going to upload the source code, that means all the assets "as is"? if so the only thing you should be bothered is "redistribution" terms (Epic Eula prohibits redistribution of their assets)
@elder mist even if those assets were not directly created by Epic Games and were free for only a period of time?
if you don't own it, you can't directly redistribute it unless the license says so
ergo, you can distribute your source, you cannot distribute someone else's assets with it
triply so given they're apparently being sold for a price
so, i'll have everything combined to send as packaged to job applications. but for source code, i'll rip off every asset and piece of code created by others and upload it to github with a warning to not run the project. sounds about right? @lilac walrus
yeah i don't know if this counts as "distribution" a portfolio with clear source citation isn't counted as redistribution in Europe
@serene basin "upload the source code" is not the citation
He said the application was properly labeled and I imagine that he's able to make annotation in the source code to cite the work
@serene basin how does labeling allows you to redistribute someone's else work?
Here's what I understand: SecondCaller is uploading a project portfolio (to a site I guess). He doesn't know if he can upload the source because it contains code written by someone else.
Are other people able to copy this source code and use it on their own?
So, I've decided to upload the packaged game to Google Drive and send it along with my CV once I remove everything apart from the asset store packs. With that said, I'll add a note that Source Code can only be shown privately where I'll give the proper citations. The project will be packaged with no intention of being above 1gb. All 3 of the packs I've download are but a very few MB (50 character animations and 5 weapon models) and I'm not even using Starter Content.
Does this suffice?
@serene basin no, he asks if he could upload the assets that he got from MP
@serene basin yes i had the intention of putting the whole project to github since I've never uploaded anything to my git account but it seems like way too many problems will arise
I'm no lawyer (clearly), but it sounds like we're not talking about software then. We're talking digital assets. If they are not available for copy, then this is considered personal use - as far as I'm aware. The author does have to be properly cited however.
As soon as they are available for copy then it classifies as distribution.
It does not seem any different from using character rigs for animation reels.
difference is when you use someone else's (for sale) character rig to make an animation reel, you don't distribute the rig with your reel
this is a pretty important distinction]
you don't have the rights to distribute that rig, even in private
yes, that is an important distinction
@lilac walrus so if someone asks for source code privately, I'll show only my own code and not the one from the asset packs through skype. Did i understand correctly?
I'll leave this topic alone, it sounds like more than digital assets. And @sharp path I'd be as cautious as possible. If it were me, I'd just show my code. And disclaim that I also used source code from so-and-so, but not distribute it. Remember that when it can be copied it is then distribution. Also, if you're really concerned, consult a lawyer. There is probably a copyright lawyer at your Uni or even one available for students online.
yes, only your own code
ok guys, i decided that ill package the whole deal and upload the executable on google drive. and as for source code, i'll approach it with caution. thank you
Say folks, who works solo on video games here?
Any aspirers of Undertale or Stardew Valley who'd rather work alone on games, or at least does not mind doing so?
I personally find it very beneficially working alone than with a team in this age. And I could go all day as to reason why I think the lone-wolf path is best for me. Its not for everyone but its not a fool's errand to be shunned and discouraged like some seem to be doing.
It's a rather underrated practice now.
@plucky hatch I do for 50% of the year 50% I do contracting
@plucky hatch when I go back on onsite which might be a year between jobs I do start out excited to be around new people and it is refreshing then working alone.
when I get back to working alone I also get refreshed as my comprise / limitation juice is all expelled also I feel free which is a nice reward.
That's one interesting way to go about it.
Balanced stance is good too.
I do not dismiss my willingness to work onsite at AA or AAA companies, considering I've still yet to work with any of them onsite. AA companies I have worked with but there were all off-site and remote jobs.
Usually outsourced.
Which comes to the part I hate about team work - contracting. Freelance work has become mostly a non-option at this point. It has often bring me more stress and strife than it brings any true benefits. Either the communities have changed or the industry has changed, or both as it seems to gear towards. It use to be OK or even great when I first started in 2009.
I am finally getting interview calls from AA and AAA studios but usually falls flat there now. The resume I built seems more a liability than benefit as using my contracting/freelance history seems to be turning away employers due to the impression of "short stints" when in truth it was just short contracts I completed.
So I recently scrapped most of my freelance experience and left the few long term ones there.
ah I have been riddled by the pain of failure I started my own studio in the mid 90's got a million dollar deal and still failed mostly to my programming partner thinking he could beat carmack
Damn... It would be an honor to match skillset with Lord Carmack, but I never would ever think i can surpass his prowess. Such a feat was unheard of and exceptionally rare and nigh impossible to achieve. Only place that leaves such opportunity is Africa, but only if the barriers can be removed.
he is a very nice guy my programming partner invented choplifter the original apple but had been in retirement for over a decade he was a smart cookie but we failed the publisher got sick of waiting for his engine
I can't blame the pub for that one. New engines are a huge risk to invest on and can take decades to complete.
I wasted nearly a full decade, trusting others in the freelance scene and appeasing them hoping that good will and fortune would come out of it and help me long term with my career efforts and my own projects. I was a fool and I suffered greatly for it.
camarack was nice enough to let me back in the building after spent 30 mins throwing quarters at his window at 3 am in parking lot and my lighter I think the last nickle got his focus he didnt yell at me for bothering him so I was happy
I left my badge on my desk to go smoke on quakewars
and my keys and everything were on my desk
Lol, now you're just screwing with me.
so I was chucking quarters at the window from my pocket at the 2nd floor window to get him to look out the window
no its true
I am aan idiot
that was the first time I talked to him and how it happened
or maybe the 2nd maybe the first was how I explained how splash damage had fucked up coding the changes they made on conference call
all I know I left the room when he started yelling at splash damage after about 15 minutes
What year was this?
ah when ever the ps3 was about to come out and quakewars was in development? ah.... maybe 2006?
I was working on the ps3 port of quakewars and got sent to help finish the pc version to id
or at id
that seems like the right date, I went to dreamworks animation after that and then have been a contractor the last 10 years
So you are an id Software developer.
no I worked for acitvision
yeah after quake wars failed and wolf and some other things maybe rage too they had COD and didnt need id anymore
The day Activision went full greed.
attaching humanity to a public company was something that got burned away from at EA
if you survive for more then 16 months people remember your name if you make through 4 years of layoffs you are elite
I miss the old days of id. So much innovation. Their new id Techs were always something I'd anticipate for.
EA was crooked from the beginning, but at least with Trip, it was somewhat manageable. When he left it went from mediocre to worst, as far as their games and buyout mercy-killings are concerned.
they did it as a company at EA they made the choice as a group when the group was very small and Trip was still there
So Trip is guilty of this nightmare that is currently EA today?
he had a hand in it like Hilleman, and Probst etc
That part I know. Trip was a one greedy God-f*cker. Shame too because I loved the Army Men series, I grew up a die-hard fan of the IP, but it was just created and poorly managed by a greedy despot who couldn't be bothered to exercise patience and allow creativity to improve the products he wished to sell.
they built it and around 98 when it grew from 700 mil to 4 bil in revenue during the ps2 era it became it's own being
But his successors at EA proved far worse.
Fascinating conversation btw
The 6th generation of gaming (the so-called PS2 era), was EA's best decade.
And a best decade for most AAs.
and AAAs.
The 5th generation was the best for AAs and indies.
During the Larry era it became the borg cube it is today but he had helpers and minions I was a small cog in the machine producer / level designer
Larry? As in Larry Elmore?
Oh. I thought you were referring to the 80s.
his son is being grown to take over from the sweeeds
no i was in highschool in the 80's
I started in 89 at atari
at 19 years old
the real atari the coin op divsion not the other home computer atari
love me some larry elmore
@plucky hatch sorry I dont know who that is I am old man trying to make one more game before I die
Lol, you're not that old mate. I'd reckon you are in your 40s or 50s.
did alot of art for AD&D
@plucky hatch Fun fact, I personally met him at a convention two years ago.
now all i can think of is gary gygax's paladin sketch
And through my college professor James Simpson, who is one of Elmore's star pupils and die-hard fan of his IP Snarf Quest.
Snarf omg
The Art Institute unlocked so much secrets and perks I'd struggle to find otherwise. At the cost of my financial state...
I never knew of Snarf at all until I met Simpson at college, during my final year towards graduation.
It was an honor meeting him and learning from him. He is a good example of what game devs should aspire to be. He does not take shit from slackers or saboteurs in his own projects. Unlike me, he is not particularly anti-team, but he is very strict with who gains access to his progress. If someone is proving themself unreliable, he assigns them lower-tier/low-risk work. It could even as far as "making rock models and textures" and nothing more. Just to keep them from sabotaging vital progress on a game.
Definitely don't want such people messing with your code. Liabilities one must look out for.
That is an interesting strategy for dealing with clock punchers.
It was also thanks to him that I mastered my programming skills and my time effiency, getting code done faster than I use to.
My programming was already pretty good, but he helped me polish it more and optimize my code and scripts to perform better and efficiently.
The work on my fangame years ago was incredible but it was also a buggy, scattered mess, few programmers could read, thus I struggled to keep help as much as I did to acquire it in first place.
When it came to programming at least.
For a non-commercial project, its hard to get help and I blame them not.
Considering bad experiences I had working with unpaid charity games.
Haha. I'm very sensitive about who I let to work with the code/assets/game/everything
I can appreciate people who are like this
I generally don't trust an arbitrary person to be able to figure out a workflow on their own to something
So if there's any work to be done of a new kind (where I don't already have workflows and guidelines to giving this work to people), I try to complete it first myself, write out workflows
Then I can tell how good people are at managing their time and other minor working things based on how they follow the workflow and what kinda suggestions they give to adjusting it
Definitely agree. Especially code. That and art are primary level content. Some stuff are secondary like voice and audio. I do not need them but I prefer having them, its recommended shit that improves game quality. Then there are teritaries - those that are just extra accessories and cosmetics. If they fail, the project is practically unaffected by it.
Now granted I am not perfect myself, especially with time manageament. I tend to juggle between priorities that I think are most important with my life, but I am no slacker.
No good worker blindly follows any workflow, the feedback from the team lead and team members (in my current project there are only <10 people, I'm just trying to always keep management scaleability in mind so I can re-use work I do today, tomorrow) is a valuable health indication for me
I'd rather work with a small and dedicated team, than a large and ill-prepared one.
Then eventually the workflows get ironed out to the point where I can just take an arbitrary artist and tell him "do exactly as it says here, to the letter"
And then my health reports are feedback on how the artists are following the ironed-out workflows
If they ask the right questions, if they manage to follow basic steps
@plucky hatch "few programmers could read" <-- haha, what?
?
From a few messages ago
Ah.
Yes, my code was rather unorganized, granted I was using UnrealScript at the time.
think he meant decipher not read
Yeah, I see
Decipher seems the better term.
Oh btw, this is a special consideration for our project - I would be interested to hear how this is handled at game studios - but for our project we work with proprietary restricted information
They can clearly read it, they just struggling to find a good place to fix any issues I need them to fix.
So there's code & assets that can only be accessed by specific team members and such
Even though we're a tiny team, we run our own document system with confidentiality levels/restriction levels and all that stuff. I wonder how similar stuff is handled at big game studios (I would assume usually game studios assign same restriction level to all members of a team that works on a single project?)
Or improve the code. One of them really did not appreciate that I rely solely on UScript for referencing assets instead of using Archetypes; something I eventually utilized but too late into development that it mostly served as a customizer for NPCs than actually relying on the core gameplay.
In other words, I can't give some work to new members of the team until they prove themselves trustworthy
@fickle hatch I would imagine it depends on the studio, but I often see programmers having one set of permissions, and everyone else a different set, just so nobody that is a non-programmer is touching the source code
I religiously refuse to grant non-programmers access to my code. Or anyone I can not trust for that matter.
Art I was more liberal with, offering content if they prove their skills and have them resolve it. Rigging is good? Here is one model, prove you can do it and I will hand the rest of the necessary.
I don't let anyone but people who should work on the code to access the code
Same for blueprints and working documents (documentation for the game), but not art assets and other bulk stuff
Now, I refuse to hand away either to anyone.
As a very technical designer I appreciate read access, even if I don't have write access, just so I can go see what things do when I have questions
Some docs I may not fear handing away, others I am strict on defending.
I would quit if I didnt have read access, even if I was only hired to make the coffee.
But I make no habit of showing my GDD too often.
@fickle hatch What is the system that you measure trust worthness?
It's pointless right now, but I'm trying to keep a set of documents that we could keep low restriction on so in the future we could get new employees familiar with engineering side to stuff they work on
@merry tartan Me and my business partner are good at reading people, we reach a consensus after talking to the person about how trustworthy they are
but why would you hire someone that you didnt trust right away?
Cause some types of work don't require exposure to the restricted materials
Vexar I thought you were on this rock long enough to not trust anyone right away.
Restricted info = mostly engineering blueprints, documents and drawings and such, stuff that isn't gamedev related, but relates to our simulation projects
sure so that makes sense but everyone you hire if you needed to give that person access you could?
One strategy I used when working on my fangame was write task lists of only the necessary and offer only samples of the necessary pertaining to the work profession.
@merry tartan different levels of trust, I'll hire someone who I trust to do the work, but I will only let people access to engineering drawings if I have full trust in them not sharing these drawings to other entities
isn't that what NDA's and other legal documents are for?
no
NDA's are just the legal cushion, nothing prevents you from taking engineering drawings and making a run for it to another country
@fickle hatch is this your own content or like an outsider companies content?
@merry tartan both, a lot of the outside company content
The drawings we do aren't as valuable (just normal 'we wouldn't like anyone to see these' restriction level), but the ones provided by other companies are the valuable ones
@merry tartan You don't have to trust someone completely to hire them. If I hired a female employee at my company, could I still trust she won't try to set me up to be framed for stalking or sexual harassment suit?
You trust people only to a certain degree and the trust is temporary and can be revoked at any time, usually when the work is done; cut the cord and move on. It is not complete trust and only grows when he/she earns it.
I recognize different levels of respect and trust
When its outsider's content, that is a little different. I am working for them.
With my own content, I am always ever vigilant around trust.
In the USA, Intellectual Property is protected from the moment you speak it or write it, or sign it I suppose, but like @fickle hatch says, across the border not so much
Precisely why I tend to keep it protected unless really necessary. I dont fear North Americans hijacking my game, its foreigners I must be wary off. USA laws do not appy to them, their laws may not support protecting of certain creative rights. So its very healthy to be cautious of such sensitive info.
It is sad, everytime I find out the person who wants to work with me is outside the states, I have to clam up. All because I am too lazy to look up their laws.
I've got Russians working for me
@fickle hatch it sounds like you have a good system, if you don't protect the clients content you are going to lose them if someone is an employee you are still at risk, the only people giving out work should be the owners of the company and enough access to do the work.
Also scam risk is higher too. I got fucked over by an Australian a couple years ago and I have merely to no grounds to actually sue him because of complications for international law.
How does a US company sue an Australian saboteur who cost me a LOT of money?
There are ways, but none nice ones
Enough access that pertains to profession. Artists shall have only art-relevant access, Programmers, code-relevant access, etc.
It would be easier to hire a thug to influence that saboteur
The US is a signatory to the international Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). Applications filed through the PCT can seek utility patent protection with the USPTO. ... US law, like Australia and Canada, allows a one-year grace period for an inventor to register a patent from the date of public disclosure. Thats what google tells me.
at some studios they monitor your keystrokes and scan all your email and all ports coming from your box but people always figure out a way around it if they want. The big risk for them is getting blacklisted and never getting a job again but that might not be a big enough threat.
I was at EA for two major failures in security one was on Medal of Honor the other was on Bond
oh and a 3rd
Original MOH or the 2010 reboot?
I forgot about the FBI calling EA to tell them my old laptop was being used to serve porn
that was a funny call
yeah I moved down to LA to work on MOH of PC the originals and I got a call from my buddy at EA after getting called by IT
So 1999?
I had been working for around 12 hours and 16 days with out a break IT guy said "Are you Victor Mercieca?" I like yeah is this test the build will be ready in an hour I am checking in the fixes now. "I don't care about the build" Oh, what can I do for you? I am from IT, oh. Do you know where your laptop is? What laptop? Sony Viao 850? Oh I had one of those when I was in the Publshing group I left a year ago.
IT guy do you know where it is? I was like I gave it to the Development Director. What was his name? Blah blah I gave him the name. Thank you sir, good bye, click. Confused I hung up the phone. Next day my buddy called me from that group, Hey the FB1 are here in the office asking for the password or your old laptop in a room with the dev director, apparently it was being used to manage server that were sending out 20% of the US nations porn at the time. I fell out of my chair laughing.
a group of producers had bought into a bunch of strip clubs using bonus money and then were recording the employees of these clubs and serviing it using EA equipement and nobody knew about it for about a year until the FBI called EA and told them.
LOLS
Holy damn. Was your director using it to err... Exploit his body?
Was he even arrested?
he was fired and deported and then rehired as a contractor to work outside of EA
but that took years
he was a good programmer turned into a dev director so
but he wasnt the ring leader either
Deported his ass back to Canada!
ah germany
the other one was small potatoes, a group of artists who not getting paid a lot started doing contract work using EA equipement late at night after everyone left
This was '99 and the FBI was still crazy about porn sites?
was maybe 2001
FBI only gets crazy about one kind of porn
The illegal kind
That super illegal kind that disgusts me.
Well porn disgusts me overall, but there are few that infuriate me more.
the last one was 80 people from the MOH console team quit and took all the server data with them to go start COD console at Spark the FBI went to the house of everyone to collect the harddrives back.
Oh damn... EA sicked the FBI boys on them all.
those morons used the network to move all the data instead of just plugging 1 Harddrive and stealing it all
I thought they worked at 2015 Inc.
Yeah.
and now Respawn
yeah they have the big trailer out for the new COD
the original guys left to form repsawn and got bought by EA and did APEX and a Star Wars game
my old bro is the art director at Respawn working on SW he was the God of War art director on the original versions
EA bought Respawn?
yep like 2 years ago mang
Ah no...
trust me it is funny my friend ran from EA to join Sony and now he is back in EA
The mercy-killer company claimed them...
makes me cackle
I made a vow to myself in 2012:
That whatever I do, I will NEVER allow NΓ©otl Empire to be bought out by another company, regardless its financial state.
He is happy his hockey team won the cup after 80,000 years of sucking
EA is a good place to learn I learned a lot I have no regrets about working there and I made a lot of great friends
I would totally sell out if someone made the right offer
EA gets around 10k apps a week they aren't starved for people wanting to work for them
This was decades ago. EA was mediocre from what you explained. But now, I'd probably be smashing my head on a brick wall.
isnt sell out like the endgame?
Worse than I did working at FedEx Ground.
Selling out for me was the mid game
sell out, spend money on a ticket into space, turn to kickstarter and try again
and I am still selling out
I refuse to sell out for NΓ©otl.
I will sell out on industries I care less for, like culinary and warehouse.
As long as offer is right.
I think you mean gold-digger.
EA has a lot of studios, and I'm sure each one is very different, the same with ATVI.
I always make the analogy to sports teams, everyone always labels their "team", but sometimes the personnel are what make it great or awful, and they move around a lot
My goal is to retain minimum 51% until the day I ship. After that I dont care.
Plenty of pessimism on the way, need to balance it out.
The money isnt important to me, but need the ownership.
I expect more like 20-35% lol
For developing your concepts or someone elses?
Expected ownership/formal division share in a project/company that is based on your concepts and is ran by you
Basically giving up some share of the project to the potential third party (investor, publisher) + a potential business partner
Hard to settle disputes if people want to vote on everything.
The contract between you and other parties must clearly divide areas of responsibility
It is a difficult subject. How do you explain to a team you dont want 51% of the money, but you need 51% ownership? There are many other ways to organize a group, but I am of the school that believes the one with the entrepreneurial vision must keep majority ownership or you introduce new risks to an already high risk industry.
It's a subject on which thousands of books exist and none of them are too helpful π
I personally believe that big projects heavily depend on the specific person who will be at the public helm
gosh i would be the worst candidate for public helm
it is hard to have partners and keep the goals the same its like being married to someone even companys like apple broke up as they grew
So my vision of a big project is a group of people producing potential decisions and a set of workers who will be the ones influenced by those decisions - these are in a hierarchical structure, but then there's the "CEO" or the project lead or whatever you wanna call him, who is the only person to transcend all hierarchy. CEO is the person who formulates stuff to the group of people making decisions (and maybe he's the source of some decisions too) and he is the person who has the public helm
So basically CEO steers the company by talking to everyone inside it, rather than strictly having the legal power to make decisions
I would say rethink that concept and study how great products through out humanity have been created and who were the people that ran them if that is your goal
With the project I run right now, I'm not the only person to make decisions about the company, but I'm the person who everyone decision-making asks before they commit to the decision
most aren't nice people tyrants
Yeah. To me the ability to influence people and present ideas to them in specific ways has proven to be more valuable than just having raw total control
@merry tartan I did. I graduated with a 3.9 π
And as far as influencing people is... well, my principle is something like "be true, but still deceive"
what?
study business
Lies and misleading information are unacceptable, I hold the view that it's only acceptable to influence people by presenting ideas in specific ways
i partied too hard when i was a computer science major
@fickle hatch you have to be yourself man, honesty and hardwork letting peopel know where they stand, transparency
You can present an idea with real objective numbers as something very positive or something very negative, the usual politics
all the web spining reduces progress
agree
I like to think of myself as a video game dev spec ops person and I got my crew and we run through shit and that is even when I manage around 40 people after that the same crew now each has a crew and I trust them to manage it
but i never managed an entire company with 100's of people do I am limited to know where my system would break down.
Management is more about facilitating your teams needs than micro managing their day. A larger group may actually be easier. I think the most Ive led is a little over 20.
At my previous workplace I was made the team lead after the team crashed a UAV
The aircraft guys didn't realize the UAV's brains had to be configured with correct guidance parameters
So on the first test we did for the military the UAV nosedived and exploded near some ammo as soon as I gave it the "fly automatic" command
I got the report done by end of day and they put me in charge of the aircraft team
I didn't lie in sense that I put all the real numbers into the report, but I deceived our boss in sense of downplaying the severity of the mistake the aircraft guys made
maiden tests of UAV next to the ammo depot, ahh those were the days
So they did not get punished or anything and could continue to work the next day full pace, even though it cost the company a lot
@plucky hatch it's why I don't work in gamedev but instead in engineering - it's fun to work with things that can hurt and maul people xD
The company was really terrible at everything, after that case I made sure we never crashed near ammo stashes anymore, but we still almost flew into a military general and into a cow on separate occassions
Unfortunately I havent had a fire in my like I do for this game in a long long time, or I would stay as far away from the dev side of things as I can
In the second case my single "if" statement saved a cow from a collision with a UAV
π
It's a great feeling you don't get from making videogames
if cow then stop
if maybe collide with cow then emergency flight termination
mine cost less
It was basically that. if (time_to_impact < 7.0) { flight_termination(); } this sorta thing
@plucky hatch I have had dreams of working at Chic filet making chicken for the people once I get out of the home
Sorry for delay folks. My body is not going so well this day. Particularly my head and groin. I need to lie down for the night.
I really enjoyed this chat as far as game industry goes. It went beyond more than I anticipated and I was very impressed by it.
cya man good night
Sleep well
cya, liked your game btw
I was getting worried about Unreal Slackers going sour, but I am glad there are still other areas that are tolerable.
Which one?
I only saw maze qore was it?
Yes
Thanks
looked cool
I plan to resume dev but only once I can update the 2D Top Down Shooter Template and release Maze Qore Arena.
not really my genre but it looked cool af
The latter depends heavily on the former.
Thanks. Its honestly a new genre path I took from the norm. Shooters are my specialty but RPG is not.
What's the game? I wanna see it too
Maze Qore is more of a procedural prison-escape RPG game with some JRPG elements.
I just googled the name of his company. Its up in the thread.
I see
- A squad of 5, including the leader.
- Character and weapon perks, character stats, different outcomes in the game.
- Comical and controversial references and experiences.
- Old-school throwbacks.
- Perma-death for squad members, even unique ones.
- Survival of your squad effects the outcome of the game.
That's singleplayer.
The multiplayer is a whole new ball game.
A new gameplay style, reinnovating the classic FPS modes with a radical top-down spin.
and squad-based twist.
God, I would love to work on another STALKER-like FPS/RPG/survival horror game
Guys your way offtopic...
so guys I'm thinking of not going to any Univ after my last year on this school. Should I just become a freelance 3D artist/concept artist while also working on my own game?
and when I get a good amount of experience, I can apply for a game studio
Sure, alot of people are self taught.
I do have 3 years of experience in level designing already
I'm trying to improve my programming and concep art(ing)
then I think I'll be confident enough to take freelance projects
So I am always going to advocate university. Keep in mind, people who go to university are pretty much self taught as well, and there is nothing to stop you from taking freelance while at school. University is that special time in a man's life where the social potential is amazing, and that paper they give you at the end is a game changer when it comes to negotiating salary.
If you are applying to a studio, it's less likely that you will do all the things listed. That's more an indie/hobby approach.
As soon as the studio is a bit bigger, you need more specializing.
Programmers won't do art and vice versa
I was visiting a university games programme a couple of a weeks ago, and honestly it seems like the landscape has changed quite a bit
at least for that particular school what I saw was very production focused with people developing their respective roles
the quality of games the students put out was certainly much higher than just a few years ago
@golden jay be careful how your advertise your experience, as many won't take experience not working at a proper studio as real experience
definitely list it as a skill or competency, substitute years for generic term describing your level of competency. interviewers only glance at resumes to look for talking points. so if you can talk about level design, make sure it appears where they can see it.
Hello Everyone !! My name is MK Dash.... or " MK Legend " on EPIC games. I am here to make a request. I am currently planning to design a game in Unreal ENGINE 4. I have a great plot in my mind . But, Unfortunately, I DO NOT HAVE Any previous experience with Unreal Engine 4. I am currently still learning, but All That I have achieved is just some NOT-SO-ACCURATE Level Designing. I went through various guides an all, but could find no suitable one. I previously had experience with GTA V and have released a MODIFICATION for it, but, making a game from scratch, it seems out of bounds for me....
SO, What I am requesting, is , can anyone here help me out with UNREAL ENGINE 4 ?? Like, some step-by step guide during direct chat ? I really need some serious help, guys... cuz I wanna make my idea successful... Please... can anyone help ??
lmao
secondly, if you have zero experience the first place to start is with the editor, the tools, and googling for tutorials
@lilac walrus Thats the point.... I'm quite confused with which tutorial to follow
Uh.... so, what channel should I contact in ?
Unreal Engine 3 ?
4
he means ue4
Alright. so.... I'll try the built in tutorial.... can you link me any step-by-step guide that I should follow ?
Cuz 99 % of the guides ask me to Do this, do that, click this, click that.. but literally never practically explain anything
Any suggestions ? guys ?
a tutorial is a step by step guide..
you're asking for a step by step guide to a step by step guide...
No.. I mean... Isn't there supposed to be an explanation of what which thing does ? Any particular description of each function ? Like, In GTA V's RAGE Engine, Lighting color is controlled by "light_dir_col_intensity" lines in the weather.xml files..... similarly, can't a get a proper defination of thing ? like.. Whats a Volume effect, whats point like ( For example of course.... )
that's the tutorial
Any particular online or offline tutorials that u can recommend ?
literally that
it's built in
it even asks you to follow it the first time you boot up the engine
So.... I gotta follow that BLUE cap-like icon that pops-up during the first launch ?
so you managed to see it, disregard it, then somehow found this discord only to ask something that you could have answered yourself if you had read the prompt?
do you also go around the block in order to get to the store next door?
Nope... Before I even opened UNREAL ENGINE, I looked up for a Video tutorial series on Youtube.... So,, That damn guy over there said that, " So, right now... this video will teach you all the basics and functionalities of the engine, so, we can skip this damn tutorial ad get started ".... thats it... then we went ahead to building landscapes....And I was thinking " WTF is going on on this planet ?"
So.... pls don't mind me..... I know that these things take time, and i also managed to get myself a bit educated on the engine.. but.. I thought that getting some help from the really experienced people can help....
@fathom knoll you miss all the shots you dont take. dont let anyone elses experiences deter you from having your own.
I rely heavily on this to guide me through with Unreal Engine and any new features.
@fathom knoll Take some time and read through this documentation. It would resolve most of your concerns mastering the UE4.
I've been looking at jobs with unreal and it seems that VR gaming jobs are less demanding on the requirements as normal gaming jobs. That's making me think about focusing more on VR. Anyone noticing that as well? Maybe it's just my area
Guys should I apply for a job offer as a Lightning VFX artist?
I have around 4-3 years of experience in level designing but never really worked for a company
Best bet is have a portfolio with demos you can show off
Never hurts to apply - but they're going to look at what you can do, not what you say you can do
kinda hard to tell w/o more infos tbh
Do you have the skills they're asking for etc?
I have more than enough skills for meeting their qualification
I can say that confidently
I need to make my portfolio/CV though
Lighting vfx artist is not a thing
The level design experience is irrelevant. The reel is what matters.
well by that I meant lighting artist and VFX artist
I hate phones
also can you elaborate "reel"?
ah
You can share it here or in #visual-fx for some pointers.
it's really strange to see someone in one sentence say 3-4 years of experience and in the next not knowing what to apply for or how a portfolio works
idk if that's just me
@woeful dirge The VR market is a very thin slice of the pie. I dont see that changing. Games are a high risk endeavor, and with VR the potential reward pool is greatly diminished. This has a good potential to slow or even halt the growth of that market. Logically my answer is no, but if its in your heart then you would be wasting your time doing anything else.
@tidal moth
The portfolio is a bit messed up in design.
And it is a bit laughable at one point when they ask to see documents
And as you get more experience and add skills to your belt. you really dont have time to build portfolios for everything
@plucky hatch I see, thank you
I would expect anyone with 3-4 years of experience to know how to set up a portfolio is my point.
I would also expect them to know what to apply for
I can see if someone was hired with no experience, worked somewhere for 3 years, then turned to seniors in the field for advice on how to arrange their portfolio as perfectly normal.
you don't get hired without a good portfolio in the first place
so that point is moot
Boy are you in for a surprise
I've yet to see anyone get hired without a portfolio, and the ones I've seen have shown at least a basic standard even for juniors
so I stand by my point
π€ "I've never seen companies do a specific stupid thing so it doesn't happen"
feel free to show me a counter example
I don't have one, but that seems like a pretty poor thing to bet on
nah
usually it's easy to weed out the people who can from the people who can't... again, speaking from experience
I should say this is from a design point of a view
I hire VFX artists. There's no way in hell I'd even call anyone for an interview without seeing previous work.
A portfolio is OK. Reel is better.
there you go
well, my ignorance about hiring practices for design roles aside, I do wonder how you can say "3-4 years experience" if none of them were doing anything that could help generate a portfolio
He did say he's never worked at a company so I'm guessing he counts hobbywork. Which may or may not lead to anything to show. Depeninding on the rate of learning
I think the equivalent would be like a college CS grad saying they have 4 years of experience in java when applying for job and expecting it to be considered the same as industry experience
I'd expect hobbywork to be better at generating a portfolio, since you aren't bound by any NDA's for unreleased works etc though?
I'd expect just some work to be able to show
for my first job I had a portfolio with 2 levels on it. super basic, but it showed work.
I wanted to insert a sharp comment that I got the job without portfolio, but realized I had one too.
the point i was trying to make is that people have to start somewhere, this is a good place to figure out how to start. so if you have some insight to help someone, this is a good place to help them, if not try reddit.
<@&213101288538374145>
Shit too slow
discord why aren't you purging messages π€·π½
Idk, shouldn't the ban purge?
Offtopic guys! π
"the point i was trying to make is that people have to start somewhere"
Sure, as long as it's not QA
Portfolio and networking first.
Find jobs that pay well and allow you to have more time to build your portfolio
And meet people
Find the hottest online communities for game devs
Where you'll find industry professionals
so your idea is to start with no portfolio at a well payed job that leaves you time for hobby projects? π€
The point is what get you a job is your portfolio and your contacts.
If you find a low paying job, chances are you'll need to do overtime = no time for portfolio
So you want a high paying job that also give you more time to work on your personal stuff
With money you can get hardware, tutorials, etc.
Whatever you need
"How do I get a job in the video games industry''
There is no correct answer.
I've seen recruiters turn into level designers
QA tester become level designers or artists
modders that became programmers
etc
My answer is, look, it's like rolling a dice.
Yes. It's fucking random.
But you know that in order to get the job you need to keep rolling the dice.
So just keep doing it until it happens.
I keep reading in here ''portfolio, portfolio!''
I've seen many people that got jobs and had a really bad portfolio.
But they had many other qualities.
Charisma, fast workers, likeable, good rep, etc
I went to college with a guy who is now a 3D artist.
He still doesnt know sub-modeling
It's been 5 years
I don't know any studio that would willingly take risks/potentially shoot themselves in the foot by hiring someone with no portfolio
my take is that studios who do that don't last long
it's a base requirement of almost any role because it's one of the few ways you can prove that you can actually do the job you're applying for, in an industry where a large part of the workforce still relies heavily on tacit knowledge
likewise given that this is the career chat, I would never advise anyone to apply anywhere without first building a portfolio
for people that come in through QA you still have them do tests for their particular discipline of choice, it's not a "free" transition
in regards to soft skills and team ability, that is something you can hopefully filter for in the interview after your portfolio has been picked out
to put it concisely:
bring a portfolio
be real about your experience
and in general, be real with people, or they will find you out anyway
don't be a dick
and don't rely on luck
no
<@&213101288538374145>
uh
what
gonna just ban him for spamming
and vauge homophobia i think?
i honestly have no idea what just happened there
Guessing I missed something bizarre.
yep
very
florida man is the only thing that comes to mind
lets just say that if you kept up with what he was saying, you most definitely should not have been working for him
As level designers, how do you guys approach your portfolio?
If there are NDAs that prevent you from showing anything dev-related.
Can't show scripting, can't show level design docs, can't show the level in the editor and how you placed everything, etc
So all you can really show is actually the finished product.
Do you recreate it afterwards to explain the ins and out of everything?
Do you just post pictures and say what you did?
--
Or do you just show personal projects instead?
show as much as you can, don't show what you can't show
if you post a few screenshots from a released game most studios are going to be ok with it
beyond that everything else can be answered in the interview
unless it's a personal project and you're a junior I wouldn't bother putting too much design knowledge into your portfolio
you want your work to speak for you most of the time
for junior it's a bit different seeing as they have to prove some basic design thinking beyond just levels
Wouldn't you agree, that unless the designer shows us a video walkthrough of what was put where and why, there is no way recruiters and designers can just look at a few pretty pictures and go...
Oh yeah, this candidate is great, great thinking, great design skills.
Unless they actually played the game and remember the level specifically.
there is a time and a place for everything
unless you're completely green then I'd say there is no reason
most of this will be rehashed through the interview
or you will be given a design test if they're not sure etc.
sometimes both
What if you fall on a recruiter who just expects to see nice design docs?
no recruiter is looking for docs
nobody wants to read
and recruiters spend most of their day on looking at stuff
you're not going to come across as unique for having a bunch of documents in your portfolio
If no recruiter was looking for docs, I wouldn't have mentioned it.
if they're published articles, then maybe, but even so they'll glance over it and chalk it up as a plus
from the companies I have been in touch with, nobody has been interested in documentation. people want walkthrough videos perhaps, but even so you could add those with zero commentary and it would still be valid
the recruiters are just gate keepers, and they don't generally care what you add
if they forward your stuff though, then the designers might give you more scrutiny
And how is it necessary to present all these projects to attract the attention of a recruiter like you?
This is a very very important point: you absolutely need a section of the portfolio dedicated to the documentation of the design of the game. It is an essential document so that I can understand the logic of the designer, how he articulated his role in the game , and that I can see all the visual showing the evolution of his work and his reflection. In addition, it allows to see how the candidate is in communication, because it involves a lot of writing.
Are there people who apply without adding this documentation to their portfolio?
Yes, far too many young designers neglect this essential document ... I have no idea why! They really shoot in the foot ... Because it's part of the job of a game designer and a level designer. Often, postulants send me a short video that introduces the game ... it's fine, but there may be 20 people who worked on it! I want to know what the designer has done, and without the detailed document, it's impossible.
Without this documentation, is the application automatically rejected?
I would say most of the time, yes, unfortunately.
but again, by that time if you're interesting enough they'll ask for an interview
like I said, if you're a junior applying, then yes
add some
but if you've been around in the industry, you're showing released products
the work is the hero, not your documentation
I'd say it's always different depending on who is involved with the recruiting process.
you make it sound like the recruitment processes for every company is miles apart
it's the same recruitment process
and I've worked for Ubisoft
I can tell you I got an interview without documentation on my portfolio at the time
most of the time you'll be given a test, and in that test you can then implement your theory well and talk about it
but up until that point, there's no reason to hardline tons of documentation in your portfolio
especially when the whole point is for recruiters to skim it and look out for things that are interesting
I don't know man. I've done interviews for Gameloft, Eidos, Ubisoft, Warner Bros, CM Labs, EA, etc.
And what they were looking for, their requirements, their needs, etc. Were all different.
The recruiter and the other person behind (lead, director, etc.) have different needs. Sometimes they are trying to find a skilled person, sometimes they are more into someone who fits their team profile, etc.
Just like some people would only hire someone from university and others believe more in the portfolio or past work experiences, mods ,etc
Different mentalities
It often mirrors their own backgrounds... just saying
by the time you get to an interview your portfolio takes a seat and it's on you to start explaining the things you went through
so it's a moot point
pretty much every studio I've interviewed for has had the same process
your portfolio gets picked out, you have either a quick interview first then do a test, or just the test alone, then you have a bigger interview after the test
as far as I am concerned, the test is all that matters
so the portfolio is just a means to get to that point
I don't buy that people are looking for different things in a role like level design, everyone is practically on the same page
See... I got my first job after I finished making a map for a 3DBuzz level design contest. Didn't have to do a test. At another studio (AAA), a test was given to me, stuff happened, but had a second interview. Never had to give back the test.
Portfolio, networking.
If someone would give me a test now, I wouldn't be amused.
Oh, I also passed an interview for a database company to work as full stack programmer, didn't have to do a test either.
Worth mentioning that what works for one individual doesn't necessarily have to work for another π€·
No rules in this game really
I don't know what the standard is for programmers, but we weren't talking about programmers
and @mystic hull I beg to differ... as long as company hiring practices are the same or similar, then we can assert that the process you go through is the same. I don't buy this "everyone is different" mentality. There might be some details that differ per company/studio/project, but overall level design is a transferrable skill between projects
I agree that level design is a transferable skill.
But game design and level design are quite obscure fields.
yeah but nobody is going to ask things of a level designer that isn't transferrable. even with stuff like VR there might be a different context for level design than for non-VR games, but level design skills will still apply regardless
as far as I know when people say "there isn't a good fit" it's code for something else
but that's just hearsay on my part
When Gameloft transitionned from Mobile to IOS (in other words 3D games), we had a change in the realm of level design.
First of all, level designer and technical game designer positions didn't even exist. We created them. Within our design department, many people were either more technical and some more designers and had to interchangeably do both jobs. And level design was, for some people, learned on the job.
And level designers that have ''no idea what they are doing'', I find, was very common.
Not pointing fingers saying it's bad. Im just saying games are so vast and complex, you cannot be experienced with every single genre.
if you work at id Software and just make FPS games, that's very specific.
But if you work on a big companies that make absolutely anything....
A bit different
Ive seen people that had no experience whatsoever with a specific genre and lead that kind of project
Games like Thief, who even played those older games? No wonder why it took several years to get started and find the right people for the job
You make a game like deus ex and all of a sudden your players break all your maps by staying in vents shooting legs
I don't disagree that context matters, but design is universal, and the details of implementation of something like a match 3 level versus a first person level still have elements in common that should be known by a designer making either of them
I think the level designers having no idea what they're doing is mostly how they are taught
I don't disagree.
All Im saying is you talk is if every designer in the industry had the same education and were design gods and that is so far... far far... from the reality of this industry.
My level design lead couldnt make a multiplayer map. He was more technical.
I've found that Ubisoft teaches only what is immediately relevant, I can't imagine Gameloft being that different given it was owned by the brother of the Ubisoft CEO
Was
highly doubt anything changed on the level of management of designers
And no, it was a free for all.
And I had to push for it.
Just to get us on same level as other AAA studios
And to get the proper salary
as far as I know Gameloft is making mobile games?
not heard of a AAA type game from them
anyway getting off topic either how
What I said is they didn't follow the standards.
3D games require level designers and they didn't have such job role
Because mobile didn't have that
And integrators were going to fill that gap, but werent paid for those skills
And i had a level designer education
sounds like a special case to be honest
Big budget mobile games
Something other studios cant do.
A game like Gangstar Vegas or else is huge.
It's no different from GTA 3
or San Andreas
And now graphics are so good..
AAA is dependent on budget, I doubt the budgets are that high for mobile
Yeah. They are THAT high.
seems like the typical ubisoft approach where studios are involved sporadically, but still get full credit
We had a 50+ people team
for a ''mobile'' game
It's no different from any console game...
anyway it's a digression
in terms of your case with Gameloft not knowing LDs in that particular scenario is not something I've seen before, and I think it's a special case
but even if it wasn't, let's assume that if you're applying for a level design position, you are looking for a position that says level designer
not game designer
I said let's assume
π
In the case of gameloft, level designers were very involved with game design, notably in pre-production.
I'll withdraw, this is going nowhere
You want to talk about careers in games, then you should be very aware of what that means
You seem to come from big AAA studios and think it's all the same everywhere. It's really not.
I've worked in indie as well
across the board, I've seen very similar trends
I think Gameloft is more an exception
than it is a rule
hence my previous statements
and now, like I said, I'll withdraw
π
XD a valiant effort Cranz
not currently
had some issues with my provider that I don't have time to resolve, so the site remains offline
π good luck with that
50 people is small in the console space. The AAAs probably have ten times that number involved these days. 50 isn't unusual in the AA space.
50 people is a pre prod team these days π
Hey guys need an advice, will i be any useful if i only learn Blueprints(Of all kinds)? Because i have a different case here I can code yes and that is what i do in my studies but when it comes to UE4 well my PC can't really handle the 3 min Hot reloads and the compilation turns my PC into a snail, (I also don't build lighting if possible I use full dynamic lighting).
I do have plans to use Cpp in Game engines, I am thinking about downloading Amazon Lumberyard for that but I think I feel relaxed with Visual Scripting if it is possible that I can get a job only with Visual Scripting?
It is possible but it really hurts your chances & lowers your salary ceiling
Yeah haha. 50 people is considered a small team these days, indeed.
But that also brings me to another point, we also lost our ability to make fun games really fast
How many years did it take Id Software to produce Quake 1, 2 and 3.
Quake 1 was released in 1996. Quake 3 in December 2, 1999.
Quake Champions has been in development since 2013, it is only multiplayer and it is still in Early Access today, not yet completed or officially released.
We are spending a lot of time on graphics and building that high tech game engine.
Quake began development in 1991. Doom 3 was first demoed in 2002. With the exception of Quake 2 which may have been short, most of those games had unusually long development cycles for the era, partly owing to the tiny size of the team, and also to just how forward-thinking Carmack was with regards to tech
Game development periods overlap, it's not entirely consecutive
I don't think people are entirely aware of how much we owe Carmack for being the catalyst for where games are today
Aye, when it came to games tech he really pushed boundaries for over a decade
All I want to do is experiment with art and game Dev but I need money so I work a shitty warehouse job that depresses me plus I want more sex and social life help
laugh at your warehouse job, they are paying you to make games
go play sports, join hobbies, whatever for the rest
and listen to epic music while practicing your craft
Many in your position (jobs-wise at least) @plucky hatch - Use your job as a means to pay bills, and be sure to focus on your time off. Schedule what you want to do, when not at work. Start working on a project, with a plan. Try and find local groups, with similar interests (a creatives group), who you can either chat with online, or maybe they even meet up regularly. Surround yourself with people of similar interests, and you'll learn and grow.
wish i could work part time
If you can, maybe try saving some of your wages, so that part time "might" be a possibility further down the line? If you feel that you're suffering from depression or low mood then please make sure you speak to someone and seek help. If it's more of a boredom type of situation at work, then are there opportunities to maybe do anything else, within the same company? Any secondment opportunities? Speak to your manager/boss and let them know that you'd like to be involved in a certain area.
@plucky hatch get some type of contractor licsense, like plumber or painter. You can make enough working one week out of the month if you work for yourself.
Lol 6 month waiting list for psychiatrist for 4 half hour sessions XD not worth
Yeah I can upgrade from picker upper to pusher man
Nobody has any magic pill that'll immediately change your life & pessimism only pushes you backwards π€·
All you gotta do is try and try until it happens, really
Easier said than done, though.
It is doable though, just geg focused and push harder
Dunno if this question is placed right in here. But I'm going next year to college for game programming after 2 years of self employment and they require a laptop. Anybody can reccomend something along those lines ?
Thanks to you all in advance.
fast multi-core processor, 16GB+ fast memory, and probably a minimum of a 1050ti for graphics