Breaking into the game industry

[nightshade]

Lately I've been wondering and I'm a bit curious.
You learn how to program, you spend all those man hours trying to learn how to create pixels and polygons out of lines of codes but when it comes to actually getting a job in the industry, how does it work really?

Understandably so, the mobile gaming scene is easier to break into but how do you get experience in the bigger market if all the listings expects you to have experience to begin with ?

It is the same in most industries but the fact of the matter is, there is a wider range of opportunities available when compared to the game industry so can't really do a direct comparison. You can get your personal/side projects running and available for demo but almost every job listing asks for a few years of experience and a lot of them also need a few shipped tittles mentioned in your CV.

Always !

 

[ERP]

It's changed a lot over the last 10 or so years.
The short version is experience rules.
If you don't have that, it's the same as any other industry, you need a CV that gets you in the door, you have to interview well and you have to be in the right place at the right time.

Most of the senior people I know like to see that an engineer programs outside of work, so personal projects are a good thing.

 

[Davros]

Being a scouser I would suggest the easiest way to break into the game industry is through the window...

 

[3dcgi]

Relevant personal and school projects are a great way to show aptitude. If you can discuss the project intelligently most interviews will be easy and you'll set yourself apart from others. Never be discouraged by a lack of experience. It makes it more difficult to get attention, but ultimately companies care about what you're capable of so you need to show them.

If you're in school and can't get an internship at a game company try related companies like hardware companies or professional graphics.

 

[nightshade]

I proposed two fantastic ideas for a final year project which were completely relevant, instead I got told by everyone that they are far too occupied with others to be concerned with mine and I am expecting others to tell me that I should instead do a Software Engineering or Problem solving/Database project seeing how I don't have first class mark in 2nd year. Funny thing is that I have first class and close to first class marks in programming modules and average grades in Software Engineering and Database modules (which is what they ask someone with my overall grades to do)....imagine the irony in that !!

Being a scouser I would suggest the easiest way to break into the game industry is through the window...

Amazing...it never ends


I'm only here for uni

 

[tuna]

If people do not find your fantastic ideas fantastic it might not be them who error.....

 

[Simon F]

If people do not find your fantastic ideas fantastic

Or it could be that they did find the ideas fantastic (definition 3)