The Games Game - July 2003

Each month, industry veteran Tom Sloper provides career guidance to game biz wannabes, newbies, and junior professionals with the goal of helping them break into the industry, and stay in. Submit a question to Tom for developer-oriented advice in this column (IGDA members only).

Degrees of Separation (July 2003)

Dear Tom:

I'm a software engineer with four years' experience in embedded and network systems development. I'm switching career paths, towards the entertainment industry (following the dreams that led me here). I have two bachelors' degrees -- one in computer science and one in computer engineering -- and am currently pursuing five patents for my prior employer. I've submitted resumes to ten companies in the San Francisco area (where I reside) but have gotten no responses. All of the job openings require game industry experience.

1. Do education, parallel experience, and solo projects count, or is game industry experience the only qualifier? A professor said I would have been snatched up long ago in better times, and probably will be, when things improve.

2. How badly are game companies affected by the economy? What's the future outlook? Meanwhile, I'm looking for a non-game job while I pursue a third bachelor's, in Digital Arts Engineering.

3. How much will this new degree help? I bought the Linux for PlayStation2 kit, some books, and Lightwave3D so I can develop an original game. I know this is no small undertaking. I figure at least a year or two.

4. How much will a game project help? (It's been suggested that I might apply some of this work to the new degree.)

Ultimately, I know I'll get in the industry, but I'd appreciate any advice on how to use my time most effectively to improve my skills and break in.

Tim Tillotson

Dear Tim,

1. Game industry experience is very highly valued for certain jobs at certain companies. You probably need to set your sights lower in terms of the companies you're applying to, and/or the positions you apply for. Seek an entry-level position rather than one that requires industry experience.

2. The economy does not have a direct impact on the game industry. Almost the reverse, in fact. In hard economic times, people need more entertainment products. The downturn in the industry is due to other factors entirely. To stay on top of industry news, read the business section of your local newspaper. But don't wait for the industry's outlook to improve. Keep pushing!

3. You don't need no more stinking degrees!

4. Making your own game on the Linux PS2 kit will help a lot, but it's going to take a long time, as you say.

5. Now that I've gotten all your specific questions out of the way, let's address the one you did not ask. The question you should have asked is, "What am I doing wrong in the way I'm applying for the game jobs?" And you should have been very specific as to the technique you're using. It sounds to me (reading between the lines) like you have been waiting for want ads, then applying by mail or email. Like I advised Armand in my April column, you have to use the phone and automobile. Become an impressive living, breathing human being rather than a faceless, voiceless letter-writer.

Tom Sloper's game biz career began over twenty years ago at Western Technologies, where he designed LCD games and the Vectrex games "Spike" and "Bedlam". There followed stints at Sega Enterprises, Rudell Design, Atari Corporation, and Activision. In 12 years at Activision, Tom produced 36 unique game titles (plus innumerable ports and localizations), designed four games, and won five awards. Tom worked for several months in Activision's Japan operation, in Tokyo. He is perhaps best known for designing, managing and producing Activision's "Shanghai" line. He is currently consulting, writing, speaking, teaching, and developing original games. Find out more at Sloperama.

© 2003 Tom Sloper. All rights reserved.