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| Thread: Is it worth becoming a game developer? | |
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TDL
Honorable
Supreme Hero
The weak suffer. I endure.
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posted February 01, 2016 11:45 PM |
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Is it worth becoming a game developer?
Since I've always been involved in the gaming culture in one way or another, in addition to studying information technologies, systems and basic programming, I have always had one hand dipped in the game development pool. I have never fully put the lid on the casket as I never felt sure whether devoting myself to the cause would be a worthy endeavour. The recent trends seem to dictate the the industry is growing at an alarming rate and the average age plus demographics are slowly rising and evening out.
I have been sort of contemplating what reasons I would have for becoming a game developer.
# Creative outlet via a budding artform
# Increasing salaries (not so much in the smaller sector)
# Relatively non-monotonous job
# Multitude of options in terms of genres and games to work on
# Good job for dreamers and loners
I have been led to believe that working as a gamedev is not worth the effort if you are vying for money. Then again, when you consider it, sometimes it is better to create something that lasts and something that is 'yours', etched in history books, ahem, the interwebs, rather than get a ton of money. All of us feel like we could improve a game or two, create something worth it.
What is your opinion on the matter?
P.S. Game developer I mean in the broadest sense, from concept art to programming to creative directing.
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OhforfSake
Promising
Legendary Hero
Initiate
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posted February 02, 2016 12:32 AM |
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TDL said:
All of us feel like we could improve a game or two, create something worth it.
Isn't the issue with a lot of potential cool jobs that more often than not, you end up having to do something very specific without being allowed to give input on what could be improved?
I wouldn't be surprised if many developers aren't thinking to themselves they could change a few things and tremendously improve the games they are taking part in designing.
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TDL
Honorable
Supreme Hero
The weak suffer. I endure.
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posted February 02, 2016 12:53 AM |
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It really depends on the flexibility of the publisher you are signed to. As far as I know, out of the giants, Bioware is the most flexible, as the brunt of its gaming experience is based on the story and it is the writers that deliver it. Larian Studios, or whatever it's called, the belgian kickstarter-funded project that ended up as a massive Divinity Original Sin success is either a close second or a favorite, as not only the programmers are encouraged to design new stuff on the fly but they also incorporate user feedback in a very agile feedback structure.
Smaller companies have much more flexibility overall, hence, on average, without occasional technical slip-ups, they are less resistant to change and we can see things improve drastically just based on the impact of a certain few developers. At the same time, they experience the problem of overestimating their capabilities/goals
Me, if I ever went in this direction, I am definitely fighting for the topmost echelon. I feel I have a good visionary direction so I'd not go to gamedev just to be at the lowest level. The question is whether the fight to the top is worth it, or is it easier to make it to the top in some $$$-making company and then "buy" into such a position.
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OhforfSake
Promising
Legendary Hero
Initiate
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posted February 02, 2016 01:29 AM |
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Well even if we assume the second option is the easier one, if you buy yourself into the position, whatever games you come up with will probably be more dependent on others than yourself, while if you go the first route I'd imagine you'd have greater insight into what you wish to accomplish.. that you can trust yourself to deliver so to speak.
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Homer171
Promising
Supreme Hero
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posted February 02, 2016 01:46 AM |
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As long you can do what you really want to do. Friend of mine was computer programmer and he used to work for company who made ad's and other little programs. Everytime I meat the guy, he said, how much he hates his job and his unimagitive boss. After two years, he finally quit the job and started own company as freelance programmer. Big and risky jump but he needed the change.
Yes, it would be great to be part of game development. Not everything are, dream come true cases tough. Motivation/money are often too low in the end. There where some horrible game publishers in the days but luckily the changes of getting rotting game now is lower. Still, once in a while you stumble on pile of *something* what makes you wonder, does these developers/designers/programmers even care? Have they lost their will to make video-games or what's the excuse for THIS?
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Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.
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TDL
Honorable
Supreme Hero
The weak suffer. I endure.
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posted February 02, 2016 01:58 AM |
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That's where another question arises though: game development as a programmer or game development as a writer. Programming usually consists of technical stuff which is downright boring and level editing which is nice once the technicians prebuild the system. The latter part entices me much more though, but I'd rather incorporate the two, and the sole conceivable option is through becoming the visionary of a project. In that case, you'd have to have a very hands-on approach to everything but it would ultimately be a lot like project management, just in a gaming business.
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markkur
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Once upon a time
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posted February 02, 2016 03:14 PM |
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I think you would need to stay very small and make something very monumental. i.e JVC <imo> No field of work is changing faster than hardware/software. As a college professor once said; "To keep her job she will have to commit to stay in college forever".
Worse, it seems younger gamers treat games like fast-food burgers and fries and move on quickly. Doesn't sound quite like the arena you seek.
You could be the exception but you need to be prepared and ready to make it true.
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Warmonger
Promising
Legendary Hero
fallen artist
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posted February 02, 2016 04:20 PM |
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Well, there are few issues:
- Every new programmer would like to be game developer 
- There are many artists on the market when it comes to 2D. To stand out you need to handle 3D graphics.
- The two above are dependent on game designer / creative director, who is usually one person for large project. There are no job offers looking for game designers - it's a matter of reputation, trust and word of mounth.
All in all, making games is fun, but making games for living is not easy.
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The future of Heroes 3 is here!
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gnollking
Supreme Hero
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posted February 11, 2016 10:19 PM |
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Is it worth becoming a game developer?
Well I for one am having lots of fun attempting this. I'm currently almost two years into my four year long Game Development studies, and we just recently started the biggest project we are to do during our studies. I'm the lead programmer in our team of 9 people in total. It's an unusually large group for these projects, but so far it's been no problem for our producer to handle. The plan is to work on the project for about a year, to make sure it's decent enough to actually publish. We're (or rather, our producer is) also trying to get (with surprising success) some funding for the production and eventual advertisement, so that we can work on this full-time during the summer as well.
This is the project that's supposed to get us into training at proper companies and hopefully into proper jobs. That's why we're trying something a bit more unusual for just simple school projects, and push ourselves to our limits. I might be able to tell more about our progress in the coming months, and we're also going to start a blog explaining the process of such game development for each artist, programmer, producer and designer. I'll be sure to promote it here in HC as well once we get that started.
I originally applied to the school for its IT side, as I technically am an ICT technician. Programming was just a hobby of mine when I came here. But as the first few months went on and it was getting closer to choosing our specialization (IT, programming, art, producer/designer), I chose programming. So far I haven't regretted that. I'd always enjoyed programming (still do, a lot) and it just seemed more fun than fixing people's computers. Even after a day's work on our project I occasionally work on my own smaller project, just for the fun of programming.
It is true that in bigger projects you don't really get to choose what you do, but that hasn't really been the case in our projects so far, and I'll try to avoid getting into such positions, for it doesn't just harm me, but the project as well. I'd much rather work in a smaller, more family-like (what's the word) team, with more freedom and possibilities to affect the outlook of the game (likely for much less money), than as a code monkey for the big man.
markkur said:
Worse, it seems younger gamers treat games like fast-food burgers and fries and move on quickly. Doesn't sound quite like the arena you seek.
This is sadly the case, and is so reflected upon the choices for simplification in many new games. I see it a lot at our university as well, in the development side. People are trying to push and make as many new games as fast as possible.
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The_Polyglot
Promising
Supreme Hero
Nuttier than squirrel poo
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posted February 11, 2016 10:45 PM |
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Short answer: No. Long answer: Aw HELL no!
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fred79
Disgraceful
Undefeatable Hero
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posted February 11, 2016 11:13 PM |
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i'm considering wasting my college time on a field that i won't be employed in. specifically, computer graphic art.
just so i can be trained in, and get the program of, 3ds.
lord knows i don't want any career at all(or even a job, although i still need one). except maybe something in the mass-population-reduction field. 
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EnergyZ
Legendary Hero
President of MM Wiki
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posted February 11, 2016 11:28 PM |
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fred79 said:
i'm considering wasting my college time on a field that i won't be employed in. specifically, computer graphic art.
just so i can be trained in, and get the program of, 3ds.
lord knows i don't want any career at all(or even a job, although i still need one). except maybe something in the mass-population-reduction field.
How can you be certain you won't? Clarify please.
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fred79
Disgraceful
Undefeatable Hero
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posted February 11, 2016 11:59 PM |
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because jobs are hard enough to find, and fields where there is high traffic are even more difficult?
if i can't even get hired at a fast food joint, what makes you think i can get into a field that volatile?
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EnergyZ
Legendary Hero
President of MM Wiki
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posted February 12, 2016 12:08 AM |
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Was just wondering. Don't know much about that section to know any better.
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fred79
Disgraceful
Undefeatable Hero
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posted February 12, 2016 03:49 AM |
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it's highly competitive, always changing, and flooded with people who want to be in the field. employers have their pick of the litter. and after you're done, you're fired. contracts are short-lived(as in, jobs). i have no doubts, that people in that field are unemployed/laid off more often than not.
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