May 30, 2014
Gone are the days when video games were considered as wasted hours of entertainment. In this digital era, everything seems to be a "game" isn't it? Well it's simple enough to imagine the future of an industry, upon which each one of us is getting dependent day by day. When we talk about public's interest on a certain product or a service, we are actually talking about the beginning of a successful career in the field of creating that particular product or a service.
So what exactly are these gaming students thinking during their school lives? Honestly, they simply can't stop imagining what it's going to be like if they were given a chance to work behind the exciting scenes of their imaginative gaming world.
We perceive gamers as fun lovers, sitting on their couches and playing without considering their career seriously. But the reality is that there are thousands of people who do have some really exciting and high income jobs in the gaming industry. So if you are a gamer, and you are reading this article you would understand how it feels when our parents ask us do something "serious" in life. Let's answer their worries through some facts.
Opportunities coming your way
This goes far beyond just creating or testing games. These professionals are needed to create games for various devices such as computers, mobile devices, handheld devices, social media networks such as Facebook and several traditional gaming platforms.
Similarly, for those who are in the business of selling and promoting these games, it may require general business administration or marketing expertise. There are numerous job opportunities and positions in the gaming industry.
"It's been 10 years that we've been in this robust games industry catering to the various needs of gamers from all over the world through our online digital games store. Our growth through the years would not be possible without our dedicated team whom mostly are a bunch of gaming enthusiasts themselves. A career in the games industry whether service providers or game publishing is rewarding, varied and most of all, entertaining." says Leonard Chee, Chief Executive Officer at OffGamers.com
An independent survey, which analyses the global salary trends in the gaming industry, indicates that gamers earn almost the same or more as any other common industry.
Some degrees offered to help you pursue a career in gaming
There are different courses and professional degrees which can definitely help students choose a career which is of their interest. These degrees can get you to work for some of the world's most famous and biggest gaming companies.
The degrees which would allow you to pursue a career in this industry are:
1. Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Games Design
2. BSc (Hons) In Computer Games Development
3. Master of Science (Computer Science) - Game Development by Research
4. Bachelor of Science (Hons) Electronic Games and Interactive Media
5. Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons) in Interactive Software Technology
6. Bachelor of Information Technology (Game Technology)
7. Bachelor in Games Design and Animation (Hons)
8. Bachelor of Game Development - Game Art (Visuals)
9. Bio-Feedback Computer Games for Emotional Intelligence
10. Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Computer Gaming and Animation Technology
Indeed, it is a professional degree that really helps
Experts have always believed in the fact that your education and training will add more value to your skills and passion. Not only that, with the enormous demands in the gaming production values, the industry is looking for acquiring creative, talented and qualified people. Let's have a look at some of the areas which require professionals with specialized degrees:
Art and Animations
Game Artists create the images – all the objects, buildings, landscapes and characters – which make up the game world. Animators define and create their movement. The majority of computer games are now developed using real-time 3D graphics and animation.
Artists and Animators working in computer games development are usually trained or experienced in one of the major 3D modelling and animation packages, such as 3DStudioMax or Maya.
Game Artists work at many different levels in a games development studio. Job roles are often combined, and include concept artists, environment modellers, object and vehicle modellers, character modellers, animators, and texture artists. A Lead Artist or Art Director takes overall responsibility.
Programming and coding
From the outside, this seems the most mysterious of all the game development areas. It is also the heart of the process, as the programming team is responsible for creating the code which makes the game actually work.
There are numerous sub-disciplines within the programming department, including artificial intelligence or AI, physics, graphics rendering engine development, character control, gameplay programming and middleware tools development.
All these are usually overseen by a lead programmer who is also responsible for the technical specification of the game and for strategically managing the code development process. Programmers must be able to work in a team and have problem-solving skills, in addition to programming ability.
Sound and music
Sound design and audio engineering are increasingly important areas within the games development process. Depending on the size of the company, the audio department might consist of one or two people who are responsible for creating and producing music, sound effects, recording dialogue, and often supervising voice performance.
Game tester
There are a number of other roles within a games development company, but perhaps the most important is quality assurance or QA. This discipline includes the role of tester, which is one of the most common entry points into the games industry for first time job seekers. Testing is a highly disciplined role as it involves identifying and describing bugs and faults in games, builds and communicating these in a clear and unambiguous way.
Production management and publishing
Production management within games development is usually split between the developer and publisher. The development schedule is the responsibility of the producer or project manager within the games development team, whilst the external producer, based with the games publisher, will be more involved in marketing and selling the game and ensuring it stays true to the original concepts. Whilst sometimes the external producer might have more creative input than a project manager, both are responsible for budgets, schedules, milestones, and reports.
Retail management
These are the type of roles that are to be found in any organisation and are essential to its successful running, eg. marketing, PR, human resources, administration, and IT support.
A few additional skills can add more value
You must also know how to use Microsoft Word, Excel and Project – not as a casual user but deeply trained on these products. Since making a game is a team effort your must be well versed in English too.
Some secrets to succeed in the gaming industry
1. Once you decide on a specific discipline, get a degree and training closest to that area of the gaming industry.
2. Don't forget to also develop a demo as a work sample, showing your skills and abilities in the path you would like to choose. An innovative three minutes demo can definitely set you apart.
3. Create a hit list of target game companies in the segment of industry you have interest in.
4. Networking, networking, and a lot of networking! It is certainly very crucial to start up any career. Focus on meeting people working at your target company.
5. Keep yourself updated on current gaming industry issues and trends.
6. Develop a one minute "sales" pitch about yourself.
7. Build a database of game industry professionals and manage it.
8. Create a resume that is accomplishment-oriented and customized per game company you approach.
9. Last but not least, don't give up!
– May 30, 2014.
* This article is courtesy of easyuni.com
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