How is it working as a game programmer? It will be one of the many children-playing game like a dream job. It 'really good as it looks? And 'certainly an interesting life. But as with anything else on this planet, there is work both positive and negative sides, as a game programmer.
Over the past 7 years I worked as a game programmer at three development studios: Activision / Treyarch, Visual Concepts and pixel disco. I publishedTitle for Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo console. This article is a summary of some of the benefits and pitfalls that I experienced through my work in this company.
Perk # 1 - make games!
This is pretty obvious, but the biggest advantage of working on a study of video game is being played. They will help build the next great game that potentially millions of people for fun and games. It 'an incredible satisfaction that builds on the knowledge that therecontributed to something great.
Perk # 2 - Play!
In addition to assessing and improving your current game every day, will also be games produced by other companies. There are few jobs where you sit and play a new released console title is considered research. The company would certainly want you to stay on top of technology and characteristics of new games, and the only way to do that is by many games. The companies I've worked, I've never seensomeone to video games all day, he complained.
Perk # 3 - Independence
An important aspect of work as a game programmer is the independence you get. It 's rare that a manager in the neck or double checking everything you do. In a development study has already been made on good programming skills, so full of freedom to ensure, as many decisions. Can be assigned a general taskcomplete, but as has happened in reality, should be good as it should take a long time, often up to you.
Provided that you can get the job done, it seemed the company I worked for this kind must be very willing to take me to work on my own terms. If I was tired or bored or lazy, I could go play a game or relax somewhere without anyone complaining. Happy employees better games with improved mood.
Perk # 4 - Office fun environment
Everyone who works in a video gameStudio has one thing in common: they love games. If you do not like the games would never have been hired to do them. For this reason, the office setting often has fun or quirky things to see everywhere. Many people bring strange new objects to display, or play with during the day.
Most video game studios have lots of games and toys around to keep its employees entertained. A couple of things that have come to different studies: Arcades with free arcade games, table footballTables, ping pong tables, razor scooters, board games, action figures, puzzles, games and giant stuffed animals basketball days.
Coming in the office still means going to work, but there is no reason why not make it fun.
Perk # 5 - Free Soda + Snacks
This benefit is probably not important for everyone, but it's nice to know that not going to work in a study of hunger video game. I've never seen a video game company that is not satisfiedoffered free soda and snacks as part of the benefits of working there. I guess I'm loaded on caffeine and sugar helps boost productivity. The long days at the office, companies usually offer a free dinner as a thank you to stay late. One company I worked for have served meals from assorted restaurants every night for several weeks.
Pitfall # 1 - at
Making games is a lot of work. The amount of time needed to make the last gameseems to grow exponentially. development team continues to grow each year, but somehow the amount of work per person does not seem to be any smaller. The games are very complicated. In addition, the type of games you enjoy, which is not always so easy to just be a pencil in a program. Many experiments will be needed, particularly with the game concepts.
Before a milestone and especially a few months before a game is released, a lot of workintensive. The work is a very rapidly accumulating. New features and to suck all the old bugs of your time. Working long nights or weekends is not unusual. Fortunately, employees generally care about the games they play, their passion and energy to help through these occasional long shifts.
Stress can be overwhelming, too. In a company I had a giant bug reports waiting for me in my chair when I entered the office pile. I would work all day, scrambling to fixErrors are working as quickly as possible at full speed all day and night. I would go home for a few hours of sleep, but if I wanted to work again, waited for a new, even larger stack of bug reports to me.
Typically delivered to a project that is for a period of inactivity in which employees can relax and unwind. The workload is suddenly significantly reduce. One company gave bonus vacation days provided for a project, and the use of other employees "on call"for about a month in which only come into the office, if there is any kind of problem. It 'nice to know that your long hours do not go unnoticed.
Pitfall # 2-What selection at work
Working out your own video games in your spare time is great fun. You can choose exactly what game and activities to work on, wishing only to the fun stuff. All boring can be ignored, because the public only six. Unfortunately, this is not the caselarge video game studios. There are many tasks to complete, some of which are not glamorous. Fixing console manufacturer standards violations or building data tools is not very exciting, but still needs to be done by someone to ship the final product.
These tasks are generally people who are just starting out in the game industry, perhaps as a rite of passage, but probably only because nobody wants to do.
Besides the possibility ofWork with less glamorous tasks, you may have a project that is not completely general, let the company is interested in projects that interest you, but this will not always be assigned to work. A special project was to fall behind schedule and some employees will have to fix some bugs and add some new features. Or you are interested in the project has enough workers.
I think the passion of employees in a video game studio is fundamental to theThe success of this game. If you do not have what you are working are encouraged, it will appear in the game that you create. In order to avoid misunderstandings or disappointments before deciding to work on a specific company, it is important to know what game you start to work in addition to the tasks that are assigned.
Pitfall # 3-Pay not as good (maybe?)
I did not pay by some people who works as a game programmer is as good as the reward is more work toconventional farms. Business database programmers, for example, could earn more. This may be true. But the choice of your profession is not just the pay. They spend an important part of your life in your work. Money is not everything. The choice of something that you like is also important.
I thought the payment worked in a company, I was very reasonable. There is also a large potential upside from royalty checks from a free game that sells well, whichsometimes found that a significant blow. They would not be living as a beggar when you get a programmer working at a videogame company.
Conclusion
I hope this article was helpful to learn a bit 'work as a game programmer. As with anything in life there are pros and cons of this work. If what you read sounds good to you, I hope you find that dream job making the game the next big seller.
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