Switching It Up:Changing Career Paths

• The old description of this talk:– Can you really start out as QA and become a Lead in

another department?– Are you in programming now but want to move to

design? – Are you interested in teaching? – This panel of industry professionals discusses how

they made their leaps from one career path to another and how you can too.

• That was written by someone else before I firmed up this talk. It’s just me, Tom Sloper. But I’m gonna give you the straight poop.

Show Of Hands

• Outside the industry hoping to break in?

• Inside the industry hoping to move laterally or diagonally?

• Inside the industry and now in a different place from where you started?

The Egg

• The egg is “the game industry.”• The yolk is whatever job it is that YOU want.• Moving around in the egg white is comparatively

easy. • Getting into the yolk takes time.• The really hard part is getting inside the shell in the

first place.

Wanna Switch?It Happens All The Time

• Remember what I said about the egg white? (It was one slide ago.)

• It may be that the majority of people in the industry are in a different kind of position than they started in.

• Consider these stories...

Mister J

• First job in the game industry: the mailroom

• Where he wound up: Acquisitions (he became the guy who rejects your game concept submissions)

• How he did it: long patient campaigning with the acquisitions guy during many smoking breaks

Mister L

• First job in the game industry: marketing

• Where he wound up: producer• How he did it: by showing them

(not telling them) that he understood what makes good games and how to manage the process

Mister T

• His first job in games: lawyer (writing game development contracts)

• Where he migrated to: greenlight czar (organizing the meetings where the execs made game project decisions)

• His job now: executive producer

Mister M

• His first job in games: QA manager

• Where he migrated to: producing

• His job the last time I saw him: vice president of the studio

• How he did it: by being an awesome manager and knowing how to work with game people

Mister K

• His first job in games: forklift driver in the game warehouse

• Where he migrated to: producing

• Where he rose to: president of a huge well-known company whose name I’m not saying

Then There’s... Me

• Degree: Speech & Drama• Odd Jobs: Shoes, Popcorn, Taxi, Rental

Construction...• Applied for a draftsman position, hired

as an engineering model maker• Moved to California to make movie

special effects models• Applied for a draftsman position, hired

as a toy model maker

Me, continued

• Brainstormed some game concepts, became a game designer by accident

• Designer Producer• Producer / Designer• Freelance Design, Freelance

Producing, Consulting• Teacher, Author, Speaker

You• Maybe you’re a professional in a game-

related job (programming, graphics, etc.) and you want to get into games;

• Maybe you’re already in games (QA, CS, etc.) and you want to get into a different job in games.

• I’m not here to talk about any other situations than those. My topic is “switching.”

“Switching”

• That means “switching careers.”

• Meaning, first, you gotta already have a career, for this talk to be meaningful to you.

• Either a non-game career, or you’re already in games but want to switch jobs within the egg.

If you’re...

• Not in a profession yet, don’t have a degree yet...

• ... and you want to work in games?• Sorry! That’s not the topic of my talk.

I’m pretty sure some of the other talks cover that stuff.

• But stick around if you want, maybe ask me something during Q&A.

How to Break Through the Shell and Get Into the Yolk?

No Magic Answer• But the principles are universal and

simple to understand.– Be good in your current job, no matter

what it is. Good references are key– Be able and qualified to do the job

you want to switch to. Got degree?– Build an awesome portfolio– Be patient. And live in the right

“location, location, location.”

Already a programmer,Want to program games

• Build something game related. It needs to do something cool. Write clean code.

• Have a demo disc you can bring to interviews

• Target a specialized area (A.I., 3D, tools, etc.)

• Expect to be paid less, don’t aim too high.

Already a professional artist,Want to make game art

• Build a game art portfolio; make it knock our socks off. Got website?

• Make your models in low-poly, but make them look really gnarly.

• Know your strengths – characters? Environments? Vehicles? – Models? Textures? Animation? 2D?

• Show only your best stuff in the portfolio.

Already an audio pro;Want to make game audio

• Make a game demo reel. Got website?• Understand the difference between

games and your field (movies, TV, radio...)

• Start with a lower pricetag to build your credits;

• Hang out your freelance shingle.• Network like crazy (GDC, AGC...)

Already a pro writer;Want to write for games

• Study lots of games.• Write some game dialogue, scope

out the difference from stage/film/ TV/radio/comics/novels...

• Have an impressive resume (credits in stage/film/TV/radio, etc.)

• Hang out your freelance shingle, network like crazy.

Already a project manager;Want to produce games

• Problem: you need experience in the game industry first. Find another way through the shell, then work your way through the egg white.

• Patience required – it could take a couple of years, not just months.

Already a Marketing pro;Want to market games

• Live in a city where there are game companies?

• No problem.

• Do your homework; read game trade dailies, Gamasutra.

• Market yourself.

In some other industry;Want to do level design

• Got solid work resume?

• Build solid portfolio of several indy games and/or mods

• “Game school” degree not really necessary, since you’re already beyond college.

In some other field;Want to be a game designer

• Huge problem; you need several years experience in the game industry – find an entry into the game industry.

• Work hard, enthusiastically, and well at your entry job.

• Game designers are communicators, collaborators, who understand how games are made. Prove that that’s you.

I’m already inside the shell. How do I get into the yolk?

No Magic Answer• But the principles are universal and

simple to understand.– Be good in your current job.– Be able and qualified to do the job

you want to switch to.– Let your superiors know of your

longterm goal.– If you’re a manager, know who will

replace you in your current job.– Be patient. It WILL happen.

Show, Don’t Tell

• Just saying “I would make a good game designer” doesn’t hack it.

• You gotta show me.

• Don’t do like Casey Affleck’s character in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.”

Switching Companies Isn’t Necessarily The Answer

• Recently I got a resume from a QA tester at another company. He wanted to work as a level designer at my client’s company.

• His background, resume (and sadly, his portfolio) showed that he’d be best suited for QA.

In the game biz already; Want to program

• Program something game related. It needs to do something cool. Write clean code.

• Have demo disc. Post an elegant routine outside your cubicle.

• Target a specialized area (A.I., 3D, tools, etc.)

• Look for opportunities within the company to volunteer.

In the game biz already;Want to be an artist

• Build a game art portfolio; make it knock our socks off. Got demo disc?

• Know your strengths – characters? Environments? Vehicles? – Models? Textures? Animation? 2D?

• Post your best work on the walls of your cubicle – “show, don’t tell.” Show only your best stuff.

• Look for volunteer opportunities. Don’t be a pest.

Already got game job;Want to do audio

• Make a game demo reel.• Play some of your better stuff now

& then (not too loud!).• Look for volunteer opportunities,

don’t be a pest. • Game audio is usually not a full-

time job. Don’t give up your existing job.

Got game job; Want to write stories, dialogue

• Patience required. This won’t be easy! – Writing for games usually isn’t a full-time job.– Your competition: game designers, freelance

professional writers.

• Share your short stories, tack them up on your cubicle wall. Contribute to the company newsletter. “Show, don’t tell.”

• Look for volunteer opportunities, but don’t be a pest.

Got job in games;Want to produce

• Work really hard, well, efficiently, and enthusiastically at your present game job.

• Watch for your opening. Offer help whenever opportunities arise.

• Patience required – it could take a couple years.

Already in the game biz;Want to move into marketing

• Seriously?? Dude...

• Get a marketing degree in your spare time.

• Do your homework; read game trade dailies, Gamasutra.

• Market yourself from within. Maybe be a bit of a pest.

Got game job;Want to design levels

• See if you can beg or borrow a copy of whatever level design tools your company uses.

• Learn how to use’em, and build some rad levels. Show’em to other level designers.

• Keep on doing that, and be patient.

Already got game job;Want to be a game designer

• Patience, patience, patience.• Work really hard, well, efficiently, and

enthusiastically at your present job.• Look for opportunities to volunteer, don’t

be a pest... you know the drill by now.• Show them you’re a communicator, a

collaborator, who understands how games are made and what’s fun.

For More Info: On The Web

• www.sloperama.com/advice.html

• igda.org/breakingin/career_paths.htm

• gamecareerguide.com

• www.gamedev.net/reference/

• gamasutra.com

• gamedaily.com

For More Info: Books

• Introduction to Game Development (Rabin)

• Secrets of the Game Business (Larramee)

• Game Design Perspectives (Larramee)

• Game Production Handbook (Chandler)

Thanks for Listening

• It’s Q&A time (not to be confused with Q.A. time)...

Tom Sloper

Sloperama Productions

Los Angeles, CA, USA

www.sloperama.com/advice.html