Engineering graduate looking for an opportunity in the games industry [Cape Town]

edited in Jobs
Hey there, ladies and gents

This is a long shot, but it's a stab in the dark I'd like to take regardless. I'm an electric and electronic with comp-sci graduate, looking to finish a master's degree end of this year. Over the past two years of work I've had exposure to mobile app development, web development with ASP.NET, OpenCV and some web app development. It's always been a dream of mine to work in the game design industry in nearly any capacity. I'm pretty technically capable, and I have a bit of a creative and artistic streak in me as well.

I've had a few different jobs recently, most of them not working out for reasons outside my control, but at least I've learned where my passion doesn't lie. My last few jobs have not allowed me as much creative as I'd like. I'd love to be able to work on something that's simultaneously so technically complex and artistically creative as making games. I'm willing to learn and research any skill or application.

If anyone knows of any positions or any game makers willing to take a chance on someone like me, please let me know. And if anyone has any tips on something that I could do to make myself more desirable in the field or has any other tips, don't hesitate to drop me a line. And I know the old mantra of "make a prototype" still applies: I'm working on that, just not at the speed I'd like.

Comments

  • edited
    Well here are my 2cents coming from the interactive media industry, which I guess is "game-like"

    Even when working for a company making games / interactives / whatever, creative control is always going to be a struggle, as in most cases you will be working to a brief defined by an agency, and the amount that you will be able to influence that brief will likely be very limited.

    That being said, it will still afford you a lot more space than say... developing websites in .net for corporate intranets.

    There are quite a few interactive media companies who are always on the lookout for developers, and would be a good space to leverage your web skills, openCV and electronic skills while sticking within the games industry (there is a huge overlap in terms of tech and skills) .

    In Cape Town it might be worth starting a conversation with these companies to see if they are looking for anyone:

    Formula-D, Seamonster, Renderheads, HelloComputer

    Also:

    Things I would look for in terms of programming candidates: Someone that shows an ability to learn new tech quickly, has a good balance of creativity / logic and most importantly is willing to send some some public repo's / functioning projects along with their CV (which I would argue is just as, if not more important than a list of qualifications on a piece of paper)

    The reason for the last point is a) We can get a quick look at your coding style / proficiency, and an insight into what you actually enjoy working on in your spare time (i.e. what you would actually be doing with your time given infinite resources).
  • Yeah, unfortunately the "build millions of prototypes" method is unavoidable, because there are more candidates than there are positions in this industry. By continuously building prototypes you aren't just getting better at making games, you are also building your profile and visibility in the community.

    This means that when a company making creative original video games finally does have the capacity to pay you to work for them, you will already be on the shortlist. I can say with confidence that if Made With Monster Love ever makes it there I already have a list of people I'm going to speak to first. Is it unfair? Perhaps - but it's very human.

    And yes, good on you for throwing your hat in the ring and trying to create opportunities where seemingly there are none ;)
  • Even when working for a company making games / interactives / whatever, creative control is always going to be a struggle, as in most cases you will be working to a brief defined by an agency, and the amount that you will be able to influence that brief will likely be very limited.

    That being said, it will still afford you a lot more space than say... developing websites in .net for corporate intranets.
    God yes. Any amount of creative control is better than none. Even working within constraints, there's room for being creative, in fact it feels like it encourages me. It gives the design some shape, and in the limited space you look for that "aesthetic shorthand" that incorporates the design doc and the functionality.
    By continuously building prototypes you aren't just getting better at making games, you are also building your profile and visibility in the community.
    That makes a lot of sense. The old mantra holds, it seems. My thesis is a massive sword over my head, but I'll be driving to get it finished ASAP and working on a portfolio with some art and a prototype. It would be awesome to point to something with glee and tell someone, "I made dis". Soon, though...


    Soon...
  • Just wanted to say that, even as an artist, I think the really fun stuff is in the minority, and most of the work you still just have to grind through. When we sculpt or paint, it's usually the fun work. When we bake, or do UVs, or create LODs, or work out how to create modular environments, or atlas textures, or any number of other things it's not particularly fun, but it's necessary (and somewhat satisfying when it's finally done and looking and running great).

    I believe that in programming it's pretty similar. Most people don't like UI, or writing network, back-end or database code, but it's often a large portion of the work, and necessarily if not glamorous.

    All I'm saying is that while I can understand wanting to work in another field because of how much better you believe it to be (and I'm not saying you're wrong! I love making games!), I do think it's worth building up the work ethic and determination to be able to get stuff done, regardless of whether or not it's particularly creative/fun work, because of how even in games, as in life, many things aren't fun to do, but are necessary. And I also think that when you're able to push through things with that kind of work ethic, it's much easier to poop out the hundreds of prototypes (or whatever people hiring programmers look for) you need to get through to get to the good games... :)
  • edited
    All I'm saying is that while I can understand wanting to work in another field because of how much better you believe it to be (and I'm not saying you're wrong! I love making games!), I do think it's worth building up the work ethic and determination to be able to get stuff done, regardless of whether or not it's particularly creative/fun work, because of how even in games, as in life, many things aren't fun to do, but are necessary. And I also think that when you're able to push through things with that kind of work ethic, it's much easier to poop out the hundreds of prototypes (or whatever people hiring programmers look for) you need to get through to get to the good games... :)
    That's very true. There's always boring stuff to do to make the project come true, but it helps a lot more if you're invested in the project from the start, or can at least get excited for it. I'd happily roll up my sleeves and do some back-end security work if it means a game gets made, but it's harder to motivate yourself if it's 'just a job'. Not like that's an excuse, of course. I'd just much rather prefer to apply my efforts into something I care to see completed.
    Thanked by 1dammit
  • If you really want to make games, make games ;)

    It might be slightly easier to make games in your spare time as a fun activity if you don't burn up your "computer alone time" at a job that requires you to sit at a PC all day. If you really want to be making games because if you don't your life will suck, well, maybe you shouldn't give yourself a job that cannibalises the sort of thinking you have to engage in: Work in a coffee shop, get tired of constantly interacting with people, come home to a PC that's your escape from that, not a ball and chain that you hope might get you to a "better place". If you're barely paying your bills with a non-tech job, you're a lot less tethered to that job than you are to some tech cubicle that pays for your schmancy car.
    Thanked by 3dammit wogan Scratch17
  • dislekcia said:
    It might be slightly easier to make games in your spare time as a fun activity if you don't burn up your "computer alone time" at a job that requires you to sit at a PC all day.
    A sound idea. I'll look into something like that, thanks.
  • edited
    I've got to second @dislekcia 's advice here - working a job I hated (that didn't really require too much mental power) was the best thing in terms of motivating me to start my masters and create some awesome games.

    Now that I'm settled into a really awesome job, it's much harder to feel as driven to spend my free time on personal projects (though, luckily, I'm now committed to the masters so there's really no turning back now!). There just isn't that urgent "need to get out" or "need to improve my life situation" because, well, it's pretty good :P

    Though, I don't recommend a job you hate, specifically, just one that doesn't drain you - enough to motivate you to create games in your free time.
    Thanked by 2Scratch17 Tuism
  • edited
    While I can definitely relate to what @dislekcia said, I would caution that you think carefully about jumping into something like this. It's about managing your resources, in particular your energy. Working any job that saps all your energy isn't going to leave with much left over for spending time at your PC making computer games. Also working a job that leaves you a lot of free time might be great, but if you're constantly worrying about money that's going to sap your energy just as much.

    In the end there are no right answers. I worked in advertising, and eventually through sheer force of will and constant demonstration of passion I became the "games" guy in the room. I sure as hell didn't have time for my own games, but I still made a lot of games. Is that the right path for everybody? Definitely not, but the point is you don't need permission from anyone to start changing your situation.
  • edited
    All very good points. Thanks a lot for the input. Something low energy might be good. I'll have to weigh up my options. Like you said @TheFuntastic, it's just about prioritizing your energy. Not one of my strongest facets, but another skill I can hone.

    And @dislekcia, it's not so much about the 'schmancy car' as it is about making sure I can pay rent and get around where I need to be. I'm not in a position where I'm ready to go at game dev in any professional or financial capacity, I just want time to grind some skill points and make prototypes.

    @dammit Part time master's sucks so much. I feel for you.
  • Scratch17 said:

    @dammit Part time master's sucks so much. I feel for you.
    I really wish people would stop saying this. It's really alarming O.O

  • dammit said:
    Scratch17 said:

    @dammit Part time master's sucks so much. I feel for you.
    I really wish people would stop saying this. It's really alarming O.O

    We wouldn't be saying it if there wasn't some truth to it. glhf
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