Looking for a gaming job (Voluntary or Paid)
Hello,
New to the forums here so hi to everybody!
My name is Lloyd. I was born in South Africa, moved to the UK (back in 2000), but now I am back in South Africa permanently.
I recently graduated in the UK at the University of Westminster. My degree? It was a BSc in Computer Games Development. Now I am back in South Africa with the dream of working in the gaming industry!
In terms of skills and experience, I have little, but some. I was a QA Tester for an online testing agency (American based) where we tested multiple AAA Titles as well as software (Gaikai and Origin being them). I can mention the name of the games I had tested, but of course, I can't go full into what we found in the tests and stuff due to NDA. Hope you guys understand.
In terms of skills. My dream is to go into production, but I understand that I wont be able to start there straight away. This is something that I will have to earn once I get a career in the industry. My programming skills are at beginner level, but I am currently working on changing that. I understand that programming is important in the industry, even if a job may not be programming. It allows you to become really good at analysing as well as problem solving and with code, you can just about simulate anything on a PC! Because of this, I am currently learning C++ and C#. C++ is mainly through Visual studio where I have learned the basics so far (Variables, Functions, If/else statements, switch/case, for loops, etc). I am also using it to learn OOP,which is still pretty new to me, but I'm getting the hang of it.
I use C# primarily with Unity. I think the only way for me to properly learn to code is by attempting to make something! So everything I learn in C++, I try to implement in Unity with C#. I am currently working on a Puzzle game on Unity. It's far from complete (and on hold as I am still waiting for my PC to be shipped from the UK to here), but its slowly getting there and I am really having a blast with it!
I also LOVE hardware. I have a big passion for building PC's. I know how a computer works and I built my own as well as a bunch of other peoples PC's for gaming. Normally I get given a budget and I find the parts, build it, and stress test it for 24-48 hours to ensure its stable and temps are good.
In terms of gaming. I am open to everything. My gaming passion started when i was 7. My first ever console? Atari 2600 (aka, the Woody), Right now? I play a lot on PC, Xbox One, PS4 and Mobile.
So that's me in a nutshell! Now for what I would like to do.
As I am living in South Africa, I am open to anything.
I can offer the following:
- Testing: I enjoy trying to find ways to break a build of a game. I done manual testing (Voluntary) for 3 years. I done testing of builds (from Alpha to release and DLC's) of games and gaming software, stress testing of servers and also became a lead tester which required me to coordinate teams during testing as well as assist other members of the team. I was also a part of the security team where it was a requirement to background check applicants to ensure that he/she did not break any NDA's in the past, checked for hacking histories or to ensure that he/she had never been banned on any gamer profiles or communities.
- Programming: As mentioned before, I am still learning programming, but I am open to the challenge if a junior position is available. I am a quick learner and if its programming for games? I would absolutely love it! I wish to continue to learn programming while working in a gaming environment with the hopes of one day being the best that I can be at it. I understand that programming takes a life time to master and there is always something new to it, but that is something that excites me and makes me want to learn even more!
- Game Design: I'm an idea junkie! I also understand that a good game designer also should know how to code. I love the idea of working with producers and story tellers to help create something for everyone else to enjoy! It's something that I am open to do and will love doing too!
- Production: This is what I want to be in the industry! But I understand that this is one of the hardest positions to ever get, but I would still love to leave this as an option if an opportunity arises! I would love to work in a junior position as a Producer and work my way up from there. I understand that if you wish to be a producer, you really need to understand all parts of game development and how they work with each other to create something awesome! Things like scheduling man hours, assisting departments to help solve an issue which would help improve creativity and workflow! I love it! So this is something I am really open to do and strive for!
In terms of relocation:
I am open to relocate anywhere in South Africa (or the world). I love to travel, visit other lands, so if it comes to me having to have to move home, I am open to do so.
There are some restrictions though...
I currently live in Durban. If a position is voluntary, I can do so in Durban or Johannesburg (I have family in Johannesburg, so moving there shouldn't be an issue). If its paid work or an Internship, I am open to any location (If i'm moving away, I have to support myself).
Also, I am more than open to work on projects with members of the community if anybody is looking to start up a team!
Finally, sorry for such a long thread. If you had made it this far, I thank you for reading it. If you didn't then you probably wont see this message, but I am still thankful that you read a bit of it. :)
Also, I am glad I found this community. It's awesome to see South Africa has a strong gaming culture and I am glad to now be a part of it!
Kindly,
Lloyd.
PS. If any of you would like to play on PC, Xbox One or PS4, feel free to drop me a message! The moment I get my internet sorted here, I would love to play with you guys/girls! :)
New to the forums here so hi to everybody!
My name is Lloyd. I was born in South Africa, moved to the UK (back in 2000), but now I am back in South Africa permanently.
I recently graduated in the UK at the University of Westminster. My degree? It was a BSc in Computer Games Development. Now I am back in South Africa with the dream of working in the gaming industry!
In terms of skills and experience, I have little, but some. I was a QA Tester for an online testing agency (American based) where we tested multiple AAA Titles as well as software (Gaikai and Origin being them). I can mention the name of the games I had tested, but of course, I can't go full into what we found in the tests and stuff due to NDA. Hope you guys understand.
In terms of skills. My dream is to go into production, but I understand that I wont be able to start there straight away. This is something that I will have to earn once I get a career in the industry. My programming skills are at beginner level, but I am currently working on changing that. I understand that programming is important in the industry, even if a job may not be programming. It allows you to become really good at analysing as well as problem solving and with code, you can just about simulate anything on a PC! Because of this, I am currently learning C++ and C#. C++ is mainly through Visual studio where I have learned the basics so far (Variables, Functions, If/else statements, switch/case, for loops, etc). I am also using it to learn OOP,which is still pretty new to me, but I'm getting the hang of it.
I use C# primarily with Unity. I think the only way for me to properly learn to code is by attempting to make something! So everything I learn in C++, I try to implement in Unity with C#. I am currently working on a Puzzle game on Unity. It's far from complete (and on hold as I am still waiting for my PC to be shipped from the UK to here), but its slowly getting there and I am really having a blast with it!
I also LOVE hardware. I have a big passion for building PC's. I know how a computer works and I built my own as well as a bunch of other peoples PC's for gaming. Normally I get given a budget and I find the parts, build it, and stress test it for 24-48 hours to ensure its stable and temps are good.
In terms of gaming. I am open to everything. My gaming passion started when i was 7. My first ever console? Atari 2600 (aka, the Woody), Right now? I play a lot on PC, Xbox One, PS4 and Mobile.
So that's me in a nutshell! Now for what I would like to do.
As I am living in South Africa, I am open to anything.
I can offer the following:
- Testing: I enjoy trying to find ways to break a build of a game. I done manual testing (Voluntary) for 3 years. I done testing of builds (from Alpha to release and DLC's) of games and gaming software, stress testing of servers and also became a lead tester which required me to coordinate teams during testing as well as assist other members of the team. I was also a part of the security team where it was a requirement to background check applicants to ensure that he/she did not break any NDA's in the past, checked for hacking histories or to ensure that he/she had never been banned on any gamer profiles or communities.
- Programming: As mentioned before, I am still learning programming, but I am open to the challenge if a junior position is available. I am a quick learner and if its programming for games? I would absolutely love it! I wish to continue to learn programming while working in a gaming environment with the hopes of one day being the best that I can be at it. I understand that programming takes a life time to master and there is always something new to it, but that is something that excites me and makes me want to learn even more!
- Game Design: I'm an idea junkie! I also understand that a good game designer also should know how to code. I love the idea of working with producers and story tellers to help create something for everyone else to enjoy! It's something that I am open to do and will love doing too!
- Production: This is what I want to be in the industry! But I understand that this is one of the hardest positions to ever get, but I would still love to leave this as an option if an opportunity arises! I would love to work in a junior position as a Producer and work my way up from there. I understand that if you wish to be a producer, you really need to understand all parts of game development and how they work with each other to create something awesome! Things like scheduling man hours, assisting departments to help solve an issue which would help improve creativity and workflow! I love it! So this is something I am really open to do and strive for!
In terms of relocation:
I am open to relocate anywhere in South Africa (or the world). I love to travel, visit other lands, so if it comes to me having to have to move home, I am open to do so.
There are some restrictions though...
I currently live in Durban. If a position is voluntary, I can do so in Durban or Johannesburg (I have family in Johannesburg, so moving there shouldn't be an issue). If its paid work or an Internship, I am open to any location (If i'm moving away, I have to support myself).
Also, I am more than open to work on projects with members of the community if anybody is looking to start up a team!
Finally, sorry for such a long thread. If you had made it this far, I thank you for reading it. If you didn't then you probably wont see this message, but I am still thankful that you read a bit of it. :)
Also, I am glad I found this community. It's awesome to see South Africa has a strong gaming culture and I am glad to now be a part of it!
Kindly,
Lloyd.
PS. If any of you would like to play on PC, Xbox One or PS4, feel free to drop me a message! The moment I get my internet sorted here, I would love to play with you guys/girls! :)
Comments
I hope you find something but in the meantime find some open games out there that are looking for testers or just a critical eye and give them a whirl. A lot of us are funding our game devs out of our own pockets and day jobs and therefore can't always offer remuneration ... but who knows.
Good luck and once again welcome. 8-}
That may come with some problems unfortunately. The first is internet. Right now, i am just using my phone as a hot spot (with data topped up) and working on getting an ADSL line here, which is quite complicated and the throttles are crazy! But manageable).
The other issue is my PC. My PC where I do all my work and gaming is still somewhere in the Indian Ocean lol. It's being shipped still and wont arrive till the 20th of this month.
But with problems come solutions!
Once I get my gear and internet sorted out, I would gladly look at open some open games! But where to look?
Could you by any chance offer any links or advice for where to start looking?
Thanks :)
Of course you need your equipment ... I hope it doesn't take too long. 8-{
What courses did you study in your BSc?
What is it about production that makes you so excited about it?
What do you think makes you a stand-out candidate compared to the other people wanting game industry jobs?
The course was Computer Games Development. The modules that I was most interested in is:
- Professional Practice (What got me into wanting to do Production)
- Game Engines and Platforms
- Games Play Design and Skills
- Compositing and Post Production
Of course there were other modules focusing on other areas such as programming and animation, but those were the ones I enjoyed the most.
To answer the second question:
When I first started my course, I did not have any insight in how development of games worked. During my second year, my lecturer (who was an absolutely awesome lecturer!) for Professional Practice really gave an insight of the importance of Game Design and Production. Production caught my eye.
Even though it could work as a leadership role, it really showed me how important every single department in gaming was. I loved the fact that I was able to go to each point, listen to what everyone was saying and work on creating a better environment for developers! From that point, when ever group projects came, I always enjoyed taking the role of Producer. Setting the man hours, making sure things run smooth, its kind was a role that looked like the backbone of development, the person who helped give it structure and made sure everything was okay. I really liked that!
The final question. By far the hardest!
I could say that I am dedicated and hard working with a passion for games, but I'm sure everybody here are both dedicated and hard working. Gaming was always a way to escape from the real world when I was young. I use to be bullied (not afraid to share it. Some of the people who bullied me turned out to be really good friends in the end since we all matured), gaming helped me through it. It took me to a world where I could really imagine.
Have you ever played a game that was so good that when you finish it, you think of ideas of your own? That's me lol. I love gaming, its a major part of my life. I love the idea that I could bring joy, anger, excitement, sadness to the world by helping create something that provides that! So that to me is my motivator. I want to be a part of something that brings emotion to another persons life.
What makes me want to work in games is not the fact that I will be called a Game Developer. It's the fact that I get to be a part of a team that helped create something so imaginative (whether big or small) for the entire world to see. This is why I would even just volunteer. I want to be a part of something like that.
I may have digressed a bit for the last answer, sorry about that lol.
Also, I added three documents that I did back when I was in university assignment. One was a game design document, another was a production plan and the final one was how each role in the industry works with each other.
Please read if you can,
Thanks :)
Are there particular local studios you're looking to get into?
Maybe one way for you to demonstrate a bit of production skills would be to get the Durban game dev meetups running more regularly. It'd (1) show that you've got some skill with herding cats, (2) are proficient with communicating with people and organising schedules and (3) increase your chances of talking to game developers face-to-face, which is much more likely to get you a job as a producer than hanging out on a forum.
Otherwise, it seems as if your strongest selling point right now might be QA, in which case playing games that are posted on this forum to demonstrate how your feedback can be invaluable could help.
I dunno; most people here seem to be programmers, artists, sound engineers or game designers, and so they can easily apply for work with a sweet enough portfolio to inspire confidence in their abilities and convince people to pay them for their skills. I'm trying to picture how you'd do it with QA and production (which seem to me to be the things you're stronger with).
My degree focused on all aspects. Programming, Production, Game Design, Art, Sound and Testibg.
We did have group projects and solo. The grouo project for first year was with Game Maker, Second year was a 2D game using C++ and Haaf. Team required a programmer, Artist, Sound, Tester and Producer/Game designer. I went for the producer and game designer roll and we all worked with testing.
Final year was solo. A puzzle game I made with Unity. It werent the best, but i have gotten back to it tonwork on improving it with what I have learnt so far.
I would like to arrange a meet up with Durban peeps, I think that would be awesome. Where I am new to SA though (moved here from the UK), I dont actually know Durban well at all (well i hardly know anything about Durban), so getting to know the place is the first step.
Second would be to try and figure how to organise the event. Do I have to rent a place out? Will it be outdoors? That kinda stuff. But im sute I can thinknof something lol.
Finally, thank you. QA and Production are things I do love and I am actually looking forward to testing skme games that people had made. Ive seen some pretty awesome stuff!
There's quite a few projects happening here on this site, just try and get involved where it piques your interest. I am sure you'll find a spot soon that you'll fit in and can add value and grow. As a coder i always admire the artists, writers and muso's and input from fellow game designers and we value highly any and all opinions for WIP's and prototypes from play-testers etc.
Good luck and hope to see some of your work here soon... ;)
K
Thank you for welcoming me! Im glad to be a part of this awesome community!
i am really enjoying Durban so far, but its hard to adapt to the heat lol. Other than that, the suns great, the food here is awesome (tried a bunny chow for the first time and OH MY GOD IT WAS HEAVEN!), and everyone is really friendly!
Im shipping with two different companies lol. The first is Anglo Pacific. Thats where my beloved PC is and im hoping nothing is broken lol. I disassembled it before boxing it, so I hope nothing broke on its journey through the seas lol.
The second is for my car, which is unfortunately still in London :(. There was a huge complication with the company and I have been trying for the past month to get a Letter of Authority to have it shipped. I managed to get an import permit from ITAC and an ECE from Ford SA, now im just waiting for NRCS to provide me with a LoA lol.
Also, the company I worked for had a motto, "You make it, we break it". I still live to that to this day in QA lol. So I am really looking forward to testing out the awesome stuff everyone here is making and looking forward to go through every nook-and-cranny to find bugs and provide the best feedback I can :).
Once again, thank you for the warm welcome! I'm glad to be a part of something so awesome here!
Also, where in the UK were you from? I was living in South London. Place called Lewisham, but i spent a lot of my time in Blackheath and Greenwhich lol.
I actually wanna go to the beach. I might go tomorrow with the family. It's been years since I last went to the beach!
Jokes aside, welcome back to SA!
It is great seeing more people from Durban on these forums. We really need to get meetups going. Even if it is just a handful of people. Regarding venue, we can organize space at a few places, so that shouldn't be too much of an issue.
I did a Unity talk at Dev2 the other day (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dev-evening-5-aug-545pm-tickets-17673272233) and one of the Dev2 guys mentioned possibly having a gamedev hackathon type weekend at some point. That'd be cool.
We've been building something for a while and will need to start play-testing soon - and bug testing later. So will likely contact you at some point :)
Sorry for late reply. No internet at home atm (using dongle... It sucks).
The testing Origin got me laughing cause I know exactly what you mean lol.
As for meet ups. I am up for that! Actually been looking around to see venues or just do something outdoors! But I am up for organising or helping to organise an event in the future!
As for testing, I am alaways up for that! Just drop me a message when you can and I will be more than happy to test your product!
MY PC arrives in 4 days! Once I build it again, run tests to see if everything is fine (thats a days job), I am ready to go! :)
I am now living in Johannesburg and currently working here so unfortunately I cannot. I do thank you for the offer though and do appreciate your interest in me :)