It’s not all fun and games working at a game company |
In another life or some fantasic parallel world I’m full time game programmer. I enjoy programming games and it’s usually one of the first things I do whenever I’m learning a new world: put together a quick game. Though I may stand corrected, but I believe I’ve programmed a game in every programming language ever ‘learned’ to date. I hesitate to use the word ‘learned’ as I feel like programming is an ongoing learning process, not something that you ever wake up one day and say: “I’ve learned it, next!”
Sony is celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the Everquest Massive Online Multiplayer Role-Playing Game and Beckett magazine has an interview with the EQII team where the subject of what it is like working at a game company:
Some people have the impression that working in a game company is a lot of goofing off and playing games all day long. It’s a business though. The ultimate goal is to put a roof over our heads and food on the table. It’s like a regular job, but with even more stuff and benefits from it. I think as a team, and as a company, there’s probably 30-40% more dedication than I’ve seen in any other environment. People are willing to stay extra hours at night to get something done, or come in on weekends. It’s not like we’re out for four hour lunches every day. We don’t ride scooters in the hallway. There seems to be a perception that working in a gaming company is just all fun and games, but it’s not. It’s really a business, it’s hard work, and the people who work here are very passionate about making sure we make every effort to make sure that the game stays fun.
I’ve always envisioned that actual work at a game company isn’t just playing games and entertainment so the above paragraph isn’t sobering. Even if you are a games tester you still have to report back on what you are doing and often times play the same levels over and over and over and over again. That could be more boring that debugging tens or hundreds of thousands of lines of code. But even so, I think it would be a lot of fun working at a game company.
Our middle son, a teenager, wants to get into working at a games company or being a pro gamer or perhaps even both. I’m going to be showing him this article and reminding him that no matter how fun any job appears to be on the outside, it’s still work on the inside. And work isn’t always fun.
Did this post make you go hmm?
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My 9 y-o also wants to get into gaming. Or become a covert NSA agent.
heh.
Comment by jennifer — March 14, 2009 @ 5:57 pm PST
My 9 y-o son also wants to get into gaming. Or become a covert NSA agent.
heh.
Comment by jennifer — March 14, 2009 @ 5:58 pm PST
This is so true. My friend works at a gaming company here in Chicago. He says it’s the best job he’s ever had but there are many times where he can’t come out with us on the weekends because he has work on a Saturday or he has work to finish at his house. He went to DePaul University, apparently they have a good game development department (Jennifer can check it…).
Comment by SusanW85 — March 16, 2009 @ 10:44 am PST
Because you told us about your kid who wants to become a pro gamer… me and my brother used to be games maniacs, and even played some game (CS) in a international competition in 2004, we were pretty good that time , we also earned some money back there. We were always dreaming at finding some jobs in a game testing company and that we can play games all life-long and earning money in the same time… but never happened. My brother married, he’s got a son now, and I finished up by working all day long in a distribution company, and in my spare time maintaining some websites. pffff… I remember those days…
Comment by Mark — April 1, 2009 @ 3:33 pm PST
I stopped by to find this link for a friend, and decided to take Susan’s advice and look up DePaul. Here is the link to what looks to be their extremely awesome Game Devision site: http://gamedev.depaul.edu/
eta: Captcha needs to kiss my ample behind. They give the stupidest text and it’s unreadable 90% of the time. Third time might be the charm. Heh.
Comment by jennifer — April 13, 2009 @ 5:46 pm PST
Because you told us about your kid who wants to become a pro gamer… me and my brother used to be games maniacs, and even played some game (CS) in a international competition in 2004, we were pretty good that time , we also earned some money back there. We were always dreaming at finding some jobs in a game testing company and that we can play games all life-long and earning money in the same time… but never happened. My brother married, he’s got a son now, and I finished up by working all day long in a distribution company, and in my spare time maintaining some websites. pffff… I remember those days…
gooodddd
Comment by küfürlü nickler — May 24, 2009 @ 7:10 am PST
This didn’t make me go hmmm so much as make me go duh. I’ve always believed that while some jobs are better than others they are all include work. Why else would they pay you to do it?
Game programmer is definitely better then digging ditches.( I must admit.) I hope you son finds something he enjoys doing that pays well.
John Daniel
Comment by John Daniel — May 29, 2009 @ 1:51 pm PST
We were always dreaming at finding some jobs in a game testing company and that we can play games all life-long and earning money in the same time… but never happened. My brother married, he’s got a son now, and I finished up by working all day long in a distribution company, and in my spare time maintaining some websites. pffff… I remember those days…
Comment by zebra perde — August 19, 2009 @ 6:33 am PST
3.This is so true. My friend works at a gaming company here in Chicago. He says it’s the best job he’s ever had but there are many times where he can’t come out with us on the weekends because he has work on a Saturday or he has work to finish at his house. He went to DePaul University, apparently they have a good game development department (Jennifer can check it…).
Comment by bims — August 19, 2009 @ 1:23 pm PST
ecause you told us about your kid who wants to become a pro gamer… me and my brother used to be games maniacs, and even played some game (CS) in a international competition in 2004, we were pretty good that time , we also earned some money back there. We were always dreaming at finding some jobs in a game testing company and that we can play games all life-long and earning money in the same time.. Thanks
Comment by mirc — August 19, 2009 @ 2:44 pm PST