Hey guys,my name is Orgad. i am almost 18 and i am from Israel,and hoping to break into the game industry. I've been tracking this forum quite a bit and learned some stuff about breaking into the industry. So I've been working on my demo presentations and portfolio web site for some time now and i have a few questions to ask : 1)How should my code look like? do code reviewers like codes that are full OOP? Should i put a lot of effort into putting comments with explanation of everything including parameters in front of every function? Does it matter if i use dynamic memory a lot rather than use normal variables? What should i know when it comes to making my code a good example? 2)I have to admit,i might be a good programmer as i think i am,but me being 17 years old with no degree and no official industry experience doesn't contribute to my CV. I've been checking some game programmer portfolios and saw stuff like them mentioning themselves having experience with Photoshop,3D programs and stuff that i don't think' are related much to programming. so sure, i know how to use photoshop,I've programmed in flash and php before,but i am looking for a job as a "real" game programmer. should i even mention my knowledge in these to cover for my lack of CV material,or will it just look like i am trying to cover for my lack of CV material? 3) I know what you all say,you must have a degree else it's super hard to break in. unfortunately for me, a degree is not an option so i have to pick the dangerous and unreliable path of "attemping to make a good portfolio and some demos,and hope it will cover for my lack of education". so,since a degree is unfortunately not an option for me at all, do you have any tips on what could i do to cover for this? Thanks in advance,Orgad.

Hi Orgad,

First off, I spent a couple of years working closely with a guy who had little formal education, but could program games in his sleep. He is not the norm by any means, but shows that it IS possible to get into the games industry without having gone through the usual academic channels. If it's something you really want to do, then keep working at it. Anything really is possible.

But my first question would be do you really want it? Do you eat sleep and breath games? Are you aware that at the start the hours may be long and the pay small until you've built yourself a reputation for quality, reliability and professionalism? If not, you'll already be on the back foot compared to the many people that are in the pool looking for a route in.

If yes, first off, yes you will want great code, yes it should be commented and well-structured, and sometimes (though not always) object-oriented (particularly if you're looking at developing in C++ or its ilk). More likely than not you will start working in a team of other developers, whose code you will be working with, sometimes adding to, sometimes changing, and your seniors will want yours to be equally clear, concise and accurate. I wouldn't much care about dynamic memory usage. I'd care far more about WHY you chose to do it a particular way. Incidentally there are some great books out there covering all of this, Steve McConnell's Code Complete is a nigh-on essential.

On your second point, there is no such thing as a "real" games programmer. One of the core skills of a games programmer is adaptability. This essentially means not only an aptitude for developing (an understanding of the language, the technical intricacies of a platform, a good grasp of maths and logic), but also an understanding of other factors that go into making up a game, including sound and graphics. Photoshop is a good example, as many areas of games development require handling of images, often loading and displaying them on-screen, sometimes manipulating them and saving them back out again. If you know how to handle Photoshop (though not an expertise - you're not going for an art position) then it at least shows you have a grasp of images and potentially how to work with them in your code. Don't just put "Photoshop" on your cv though as you WILL get caught out if people start digging deeper in an interview about image formats, alpha channels, colour depths, pixel layouts etc. and you don't actually have the knowledge to back it up.

And I'll finish on the point I started with; no you don't need a degree to get you into the games industry, but firstly it does help as it shows you at least have a certain level of knowledge regarding computers, operating systems and programming languages, and secondly, without one you're going to have to REALLY go out of your way to show you have the technical, as well as the inter-personal skills, to be a better candidate for the position than someone with a degree.

As I said before though, it IS possible, but you really will have to prove to the people you apply to just how much you want it, not through words, we can all talk a good story when we want to, but through actions. Demos, code snippets, networking skills (being on here and getting involved in the community is a great start), possibly even a blog showing your skills, your thinking, and your passion for the industry over a period of time, all will serve you very well indeed.

You do even HALF of that, and you'll be well on the way to getting your dream position.

I hope that helps.

Yes,your comment does help a lot. Thank you very much.

And about your question,i do seriously want to get into the game industry. I've already heard about how hard it gets sometimes especially weeks before a game is golden. but simply,creating games in a team or alone is just fun for me.
It's like being god,being able to decide how things work and look,and seeing people enjoying your creation(even if you did it in a team) just gives me a a really good feeling. I don't think there's any other job i can enjoy as much as game programming.

I know I'll have to depend a lot on my demos and make them impressive. So far I've made a simple ray tracer with phong and reflections,a tower defense game that uses A* for the units,and includes elements from an engine I've also made based on DX9 like terrain,UI,resource manager,etc... I am about to begin working on a game with an original gameplay(at least i think so) based on Ogre3D.

Considering I only described my demos and didn't show any visual material yet,do you think my demos would be somehow impressive?

I agree with you regarding creating games - it can be a lot of fun, and making something that people can then enjoy is extremely rewarding.

Regarding your demos, they do already sound interesting from your descriptions. A good working ray-tracer along with being able to talk through its underlying code would be a great example of your technical skills. It also sounds like you're getting your head around some simple artificial intelligence and gameplay issues. As a mix of skills, that sounds excellent. If the demos also look good and work well, and the code is of a good quality, then you're well on the way.

Keep up the hard work, and good luck!

Well thanks a lot for your answers! but then again,employers look first at the resume don't they? even if my demos will be impressive they will probably disqualify the option of employing me before they even get to see the demos since my lack of industry experience and education will leave my resume quite empty of impressive stuff.

Ouch. reading the march issue just makes me feel like I have absolutely no chance.
It seems like most employers care a lot about education,and apparently location too,which means I will only be able to look for jobs as a game programmer in Israel(which is bad,because the game industry here is not so well).

Game over?

Quote: Original post by Tom Sloper

Quote: Original post by Doctor Shinobi
Game over?

Not necessarily. Things are undoubtedly different in Israel.
Regardless, the game isn't over until you stop playing it.

Well said!

All in all this is a creative industry we're working in. So, if you don't feel you can do things following the normal (boring? staid? unremarkable?) route, then start thinking more creatively. Get some youtube videos done of demos you've written and start marketing yourself, your talents, your creations. Instead of sending a text resume, create a website containing images and text, with links to videos, to playable demos, either accessible online or on a CD sent by post. Get people interested in you and start getting yourself out there and standing out from the crowd.

The point is and has always been, if you want it, you really will find a way.

Now I have just started down my own path to a career in the computer gaming industry. Much of the advice presented here is good in any field.

One important thing is that right now is a very difficult time for most technology related industries. With the current economic conditions, many more professionals are available for the jobs that are being offered. Companies right now can be very picky about the smallest set of items because they can.

About 10 years ago, I was able to get interviews and job offers on my resume alone. And that was with less than 5 years of IT experience. Companies needed any IT person with experience in general. I could post my resume up on Dice.com and get phone calls from recruiters that same day.

Quite a few things have changed in the past 10 years. Not just the current economic conditions, but technology has made "traditional" job searching very easy. I can submit my resume to 100's of locations at a time. I also know that thousands of other people are doing the same thing. As such, I don't really rely on my resume as my only tool.

You have to discover how best to market yourself and your skill though other media that will gain the attention of the audience you want to impress.

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Andrew E. Harasty
Head Geek of The YAR Project