How does this relate? Well: the problem might be that you are playing "Jack of all trades, master of none". You don't want to be a jack, you want to be considered a master. To do so, you need to use all of your skills to develop a mastery of one skill. In my case, it was using my coding skill to improve my design methods. I don't know what the equivalent for you would be, but there probably is one. How can you use your coding skills to improve your art? Or use your art skills to improve your coding? Or maybe you're looking to use your art and coding skills to improve your game designs? Whatever it is, don't be a jack of all trades, use your skills to become a master of one ![:)](http://public.gamedev.net/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif)
I think that is a valueble lesson for me. I think I should then become a master in one area. I do not know however, how my talent for design is ever going to help me become a better C#/Javascript/Actionscript coder other than just sticking to front end programming. I like how you kept your technical background a secret. Thanks for your story, it gives hope
[quote name='HerpDerp' timestamp='1305753207' post='4812734']
- Is there a single job in this industry which combines both?
Yes it's the job you're doing now, which you say isn't satisfying you. The closest thing to that would be working at a small indie studio where you do a bit of everything, or working in a small prototyping team at a big studio (as mentioned by JBourrie). However, In the former it will be harder to become a top notch designer or programmer due to the lack of focus and in the latter you may only get to prototype but not see a product through to completion as the project may get handed off to the top notch production team (always the bridesmaid...)
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OK so in that case I will have to stick to smaller companies, that's always been my fear. Is there a serious future in such a position? Say a prototyping team? That's maybe something that sounds good to me. Or does it sound good in the way beta-tester sounded good when you were 18, and is it in fact very unsatisfying, unchallenging work?
1. Why is it unsatisfying? How old are you anyway? I think it sounds ideal for you that you get to use your two skills at different times (even if not both at the same time), so what am I missing here? Why don't you enjoy your job?
2. A couple of things to say here.
a. Yes, there will surely be times when your combination of skills will prove useful and also enjoyable. I assume you must be very young and idealistic and impatient.
b. Have you done level design? I found this thread late, and have not yet read the whole thing, so maybe somebody else already asked and you answered. Level design combines your two skills.
c. You are asking for help in making some kind of decision. A decision grid is a good way to start. I had to make a decision yesterday (who to vote for in a local election); I made a decision grid and from there it was a no-brainer. Yes, there will be unknowns in the listing of factors, but one cannot always know the unknowable (there are often unknowables, is what I'm trying to say). Make the best decision you can based on what you do know. Just gotta break it down and look at it in an organized way. There's a link to the decision grid article in this forum's FAQs (link above).
I am in my end 20's. I am idealistic, or was rather, which has led me to where I am now, this problem I'm facing now. I am a firm believer of being able to achieve everything, as long as you set your mind to it. Being a topnotch designer as well as top notch programmer is an illusion. I see that now. Apart from that the industry doesn't need people like me, which has been my biggest disappointment seeing I put so much effort and passion into it, especially the last 5 years ("who doesn't want a guy who can do TWO things?" was my idea). So idealistic yes, impatient, no.
Level design is actually one of the few things of gamedevelopment which never attracted me. I do not know why, I think because my interest for design mainly lies within characterdesign and interface design, not so much surroundings. How does leveldesign combine the two skills? Would that be design (duh) and scripting interaction of the user with the area? Because if leveldesign has a fair share of programming, that would definitely sound interesting.
Also I will try the decisiongrid, that might help me look at it from a distance (something I find hard at times)
[font="arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif"]Special effects programmer. Need graphics + simulation programming skills, plus the ability to do your own texturing (admittedly of FX, not objects most of the time) and your own modelling in Max/Maya/etc.[/font]
[font="arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif"][/font] [font="arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif"][/font] [font="arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif"] [/font][font="arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif"]Or Tech-artist, but for that you just need to know *how* the artists work and be able to do bad-quality art-work yourself. You'll use your programming skills to help develop the pipelines/workflows that the artists use.[/font]
[font="arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif"] [/font]
[font="arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif"]Or graphics programmer. You don't do any art (unless shading algorithms count), but you're responsible for making all of the artist's work look good.[/font]
Special effects programmer sounds great actually. Good to know that it combines both things. But it sounds like a job which you roll into. Not something that one easily finds between the (already small) stack of available jobs in the games industry. Tech artist sounds great too. These both actually sound like things I'd really enjoy. I will keep an eye out for those in job openings.
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With all the great advice here I've heard some great options; prototyping, level design, special effects programmer, tech artist and graphics programmer. Is it common in this industry that a person easily switches between these jobs? Apart from prototyping they have overlapping areas. Is it common that a person does level design, and later on would easily apply for a job as a tech artist due to his experience in the art/programming area? Or is it adviced that a person stays level designer for the rest of his career?
Also if anyone comes up with more interesting careerchoices in this area or has had similar experiences, I'm all ears
Thanks everyone so much for the replies, you don't know half how much this thread actually means to me.