Take the plunge?

[AK47FH]

Though this thread is somewhat similar to Jason Chong's

http://forums.indiegamer.com/showthread.php?t=371

and I find the postings there helpful, my situation and skill is a bit different. I hunger for feedback from other indies, I hope this forum will accommodate the thread.

My situation:

1. A 32 years old electrical engineer with no experience in IT industry.

2. One wife and one kid.

3. Need USD 600/month to survive.

4. Did some game demos 2 hours spare time after work www.angelfire.com/games5/ak47fh.

5. Making a indie game, but spare time getting scarcer and burnout getting heavier with a regular job/family; indie game may take about 4-6 years to complete or never.

6. So toying with the idea of freelance/part time work and going indie full time (stole it from Jason Chong).


So my question:

1. Gauging my talent level (if there is such a thing), would you suggest I take the plunge?

2. I notice to my surprise Jason's art generated a lot of freelance job opportunities. How about c++ programming? Or maybe I should take up drawing and modeling skills?

[robleong]

Francis,

Welcome.

I must say that I find your situation different to Jason's. You have a family to support, so you do not have as much leeway as him, unless your wife is working, in which case you might have more! Good artwork is always valued in a programmers' forum such as this, whereas I think this is not as appropriate a place to seek freelance programming work - consider other games forums such as garagegames.com where you can advertise your programming skills.

My advice is to play safe and go for part-time indie games programming, which is what I'm doing, unless your wife can support you in the meantime. I would think your engineering degree should stand you in good stead.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[AK47FH]

:D Thanks.

My wife has a Master degree and she is caring for our kid full time, we don't trust pro nannies.

Maybe she should work and I become a househubby.

Just a thought :p

[robleong]

Maybe she should work and I become a househubby.


You certainly have that option! However, I guess looking after a baby is a full-time job in itself... :)

[AK47FH]

Our baby is one hell of a barbarian. :p