UK Indies -- job opportunity...

[DanMarshall]

Guys--

Don't ask too many questions about this... assume it's entirely hypothetical...

Let's say there's a games design job available at a major game dev studio, and there's a good chance you'll get an interview. Would any of you consider applying?

Dan

[cliffski]

not in a million years.
I code for a big company as a day job. what I know from that means no way would I take on that job.

[stealth]

From what I've heard, in general, game developers who work for large game dev companies get treated pretty bad. I didn't like the attitude of Code Masters when they done their presentation at our uni a few years ago either.

[papillon]

*grin* Yes, but they wouldn't hire me.

Because I currently lack anything other than self-employment, I'd be willing to try a lot of things. What's the worst they can do? I can always quit.

[Savant]

It depends entirely on the company. They aren't all Satan.

[baegsi]

Since you ask a very broad questions: of course, why not? Find out for yourself what's best for you. I'd rather not listen too much to general assumptions, in most times they're not true. At least listen to what they offer.

Needless to say that it depends on your personal situation, what you've done, what you want etc, but what can you loose?

[Greig Hamilton]

Why do people say it is so bad?
How is it worse than developing for another software development company?

I have worked as a programmer for the last few years and think game programming especially AI would be an interesting job. Is anyone willing to try and persuade me that it isn't?

Greig Hamilton

[DanMarshall]

It's a great company, and they treat their designers very well. It's a great job, working on a great title. Does that change your minds?!

d

[Jack Norton]

They ask you to stop doing indie? otherwise why not try? worse scenario you just quit after some months... good scenario you continue making indie stuff in spare time (assuming that they don't force you to work 12h a day!)

[princec]

Games design eh?

By strange coincidence I have just been invited to lecture regularly at Middlesex University for their BA in game design course...

Where's the job?

[DanMarshall]

Aha! Can't tell you where it is, I'm afraid... will explain why at a later date. Let's just say "maaaaaaaajor".

d

[princec]

The size of the company is not important, nor the salary - what is important is the working environment... (ie. how fun, how cool, and where)

Cas :)

[DanMarshall]

It's cool. Working environment is clean, fresh, office space. People are great. Everything's great...

[ManuelFLara]

So then what's NOT great about the job? I mean, if it's that cool just get it (at least apply for it) if you need a job. If you can keep working on your indie stuff alone without an extra salary, I'd do it.

[cliffski]

do you get to make exactly the game you want? in the style that you want?
do they have crunch times? do they actually plan the crunch in the schedule (effectively planning to overwork people). These are all things I'd ask.

[lakibuk]

I wonder which skills and experience you have to bring to be a game designer. To me it sounds like a cool job. Inventing games without the hard work of coding them. Also you could learn a lot in a big company.

[DanMarshall]

Aha! No -- it wouldn't be your own title. You'd probably start towards the end of an established title, and work your way up to where you're pitching ideas for games.

Edit: and to be fair, it certainly isn't an _easy_ job. But then what is, these days? Probably long hours, deadlines etc. It's liaising between programmers and art etc to make sure everything's coming together...

d

[papillon]

I'm not sure what the point is in continuing the hypothetical discussion. The lines are fairly clear already, aren't they? There's some people who are definitely not interested, and some people whose interest depends on the details, so you may as well just link the job posting and let them decide, no? :)

[Adrian Cummings]

No not me, personally I've done my time in the borg collective and had my fill of all those days and all the office politics that usually goes with it :P

[DanMarshall]

Nnnngh. Can't.... yet...! It's shrouded in secrecy for now. Hopefully I'll be able to let you all in on what I'm going on about on monday...

The reason for my post will hopefully become clear then. For now, I just wanted to judge if the Indie community would be interested in this full-time paid job in games design...

Thanks all. Sorry for the cryptic post...!

d

[Indiepath.T]

Can I work from home, and at my own pace? Will the contract my company?

[Nexic]

Contract work yes, proper full time employment where I have to do XYZ or get fired, hell no!

Seriously there is no way I'd take it, especially since in a couple of years I'll probably be making more than they would pay me anyway :P

[Indiepath.T]

Seriously there is no way I'd take it, especially since in a couple of years I'll probably be making more than they would pay me anyway :P

Yeah.. I second that!

[cliffski]

Aha! No -- it wouldn't be your own title. You'd probably start towards the end of an established title, and work your way up to where you're pitching ideas for games.


The last retail game I worked on took 4 years and had about 6 designers. So even if the junior designers DO get to pitch game ideas, thats one opportunity every 24 years.
hmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Sharpfish]

The last Game designer I worked with (apart from my self in an indie capacity of course) was a a guy In juice studios working on Toca Race Driver 3 (which is due out this quarter sometime I believe). I don't think he had an easy job (actually there were two games designers working on it). He had field trips to racetracks, plenty of meetings, all the buzz of working in a high up position but he was a down to earth guy and one of my main points of contact as a studio tech (ie- I did everything else the higher up guys would never want to do - mundane stuff mainly like replay camera research, video editing etc). I know he was on good money (especially compared to my pittance) and he seemed to enjoy it. I actually worked longer hours than he did when I worked in QA (QA in general got more crunch times because there was always another project waiting). so I would imagine 90% of HIS time on the project was fairly relaxed though midly stressful (unless you can handle it). Obviously it is a position of responsibility and your balls are on the line if you don't deliver, personally I wouldn't want to do that at a big company like that - but each to his own! :)

[Kestral]

I would take it, especially if I didn't have to move.

[jester]

Games industry can be fun and interesting but it can be very hard (not just the work but on your life). In some places you have to be very sure of yourself to say no if you are asked to work more than 9 - 5.

Good luck and I might see you Monday if you are coming for an interview then :)
But, then again if it might not be the games company I work for but I know we are interviewing for designers at the moment.