Is the gaming industry for me? A little guidance please. Life, Art and Careers

Rogue One

First of thanks for clicking on my thread. You shall receive my first born child and a packet of skittles for your troubles :poly124:

I am looking for some advice. As someone who now graduated nearly 3years ago! I have yet to still finish my portfolio :poly122: I have all the excuse under the sun ( left the UK to go live in northern B.C for a girl that didnt work out blah blah blah ) but reality is, it should have been done by now if I really wanted it to be.

I'm coming to bit of a crossroads ( immigration/job problems ) and I am wondering if I want to give games a try. I love the creative/technical process of making game art that I know!

BUT!

I'm unsure Id like to do it in the games industry. IVE hear lots of bad stories from friends and the media about working long hours, lay off's , lack of creative freedom, working in expensive city's etc, all of which affect your quality of life.

I have had the pleasure of living in a small northern town in B.C, Canada for the last three years and although there is no games industry here I have enjoyed the quality of life a small town has to offer even thought I don't really love my job. What I do love is that there is no traffic, people have time for each other, sense of community and quick access to the outdoors.

I'm wondering if anyone is has been or is in a similar situation and is unsure if they should peruse a career in the games industry and give up small town life for the career and the big city life that comes with it? I would love to hear anyone thoughts?!?! Im rather confused

Also do you think I even have the potential to get into the industry? I know none of these are finished and all require polish but from what you see do you think I can take some of these to completion and be up-to par? If so which ones do I focus on?!?

UNFINISHED WORKS; AKA MY FOLIO :S


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I know this is like asking how long is a piece of string is and really at the end of the day its a very personal choice. None the less I would love to hear others thoughts.

Thanks if you made it this far!!! :thumbup:

slipsius

If you dont like big cities, and cant handle lay offs or working long hours, and keep making excuses about finishing your portfolio, then the game industry is probably not for you.

All those horror stories you have heard are true. But, that doesnt mean every studio is like that. But, there is a chance of all that everywhere you work. It's just the nature of the beast.

What you have to ask yourself is if you really want to be in the industry or not. The stories are true. But if you can handle it, it can be extremely rewarding as well. We can't tell you what will work for you and your preference in life styles.

Rogue One

Thanks for the reply.

I guess I wasn't clear. Its not that I don't like big cities as I said I lived in Vancouver and loved it and its not that I cant "handle" long hours im just looking to hear people stories about their experiences and if they found it was worth it and how it affected their overall quality of life??


What studio are you at slipsius? What's it like?

Justin Meisse

I think you can swing not living in cities, all the studios I've been at have been in small town, suburban areas. I couldn't live in a city either.

Rogue One

Thanks Justin I guess I never even consider that to be a possibility that is good to hear!

slipsius

I'm at a very small studio. 15 people. The studio is in the bosses basement in the middle of nowhere. Seriously, its 1 street of houses with no stores or anything for about 10-15 minute drive. there's a gas station close, but that's about it. I work 9 - 5, Monday to Friday. So, yes, not exactly long hours or in the city. Which is why I said it varies between studio. My quality of life is WAY better than when I was working in a restaurant. I love what I do. That being said, I can't wait to get into a bigger studio. Better projects, more learning, better pay, tighter deadlines. I want the big studio job. I don't mind crunching as long as it isn't months at a time just because of poor management.

OMGiFARTED

look up valves work ethics and how they run their production....very unorthodox...but it seems like they would give you the most potential creative freedom. Thats just my opinion. But seriously, check them out. Their studios in washington though if you can handle on the gloomy days and rain

dpaynter26

slipsius wrote: »

I'm at a very small studio. 15 people. The studio is in the bosses basement in the middle of nowhere. Seriously, its 1 street of houses with no stores or anything for about 10-15 minute drive. there's a gas station close, but that's about it. I work 9 - 5, Monday to Friday. So, yes, not exactly long hours or in the city. Which is why I said it varies between studio. My quality of life is WAY better than when I was working in a restaurant. I love what I do. That being said, I can't wait to get into a bigger studio. Better projects, more learning, better pay, tighter deadlines. I want the big studio job. I don't mind crunching as long as it isn't months at a time just because of poor management.

^^ sounds a lot like another studio I've heard of in Arizona ^^

AlexCatMasterSupreme

OMGiFARTED wrote: »

look up valves work ethics and how they run their production....very unorthodox...but it seems like they would give you the most potential creative freedom. Thats just my opinion. But seriously, check them out. Their studios in washington though if you can handle on the gloomy days and rain

I love how I live next to Bungie, 343, and Valve. A job at one of those is my goal.

Rockley Bonner

m`kay, wheres my firstborn and skittles....

have you done any lowpoly stuff or are these all sculpts?

GabrielP

Also awaiting shipment of first born...

I personally am right in-between Raven Soft and Human head, with a couple smaller studios around. Im probably going to end up at one or the other by the time I'm out of highschool, at least that's the plan. Anyways, I could defiantly live just out side the city and just deal with the 45 min drive to work every day. Although I to have heard a lot of story's about crazy amounts of lay offs.

Portfolio wise your going to need to build some low-polys and bake them. At this point your HP models look nice, you defiantly have a good understanding of shape, but there lacking a lot of detail.

I really dont have anything outstandingly productive to add to this thread but I thought Id bump it, because Im as interested as you are.

HangingBunny

HEH, It's been 3 years since my graduation and I am doing marketing freelance and individual environment models for people to put in Poser while I work on my own mobile games. If you really love what you do it is quite painful when major studios (and smaller ones) don't seem to want you. Out of every 30 applications I send out I get 2 rejection letters, the other 28 never even respond.
If you can't take the constant rejection, or living in a place you normally wouldn't move to, or having to force yourself to schmooze at parties/industry gatherings when all you really want to do is work, than people tell you that the Games Industry is not for you.
I say BS. Sometimes it's hard and you want to give up. DON'T!
If you love games and love to work on the art you will find a way. I learned to program and animate so I could make an entire game by myself (prior to this I only wanted to do Level/Game design).
I like your art and would love to play a game with those little alien guys. Keep trying and apply everywhere. Get a small group together and make a game to sell on Steam for $5, everyone will have to work on spec though and may never actually see any money. But you may get a best seller.
I'll keep a good thought and hope you land that big job!

Jeremy Tabor

Rogue One wrote: »

IVE hear lots of bad stories from friends and the media about working long hours, lay off's , lack of creative freedom, working in expensive city's etc, all of which affect your quality of life.

Take that advice with a grain of salt. They aren't you, and don't let their opinions prematurely shape your own. And IMO the same goes for the opinions you may get in response to this thread. You don't want to be left wondering what could have been because you chickened out on your goals.

Rogue One wrote: »

Also do you think I even have the potential to get into the industry?

Of course you do. Everyone does. Put those thoughts out of your mind, man, and just do it already.

You have a garbage pale full of sculpts. (I say that because you say your goal is Games but nothing you've shown is game-related. Not because they are bad sculpts or anything, a lot of them are nicely begun.) So pick one of those unfinished sculpts, and take through to completion as a game-rez asset. Then rinse and repeat 3 or 4 more times and you'll be in the position where you might get some attention from some studios because you have now demonstrated that you can perform the job they are asking of you.

Git to it!

Edit: and I'm in a similar boat - currently in the process of fleshing out my portfolio while looking for my first job in games. It's not as difficult or as arduous of an endeavor as it may seem if you take it one project at a time. If you commit regular time to it, things can come together pretty quickly.