HELP! I can't talk to people in the industry!!!
polycounter lvl 8
So, I've recently got my first job in the game industry as a games tester and I'm trying to get into the art side of things.
What I am asking all you esteemed polycount posters is this.
Say you have a new person in your company - how would you like them to talk to you?
Do you mind if they come over and ask what you are doing? do you mind if they ask questions? what does too many questions look like? do you prefer enquiring emails that you can reply to in your own time? or do you give a person more respect if they just come over and ask you?
Cheers All!
What I am asking all you esteemed polycount posters is this.
Say you have a new person in your company - how would you like them to talk to you?
Do you mind if they come over and ask what you are doing? do you mind if they ask questions? what does too many questions look like? do you prefer enquiring emails that you can reply to in your own time? or do you give a person more respect if they just come over and ask you?
Cheers All!
Replies
basically: don't be a game tester
Personally, I don't mind questions. Too many would be any point at which it's stopping me from getting work done, at which point I would probably say something like, "Hey, can we talk about this more later?" Emails are fine too, but I like to know who I'm talking to/emailing, so I prefer (but don't absolutely need) an introduction first. There's nothing wrong with talking to someone in general, even more so if you're just saying, "Hi, I'm the new QA person, I wanted to introduce myself and say hello."
Finally, I'd like to critique your thread title. You are talking to people in the industry by making this very thread. It's too perplexing to essentially walk up to a group of people and shout, "I can't talk to you!"
Befriend people at the studio, and then casually bring up the topic of work and what they do and the like. Not only will you get more detailed info, you now have true contacts on the dev side of the studio. Beware though, bugging people repeatedly is not a good idea, normally the person can be in a groove and chugging along with their work... Sending regular PM's can get on people's nerves.
Just some tid bits I have noticed here and there. I personally enjoy explaining what I do to others, at work, especially if they show true interest.
If you take the feedback to heart, and actually make the suggested changes, you will get MAD props.
All the pro's come to Polycount....many a connection and job has been made here.
Then offer to sell them your latest tutorial on uv unwrapping at a discounted price. Pretty soon theyll get the message that youre awesome.
This, its sure to get you all the friends.
haha, that's much too specific to just be hypothetical, first hand experience?
Gail, honestly showing art is probably the best way, be careful about making any comments on people art before you know them, or unless they specifically ask about it, you could end up trying to compliment them and unknowingly insult them.
Yeah, absolutely. Most artists are happy to offer feedback, and if you take it really well (which is RARE) you'll definitely stand out. I've made many friends this way.
But like other posters said, don't bother people while they're working. If you're gonna approach at all try to do it during a break or something. You don't want to become "That annoying guy who keeps interrupting me".
JacqueChoi +1 what he said.
Generally I would rather play games with you or something and talk about art stuff casually as it comes. Ask what they are playing lately and see if you can join in.
I went the QA route back in the day. I ended up having a good connection with some of the artists...who later on down the line were able to hook me up with a job.
First time I broke the ice and talked to some dudes was when we were drunk as shit at a release party.....so yeah beer always helps.
Word of advice...don't be annoying...and try to be yourself. Being a cool dude that can hold a normal conversation will get you a long way. And yeah...for portfolio critique or anything like that...email is always the nicest way to go...then people can respond when they have time.
ya, show art, ask for crits or advice. Try and find outside company events to go to. New movie coming.. ask if anyone else is interested in going. Buy a beer or two as well helps.
We're not rockstars and shouldn't be put on pedestals. Just go talk to whoever you want to.
I've read all of them and have found them informative, interesting and occasionally funny! =P
Sorry about the title - I was feeling a bit frustrated and it was the first thing that came into my head, probably not the best idea!
I come from a retail management background were you had to communicate/nag people all the time to get stuff done and I'm just wondering what the appropriate level of communication/nagging. As, quite rightly, this is a business not a coffee shop
Correct. Don't put people on pedestals.
I went to a game art show in Seattle once and two complete strangers walked up to me and knew who I was. They then continued to freak out and say how awesome I was and how I was an art god and how they wanted to eat my brain to absorb my powers.
It was fucking weird.
People are just people. Talk to them like you would a normal stranger at the grocery store.
I feel like you're over thinking it. What I do when I join a new company is look for a group of people about to head out to lunch and ask to join them. That way you're in a group setting instead of an awkward 1-to-1.
ahahahaha yeah those are awesome, my best quote:
"you are like Britney Spears to me"
well thank you o_O
Yeah, I did that once ^^;;
So it's something I'm aware of that I do.
OR, what happens is I get a little star struck and even though I have interesting and intelligent things to say. My brain goes blank and i just gap like a fish!
A friend of mine that works at a large company near where I live gave me some advice when I started to look for jobs:
01. Find people in your immediate space and get to know them. You never know what connections they may have that's right up your field, even if you're meeting them through QA.
02. Don't be afraid to ask questions about the QA side of things, but don't bother the other artists too much by forcing yourself on them. Be a fly on the wall and soak up anything they say that might pertain to you but keep your head down for a while until you're sure you know what you're talking about.
03. Get to know people outside of the office so that they can get to know you, but again, don't barrage them with your portfolio or student work just yet, wait until you start to get to know people a little better to see how they'll react [not everyone is as welcoming in real life as they are on polycount with critiques, especially when they're busy. It's the holidays - it's tough to not catch someone that hasn't been working for 14 hours straight].
04. Listen, listen, listen. Listen and learn as much as you can. You'll learn a lot about how things work on the inside just being a part of the company and keeping up with company emails. We're just as included in QA and development at the company I work for as any of the developers themselves and I'm only Technical Support.
05. Make yourself known on here like a lot of people have mentioned, but learn at your company through listening and applying that to your work. Do what you were hired to do and do it well and people will notice and appreciate that. That might open avenues to get your way into that studio just as well as getting in touch with the art department out the gate.
I wouldn't worry about talking to other departments
However, if I wanted to become an artist, I'd try to stay away a little bit from the tester thing, you can kinda get stuck there without it being your fault. You will barely have time to make art on the side.
I don't mind people walking up to me with some specific questions, it depend in what manners and the question it self.
If you walk up to me just trying to be friendly and I'm busy, is not gonna work, don't be creepy.
Sending an e-mail is the best for me.
I was actually so nervous I couldn't eye contact anyone for ages, but I guess that comes with maturity and an some point you think fuck it , I don't really care about that anymore
TBH some people were damn unfriendly though and would not look at you twice, so it can be hard to deal with
Your friend has some good advice there - I will take it on board.
Another point I'd like to broach here!
In the UK they have this "Game Dev North" even that I've been told is very good to get to meet some games industry people face-to-face.
Has anyone been to this event or similar ones? Are they good to go along to and get contacts? are then even fun to attend?
Ahh but what if they aren't holding anything? They will always have something in their hands because you need to start each conversation with "here hold this".
FOOLPROOF! (throws mouse against the wall and disappears under desk) ...foolproof...