Non-game/cinema 3d jobs -- defense, medical, etc
grand marshal polycounter
I'm looking at jobs and some of these defense contractors boast high employee retention rates and the kind of cushy corporate perks you expect from real jobs. Seems like a nice way to make a living while still having fun in 3d.
I imagine the day-to-day isn't as hectic as entertainment, nor are layoffs as common. Anybody here have experience in these sectors? Is it at it seems? Any horror stories? And how competitive to get in? Seems like a little lower of a hurdle.
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We weren't only doing that kind of work though, we were developing software for digital content delivery and that was a side project.
The barrier for entry can be lower, the expectations generally are lower in terms of graphical fidelity. But there are different limits, more oversight by people unfamiliar with how graphics are made, and budgets can disappear overnight based on governmental whims.
You're not making an entertainment product, you're making content with specific educational goals. Which can be really interesting.
The most variety I've seen is when working for an outsourcing studio, then you're working for very different clients, a couple months here, half a year there.
I think it's like most other moral questions. You need to decide what's comfortable for you, no one else can make the decision.
I personally found the work rewarding. Partly because it teaches valuable skills, using imagery that the customer responds well to.
It's not something I personally respond well to. But that's not the point. It's commercial art, made for a particular client, so it's tailored to their needs.
If you're asking whether it should be made in the first place, I still think, yes. Your armed forces protect your country, population, resources, and allies.
If you disagree with that, that's ok too, my country supports publicly voicing your opinions. That's a value worth defending, imho.
I was a beneficiary of these training aids, back during the cold war era. Then as now it's horrendously expensive to live fire exercise field force elements in their particular tools of trade, though obviously pre-digital simulation during my time. Although I do recall whilst on either vehicle or ground designated tasked employment courses, we would as students were exposed too the actual weapons themselves early on once assigned to our specific chosen Corp/Service, made when undertaking the initial four month recruit phase which by the way had to be earned if your choice was a posting to a combat unit.
In my case as an enlisted Trooper, newly minted after a further four month stint at the Armoured Centre learning our core IET role as Driver/Signallers, whether Leopard 1 (MBT) or M113 (APC) stream however I'd switched to the latter half way through, not solely because of the fact that if ever the balloon had gone up, an armoured Troop MBT hide or Regimental laager for instance was indeed a legitimate nuclear target...but really because it was stressed upon our collective horny young impressionable minds that 'Gentleman Of The Cavalry' always got the best looking girls by a passing Adjutant from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment due in large part I suspect to the fancy dress uniforms, all silver, bandoliers and lanyards 'n shit...whoops sorry I digress.
Anyway on topic, as I'd alluded to above when undergoing a gunnery course for vehicle mounted medium calibre 76 mm main guns, simulated via a coaxial mounted 22cal and sand map or another tasking as an 'Assault Trooper' (...just a glorified Grunt/Sapper) the Regt's organic armament, uniquely synonymous to our unit, modelled off the Wehrmacht's WW2 Panzer Grenadier skillset, we'd simulate laser firing the MILAN anti-tank missile system which bearing in mind were in those days $20k a pop, aussie dollars.
Though cost mitigation was ever foremost in the mindset of those with 'scrambled egg on their hats' for us on the ground it was always about honing our craft whether simulation or live firing range practice because unlike a game, in the real world you've only one life.
But its not an american issue per say, it's a military shitfest all over the world. Seing how my country uses simulation to train Saudi Arabian forces (amongst many others) to better use the tanks and weapons we produce and sell them is just a horrible afterthought.
And that shit has absolutely nothing to do with the values we pretend we defend here...
but i guess that is a discussion that shouldn't be part of this thread
so nevermind my ramblings :x
We do make moral choices when deciding to work on military sims, or edu sims, or gambling games, or even "regular" game dev. None of which rise to the equivalency of humanitarian work.
Complex tradeoffs, not a very tidy narrative!
There's certainly work to be had though. Lots of alternate uses for 3d skills these days.
Life is usually more complex than good and evil, so oversimplification might be a dangerous path to go when discussing ethics.
We have a very good benefits package as well as ESOP bonuses due to how the company is structured. We have artists that have been here for 10-15 years as well as a lot of 2-3 years range so retention is decent. However, we are contract based and if there is no contracts or the bidding and proposal team loses a lot of contracts to competitors there can be worry around the offices of artist layoffs. This being said they layoff the least productive, and the newest first.
The main downside, which I have no idea if it applies to other such companies is there is a substantial bias against artists here. It's quite noticeable within the first month or two. It appears in pay structure, pay is not bad by any means, but it definitely isn't leveled. Artists as a whole here are kind of talked down to and seen as uninformed, floaty, millennials. However, if you have half a spine it won't really bother you. It also helps if all you do is your job and do it well. Don't take this as an overbearing abusive situation either, I personally don't give a rat's ass about that because I don't much care about other people's predetermined notions.
As far as the moral quandary, I don't concern myself with that. I'm not the one making the military decisions nor would I be able to stop them if I didn't work here. And I think one of the big things, especially when gamifying something like this, Eric touched on. Many of these clients have no idea how games work, how they're made, or why they should care sometimes. It really hones not only your 3D skills working day after day but also your communication skills. When you need to explain at it's core why a certain mechanic in the game is necessary and can provide increased knowledge retention for students you learn a lot more about why games are fun and why the design of certain things exists.
Any reports of people not getting messages?
Anyway yes, I am in the US and whatever you sent in the PM go ahead and post here and I'll gladly answer it for you
The portfolio I can't really comment on too much but what I have there now is what got me my job. They looked primarily at the radio, radiator and knowledge of game engines since they are pushing away from offline renders for their work so being able to help with that is a consideration, at least in my case. I'm sure military and hard surface items is a desirable and it is generally what a lot of people's portfolio have here. Also feel free to bug, just @ me whenever I don't mind. Idk what's up with the DMs