Re: The entry competence level for graphics programmers

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An interesting and informative angle, I did pitch the idea of doing some
games to my current employer but they're largely inexperienced with
developing games, and aren't really willing to take the risk. Perhaps flash
games programming would be the way to get my foot in the door.

On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 2:10 PM, Gregory Junker <[email protected]> wrote:

> One option you may have, with 5 years as a Flash developer, is to gain
> industry experience with a Flash games developer. Since you mentioned tha=
t
> you can=92t afford a salary decrease, then you probably can=92t afford an
> unstable situation either (which is what most small independent studios w=
ill
> be, and the ones most likely to hire anyone who sounds like they might kn=
ow
> something about games). ****
>
> ** **
>
> So have you looked at Zynga? ****
>
> ** **
>
> http://www.zynga.com/jobs/****
>
> ** **
>
> A surprising number of people I have worked with in the past in various
> studios have landed there, and it=92s quite stable. Spend some time at Zy=
nga,
> get some industry experience on your resume, and work on your =93areas fo=
r
> improvement=94 in your spare time like you are now. ****
>
> ** **
>
> One thing to bear in mind, is that any studio who is looking for a graphi=
cs
> programmer above junior/entry level, is likely doing so because their
> current graphics programmer, who is almost certainly rather senior, is
> leaving, and they need someone to replace him/her. Therefore, you may nee=
d
> to set your sights either a bit lower, or on a different target=85or choo=
se a
> different strategy. It=92s much easier to get into a games studio as a
> gameplay programmer than it is a graphics programmer, and working somewhe=
re
> like Zynga can get you demonstrable industry gameplay experience. The
> hardest part about getting into games, is actually getting into games; on=
ce
> in, you=92re in.****
>
> ** **
>
> Greg****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* [email protected] [mailto:
> [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Tommy Brett
>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, September 20, 2011 7:33 AM
> *To:* [email protected]
> *Subject:* [Sweng-Gamedev] The entry competence level for graphics
> programmers****
>
> ** **
>
> Hello ladies and gents,****
>
> ** **
>
> I graduated 5 years ago with the intention of becoming a game developer, =
my
> career got sidetracked and although this sidetrack led to an ultimately
> comfortable existence and a lot of life lessons learned, I'm now at the
> point where my career as a Flash / Flex developer is stagnating. It may a=
lso
> be coming to a forced end as more and more of my employer's clients move
> away from Flash each month. I've been keeping up with the times, and doin=
g a
> lot of graphics programming on the side using nVidia's CG shader programm=
ing
> language and OpenGL. ****
>
> ** **
>
> I'm looking for a little insight into what skill level you expect entry
> level, and reasonably competent graphics programmers (i.e. qualifying as
> something above 'junior' in their job title, even if that's just the
> omission of the word) to be at, and the difference between the two. By sk=
ill
> level, I mean knowledge base, for example implementing certain shader
> routines (e.g. normal mapping) and grasp of mathematics. Before I enter t=
he
> job search proper, I want to make absolutely sure that my skills are in f=
act
> up to par as I understand that graphics programming positions in particul=
ar
> are highly competitive. For example, I know that one area I lack skill in=
 is
> using shader functions built for DirectX 10 and above - by virtue of me
> still using an XP machine (GPU is DX10 capable though, reeeally need to
> upgrade), and I suspect that not being knowledgeable about,
> say, tessellation using the GPU would swiftly kill any application I woul=
d
> make for a graphics programmer role that paid more than free lunches. ***=
*
>
> ** **
>
> On the other hand, this may not be the case, which is why I'm sending thi=
s
> out to you better informed guys for a little feedback.****
>
> ** **
>
> - Tommy****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sweng-Gamedev mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://lists.midnightryder.com/listinfo.cgi/sweng-gamedev-midnightryder.c=
om
>
>

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An interesting and informative angle, I did pitch the idea of doing some ga=
mes to my current employer but they&#39;re largely inexperienced with devel=
oping games, and aren&#39;t really willing to take the risk. Perhaps flash =
games programming would be the way to get my foot in the door.<br>

<br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 2:10 PM, Gregory Jun=
ker <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">gjunker@day=
ark.com</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D=
"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">

<div lang=3D"EN-US" link=3D"blue" vlink=3D"purple"><div><p class=3D"MsoNorm=
al"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">One option you may have,=
 with 5 years as a Flash developer, is to gain industry experience with a F=
lash games developer. Since you mentioned that you can=92t afford a salary =
decrease, then you probably can=92t afford an unstable situation either (wh=
ich is what most small independent studios will be, and the ones most likel=
y to hire anyone who sounds like they might know something about games). <u=
></u><u></u></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><u></=
u>=A0<u></u></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0=
pt;color:#1F497D">So have you looked at Zynga? <u></u><u></u></span></p><p =
class=3D"MsoNormal">

<span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><u></u>=A0<u></u></span></p>=
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><a hr=
ef=3D"http://www.zynga.com/jobs/" target=3D"_blank">http://www.zynga.com/jo=
bs/</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><u></=
u>=A0<u></u></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0=
pt;color:#1F497D">A surprising number of people I have worked with in the p=
ast in various studios have landed there, and it=92s quite stable. Spend so=
me time at Zynga, get some industry experience on your resume, and work on =
your =93areas for improvement=94 in your spare time like you are now. <u></=
u><u></u></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><u></=
u>=A0<u></u></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0=
pt;color:#1F497D">One thing to bear in mind, is that any studio who is look=
ing for a graphics programmer above junior/entry level, is likely doing so =
because their current graphics programmer, who is almost certainly rather s=
enior, is leaving, and they need someone to replace him/her. Therefore, you=
 may need to set your sights either a bit lower, or on a different target=
=85or choose a different strategy. It=92s much easier to get into a games s=
tudio as a gameplay programmer than it is a graphics programmer, and workin=
g somewhere like Zynga can get you demonstrable industry gameplay experienc=
e. The hardest part about getting into games, is actually getting into game=
s; once in, you=92re in.<u></u><u></u></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><u></=
u>=A0<u></u></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0=
pt;color:#1F497D">Greg<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span=
 style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><u></u>=A0<u></u></span></p>

<div style=3D"border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in =
4.0pt"><div><div style=3D"border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;paddin=
g:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in"><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><b><span style=3D"font-size:10.=
0pt">From:</span></b><span style=3D"font-size:10.0pt"> <a href=3D"mailto:sw=
[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">sweng-gamede=
[email protected]</a> [mailto:<a href=3D"mailto:sweng-gamed=
[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">sweng-gamedev-bounces=
@lists.midnightryder.com</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Tommy Brett</span></p>

<div class=3D"im"><br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 20, 2011 7:33 AM<br><=
b>To:</b> <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_bla=
nk">[email protected]</a><br></div><b>Subject:</b> [Sweng-Gam=
edev] The entry competence level for graphics programmers<u></u><u></u><p>

</p></div></div><div><div></div><div class=3D"h5"><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u=
></u>=A0<u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">Hello ladies and gents,<u></u><u>=
</u></p><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=A0<u></u></p></div><div><p clas=
s=3D"MsoNormal">

I graduated 5 years ago with the intention of becoming a game developer, my=
 career got sidetracked and although this sidetrack led to an ultimately co=
mfortable existence and a lot of life lessons learned, I&#39;m now at the p=
oint where my career as a Flash / Flex developer is stagnating. It may also=
 be coming to a forced end as more and more of my employer&#39;s clients mo=
ve away from Flash each month. I&#39;ve been keeping up with the times, and=
 doing a lot of graphics programming on the side using nVidia&#39;s CG shad=
er programming language and OpenGL.=A0<u></u><u></u></p>

</div><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=A0<u></u></p></div><div><p class=
=3D"MsoNormal">I&#39;m looking for a little insight into what skill level y=
ou expect entry level, and reasonably competent graphics programmers (i.e. =
qualifying as something above &#39;junior&#39; in their job title, even if =
that&#39;s just the omission of the word) to be at, and the difference betw=
een the two. By skill level, I mean knowledge base, for example implementin=
g certain shader routines (e.g. normal mapping) and grasp of mathematics. B=
efore I enter the job search proper, I want to make absolutely sure that my=
 skills are in fact up to par as I understand that graphics programming pos=
itions in particular are highly competitive. For example, I know that one a=
rea I lack skill in is using shader functions built for DirectX 10 and abov=
e - by virtue of me still using an XP machine (GPU is DX10 capable though, =
reeeally need to upgrade), and I suspect that not being=A0knowledgeable=A0a=
bout, say,=A0tessellation=A0using the GPU would swiftly kill any applicatio=
n I would make for a graphics programmer role that paid more than free lunc=
hes.=A0<u></u><u></u></p>

</div><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=A0<u></u></p></div><div><p class=
=3D"MsoNormal">On the other hand, this may not be the case, which is why I&=
#39;m sending this out to you better informed guys for a little feedback.<u=
></u><u></u></p>

</div><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=A0<u></u></p></div><div><p class=
=3D"MsoNormal">- Tommy<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><=
u></u>=A0<u></u></p></div><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=A0<u></u></p>=
</div></div>

</div></div></div></div><br>_______________________________________________=
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<br></blockquote></div><br>

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