Re: The entry competence level for graphicsprogrammers

Greg Stelmack <[email protected]> Mon, 26 Sep 2011 07:40:06 -0400
Newsgroups gmane.games.devel.sweng
Message-ID <AAB7053861D892429CD001268650A9A10BCA7DBB6B@MDC-MAIL-CMS01.ubisoft.org>
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On the game demo, having one shows:


1)      An actual interest in making games. Anecdotally the best game progr=
ammers seem to be those who also like to code for fun. If you really want i=
nto the game industry, you're going to be making games anyway. Even if it's=
 a simple solitaire or Yahtzee game, you're probably doing SOMETHING to mes=
s around with. It shows a true interest, separate from those who think "I w=
ant to make cool graphics!" or "game programming would be fun, you get to p=
lay games all day, right?" folks.

2)      The ability to complete a project. Lots of folks don't seem to know=
 what it takes to actually FINISH a title.

I wouldn't say it's a requirement, but it sure helps for those trying to br=
eak in.

I would also agree that if money is your main goal, stick with investment b=
anking. Sure, you CAN get rich making games, but the odds are not in your f=
avor. I could be making a ton more money if I had stuck with investment ban=
king (my first job out of school), but not having nearly as much fun.

And finally, I'll echo another point made earlier: game programming !=3D gr=
aphics programming. So many budding game programmers seem to think that. Th=
ere are sound programmers, physics programmers, AI programmers, UI programm=
ers, network programmers, tools programmers, lots of jobs that never touch =
graphics, and some that touch it occasionally. Games are far more than just=
 pretty graphics, despite what reviewers and much of the buying public seem=
 to say...

From: [email protected] [mailto:sweng-gamedev-b=
[email protected]] On Behalf Of Massimo Del Zotto
Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 2:37 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Sweng-Gamedev] The entry competence level for graphicsprogram=
mers

I'm interested in that.
Back when I was in Uni, I tried without success to satisfy both academic re=
quirements and real life needs. I eventually figured out I needed to drop o=
ne to focus on the other.
I think nobody is interested in average people. Statistics are rather clear=
 on what an 'average' programmer is.

I'd like to hear other elaborations on this experience-materializing demo p=
roof.

Thank you
Massimo Del Zotto

2011/9/25 Alen Ladavac <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
Starting level presumes _at least_ many months of hard work. If not years. =
Advanced is decades of hard work. We were previously open to discussing wit=
h people out of uni even if they had no previous experience, but lately - m=
y stance is that if you don't want to invest into making a demo, then you p=
robably won't have the will to stick to it in the project. We are talking a=
bout gamedev programming, not run of the mill web apps, right? Most of thos=
e who are really talented do their demos either just for kicks, or for assi=
gnments, even during the uni. Those who don't are suspect for "not really i=
nterested" in my book. Good people are into this for the experience not jus=
t for money. JM2C....


Sunday, September 25, 2011, 4:51:26 PM, you wrote:

> That sounds like a lot of information that you'd learn after years of wor=
king on games.  I hate to say it but really unless the original poster is a=
n absolute genius or willing to put in many months of hard work he's just g=
oing to have to start in entry level.
> Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jon Watte <
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
> Sender: [email protected]<mailto:sweng-ga=
[email protected]>: Sat, 24 Sep 2011 21:35:15
> To: <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]=
om>>
> Reply-To: [email protected]<mailto:sweng-gamedev@midnightry=
der.com>

> Subject: Re: [Sweng-Gamedev] The entry competence level for graphics
>         programmers

> _______________________________________________
> Sweng-Gamedev mailing list
> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]=
ryder.com>
MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from "lists.midnightryder=
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--
Best regards,
 Alen                            mailto:[email protected]

_______________________________________________
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der.com>
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<div class=3DWordSection1>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",=
"sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>On the game demo, having one shows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",=
"sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoListParagraph style=3D'text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 =
lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'=
><span
style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>1)<span style=3D'font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>&n=
bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:=
"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>An actual interest in making games. Anecdotally the best gam=
e
programmers seem to be those who also like to code for fun. If you really w=
ant
into the game industry, you&#8217;re going to be making games anyway. Even =
if
it&#8217;s a simple solitaire or Yahtzee game, you&#8217;re probably doing
SOMETHING to mess around with. It shows a true interest, separate from thos=
e
who think &#8220;I want to make cool graphics!&#8221; or &#8220;game
programming would be fun, you get to play games all day, right?&#8221; folk=
s.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoListParagraph style=3D'text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 =
lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'=
><span
style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>2)<span style=3D'font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>&n=
bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:=
"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>The ability to complete a project. Lots of folks don&#8217;t
seem to know what it takes to actually FINISH a title.<o:p></o:p></span></p=
>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",=
"sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",=
"sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I wouldn&#8217;t say it&#8217;s a requirement, but it sure h=
elps
for those trying to break in.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",=
"sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",=
"sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I would also agree that if money is your main goal, stick wi=
th
investment banking. Sure, you CAN get rich making games, but the odds are n=
ot
in your favor. I could be making a ton more money if I had stuck with
investment banking (my first job out of school), but not having nearly as m=
uch
fun.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",=
"sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",=
"sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>And finally, I&#8217;ll echo another point made earlier: gam=
e
programming !=3D graphics programming. So many budding game programmers see=
m to
think that. There are sound programmers, physics programmers, AI programmer=
s,
UI programmers, network programmers, tools programmers, lots of jobs that n=
ever
touch graphics, and some that touch it occasionally. Games are far more tha=
n
just pretty graphics, despite what reviewers and much of the buying public =
seem
to say&#8230;<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",=
"sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<div style=3D'border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in =
0in 0in'>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma=
","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
[email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] <b>On Behalf Of </b>=
Massimo
Del Zotto<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, September 26, 2011 2:37 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> [email protected]<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Sweng-Gamedev] The entry competence level for
graphicsprogrammers<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>I'm interested in that.<o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>Back when I was in Uni, I tried without success to sat=
isfy
both academic requirements and real life needs. I eventually figured out I
needed to drop one to focus on the other.<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>I think nobody is interested in average people. Statis=
tics
are rather clear on what an 'average' programmer is.<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>I'd like to hear other elaborations on this
experience-materializing demo proof.<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>Thank you<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>Massimo Del Zotto<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

</div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal>2011/9/25 Alen Ladavac &lt;<a
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt;<o:p></o:p=
></p>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Courier Ne=
w"'>Starting
level presumes _at least_ many months of hard work. If not years. Advanced =
is
decades of hard work. We were previously open to discussing with people out=
 of
uni even if they had no previous experience, but lately - my stance is that=
 if
you don't want to invest into making a demo, then you probably won't have t=
he
will to stick to it in the project. We are talking about gamedev programmin=
g,
not run of the mill web apps, right? Most of those who are really talented =
do
their demos either just for kicks, or for assignments, even during the uni.
Those who don't are suspect for &quot;not really interested&quot; in my boo=
k.
Good people are into this for the experience not just for money. JM2C....<o=
:p></o:p></span></p>

<div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Courier Ne=
w"'><br>
<br>
Sunday, September 25, 2011, 4:51:26 PM, you wrote:<br>
<br>
<b><span style=3D'color:maroon'>&gt; That sounds like a lot of information =
that
you'd learn after years of working on games. &nbsp;I hate to say it but rea=
lly
unless the original poster is an absolute genius or willing to put in many
months of hard work he's just going to have to start in entry level.&nbsp;<=
br>
&gt; Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network<br>
<br>
&gt; -----Original Message-----<br>
&gt; From: Jon Watte &lt;</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>

</div>

</div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">=
[email protected]</a><b><span
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";color:maroon'>&gt;<br>
&gt; Sender:&nbsp;</span></b><a
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D=
"_blank">[email protected]</a><b><span
style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";color:maroon'>: Sat, 24 =
Sep
2011 21:35:15&nbsp;<br>
&gt; To: &lt;</span></b><a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]"
target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a><b><span style=3D'font=
-size:
9.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";color:maroon'>&gt;<br>
&gt; Reply-To:&nbsp;</span></b><a href=3D"mailto:sweng-gamedev@midnightryde=
r.com"
target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a><o:p></o:p></p>

<div>

<div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>
<b><span style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";color:maroon'>&=
gt;
Subject: Re: [Sweng-Gamedev] The entry competence level for graphics<br>
&gt; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; programmers<br>
<br>
&gt; _______________________________________________<br>
&gt; Sweng-Gamedev mailing list<br>
</span></b><a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]"
target=3D"_blank">&gt; [email protected]</a><br>
<a
href=3D"http://lists.midnightryder.com/listinfo.cgi/sweng-gamedev-midnightr=
yder.com"
target=3D"_blank"><b><span style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Courier Ne=
w";
color:red'>MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from
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<br>
<br>
<b><span style=3D'font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";color:maroon'>&=
gt;
_______________________________________________<br>
&gt; Sweng-Gamedev mailing list<br>
</span></b><a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]"
target=3D"_blank">&gt; [email protected]</a><br>
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<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

</div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><i><span style=3D'font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";col=
or:silver'>--&nbsp;<br>
Best regards,<br>
&nbsp;Alen &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></i><span style=3D'color:#888888'>=
<a
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">mailto:alenl-ml@crot=
eam.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>

</div>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>
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yder.com"
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

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