Introduction

Overview

There is a growing distinction among those who choose to create computer games in the modern day: those who make them largely for profit and those who make them largely because of passion. It is perhaps better to belong to neither category exclusively. Making games for profit alone typically leads to rushed and unreliable products, while creating games solely for passion breeds an air of perfectionism that is prohibitive to completing projects. But the divide between such modes of thinking represents in its essence the same difference between those who see their occupation as a job and those who see it as a vocation. For whatever reasons the reader chooses to pursue game development, in order to become an excellent developer rather than simply average I believe it is important to see games as a passion rather than as a means to get rich quick. It is therefore with this frame of mind I hope the reader approaches this book and considers the information contained in the following pages.

One of the largest and most perplexing hurdles anyone new to the game industry faces when applying for a job is unquestionably one of experience. Many companies, regardless of type, do not entirely seem to appreciate a great many of the disheartening paradoxes introduced to the newcomer by their recruitment programs. Scanning the game job listings will reveal that in order to secure a game development position, previous experience is inevitably required, but in order to get that experience one needs to be given opportunities. Yet, opportunities are primarily offered only to those with experience. How then is a newcomer with a great many academic and intellectual talents but no previous experience to proceed with such a problem?

To this there are several solutions that vary in terms of practicalities and finance. To those for whom finance is not an issue or those who can secure an initial investment in terms of time and money, it might be possible to start your own company and pursue your own ideas. To those not so inclined, who might have come fresh from college or who are currently students, a recommended course of action is to examine books like these and learn for yourself the intricacies of game making in order to create demos and portfolios exhibiting your work. Many will find these demos will speak volumes for you in comparison to those who have graduated but have no work to show. It is a strategy that cannot guarantee a job in the game industry, but one that certainly cannot be seen as harmful to the progress of a career. For this reason, a reader has little to lose and a lot to gain by following this course of action, and I hope this book is one step of many that will help you toward your goals in the world of game development.