Getting Into Game industry

Game Design

Vishnu Kotrajaras, PhD

3 ways

Getting a job at a publisher or developer.

Pitching and selling an original idea to a publisher.

Producing your ideas independently.

Most game designers Get a job at an established company and

work their way up the ladder.– Learn about production, technologies, roles of the

team. – Then, when you have gained experience, you will

have a better chance of getting your ideas heard and you’ll know how to present your idea.

Once they have some experience, they may break off to start their own company, or pitch ideas internally to the company they work for.

Getting a job at a publisher or developer

Educate yourself– Before going to interview you must have:

• Solid knowledge of games and the game industry.

• Being able to articulate concepts in gameplay.• Knowing the history of games.• Know how the company you are applying fit

into the business of games.

Things that can help you to educate yourself Academic programs

– Degrees in game design:• NYU, USC, Carnegie Mellon are starting their programs.• DigiPen and Full Sail are schools specialized in placing people

in the game industry. • (EA are looking forward to hiring new recruits with degrees in

game.)• If you apply for a school, remember that a well-rounded

program may better prepare you than programs that teach tools and techniques.

• Studying subjects outside the field will give you additional perspective as a designer.

– But company still prefers people with technical skills anyway.

• So Computer Engineer and Computer Science students have the greatest advantage.

• But you should learn to use tools too:– Photoshop, Illustrator, 3D Studio Max, Maya, Macromedia

Shockwave and Flash, Microsoft Project.

educate yourself(2) Play games

– Play as many games as you can.

– Learn about their history and development.

– Analyzing their systems- this you must do, always, young Padawan.

– Try playing on other platforms, or even board and card game.

educate yourself(3) Design games and levels

– Good solid paper game prototypes and well written concept documents can form the basis for great portfolio.

– Try turning it into software prototypes.– When the company ask for your experience, show

your work and discuss the process of design, playtesting, and revision in detail.

– Building levels for existing games (especially for games of the company you are applying). Enter mod and level-making competitions.

Advice

Just try to get in first, any job will do. Once you get in, work hard and

volunteer to help out in any way you can. Learn everything you can. Prove yourself.

Prove yourself time and time again.

Advice(2)

Participate in newsgroup– news:comp.games.development.design– news:comp.games.development.industry– news:rec.games.design

Write a good resume– Mention your personal design projects, list

your prototypes, say about mods you made, game groups you’ve organized, newsgroup you participate in.

Advice(3) Prepare portfolio

– Samples of your writing and drawings.– Photos of your paper prototypes.– Flyers, newspaper clippings.– Photos from game events you organized.– Anything that shows off your creativity and your desirability

as a job candidate.– Should fit 0.5” flexible three-ring binder. (yes it shouldn’t be

too thick. 20 sheets maximum) Protect the paper by encasing it with sheet protectors.

– Make copies of your portfolio, so you can give one to the company to look at.

– Put best things at front (interviewer often looks at only the first few pages).

– Don’t put complete design in there. It’s against the law to receive game concepts without signed agreements.

Advice(4)– Put any programs you made on a CD, ready to be given away.

Make target list of the company you want to apply.– You must be prepared to move to where the company is located.

Read about the companies you are interested– Product lines.– Stock.– Is it publicly owned?

Contact the target companies– have multiple companies to contact.– Find out the name of a person to contact at each company.– If you now someone who knows someone at a company, ask him

whom you should send your resume to.– You need a name to put at the top of each cover letter

• If you do not know anything, call the company and ask the name of the person in charge of the game production department or the name of the human resource head.

Advice(5)

Write a good cover letter– Find out how to write it on the internet.– Your cover letter should showcase your creativity

and your communication skills.– Mention the games you’ve created on your own. – Find out what job openings are available, figure

out which opening is suited to your skills and interests, then write that as the job you are applying for.

Advice(6)

Mail the resume and cover letter– If you do not live in the area of the company, mail them to

the person mentioned earlier.– Otherwise, call the person and request an interview.– If you mailed, follow up with a phone call a week or so later,

ask the person if the package is received.– Prepare to pay your own plane ticket.– When speaking on the phone, be your normal self.

• Don’t say you want to come in for a job interview.• Just ask if you could come to introduce yourself, you are

interested in learning about the game industry, you are a university graduate, you’ve done some stuff on your own, and you’d appreciate a short chat.

Advice(7)

The interview– Do not wear a suit (nobody wears it at a game

company apart from top executives).– Wear clean clothes, long trousers, with shoes and

socks.– Bring 2-3 copies of your resume, portfolio, and

cover letter.– Be eager, attentive, charming.– The company is looking for hard working, smart,

capable communicator.

Advice(8) Show your portfolio if possible

– At a sensible point in a conversation, show samples of your work.

– Sample game concept is risky• If the company later produces the game that is similar to your

concept, you can sue the company.• So the company will be very unhappy if you present it in the

interview.• So, you should put your designs on your own web. This would

make it “public”. You should tell the interviewer about this as soon as possible.

• It’s unlikely that anybody will steal your idea and make the game without you.

• It’s also unlikely they’ll take your idea an make a game with you.

– Do not expect the interviewer to look at it. If you have the opportunity to show it, it’s great. But if not, do not be upset.

Advice(9) After the interview

– If it didn’t go very well• Just spend a few minutes thinking of what you could have done

to make it better, then use that knowledge in your next interview.

• Send thank you notes to the people who interviewed you – within 24 hours of the interview.– One page max.– Each note must be specifically written for the individual. (so you

should get the business cards of all the interviewers)– Take note about the person or people who interviewed you right

after the interview so you recall details for personalizing the letters.

– The purpose of the note is to restate why you are a good candidate and to answer any potential objections you may have heard from the individual during the interview.

– Careful about writing error.– Go for other interviews.

Getting a job at a publisher or developer(2)

Know the industry– Books, magazines, web.

Networking– Getting out and meeting people within the

industry.– Going to industry-related events.– Attending conferences and conventions.– Talk to people in the industry through the internet.– Getting introductions via friends or relatives who

know people in the industry.

Networking Organizations. You should join

– International Game Developers Association (IGDA)

• This is an organization for everyone in the game industry, not just programmers.

• Find one near you at www.igda.org/chapters• Chapter often hold events, lectures, and other

opportunities to MEET people.• You have to pay some money ($35 for people

from developing countries), but there is a student rate.

Networking(2)

Conferences– Game Developers Conference– E3– You can meet people from all levels and

areas.– Lectures, seminars: you can access top

talents easily here. But do not push it.

Networking(3) Internet and e-mail

– Forums in IGDA.org– Gamasutra.com– Company webs (they are very unlikely to reply because lots of

people mail them too.).– Find out who is the producer or line producer on a particular game

title, and try to get introduction to this person. This is better than contacting HR manager. If you cannot get a personal introduction, try to find his email and contact him directly.

• Before writing an email to him, study the person’s background and the game he’s worked on.

• Personalized your email to him based on your research.• A little knowledge and a well-written introduction to yourself and why you

are contacting him can prove useful.• If he responds, even though there is no job, you’ll have made a contact

and can introduce yourself in person at the next event to come.• Do not expect a reply, because many people will be doing the same as

you.• If you keep sending (not too much), your chance will increase anyway.

– You may have to meet people several times at events and follow up with them each time before opportunities open up.

– You’ll learn a lot from mingling with the people anyway.

Getting a job at a publisher or developer(3)

Starting at the bottom– Art and programming people have starting

position.– If you want to be a game designer, the best

job you can get is an assistant designer or a level designer (but it is very unlikely you’ll get these jobs).

– Many designers work as a programmer first.

Starting at the bottom Summer intern

– Not paid– Make sure the company won’t use you for photocopying

only. QA

– Low pay + long hours– But it’s a good way to start because QA will know all the

development teams.– You get to see the game as it evolves.– Dedicate to your work, but communicate to your managers

and co-workers the path you hope to take (don’t be pushy though)

– Invite colleagues to see your work as a game designer.– You will have to do 2 jobs before fully moving up, without

extra payment. So you must be willing to work hard.

Pitching and selling an original idea to a publisher.

This is usually after you have some experience in the industry.

Publishers are more likely to fund ideas from experienced team. But do not give up, if the idea is good, the publisher will know.

You must also have solid project plan.

Pitching and selling an original idea to a publisher(2) If you are networking well, you’ll find someone who

can get you a meeting. If not, start researching publishers and find a way to

meet them at the next industry event.– GDC– E3

Try contacting them first and suggesting a meeting. Another way is to use a game agent.

– Agent signs contract with you to represent you to their contacts in the industry.

– Agent works together with your lawyer.– You pay a percentage of your fee you get from publisher.– Agents are unlikely to be interested in you if you are a

beginner.

Pitch fact

Publishers receive thousands of submission a year. Less than 4% got published. The odds like this are normal. Reject because the game is too hard to do

technically. Reject because they do not want to take risks with a

newbie. They usually have their idea ready anyway. So it helps to be known in the industry in the first

place.

Pitch process Get to someone who reviews third party submissions.

– On publisher web.– Or call switchboard asking for “third party product

acquisition”– Don’t be surprised if your phone calls don’t get returned.

Keep on doing. Prepare to sign a submission agreement or

confidentiality agreement.– The idea you are presenting may be in development already,

or may already be submitted by another developer.– Sign that you will not sue the company if they make similar

product without you.– It looks unfair. But they do it like that in the industry, so you

must sign.

Pitch process(2)

Pitch in person– Sometimes the publishers will request to

review the materials on their own first.– Wear clean, new clothes. You do not have

to wear a suit. 4-16 weeks in pitching

– Make a checklist of every publisher you contact.

Pitch materials They will look at

– Your team– Your creative materials– Your schedule and budget

1. Sell sheet2. Game demo3. Game AVI4. Game design overview5. Company prospectus6. Gameplay storyboards7. Powerpoint presentation8. Technical design overview9. Competitive analysis

Sell sheet Explain your target market.

– Game title– Genre– Number of players– Platform– Ship date– Two paragraph description– Bullet point list of features– Some game art

Game demo

Most important The publisher must get to evaluate the

final gameplay. Includes:

– A level– Quality artwork and sound– Easy interface

Game AVI

If you can’t produce a demo, this is the next best thing.

Shows – characters– Gameplay– Some use storyboards and narration.

Game design overview

Design explanation, without excessive details. Game story Game mechanics Level design outline Controls Interface Art style Music style Feature list Preliminary milestone schedule List of team members with short bios

Company prospectus

Talk about the managers in your company and team members.

It’s a company resume.1. Company info, including location, project

history, proven abilities.2. Details: technologies used, number of

employees in each department.3. Titles in development.4. Titles shipped (including platform info).5. Full team bios.

storyboards

Still images from your game. Can be in sketch form, can mix. Nice to have in paper form too, so the

executives can review your work even when they are away from their PCs.

Visual walkthrough of a gameplay with text explanations.

Play control diagrams. Character profiles.

powerpoint

Compiling key visuals and points. One person inside publisher may want

to use this to tell his colleagues.

Technical design overview

How your tech. works. Intended development path. Complete, but also accessible to non-engineer.1. General overview2. Engine description3. Tools description4. Hardware used5. History of code base6. Middleware used, if any

Competitive analysis

Titles you are competing against. Summary of your concept’s market

position. Reason for success. Pros and cons of competitive titles, with

sales figures if you can get them.

Psychology of the pitch

Submissions must be complete and professional.

Your in-person presentation should be 30-60 minutes long, no longer than this.

Sleep well the day before you pitch. Do not take rejection personally. Even if you fail (likely to fail the first times),

you will learn and improve when you meet the next publisher.

What happens after the pitch Ask them when you should expect a preliminary response to

your pitch. – This will set your own expectations for the response– And the publisher’s expectation that you intend to follow up.

Follow up with a thank you email immediately after your pitch, and provide any materials that were requested during the meeting.

If the publisher is interested, they will get back to you quickly. But they can be busy too.

If you do not receive a response after 10 days, contact the person who set up your meeting– One email and one phone call per week (no more than this).

If they like it, they’ll send a letter of intent. Sign the final contract. (project can be canceled anytime up to

this point)– Do not use any money you expect until the contract is done, or

you’ll lose the money.

Independent production Produce and distribute on your own. Hardest route to take. Usually, you have to do other jobs or work for

hire to support your game project. Some even loans from friends and families. Example: gameLab www.gmlb.com Produce a game (with your own money) and

wait for publisher to pick up.– You get a good deal. And publisher takes less risk

because the game is finished. But in reality, no publisher comes.

– Must sell on the net.