Friday, October 27, 2006
Reminder: VGXPO!
Just a quick reminder: if you're in Philadelphia this weekend, come to the VGXPO and look for me. I look just like the profile picture in the upper-left. And I'll be wearing orange, of course.
If you're attending the Game Career Seminar, my networking talk is on Sunday morning. It's gonna be a fun session, I guarantee.
If you're attending the Game Career Seminar, my networking talk is on Sunday morning. It's gonna be a fun session, I guarantee.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Jeff On Schools
My man Jeff Ward has an article up on Game Career Guide about choosing the right game development school. It's a very good article. If you're looking at game schools, you should definitely read it.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
GDC07 Sessions
So a lot of the information for GDC 2007 sessions was recently posted. I quickly went through the list of sessions and picked out the ones I'm going to attend and briefly outlined why. I was going to put it all here on the blog, but you can just see it for yourself on my del.icio.us account.
Most of the sessions I chose because I've enjoyed past presentations by the presenters. At this point in my GDC-attending career, it's hard to avoid!
Most of the sessions I chose because I've enjoyed past presentations by the presenters. At this point in my GDC-attending career, it's hard to avoid!
Labels: gdc
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Effective Networking (Be Selfless)
Networking is about being opportunistic.
But it's not about being selfish. If anything, it's the opposite.
Create the Conditions
I'll side track with a brief story. There's a screenplay by Robert Anton Wilson called The Walls Came Tumbling Down. Not one of his better works, but one part has stuck with me since I read it in '97. The main character goes from being a scientist to being this super-wise shaman guy. By the end of the book, everyone thinks he's a real magician. Someone asks him how he's able to make all this crazy stuff happen, and his response is something along the lines of, "I don't make anything happen. I just create the conditions."
I couldn't have put it better myself: excellent networkers create conditions.
Don't ask for a job. Create the conditions so that you inevitably get recommended to potential employers. Don't suck up to people. Create the conditions so that they have no choice but to genuinely like you. Don't waste your time waiting in line to speak to someone famous for five seconds. Create the conditions so that you get invited to dinner with them.
And you create these conditions by being selfless.
Being Selfless, or, Being Globally Selfish
When I try to illustrate weak ties, I often use the example where there are ten people you know, but not very well at all. But you know that one of them is a guy who does research on serious games. And you know that another one is thinking of getting into that sector. You introduce them, and all of a sudden you have their gratitude. And you did nothing but send them both a brief email.
This is the kind of selflessness that I'm talking about. You're helping others without getting anything tangible in return. I suppose you could say it's selfish, but it's sort of like saying that the guy who volunteers at the soup kitchen is selfish because volunteering makes him feel good.
As Darren once said to me, "You just expand your sense of self so broadly that all acts become selfish."
This is why I don't disagree when people say that networking is about being opportunistic. I just make sure to let them know that it's about seizing opportunities for other people every bit as much as it is about seizing opportunities for yourself.
But it's not about being selfish. If anything, it's the opposite.
Create the Conditions
I'll side track with a brief story. There's a screenplay by Robert Anton Wilson called The Walls Came Tumbling Down. Not one of his better works, but one part has stuck with me since I read it in '97. The main character goes from being a scientist to being this super-wise shaman guy. By the end of the book, everyone thinks he's a real magician. Someone asks him how he's able to make all this crazy stuff happen, and his response is something along the lines of, "I don't make anything happen. I just create the conditions."
I couldn't have put it better myself: excellent networkers create conditions.
Don't ask for a job. Create the conditions so that you inevitably get recommended to potential employers. Don't suck up to people. Create the conditions so that they have no choice but to genuinely like you. Don't waste your time waiting in line to speak to someone famous for five seconds. Create the conditions so that you get invited to dinner with them.
And you create these conditions by being selfless.
Being Selfless, or, Being Globally Selfish
When I try to illustrate weak ties, I often use the example where there are ten people you know, but not very well at all. But you know that one of them is a guy who does research on serious games. And you know that another one is thinking of getting into that sector. You introduce them, and all of a sudden you have their gratitude. And you did nothing but send them both a brief email.
This is the kind of selflessness that I'm talking about. You're helping others without getting anything tangible in return. I suppose you could say it's selfish, but it's sort of like saying that the guy who volunteers at the soup kitchen is selfish because volunteering makes him feel good.
As Darren once said to me, "You just expand your sense of self so broadly that all acts become selfish."
This is why I don't disagree when people say that networking is about being opportunistic. I just make sure to let them know that it's about seizing opportunities for other people every bit as much as it is about seizing opportunities for yourself.
Labels: networking
Oh No! Lik-Sang Going Out of Business
Lik-Sang has always been my #1 favorite retailer for weird imports, specifically for hardware like DualShock to USB converters, and GBA Flash Cart burners, indispensable for my homebrew work. Their customer service and shipping was always great, and I trusted them as online retailers.
But now they're going out of business. Sony had filed a bunch of lawsuits against them, because Lik-Sang sold PSPs from Asia to European customers. These lawsuits were upheld, and Lik-Sang can no longer do business.
This is sad. I hate how selling something between regions of the world makes you a criminal in the eyes of the corporations who push globalization, yet have profit to gain from market segmentation.
Do any of you readers have suggestions for another vendor of similar products? I'm going to do some DS homebrew work soon, and I'm going to need to buy some hardware.
But now they're going out of business. Sony had filed a bunch of lawsuits against them, because Lik-Sang sold PSPs from Asia to European customers. These lawsuits were upheld, and Lik-Sang can no longer do business.
This is sad. I hate how selling something between regions of the world makes you a criminal in the eyes of the corporations who push globalization, yet have profit to gain from market segmentation.
Do any of you readers have suggestions for another vendor of similar products? I'm going to do some DS homebrew work soon, and I'm going to need to buy some hardware.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Game Tools for the Blind
Through Kestrell, I discovered some news about Audio Game Maker, which is a "game building environment for the blind" slated for release in February 2007. Specifically, this is an accessible tool that enables blind users to create audio-based games.
What's interesting to me is that the tool itself is accessible, which implies that if anyone out there is going to make great games for the blind, it's going to be blind game developers. This is probably true: most game developers don't consider accessibility at all! While you might say that it makes sense to ignore it from a business perspective, consider the fact that somewhere between 5% and 10% of males are color blind. How many games out there rely on color-matching puzzles in some form? How many of them let the user remap colors to ones that they can actually differentiate?
Anyway, I look forward to seeing (and trying out) the tool when it's released.
What's interesting to me is that the tool itself is accessible, which implies that if anyone out there is going to make great games for the blind, it's going to be blind game developers. This is probably true: most game developers don't consider accessibility at all! While you might say that it makes sense to ignore it from a business perspective, consider the fact that somewhere between 5% and 10% of males are color blind. How many games out there rely on color-matching puzzles in some form? How many of them let the user remap colors to ones that they can actually differentiate?
Anyway, I look forward to seeing (and trying out) the tool when it's released.
Stupid Game Companies (Part 3,622 of a Series)
Holy crap. Look at that. Konami now owns the In The Groove IP because Roxor Games, the makers of ITG, apparently modded DDR arcade machines to be ITG machines. To quote Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: "What the?" I wish I could find more details than that, but what a stupid, stupid move on Roxor's part.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Danc on Development
Danc has written a great post on why waterfall production methodology doesn't work. He knocks out a bunch of myths, although I feel like some of them should be qualified.
For instance, he argues that lengthy waterfall-style pre-production is a vice, and that you should just get cracking on your prototypes. I agree with this sentiment, but I also consider prototyping part of good pre-production! Some people would argue that if you're building something, you're in production, but I disagree: if everyone agrees that what you're building is a throwaway prototype just to test out an idea, then it's not actual production, because none of that code will end up in the final game.
He also says that there shouldn't be a lone designer who owns the project. I agree, but I also caution that there should be an actual design lead who may not have the sole vision for the game, but is smart enough and understands enough to be the final decision-maker when there's a design problem. (Ideally your focus statement is clear enough that the design lead can just point to it, but there will always be gray areas that require a hard decision.)
For instance, he argues that lengthy waterfall-style pre-production is a vice, and that you should just get cracking on your prototypes. I agree with this sentiment, but I also consider prototyping part of good pre-production! Some people would argue that if you're building something, you're in production, but I disagree: if everyone agrees that what you're building is a throwaway prototype just to test out an idea, then it's not actual production, because none of that code will end up in the final game.
He also says that there shouldn't be a lone designer who owns the project. I agree, but I also caution that there should be an actual design lead who may not have the sole vision for the game, but is smart enough and understands enough to be the final decision-maker when there's a design problem. (Ideally your focus statement is clear enough that the design lead can just point to it, but there will always be gray areas that require a hard decision.)
How Not to Run a Game Company
They started with good intentions... and then it all went wrong. Specifically check out page 2 of the article, where they talk about "floating" the company (I am fairly certain this is UK terminology for going public with an IPO).
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Connections!
So they've posted the speaker schedule for the Game Career Seminar where I'm speaking at the end of the month. My friend Coray is on the list of speakers. Some of you might remember him from nVidia bus hijinx. My 20-year-old self would not have guessed that in 2006 I'd be speaking at a conference with that dude I was trapped on a bus with!
Monday, October 09, 2006
Effective Networking (Community Service)
Let's say you are a lowly student. You have snagged no internships. You hardly know any game developers. Fret not: there is a relatively easy solution to all of this. I'll get around to it in a bit.
What You Have
You say you're willing to do whatever it takes to get into the game industry. What's the one thing that you as a student have that most professional game developers do not?
Free time.
You might balk. "I have classes and exams and labs and blah blah blah blah blah." I don't care. You are not crunching 70 hours a week. Nor are you probably spending 40 hours a week on classes and homework.
You possess time, the most precious of all resources, and willpower, the thing that transforms time from potential into reality. Do not underestimate this facet of what you have to offer.
What You Can Do
Volunteer. There are many organizations within the game industry that are looking for volunteers. Not to do direct game development work, but to help out the organization itself. The best example I can think of is the International Game Developers Association (IGDA). The IGDA is often looking for web developers and other volunteers. In fact, they maintain a page with some volunteering info. The IGDA is important within the industry and getting more important every year. You could offer to help out one of the individual Special Interest Groups (SIGs) or local chapters.
There are other groups, like Manifesto Games, which has been running on the efforts of a lot of volunteers in addition to their core paid staff. Also, as Ian notes in the comments, getting into a (preferably closed) beta for a game is a really great way to show developers you mean business. Report bugs really well and give good, civil feedback and you'll be rewarded with anything from swag to a job.
If you can help out with the IGDA or some similar group, even in a small way, you'll get to put it on your resume. But even more important is that you will get to work with the people who coordinate the group, who are often professional game developers. And if you do a really good job, they will like you for it.
By serving the game development community, you can help get your name out there. I'm not saying this is a silver bullet, but it's a great thing to do especially if you find yourself with an internship-free summer of nothing planned out ahead of you. You'll build weak ties, probably some strong ties, build up your resume, maybe learn a few skills, and definitely learn a lot about the organization that you're helping.
It's a win-win situation for you and the organization. Serve your community!
(And then keep it up once you're a developer, too!)
What You Have
You say you're willing to do whatever it takes to get into the game industry. What's the one thing that you as a student have that most professional game developers do not?
Free time.
You might balk. "I have classes and exams and labs and blah blah blah blah blah." I don't care. You are not crunching 70 hours a week. Nor are you probably spending 40 hours a week on classes and homework.
You possess time, the most precious of all resources, and willpower, the thing that transforms time from potential into reality. Do not underestimate this facet of what you have to offer.
What You Can Do
Volunteer. There are many organizations within the game industry that are looking for volunteers. Not to do direct game development work, but to help out the organization itself. The best example I can think of is the International Game Developers Association (IGDA). The IGDA is often looking for web developers and other volunteers. In fact, they maintain a page with some volunteering info. The IGDA is important within the industry and getting more important every year. You could offer to help out one of the individual Special Interest Groups (SIGs) or local chapters.
There are other groups, like Manifesto Games, which has been running on the efforts of a lot of volunteers in addition to their core paid staff. Also, as Ian notes in the comments, getting into a (preferably closed) beta for a game is a really great way to show developers you mean business. Report bugs really well and give good, civil feedback and you'll be rewarded with anything from swag to a job.
If you can help out with the IGDA or some similar group, even in a small way, you'll get to put it on your resume. But even more important is that you will get to work with the people who coordinate the group, who are often professional game developers. And if you do a really good job, they will like you for it.
By serving the game development community, you can help get your name out there. I'm not saying this is a silver bullet, but it's a great thing to do especially if you find yourself with an internship-free summer of nothing planned out ahead of you. You'll build weak ties, probably some strong ties, build up your resume, maybe learn a few skills, and definitely learn a lot about the organization that you're helping.
It's a win-win situation for you and the organization. Serve your community!
(And then keep it up once you're a developer, too!)
Labels: networking
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Networking 101 @ VGXPO, October 30 -Past-
I'm going to be giving a talk on effective networking at the Game Career Seminar at VGXPO in Philadelphia on October 28 and 29. I'm working on making the talk as interactive as possible for a big lecture hall. It's going to be a challenge, but I look forward to it. And if you happen to be attending the seminar or the expo, leave a comment here and find me at the event! I love chatting with my loyal (or not-so-loyal) readers.
On a related note, I just happened upon a great blog post from Suw Charman on how to become a conference speaker. Although it's also got great advice on how to be an active participant in a conference community, and not a passive conference-goer. A lot of my coworkers who have been to GDC don't understand why I love it so much, and I think a key part of it is that I try to be active: if I just attended sessions and hung out with people I already knew, I don't think I'd enjoy myself half as much. The other key part of it is that my coworkers are clearly crazy: GDC is awesome.
On a related note, I just happened upon a great blog post from Suw Charman on how to become a conference speaker. Although it's also got great advice on how to be an active participant in a conference community, and not a passive conference-goer. A lot of my coworkers who have been to GDC don't understand why I love it so much, and I think a key part of it is that I try to be active: if I just attended sessions and hung out with people I already knew, I don't think I'd enjoy myself half as much. The other key part of it is that my coworkers are clearly crazy: GDC is awesome.
Labels: networking, speaking
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Help Robert Anton Wilson
I try to keep a laser focus on gaming here, but screw that.
Robert Anton Wilson is sick and dying. And he's broke and can't afford medical care. He's asking for donations, and you can get details on his website.
Wilson had a profound effect on me. I would be a completely different (probably worse) person from who I am today if I hadn't read The Illuminatus! Trilogy at the age of 12. Before I properly hit puberty, I learned about reality tunnels, general semantics, Theosophy, Bucky Fuller, and lots of other stuff. I learned to be open-minded, for real, not the fake open-mindedness we're taught by society.
Here are some of my favorite articles of his:
Information Doubling
E-Prime (general semantics)
3 great articles from Cosmic Trigger III
Donate and help him out! Or don't. It's a free universe.
Robert Anton Wilson is sick and dying. And he's broke and can't afford medical care. He's asking for donations, and you can get details on his website.
Wilson had a profound effect on me. I would be a completely different (probably worse) person from who I am today if I hadn't read The Illuminatus! Trilogy at the age of 12. Before I properly hit puberty, I learned about reality tunnels, general semantics, Theosophy, Bucky Fuller, and lots of other stuff. I learned to be open-minded, for real, not the fake open-mindedness we're taught by society.
Here are some of my favorite articles of his:
Information Doubling
E-Prime (general semantics)
3 great articles from Cosmic Trigger III
Donate and help him out! Or don't. It's a free universe.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Mantra / Focus Statement
Jurie posted some comments on Rob Pardo's keynote at AGC (write-up of the keynote here). For those of you who don't know, Pardo is Blizzard's lead game designer for WoW.
Blizzard builds a design culture at their company exactly the way I want to. You have core mantras that outline your style, and you stick to those mantras. This is related to the Getting Real philosophy of running a software company. It's also how Harvey Smith and Richard Rouse III work, as I've written about before (Importance of Having a Focus Statement).
I swear that the first thing I'm going to do when I'm running a game company is figure out our corporate mantras, and the mantra for each of our projects, and put them up on the wall. Again, whenever anybody is having an argument about anything, they should be able to look at the wall and say, "Oh. We're trying to invoke X and Y, but our corporate philosophy is 'Simpler is Better.' I guess choice A is the right move here."
Finally, having a well-defined corporate mantra or ethos can help create a strong, unique sense of style unifying all of a company's products. Blizzard definitely has this going on. For a startling non-games example, check out 37Signals' many excellent simple software services.
(In the same post, Jurie also has a lot of great stuff to say about the process of polish, too. Particularly, he notes that while unpolished prototypes are excellent internal communication tools, a polished prototype can win over external parties.)
Blizzard builds a design culture at their company exactly the way I want to. You have core mantras that outline your style, and you stick to those mantras. This is related to the Getting Real philosophy of running a software company. It's also how Harvey Smith and Richard Rouse III work, as I've written about before (Importance of Having a Focus Statement).
I swear that the first thing I'm going to do when I'm running a game company is figure out our corporate mantras, and the mantra for each of our projects, and put them up on the wall. Again, whenever anybody is having an argument about anything, they should be able to look at the wall and say, "Oh. We're trying to invoke X and Y, but our corporate philosophy is 'Simpler is Better.' I guess choice A is the right move here."
Finally, having a well-defined corporate mantra or ethos can help create a strong, unique sense of style unifying all of a company's products. Blizzard definitely has this going on. For a startling non-games example, check out 37Signals' many excellent simple software services.
(In the same post, Jurie also has a lot of great stuff to say about the process of polish, too. Particularly, he notes that while unpolished prototypes are excellent internal communication tools, a polished prototype can win over external parties.)
