Game Over For Graduates?

[richard_cousins]

This Thursday I recieved my copy of 3D World Magazine as im sure many of you did. The two page article that really caught my eye was about how pressure group Games Up? blames poor teaching for the skills crisi in the Uk game devlopment.

This is expecially shitty for me as I have just finished my degree and so far over the last two months have been reject soo many times by games companies and 3D companies in general. Though the reason never seems to be that my work isnt good enough is that I dont have enough experience which begs the question where on earth to do you get it from if no one is willing to give you your first break.

I was wondering what your thoughts were on this topic and who the finger should be pointed at (well not pointed at but who can do the most to make the situation better), the universities, the students or the UK games industry itself.

[Ajial01]

It's a tough one and one of the main reasons that the games industry and 3d industry is so hard to break into, as you're experiencing. I myself have 1 year left of my degree and am not perticulaly bothered nor thinking about what happens when i graduate as I am lucky enough to have a relative that owns an advertising company and has contacts.

But you bring up a good point, how are you supposed to progress if nobody is willing to give you a break... well to answer that question you have to first look at why people are unwilling to give any old john doe a break, it's pretty simple. Making games costs money, alot of money. If i myself were looking to create a game i'd want to most experienced people I could find. The UK isn't known for having alot of big games studios (it has some, but not alot.. as far as im aware most HQs are in the US) so you'll be looking at smaller places. Smaller places dont tend to hire assistants or very low down people who make things like teapots and teapot cars, they want experienced people because they cant afford to have dead weight (Not that im saying you are, never seen your work nor do i know who you are, just saying as an example) but this doesnt help you.

My best advice (and this is second hand knowledge so feel free to correct me) is to just keep at it, come across motivated, eager to learn.. it's true it's hard to get experience without experience, which is why placement years *can* be helpful and often are, depends where you get a place offered (too late for you now) but there is no magic *do this8 as far as im aware, just keep at it, keep developing your skills and keep applying to places. Come across motivated and eager but dont go too far or you'll come across desperate, one thing i was told is never.


Basically you'll just have to keep trying until someone gives you a break, it will happen.. eventually... just be patient.



(Just to calirfy this is all second hand knowledge/opinions so if anyone says differently believe them!)


Edit: Where to point the finger? Well /rant mode on, ive been at university for 2 years and havent learnt a right lot from them directly, im a fast learner and find university too slow so tend to always be ahead as i race on and finish the book or whatever, but I feel that the standards have gone up in 3d, the basic knowledge you are expected to have is much higher then 3-4 years ago and as such universities need to increase their level of learning. I think some universities (mine for example) still teach what was considered advanced a few years ago but is pretty much common sense now.

[alrichards240]

i have also read the article and wonder where i stand. i'm self taught and follow alot of tutorials to try and get an all round balance of modeling, texturing, rigging, animation etc. im still in the early stages, in my opinion, but as you are graduate perhaps freelance work might work for you. there are plenty of cg sites which post for freelance positions, it might be an option you have not thought of. advice from others in the industry say this can be a good approach as it is the quality of your work which helps as opposed to experience. hope this helps. al

[Kristopher_Lee]

Freelance to get started. Build a client base, through that your name will get out, your reel of work you've done will increase and your talent will be wanted should any position open up at a studio for you. Or you could just give up.

[supertom44]

I read an article somewhere which was discussing the importance of specialising in one area rather than being a generalist, and i think thats one thing they touch on in the 3d world article.

[pixel_pie]

hey I'm in EXACTLY the same position as you mate, I've just finished a course which I'm starting to feel hasn't really prepared that well. I got top marks and was pretty much best in my year but I still am finding it really hard to land a job anywhere. I have got really close with a few companies now but they all say the same thing, need more experience, i even applied for a graduate position and it turned out they wanted experience, which doesn't make much sense to me really but there you go.

I've now started to go towards the web/casual games area but even that is proving difficult to get into. I mean i love the games industry with a passion and am dying to get started in it but i is starting to get very disheartening everything I hit the "need more experience" wall

as to who is to blame I think it's down to the tutors and the industry people, they need to be working together more closely trying to deliver a way of better preparing us graduates for what to expect. My tutors didn't have a clue most of the time and I had to teach myself the majority of it

[ragupasta]

Hey Richard.

My advice is to go to events such as Animex and other 3d/cg festivals, and try and network. Networking with people in the trade is a HUGE help in hand. Befriending people who work in the specific part of the industry is a must. Do you mod games, or work within a mod group? If not then do so, as thats always a good looker on a CV if you are an active modder and have success with it.

Oh and accept the fact that you are going to get turned down a lot of times, but dont let that discourage you in any way. Ive seen your work and its pretty tight. Get friendly and socialble, its a ace in the pack everyone needs imo.

[Naythan]

And there are side industries as well. Don't count out those who are looking for concepts in industrial design. I've done up a few concepts for a farmer friend who is building his own machinery. He needed me to build it in 3d, animate it for the "would-be buyers", and if it looked good enough to impress the big-wigs, it lands me a nice bonus! Which I got!! You never know where your next meal ticket may come from.

[Kristopher_Lee]

Thats good too. I was modeling dinos for my own personal project and stopped. I placed an ad online for a freelance looking for work and lo and behold, someone needed dinos modeled for a film. You never know. The whole thing is just getting your stuff out there. And I never went to school for modeling. Too bad I paid so much for animation school, grumble grumble.

[Ronzan]

Companies wanting experienced people is of course not only specific to the game industry.

I come from the "normal" / business software development industry, and I see the same pattern there.
When I am looking for new developers for projects, I also want the experienced people. There is (can be) allot of overhead in hiring fresh graduates and that costs money.

Now, I would say that the game industry is even more difficult to break into than the normal software industry - unless you are an outstanding genius at say A.I. or got a Phd. in pathfinding algorithms.
One of the reasons for this I can think of could be, that it is more appealing, interesting and fun to work on games rather than doing boring business applications with no special effects etc. Why do you want to get in? Take your pick ;-)

I am also trying to break in (as a developer though) - I have no game related education, but "only" 12 years of normal development experience. So the thing I am doing is to try and build a game related portfolio - as you are doing your 3D portfolio. I think the key here is to make it game related, as ragu said, do some modding or join an indie/hobby game project.

I'm sorry if I'm getting a little long-winded here - I got a few interesting links on the subject that I've found helpful:

The First Step - Getting a Game Industry Job: Part One - GameCareerGuide.com

Gamasutra - How to Get Started in the Game Industry - Part 1

You might need to create a gamasutra account to read the articles, it is free though.


Good luck in your search, I'm sure you will let us know when you succeed :-)