Right now I''m a Computer Science student at a university, and in about 1.5 years I''m going to graduate with a BS in Computer Science. My dream, like most everyone else on this site, is to be a game programmer. So I was wondering, what can I be doing now to make it more likely that I''ll be able to do that when I graduate? Yeah, I know I should program games 24 hours a day, learn graphics and APIs, yadda yadda. But I''m trying to find out, what is most important? What is going to help me get an entry-level job at a game development company? Any help would be sweet.

Ironside is correct. A demo is very important. You see, there are a lot of people who have ideas for games, but what this industry needs and what employers look for are people who also have the talent, skills, and commitment to see these ideas through to the end.

For every Programmer who wants to work in the gaming industry and creates a demo, there are many, many more who don’t create one. By creating a demo, you’re not only demonstrating your abilities but also your commitment.

Realize that getting a position within the gaming industry is going to take some work and it won’t happen overnight. Don’t take rejection personally and keep your head up when you finally start looking for a job. It took me about 3 years before I was able to land my first job. Since then, I have worked on six (6) published titles (3 on the PS1 and 3 on the PS2).

Also, I would look around at various game developer sites and see who they are looking for and what qualifications they are looking for in prospective employees. This you could even start now.

Try here for starters:

http://www.bighugegames.com/jobs/industryjobtips.html

Hope this helps.


[edited by - Web811 on February 7, 2003 6:37:47 PM]

Also, go to gamejobs.com so you can see what companies are looking for in experience, skills, etc.

Wow, good advice. Thanks for the helpful responses.