Thread: Question.

  1. #1
    Registered User GamerProduction's Avatar
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    Question.

    Any ideas about jobs? Exactly, what im trying to say is what do you need to work in a Game company. Let's say blizzard, what do you need to learn to work in blizzard?Or any others company. All i'm learning now is C++.

    Thank's.

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  3. #3
    semi-colon generator ChaosEngine's Avatar
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    hey, that's me! I have all those requirement-y things!
    I should go work for blizzard. then I could torture world of warcraft geeks.

    hmmm wonder if they'd let me work remotely from NZ?
    "I saw a sign that said 'Drink Canada Dry', so I started"
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    If you program in C++, you need Boost. You should also know how to use the Standard Library (STL). Want to make games? After reading this, I don't like WxWidgets anymore. Want to add some scripting to your App?

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    pwns nooblars
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    Keep in mind most programming jobs want to see a degree and/or a portfolio displaying your knowledge. Companies like Blizzard can pick and choose between MANY programmer who apply so you have to show yourself as above the rest. Higher quality code, that is well documented and has been deployed somewhere and is in use is pretty much a requirement for any midrange+ gaming company.

  5. #5
    semi-colon generator ChaosEngine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wraithan View Post
    Keep in mind most programming jobs want to see a degree and/or a portfolio displaying your knowledge. Companies like Blizzard can pick and choose between MANY programmer who apply so you have to show yourself as above the rest. Higher quality code, that is well documented and has been deployed somewhere and is in use is pretty much a requirement for any midrange+ gaming company.
    yeah, they also want you to be in the same country as the rest of the team too. bastards!


    but yeah, if you want to be a game programmer, my advice is to start writing games. Focus on whatever aspect of game development you think you'd be good at. If you're a graphics guy, make a nice showy engine with lots of wizzy effects. If you're a systems guy, write a simple game (e.g. a tetris clone) but make it all modular and scalable (2-player network tetris, anyone?). and if you're a game logic/designer type, you have the hardest challenge of all. Try coming up with a simple yet innovative game.

    Do not attempt to make quake 6 or doom 7 or half-life2: episode pi. You will fail miserably (unless you happen to have several million and a large development team lying around, in which case, why are you applying for a job?) and you'll get disheartened.

    Whatever you make you should package it with a working executable, some design docs and whatever source and resources you need for it. Finally, your game should build in one click. Employers are not interested in following a set of instructions to build something.
    Last edited by ChaosEngine; 04-15-2007 at 11:28 PM.
    "I saw a sign that said 'Drink Canada Dry', so I started"
    -- Brendan Behan

    Free Compiler: Visual C++ 2005 Express
    If you program in C++, you need Boost. You should also know how to use the Standard Library (STL). Want to make games? After reading this, I don't like WxWidgets anymore. Want to add some scripting to your App?

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    the hat of redundancy hat nvoigt's Avatar
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    The Blizzard job ad sounded fine. Reasonable requirements and all, but when I saw the last line I wondered if Americans and Europeans are really that different or if Blizzard just has enough power to demand what no one else would dare to ask for.

    Please send code samples in text files as well as a cover letter, resume and salary history
    They want a salary history ? In Germany, the salary is between me and my employer, most of the time, the contract even contains a clause to not speak about it with anyone else. Concerning etiquette, asking for a salary history is about as accepted as farting in my face in an interview. Are cultures that different or is Blizzard just nuts ?
    hth
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    Ecologist
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    Quote Originally Posted by GamerProduction View Post
    Any ideas about jobs? Exactly, what im trying to say is what do you need to work in a Game company. Let's say blizzard, what do you need to learn to work in blizzard?Or any others company. All i'm learning now is C++.

    Thank's.
    If you go work for Blizzard... buff druids and nerf warlocks. Limey bastards.
    Staying away from General.

  8. #8
    Lurking whiteflags's Avatar
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    It's probably not as bad as you're thinking, nvoigt. Although the way they worded it makes it sound like an odd request, in America, a lot of people will discuss their pay during the interview process, especially if you are a skilled worker. "How much are you expecting to earn?" is a common question (if they don't make an offer first), and one way to answer is to discuss your last job's wages. Most of the time it's an off-hand question so they can offer you a competitive wage, though, and nothing in exhaustive detail.

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    Lean Mean Coding Machine KONI's Avatar
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    If you browse on the european website, you'll notice that they don't ask for salary information.

  10. #10
    Registered User VirtualAce's Avatar
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    Actually asking for pay requirements in the resume and application process is a trick American companies use to get you to undermine your own worth. If you say 25,000 and they were really gonna pay 45,000 - they will probably only pay you 30000 to 35000. Sad to say but it's true. Best thing to say when they ask for salary is commensurate which means you expect to be paid the same amount as someone else with similar skills as you. This is the safe road and does not lock you into a certain number. If the application is online and the text box does not allow letters your best bet is to do some research on the net concerning salaries for the job you are applying for in the region the job is in for an employee at your approximate skill level.

  11. #11
    the hat of redundancy hat nvoigt's Avatar
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    Asking what you expect to be paid is perfectly reasonable here, it's just the history that turned me off. What I earned before that particular job is none of their business, only what I expect from this job is important. Anyway, obviously this is a difference between the US and Europe
    hth
    -nv

    She was so Blonde, she spent 20 minutes looking at the orange juice can because it said "Concentrate."

    When in doubt, read the FAQ.
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  12. #12
    Ecologist
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    Quote Originally Posted by nvoigt View Post
    Asking what you expect to be paid is perfectly reasonable here, it's just the history that turned me off. What I earned before that particular job is none of their business, only what I expect from this job is important. Anyway, obviously this is a difference between the US and Europe
    So you agree with me then. Druids need buffs. Sweet.
    Staying away from General.

  13. #13
    Supermassive black hole cboard_member's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ethic View Post
    So you agree with me then. Druids need buffs. Sweet.
    ... Are you still in Aussie? I haven't been to ES for a long, long time.
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  14. #14
    Ecologist
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    Quote Originally Posted by ahluka View Post
    ... Are you still in Aussie? I haven't been to ES for a long, long time.
    I was in New Zealand. I've been back for almost two months now.
    Staying away from General.

  15. #15
    geek SilentStrike's Avatar
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    I work in the US as a software engineer.

    The cultures really are that different. I have a German coworker; he is constantly surprised by the amount of personal information employers gather. For example, before getting a job, my employer checked my credit history.
    Prove you can code in C++ or C# at TopCoder, referrer rrenaud
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