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The obligatory "Guy (Not OP) thinks he knows more than industry folk" thread...
- Thread starter twinturbo2
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Iaido Sword
Banned
Google the words Game Design School and it should be the very top sponsored link. =DRyder said:What school would that be?
Make a mod, or get on a team making a mod. Knowing everything that goes into a mod is almost 75% of what you need to know to make a game.
This is the advice I give everyone who is trying to break into the industry. I've hired junior people who have come to the interview with strong modding skills and a mod to show for it, with no other industry experience.
Taking a testing job with impressive modding experience can go a long way. It'll also show if you have the chops to make it.
This is the advice I give everyone who is trying to break into the industry. I've hired junior people who have come to the interview with strong modding skills and a mod to show for it, with no other industry experience.
Taking a testing job with impressive modding experience can go a long way. It'll also show if you have the chops to make it.
Iaido Sword
Banned
?_?Ryder said:
beat
Member
element said:
There are writing-specific design jobs on Gamasutra. I think Telltale just offered one. Element is right, though, it's unlikely you'll get a job like that without scripting or level design experience.
Or you could be a dialogue guy. My last job, we outsourced the actual dialogue to H'wood screenwriters. And how hard can it be to be a screenwriter, right? =) (
I suspect it's at least as hard to be a screenwriter who's actually gotten anything of theirs made as it is to break into game design.
Oh, oh, or you could try writing some IF (interactive fiction) games. Some of them have _fantastic_ writing and they're easily projects a single person can complete.
Anyone can have great ideas... that's really not the bulk of what game designers do.twinturbo2 said:
Dialogue is a relatively small part of screenwriting compared to _telling a story_. William Goldman's "Adventures in the Screen Trade" and "Which Lie Did I Tell" did so much for my understanding of what it is screenwriters do.pirahna1 said:
Have you worked in any sort of software development before? It's a lot like that, but maybe a little more casual in some ways. You should definitely be professional - show up on time; get your work done on schedule; "done" means really done, not just "hacked together".Ryder said:
If you don't have a mentor assigned to you, you really should, I think. Talk to your immediate boss about that. I did an internship at a game dev many years ago and it was my first real software development experience; I didn't even know about source control systems back then. Lots of stuff to learn; if you think you get it, it doesn't hurt to ask anyways, just to double check. Don't be a major pest, but I think most companies that take on interns realize you'll lack experience and can cope with getting you up to speed.
Iaido Sword
Banned
Based on location eh. Guess people are going to stalk me now. =/aswedc said:
Another_visitor
Member
Even for the lower end of the market, somebody who has never shown any artistic interest, or is only mildly interested, will not be able to pick up a complicated package like maya & be able to carve out a career in such a competitive & ever evolving field.avatar299 said:
Also, the "Ummm much" thing makes you sound like a cretin.
beat
Member
I've had several co-workers who graduated from AI in Vancouver. I vaguely think they may also have spent some time -- possibly while still students -- doing indentured servant work for one of their teachers, but hey, work experience. I don't know for sure, I wasn't paying that much attention to their backstories.
Anyways, the game dev school itself won't necessarily prepare you for anything. Your portfolio has to be genuinely impressive; in other words, don't be this guy. And you shouldn't screw up at the interview. (For example, if you get an interview at EA Canada and you tell them you hate sports games... well, hell. Why did you waste everyone's time?)
Anyways, the game dev school itself won't necessarily prepare you for anything. Your portfolio has to be genuinely impressive; in other words, don't be this guy. And you shouldn't screw up at the interview. (For example, if you get an interview at EA Canada and you tell them you hate sports games... well, hell. Why did you waste everyone's time?)
A good way to get your foot in the door is to start out as a tester. May be tedious, but it's something to have on your CV and a nice way to interact with the industry and show enthusiasm for other areas.
I could be signing on as a tester for Japanese localisation for a well-known developer quite soon, which is great as it means I get to use my degree, play games, and most importantly get a grip on that elusive bottom rung. Good luck to you anyhoo; like folks have said, just start getting your name and portfolio out there. If writing's definitely the way forward, see if you can contribute to, if not start your own mod perhaps.
I could be signing on as a tester for Japanese localisation for a well-known developer quite soon, which is great as it means I get to use my degree, play games, and most importantly get a grip on that elusive bottom rung. Good luck to you anyhoo; like folks have said, just start getting your name and portfolio out there. If writing's definitely the way forward, see if you can contribute to, if not start your own mod perhaps.
BrodiemanTTR
Member
As a creative writing student my dream is to write screenplays, but that can be a tough biz, and in my search for alternate career paths I've considered writing for games, since the potential for storytelling in games is really hitting its stride this gen. Either of these careers will, of course, have to wait until after my planned trip to the moon with my supermodel wife.
Tim the Wiz
Banned
Get on the mod/indie game development scene if you're serious about making games. It'll tell you if this is actually what you want to do, and probably give you some credit when you're trying to move up the corporate ladder past the QA position. And who knows? Your game might be the next Democracy or Portal.
Getting a MFA or PhD in Creative Writing definitely isn't a requirement for mastering the craft or landing a writing position in any of the entertainment industries. A degree is always going to be an advantage, but there's no real need to get a post-graduate one dealing exclusively with creative writing to get anywhere.
A good writers workshop is just as effective if you really put effort into it, and of course, many successful writers don't go to those as well. Talent is the main draw card when it comes to professional writing. Everyone gets into it in a different way, there is no set pathway. Some published fiction or optioned screenplays and a good agent or industry connections wouldn't hurt either.
For example, Ron D Moore (of Star Trek: TNG, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Roswell, Carnivale and BSG fame) wrote a script and managed to get it into the producer behind Star Trek at the time. He read it for a laugh, but then decided it was gold. The producer got Moore an agent to send it through to the writers. Bang! He gets a foot in the industry. Yes, this is an exceptional case, but it teaches something as well. You've got to put yourself out there, sell your resume or work as much as possible (desperation is always underrated here), and if you're lucky and very much talented, you'll get your foot in. Once you get that foot in, pursuing those bigger dreams get that much easier but also require lots of hard work.
CreativeWriter said:
Getting a MFA or PhD in Creative Writing definitely isn't a requirement for mastering the craft or landing a writing position in any of the entertainment industries. A degree is always going to be an advantage, but there's no real need to get a post-graduate one dealing exclusively with creative writing to get anywhere.
A good writers workshop is just as effective if you really put effort into it, and of course, many successful writers don't go to those as well. Talent is the main draw card when it comes to professional writing. Everyone gets into it in a different way, there is no set pathway. Some published fiction or optioned screenplays and a good agent or industry connections wouldn't hurt either.
For example, Ron D Moore (of Star Trek: TNG, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Roswell, Carnivale and BSG fame) wrote a script and managed to get it into the producer behind Star Trek at the time. He read it for a laugh, but then decided it was gold. The producer got Moore an agent to send it through to the writers. Bang! He gets a foot in the industry. Yes, this is an exceptional case, but it teaches something as well. You've got to put yourself out there, sell your resume or work as much as possible (desperation is always underrated here), and if you're lucky and very much talented, you'll get your foot in. Once you get that foot in, pursuing those bigger dreams get that much easier but also require lots of hard work.
Fact: Professional game development will most likely kill your love for games.
Fact: QA does not mean you'll be "playing games all day". While it technically may be so, it is one of the hardest jobs in the industry. There's a GOOD reason why most of the QA people want to get out of QA. In my 6 years in the industry, I've only met one QA guy who was actually passionate about QA.
Fact: Game design schools/degrees/whatnot are useless and are considered to be shit in the industry. Nowhere have I ever interviewed someone or heard of an interviewer saying "Wow, this guy did this or that school! He must be good!"
Fact: Mod development, while being good training for an actual job, is INCREDIBLY different from actually working at a game developer. There are no execs, for one. And most execs are the worst type of people in the world.
Fact: Well, more personal than anything, but every game design job I've been at (usually smaller devs, not sure about bigger houses) basically has designers as glorified secretaries for an exec. I pretty much only need big boobs and a skirt and I'd be a secretary.
If you want to get in with game writing (this does happen, although very rarely!) you need to work yourself to get into a QA position at a place that actually DOES do games where there's actually a good portion of writing to be done. Otherwise they just use standard designers for writing. I'm not a "writer" by any stretch of imagination but I've written a shitton of dialogue, script, etc.
Fact: QA does not mean you'll be "playing games all day". While it technically may be so, it is one of the hardest jobs in the industry. There's a GOOD reason why most of the QA people want to get out of QA. In my 6 years in the industry, I've only met one QA guy who was actually passionate about QA.
Fact: Game design schools/degrees/whatnot are useless and are considered to be shit in the industry. Nowhere have I ever interviewed someone or heard of an interviewer saying "Wow, this guy did this or that school! He must be good!"
Fact: Mod development, while being good training for an actual job, is INCREDIBLY different from actually working at a game developer. There are no execs, for one. And most execs are the worst type of people in the world.
Fact: Well, more personal than anything, but every game design job I've been at (usually smaller devs, not sure about bigger houses) basically has designers as glorified secretaries for an exec. I pretty much only need big boobs and a skirt and I'd be a secretary.
If you want to get in with game writing (this does happen, although very rarely!) you need to work yourself to get into a QA position at a place that actually DOES do games where there's actually a good portion of writing to be done. Otherwise they just use standard designers for writing. I'm not a "writer" by any stretch of imagination but I've written a shitton of dialogue, script, etc.
TimeKillr said:
You can't put "Fact" and then "most likely" in the same sentence, that doesn't make sense =\. Anyway, personally I've not known anyone who works in the industry who has been put off games since working in them. It's BECAUSE game development and playing a game is so different, that people can and DO enjoy both aspects independently of each other. If you're going into design, then you need to play games anyway (in your spare time) - it's just good practice.
TimeKillr said:
QA isn't one of the hardest jobs in the industry... it's just one of the most monotonous. I'll agree that a lot of people go into QA in order to progress into another area, but I've also known plenty of testers who DON'T want to move away from QA. They've done it for years and are happy doing so.
TimeKillr said:
I'll agree with this; the piece of paper at the end of it won't give you any kind of advantage over someone without a degree - but the time spent building a portfolio and working in a team etc. is more than worth it
.TimeKillr said:
Agreed.
TimeKillr said:Fact: Well, more personal than anything, but every game design job I've been at (usually smaller devs, not sure about bigger houses) basically has designers as glorified secretaries for an exec. I pretty much only need big boobs and a skirt and I'd be a secretary.
Again, stop putting "Fact" if it's not actually a fact
. I'd quit your job if that's what you're doing; I've never known a designer to do anything remotely similar to that of a secretary. Surely you must be doing SOMETHING development related? Building levels, writing up game mechanic specifications... something? =\I'm not really clued up on how writers become... well, writers in the industry. Different developers do it differently (i.e BioWare hire internal writers, where a lot of developers get freelancers) - but maybe someone who has done some writing for games can help you out.
John Harker
Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
What is this thread?
I have one, anyone offering better ones? :lol
Business side, thankya.
I have one, anyone offering better ones? :lol
Business side, thankya.
dave is ok
aztek is ok
Being a project lead or designer in the game industry the only creative job where the talent aren't rewarded ridiculously well for the millions they make their bosses. Am I wrong in thinking this?
Another_visitor
Member
Other than perks such as free or production cost games, probably not.Evander said:
RichyDevil
Member
I thought I wanted to leave my current job and get into the gaming industry a few years ago before I went to a couple of E3s and met lots of people in the biz. Their crushing cynicism and clinical depression made me realize my original career choice was very much for the best, money-wise as well as time-wise.
So instead I became a freelance writer for a few sites, getting between one and ten assignments a month. Some paid, some not paid, but I now get lots of free games and paid some nice extra cash.
Better yet, I still love games.
It's win-win.
The only downside is that between my real job, spending time with my wife and kid, and reviewing/writing about games, there's no other time left to do much of anything.
But that's the life I've chosen and I am sticking with it!
So instead I became a freelance writer for a few sites, getting between one and ten assignments a month. Some paid, some not paid, but I now get lots of free games and paid some nice extra cash.
Better yet, I still love games.
It's win-win.
The only downside is that between my real job, spending time with my wife and kid, and reviewing/writing about games, there's no other time left to do much of anything.
But that's the life I've chosen and I am sticking with it!
Torquill
Member
At this point, based on that post, not likely. You haven't even really demonstrated what you want to do, really. You mention stories, articles, memos, all of which is writing. Your probably not going to be able to get an entry level position as a writer in the game industry, you'll have to prove your chops else where first, whether it's outside the industry writing for other stuff, or inside working on something besides writing. Additionally, if you don't live in/near a "hub" it's even harder to get a job without some experience.twinturbo2 said:
Simply not true.-COOLIO- said:
Some very important advice is to figure out what kind of studio you want to work for huge, big, small, tiny, corporate, indy, etc....Kipz said:
The skills required to get a job at EA differ greatly from the skills to get a job at blizzard/id which again differs greatly from the skills needed to get a job at a casual games company. The bigger the company the more specialised you have to be. Figure out if that's what you want. Do you want to only work on one narrow aspect of the game for an entire project or do you like moving around and doing different kinds of things? If you're as ADD as me you might like the more dynamic roles that come with being at a smaller company.
Good luck to you. I find the industry general has it's head up its ass regarded internships as in, they never have them. That doesn't mean you shouldn't look, just be prepared for a difficult search.Ryder said:
My biggest advice to anyone is to remember that there are more jobs out there than just top technology, cutting edge, AAA, multi-million dollar games. I'm working on a 2D kids game atm and enjoy myself quite a bit. You have to do a little extra work to keep in touch with technology when you're working on stuff that, but you rarely have the ridiculous crunch nonsense that plagues other areas of the industry. Or, rather, it's mostly self-imposed crunch because we want our product to be the best it can. As opposed to having to work ridiuclous hours because some douche in a suit can't schedule for crap.
If your reaction to that sentiment is that you would NEVER want to work on such things and only want the cool/glamours stuff...well maybe this isn't for you
.twinturbo2 said:
You would have a better chance becoming a Games Editor, or you could consider comic books.
There are four major areas of game creation:
Production
Programing (Gameplay, Tech)
Design (Level, Mechanic)
Art (Animation, Modeling, Environment)
There are very few "Writing Stories" positions, but that would cross into design, usually.
twinturbo2
butthurt Heat fan
Wow, did this thread blow up while I wasn't looking? Thanks for the responses, guys.
prodystopian
Member
What I have gathered from this thread is that modding is a great way to test the waters. Is that true for programming? I am currently doing hardware programming and getting ready to take a few classes to brush up on C and C++ (I should have majored in CS but ended up doing programming anyway).
Any other advice for a would be programmer?
Any other advice for a would be programmer?
Haeleos
Member
Alski said:
Shout out to anyone else going to Sheridan! I'm a 3rd year animation student there... All I can say: I hope you enjoy caffeine if you plan on going through animation here.
It's hard work. You can say that of most positions in the gaming industry though, I guess.I would steer clear of "Game Design Schools" however. You aren't going to come out of it with anything but a mish mash of assorted knowledge, and it's much better to concentrate on one specific field, imo. I have one friend who did get a job doing animation after the Art Institute, though... one person out of his entire class. I was first recommended to Sheridan after emailing an artist at ID Software many moons ago.
PS. Anyone looking for an animator?
Testing is a good way to get in the door, but I'm not sure how much opportunity there is for promotion beyond the quality assurance department.
I tested for Acclaim many, many years ago. So I'm not sure if my experience is relevant, but I remember there being a lot of testers (two shifts!) and not many open positions beyond testing.
During my stay, I proved I could find and reproduce bugs. So they made me project lead which meant more work and more responsibility plus more hours with the exact same pay rate. It was a promotion without the actual perks of such ... and even then it wasn't as if anybody at Acclaim suggested it was a move that meant a step upward on the ladder.
Do not misconstrue: A few guys did move from QA to production at Acclaim. Just not very many.
I tested for Acclaim many, many years ago. So I'm not sure if my experience is relevant, but I remember there being a lot of testers (two shifts!) and not many open positions beyond testing.
During my stay, I proved I could find and reproduce bugs. So they made me project lead which meant more work and more responsibility plus more hours with the exact same pay rate. It was a promotion without the actual perks of such ... and even then it wasn't as if anybody at Acclaim suggested it was a move that meant a step upward on the ladder.
Do not misconstrue: A few guys did move from QA to production at Acclaim. Just not very many.
digita1alchemy
Member
I had to skip college because I couldn't afford it. Instead, I taught myself how to program, game up with a simple game idea, spent a year making it for a mobile phone, and then pitched it to a mobile game company who promptly hired me. I do porting right now, which isn't a very glamorous job at all, but I got my foot in the door and am hopefully on my way to bigger and better things. So, it can be done, it just takes an incredible amount of dedication and effort.
It sounds like you just need to figure out what exactly it is you want to do, first.
It sounds like you just need to figure out what exactly it is you want to do, first.
-COOLIO- said:
This is wrong on multiple levels. I just graduated in CS and the majority of my classmates wanted to do other things than make video games. Some wanted to web design, some were going on to grad school (a lot actually), some were going on to be sys admins and so forth.
There are also plenty of other avenues into the industry than as a programmer. Programmer is probably the most straightforward one besides tester, but its not the only way.
prodystopian said:
Hardware programming? Are you good at assembler? Companies will jump all over you if you know assembler. Low level optimization skills are still very much in demand. I learned a small amount of ASM in college and had it on my resume and I got asked about it at every game job interview I went in for.
If you want to do something else programming wise I suggest getting a copy of Programming Interviews Exposed and see how you feel about the C++/OOP related questions. If you can answer them easily then you probably know enough to get through the interview phase.
In my experience as someone trying to get in the industry they will want to see that you have a passion not just for games, but for PROGRAMMING games. Having hobby game programming experience will go a really long way in your favor.
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise OP, writing matters in games.
And no, you don't exactly need experience in other elements of game design to make it as a writer in games, though it would be an enormous help. What you need to do is have real proof of your skill as a writer - whether that be published work in the form of a screenplay/novel, a personal project, an indie game like others have mentioned, or otherwise.
Almost anyone who has read Joyce and taken a Fiction Writing course and comes out saying "I can write" most likely can't. You can't write til you've actually done it, and proven it, with something to show for yourself. Likewise, you won't be able to make it into the games industry as a writer until you've got something to back up your claims.
But let's say your goals are as ambitious as wanting to script or work on story. Writing is a pretty universal skill, and you could apply it to a number of jobs in the industry. You could do technical writing for manuals, write strategy guides, work in PR churning out fact sheets, or work in games journalism churning out fact sheets churned out by PR, just in different words.
As for where to look, Gamasutra is fine, check craigslist, and check company sites.
And please spell-check.
And no, you don't exactly need experience in other elements of game design to make it as a writer in games, though it would be an enormous help. What you need to do is have real proof of your skill as a writer - whether that be published work in the form of a screenplay/novel, a personal project, an indie game like others have mentioned, or otherwise.
Almost anyone who has read Joyce and taken a Fiction Writing course and comes out saying "I can write" most likely can't. You can't write til you've actually done it, and proven it, with something to show for yourself. Likewise, you won't be able to make it into the games industry as a writer until you've got something to back up your claims.
But let's say your goals are as ambitious as wanting to script or work on story. Writing is a pretty universal skill, and you could apply it to a number of jobs in the industry. You could do technical writing for manuals, write strategy guides, work in PR churning out fact sheets, or work in games journalism churning out fact sheets churned out by PR, just in different words.
As for where to look, Gamasutra is fine, check craigslist, and check company sites.
And please spell-check.
domokunrox
Banned
I would try this out
http://www.expression.edu/game_art_design/
The best way to get into the game business with concepts is being able to model it. If you can model it, you can give it the personality and vision because you did it. They have excellent job placement as well. A 85% job placement rate right out of school. So, I'd suggest going to school and while you're there start working on some sort of IP. Get out, and start working somewhere, and just pitch it at your workplace and take on the role of Producer for it.
If its good, maybe we'll play it and love it someday. If it sucks, well, you're just a failure. Sorry, but like I said. You need to go to school.
http://www.expression.edu/game_art_design/
The best way to get into the game business with concepts is being able to model it. If you can model it, you can give it the personality and vision because you did it. They have excellent job placement as well. A 85% job placement rate right out of school. So, I'd suggest going to school and while you're there start working on some sort of IP. Get out, and start working somewhere, and just pitch it at your workplace and take on the role of Producer for it.
If its good, maybe we'll play it and love it someday. If it sucks, well, you're just a failure. Sorry, but like I said. You need to go to school.
Crazymoogle
Member
beat said:
It's also worth pointing out that many times, junior talent get jobs because of where they are in addition to whatever minor points on their resume and samples stand out.
Vancouver AI students getting a job in Vancouver? Sure, there's a chance.
Calgary AI students getting a job in Vancouver? Maybe.
US Full Sail students getting a job in Vancouver? Almost no chance.
With people new to the industry, risk is a huge concern for developers, so it's fairly rare to import or pay relocation for somebody lacking qualifications.
Not sure how relevant this is, but it has helped a few people looking to work in games - so I'll post it anyway; it's taken from an article I did just over a year ago at MMORPG.com:
"So how do I become a Community Manager?
Unfortunately, I dont know the answer to this question. Instead of me lying and telling you exactly how to break into the games industry and specifically Online Gaming Community Management, Ill tell you how I found myself doing it and then hopefully that will inspire you in some way to achieve something similar for yourself.
So where do I begin?
First and foremost, Im a university dropout. Yup, university wasnt for me. I knew that I wanted to break into the games industry but the course that I was taking just didnt sit right; so after my first year I decided to take my credits and leave, (I dont advise this to anyone by the way).
It was in the period between leaving university and deciding what I wanted to do next that I landed my first job within the game industry. That job was a Database Admin / QA Tester for Lionhead Studios on their massive title Black and White 2 (BW2). Getting that job was complete luck by the way I just happened to send in my CV (resume) at the right time.
As the position was only on a three-month contract, I left Lionhead after BW2 was launched and went to work for Electronic Arts, again as a QA Tester. After a few months at EA I joined Codemasters in their QA department. From there I then moved across to the position I hold now.
Luckily for me, I have been running community-based websites in my spare time for the past few years anyway (dont worry, Im not going to plug them), so it was something physical I could demonstrate and discuss while in the interview. There are no specific qualifications for running online communities, so the more hands-on experience you can demonstrate, the better.
Obviously a community manager needs to be able to communicate extremely well especially written communication skills. I think one of the other most important things - within Codemasters anyway is finding someone who plays A LOT of games. The prospective candidate needs to have an appreciation of the business they are working in and the mentality of the customers they will be communicating information to. So keep playing those games!
If you can get yourself into an existing MMO operator / developer in QA or as a GM, (Game Master) that could lead you onto something more along the lines of community management. I think the main thing to take into consideration, is that while more and more MMO games are being developed there are still only a select few companies that actually operate them and are in need of a community team. Therefore candidates are more than likely going to need to relocate to another city, or in some cases another country."
You can read the whole article here:
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/gameId/210/setView/features/loadFeature/1049
I'm no longer working in Community Management, but I went from CM to Design and it may provide insight into other positions available to people wanting to work in the industry who can't program, draw or have any other kind of useful skill (like me!).
"So how do I become a Community Manager?
Unfortunately, I dont know the answer to this question. Instead of me lying and telling you exactly how to break into the games industry and specifically Online Gaming Community Management, Ill tell you how I found myself doing it and then hopefully that will inspire you in some way to achieve something similar for yourself.
So where do I begin?
First and foremost, Im a university dropout. Yup, university wasnt for me. I knew that I wanted to break into the games industry but the course that I was taking just didnt sit right; so after my first year I decided to take my credits and leave, (I dont advise this to anyone by the way).
It was in the period between leaving university and deciding what I wanted to do next that I landed my first job within the game industry. That job was a Database Admin / QA Tester for Lionhead Studios on their massive title Black and White 2 (BW2). Getting that job was complete luck by the way I just happened to send in my CV (resume) at the right time.
As the position was only on a three-month contract, I left Lionhead after BW2 was launched and went to work for Electronic Arts, again as a QA Tester. After a few months at EA I joined Codemasters in their QA department. From there I then moved across to the position I hold now.
Luckily for me, I have been running community-based websites in my spare time for the past few years anyway (dont worry, Im not going to plug them), so it was something physical I could demonstrate and discuss while in the interview. There are no specific qualifications for running online communities, so the more hands-on experience you can demonstrate, the better.
Obviously a community manager needs to be able to communicate extremely well especially written communication skills. I think one of the other most important things - within Codemasters anyway is finding someone who plays A LOT of games. The prospective candidate needs to have an appreciation of the business they are working in and the mentality of the customers they will be communicating information to. So keep playing those games!
If you can get yourself into an existing MMO operator / developer in QA or as a GM, (Game Master) that could lead you onto something more along the lines of community management. I think the main thing to take into consideration, is that while more and more MMO games are being developed there are still only a select few companies that actually operate them and are in need of a community team. Therefore candidates are more than likely going to need to relocate to another city, or in some cases another country."
You can read the whole article here:
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/gameId/210/setView/features/loadFeature/1049
I'm no longer working in Community Management, but I went from CM to Design and it may provide insight into other positions available to people wanting to work in the industry who can't program, draw or have any other kind of useful skill (like me!)
.keanerie said:
First off I don't think anyone said that writing doesn't matter in games. And secondly you may not need experience in other elements of game design but very few studios actually hire narrative designers, an exception would be Bioware, but even they look for an immense amount of writing experience before they would even consider you.
Most studios that I have worked for, the designers come up with the plot lines, and will hire external Hollywood types to contribute and create the dialog.
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