Being a lecturer means coming in contact with a lot of people who are looking to break into the games industry.  The fact that I have made games, worked for AAA studios, carries a little weight.  Since I get asked ‘how to get a job as a…’ so often, I suppose the best thing to do would be to write about my experiences here and let people read about them.

So, without further ado…

How I Got In

Sheer fluke.

I’d love to tell you that I had a great portfolio, how I sparkled in interviews, but I’d be lying.  I got in through blind luck and possibly just a tiny bit of misplaced self-confidence.

I was reading a message board one day, back in July or August of 2006.  It was for a major western RPG that I had been playing for a little while and kind of got into.  An off-hand remark caught my eye, an artist who was working on a videogame version of the title was talking about how it was a labour of love.  I contacted him, asking if they had any jobs.  I would do whatever it took; I had picked up some programming, level design, used 3D Studio Max at University until I was semi-competent….  What I really wanted was a game-designer role, but I was going to be happy just making coffee for them if it got a foot in the door.

I had no portfolio, no real experience to speak of, but I had convinced myself that this was my big break and so I must have come across as a little bit more confident than any sane man would have.  I ended up throwing together a game-level in Hammer, probably because the lead artist took pity on me and thought he’d let me prove myself.

In any sensible world, I would never have got that shot.  In all honesty, I was never an amazing level-designer.  I was just in the right place (a message-board for a tabletop RPG of all places) at the right time and caught the attention of just the right person.

Fifteen months later, I snagged a job as a full-blown games designer.  Again, luck more than skill got me by.  I spent nearly the entire interview talking 80s games (mostly Elite) with the COO / Producer who started work as a developer in the 70s.  I probably caught their interest just from my clothes.  Good suit, bold red shirt, no tie, boots with a 3” Cuban heel, long hair worn loose.  (the beard came later)

In both cases, I think I made an impression for mostly-irrelevant reasons, but I made an impression nonetheless.  They remembered me, but not any major interview mistakes.  I was the quietly confident (looking) guy with the long hair and strange fashion-sense.

So, in conclusion; if you can’t be the best, be the most memorable.  When someone asks if any of the candidates stood out, make sure your name is on the list.