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Would starting my own game studio help/hinder me if i want to join a big game studio?
21stCentury
Call me Pixel, or Pix for short![They/Them]Registered User regular
Call me Pixel, or Pix for short![They/Them]Registered User regular
Alright, a bit of background first...
Firstly, it's my dream to start a games studio. I am mad about games and I think i have at least a tiny knack for them.
Secondly, I'm studying in admin in the hopes of getting a job in the future as a games producer in a games studio. Since i live near Montreal, I could probably have my pick and work on some really great titles, granted i qualify.
Thirdly, I'm well-rounded in business and such, i have had accounting classes, marketing classes, human resources classes, project management classes, entrepreneurship classes. In theory, i should be able to run my own business better than the layman.
Fourthly, i know I need an admin diploma to get a job in video game production. That's why i'm studying in what i am studying.
Fifthly, I have been tinkering with a card game for about a year, it's currently on version 0.4 (because i don't feel it's ready to be released yet, but it is ready to be tested.) and I think it's pretty neat.
Sixthly, I decided I wanted to have all that i need to promote my game by this time next year.
With that out of the way, a disclaimer...
I know that the games industry is kinda awful to work in. I know that, and i refused to be deterred by it. i know that it's because a lot of people think simply working on a game is a great privilege and, in itself, worth something, therefore they accept less pay, more work and such. I am undeterred. As awful as it might be, i want to at least try it, and at least see if i can, at some point, make my mark and at least start a studio that's not as awful as the big ones. i know it will be insanely hard, but it's my dream and i don't want to live my life without trying for hard things. So don't bother telling me to quit my dream, become a boring accountant.
With those out of the way, my conundrum...
I will graduate next year, in April. I want to apply to one of the Montreal studios afterwards, in the production crew. i might not have a lot of work experience in the way of games development, but i will have something in my resume that might help me, the fact that i designed a game and, therefore, know some of the challenges of game design and such. But i had a terrifying thought this morning. What if the fact that I already started my own studio hinder my chances of getting a job in a games studio? If I keep going on the path I am on right now, by April next year, I'll be the head of my own independent games studio. Probably.
what if that causes them to distrust me? What if it causes them to be unable to hire me specifically because of non-compete clauses and such? I don't know how this works, honestly... They might think i could try to steal ideas/work half-assedly on their games, right? They might think that having an indie game dev inside be bad, right? But then again, i'm working on a card game, i would join a video game studio, so it's not exactly the same either...
I'm a bit scared and, before i register the name and start my studio, I'd want to know if doing so would ruin my chances of getting a job at a big video game studio. So what do you wise H/Advisors think? should I...
A) Start my studio, still apply for a job in games production, put the studio on hold while i accrue work experience?
Start my studio, don't apply for a job in games production, keep working on my games?
C) Delay starting my studio, but keep working on my game so i have something exciting in my resume? (But how could i promote my game without a studio?)
D) Do something else (please specify)
Firstly, it's my dream to start a games studio. I am mad about games and I think i have at least a tiny knack for them.
Secondly, I'm studying in admin in the hopes of getting a job in the future as a games producer in a games studio. Since i live near Montreal, I could probably have my pick and work on some really great titles, granted i qualify.
Thirdly, I'm well-rounded in business and such, i have had accounting classes, marketing classes, human resources classes, project management classes, entrepreneurship classes. In theory, i should be able to run my own business better than the layman.
Fourthly, i know I need an admin diploma to get a job in video game production. That's why i'm studying in what i am studying.
Fifthly, I have been tinkering with a card game for about a year, it's currently on version 0.4 (because i don't feel it's ready to be released yet, but it is ready to be tested.) and I think it's pretty neat.
Sixthly, I decided I wanted to have all that i need to promote my game by this time next year.
With that out of the way, a disclaimer...
I know that the games industry is kinda awful to work in. I know that, and i refused to be deterred by it. i know that it's because a lot of people think simply working on a game is a great privilege and, in itself, worth something, therefore they accept less pay, more work and such. I am undeterred. As awful as it might be, i want to at least try it, and at least see if i can, at some point, make my mark and at least start a studio that's not as awful as the big ones. i know it will be insanely hard, but it's my dream and i don't want to live my life without trying for hard things. So don't bother telling me to quit my dream, become a boring accountant.
With those out of the way, my conundrum...
I will graduate next year, in April. I want to apply to one of the Montreal studios afterwards, in the production crew. i might not have a lot of work experience in the way of games development, but i will have something in my resume that might help me, the fact that i designed a game and, therefore, know some of the challenges of game design and such. But i had a terrifying thought this morning. What if the fact that I already started my own studio hinder my chances of getting a job in a games studio? If I keep going on the path I am on right now, by April next year, I'll be the head of my own independent games studio. Probably.
what if that causes them to distrust me? What if it causes them to be unable to hire me specifically because of non-compete clauses and such? I don't know how this works, honestly... They might think i could try to steal ideas/work half-assedly on their games, right? They might think that having an indie game dev inside be bad, right? But then again, i'm working on a card game, i would join a video game studio, so it's not exactly the same either...
I'm a bit scared and, before i register the name and start my studio, I'd want to know if doing so would ruin my chances of getting a job at a big video game studio. So what do you wise H/Advisors think? should I...
A) Start my studio, still apply for a job in games production, put the studio on hold while i accrue work experience?
Start my studio, don't apply for a job in games production, keep working on my games?C) Delay starting my studio, but keep working on my game so i have something exciting in my resume? (But how could i promote my game without a studio?)
D) Do something else (please specify)
0
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Generally places prefer you have a way to show you have experience.
If the former, I could see an established studio having reservations about hiring you, especially if your studio hasn't released any games and has no clear revenue stream to address overhead and liabilities. If the latter, then it's whatever. Having a portfolio of past work (even if it's just one finished game) will at least demonstrate that you're not completely useless.
Yeah, it's the latter. Just registering a domain, making a website, getting business cards and such.
And, it's not gonna be a video card game, just a physical card game... But yeah, I want it to have some form of online presence so that I mighty have something to point out to people when looking for a job.
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
A studio? That's a big car factory you're building if you're only going to manufacture one car. I think you'd be better off making a nice/professional website with your resume and showcasing other relevant projects/skills, rather than risking seeming pretentious with a full-fledged studio.
EDIT: I see...nevermind. Just saw your other post. I think it's absolutely a good idea if as others said, it doesn't take significant time away from job hunting. Kudos for actually creating a card game.
If anything, creating your own site, business cards, etc will add to your portfolio you can show off in interviews. There's zero reason not to do it unless it keeps you from doing other important things.
However, I don't know what you mean by "Starting a games studio." You don't need to start a games studio to make a game. The whole concept of a studio is pretty meaningless unless you actually want to hire employees and rent offices, which it doesn't sound like you want to do. Just make the game and that will impress potential employers.
If you want to carry on working on your own games while working for "the man" you need to make sure that your employers are OK with that. If you don't, you are hardly starting a games studio are you? You are just making prototypes for your portfolio.
The thing is, i will need to spend money on art/hire artists at some point and I feel like maybe being a studio would help out with that, since I could write off business expenses, right?
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
You mean officially set up a small business? I guess if you are going to sell the game you probably need to. Calling yourself a "studio" seems a bit grandiose though. If someone hiring you has a problem with that, then you can always just shut it down when you get the "real" job you really want.
Make sure the game is solidly complete and tested before spending a ton of money on art. A lot of great card games don't have any art at all - like Cards against Humanity. Maybe design a game that doesn't need a lot of expensive art, so that you aren't risking so much.
Also I don't think you need an admin diploma to get a job in game production. The producers I know came in the business from all angles, there's not a recognised route. Unless Canada is more formal about that sort of thing.
Yes, when i say "be a studio" i mean, like, start a small business. One that makes games. A game Studio, if you will. :P
Yes, i know that, I'm not hiring artists until I lock in my cards. I know card games don't need art, but I would like mine to have some art. It's a bit too late for me to redesign the game from scratch, i am on the 4th version and the testing phase will begin anew once the semester ends. I guess i should've thought about making a card game without much art earlier, but I didn't
I don't know if i absolutely need one, but A) I'm very far into getting one,
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
If you actually do get a job designing/producing video games, you will experience things like getting your project cancelled and having to come up with an entirely different concept by the end of next week! So it is never too late to change to a smaller, faster project that you can actually get done. Interviewers will be more impressed by your 5 different and unique card games with placeholder art than just one card game that you have been polishing since you were seven.
Most usefully, it'll make you employable if the games thing doesn't work out!
Eh, i guess you're right, but i still fancy my one game with placeholder art. :P I do have ideas for other games, though, and I'd like to at least complete this project, you know?
And yes, a diploma will keep me employable if my plan A don't work out.
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
But if you want to find a job where you’re the one coming up with ideas, then having done your own stuff is good. That shows you have a strong work ethic and are a self starter.
Of course, video games are huge design projects, so there’s a lot of overlap. And in a studio that has high turnover—the ones that fire everybody when the game is done—it might not be a big deal because they don’t want you long term anyway.
What is it you want to DO for a game company? If it's simply admin (production) stuff, then you're wasting your time making a card game - any game company will have that part of the work quartered off for actual designers. That's not a producer's job. You're not a guy on the mountaintop sending edicts to the dudes in the pit.
If you want to be a producer in games, you need production experience. In production, you'll be in a role that facilitates other talented people, so you're a very risky candidate without previous production experience. You should get some software administrative experience before going directly to games because it's more lucrative and easier to approach with less experience.
Admin work includes, but isn't limited to: Planning workloads, tracking and dispersing data and metrics, determining KPIs, identifying critical paths etc.
It has little to do with "This guy's mana cost is too high! What if he had a better ability?"
Also, no one's impressed by a self-made company on a resume. I don't know how many "art directors" and "CEOs" I've interviewed who don't know their shit. I care a LOT more if you've "shipped" a title.
For non-competes, most companies have a "claims" form where you claim prior works and companies not to be associated with your new work. It's likely you would have to stop working with your own company if you got hired at a big studio because the time investment between a full time job and owning your own company requires a 42 hour day.
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
Designing your own game will not really mean anything as far as getting a job as a producer. You would be responsible for schedules, organizing people, playtests, meetings, food for people crunching. Etc. Its not a bad job, but its not glamorous.
So what would you suggest i do to get experience? I thought making a game would at least gimme some insight on the reality of managing a project?
BTW: I was aware that it was not design work... I just thought making something would at least make me look like i know a bit more.
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
Unless your first project involves convincing a bunch of specialized people to work together on your project, it's gonna be hard to get much production street cred out of it.
Like I said, REGULAR software production work gets you familiar with testing cycles, delivery windows, code checkins etc. such that you'll be familiar with the general flow BEFORE adding in the game component. Companies like Adobe, McCaffee, Norton, Microsoft etc. all have HUNDREDS of job openings in production, some of them entry level. I'm not sure which companies are located in Canada, but yeah.
Another path for you might be finding projects that are already in motion and try to help manage them (find collaborative game jams, find people on the internet, find school groups and volunteer to mediate). Project management is definitely not glorious; how many famous game project managers can you recall? Or ANY non-film producer (producer in film is different) for that matter.
To summarize, it's not "project management" if you're just managing yourself or just 1or 2 people.
i can name one: Jade Raymond! :P
But yeah, i get it, i'm gonna try and find jobs in project management or an internship or something that will give me relevant experience!
Check out my site, the Bismuth Heart | My Twitter
A good start would be companies that makes games or toys but aren't in the spotlight like Gameloft and MegaBlock. Another think that you may want to check are Web design firms and software development companies.
Something that wouldn't hurt is looking for IGDA events in Montreal. Some are free others are expensive but all of them are nice way to do some networking.
Depending on what you want to do (producer, DM, creative director, etc.), making a small game may help but I don't think it can harm as long as you understand that the gaming industry is full of NDA and restrictions and if you decide to take a job you may have to stop your business altogether.
I don't have a lot of experience in the industry but I follow the gaming industry closely in Montreal. If you want to ask me questions or just talk about gaming, you can PM me at any time!
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