Looking for the 'Start Here'.

[Mursi]

While browsing multiple websites (including this one that was recommended by the Community Team at ArenaNet) I find myself confused where my career path would begin. I have my eye set on User Interface; because in my opinion the User Interface is 'first base'... if they don't like it, they often form prejudice about the game before even playing it. That being said, I want to be that 'first base' and I want to do it right. I have heard that a User Interface however entails much more than simply one person (or at least one title) such as; "UI Design", "UI Engineer", or "UI Artist". Are these all the same position or is there a team dedicated to making a User Interface function properly? The reason I'm asking this is because I can't figure out where to start to navigate through websites; would I be an Artist for designing the User Interface or a Game Designer for bringing it to life with functionality? Please help me figure out where to start.

[tsloper]

Originally Posted by Mursi

would I be an Artist for designing the User Interface or a Game Designer for bringing it to life with functionality?

One is an art job, the other is a design job. Read more about the jobs of game artist and game designer. Think about which one sounds better to you.

http://gamecareerguide.com/getting_started/
http://www.skillset.org/games/careers/profiles/
http://archives.igda.org/breakingin/career_paths.htm

[Mursi]

Tom, are you aware that Google Chrome is notifying users who click the link in your signature, "The Website Ahead Contains Malware!
Google Chrome has blocked access to www.sloperama.com for now.
Even if you have visited this website safely in the past, visiting it now is very likely to infect your computer with malware.
Malware is malicious software that causes things like identity theft, financial loss, and permanent file deletion."

Just thought I'd share that with you, just in case you were not aware.

[tsloper]

Hi Mursi,
Yes - my website was hacked last night. It's clean now.
Good luck with your career choice.

[Protector one]

Hacked to bits! Sorry for the off-topic, but do you know how it happened? Did they get your admin password somehow? (Just curious.)

[tsloper]

A colleague, a security expert, suggests that the webhost's security is likely poor. Probably not that my password was used.

[Mursi]

I can't figure out what I want to do, I'm 29 years old and I have ZERO artistic ability and enough computer knowledge to troubleshoot most issues that the average Windows user has; no programming, HTML at most...

I like people though; when I play MMORPGs, I enjoy the community more than anything. A dead community is a dead game to me. Salary, wages, pay; they all mean nothing to me as long as I have enough to get by. I just want to do something that I enjoy. I was originally looking at "Community Manager" but then I read somewhere that the position is a dying one. Then I looked at Public Relations, I just doubt that I'm -physically- up to par by means of appearance. I started to look at Human-Computer Interaction and Information Architecture; thinking that those two might deal with a community more than UI Design... but I'm having trouble finding anywhere near me that has courses to earn a degree in those fields (Columbia, South Carolina; cannot afford a University). Does anyone know of an online college that offers degrees in those fields? Is Community Manager not a dying position? Do I need to be Mr. Good Looking to be in Public Relations for a Gaming Company? I'd appreciate any guidance, at all.

[tsloper]

1. I can't figure out what I want to do, I'm 29 years old and I have ZERO artistic ability
2. and enough computer knowledge to troubleshoot most issues that the average Windows user has; no programming, HTML at most...
3. I just want to do something that I enjoy.
4. I was originally looking at "Community Manager" but then I read somewhere that the position is a dying one. ... Is Community Manager not a dying position?
5. Then I looked at Public Relations, I just doubt that I'm -physically- up to par by means of appearance. Do I need to be Mr. Good Looking to be in Public Relations for a Gaming Company?
6. I started to look at Human-Computer Interaction and Information Architecture; thinking that those two might deal with a community more than UI Design...
7. but I'm having trouble finding anywhere near me that has courses to earn a degree in those fields (Columbia, South Carolina; cannot afford a University).

1. That's three statements that have nothing to do with one another.
a. Make a decision grid after you've eliminated the jobs you definitely don't want to do, to decide between the ones you are interested in. http://sloperama.com/advice/m70.htm
b. What does being 29 have to do with anything? http://sloperama.com/advice/m71.htm
c. So all you're saying is you're not an artist. That eliminates the art jobs -- leaving lots of other jobs. Why are you throwing in all these negatives? To get sympathy? Or because you enjoy wallowing in self-pity?

2. Not sure what you're saying with this one.

3. Okay, then cross out the jobs you wouldn't enjoy, and decide between the ones that are left.

4. Definitely not. Are you an active player of a multiplayer online game? If you aren't, you are not suitable for that job. If you are, just step up the activity, get helpful, get more involved. (Start doing the job that you say you want to do. That's how you get the job.)

5. Maybe there's such a thing as being "too ugly" for PR, but I cannot tell you how ugly is too ugly. I suspect that you don't really know what PR is (since you're asking this question).

6. I disagree. It sounds to me a LOT more line UI design than community management. I think you don't really know what community management is (since you said what you said).

7. You don't need a degree to become a community manager. If you want to go into PR, you should study business and marketing and psychology.