Resolutions: Discussion

[jillduffy]

On Dec. 31, we ran this article on New Year's resolutions:
http://www.gamecareerguide.com/featu...new_years_.php

and in response, Chris Hecker and Jon Blow wrote this article:
http://www.gamecareerguide.com/news/..._industry_.php

Hecker and Blow make some valid points, and I thank them for writing!

I think the first set of resolutions (which I authored) are 10 things that are reasonable to accomplish in a single year, especially if you are a busy student. Which raises another point: the former article assumes you are a student or that you are at least already starting to learn development -- already making games, already learning programming, already pushing yourself in your discipline (though again, those points are all valid).

I guess the major difference I see is that the first list gives focused and actionable items whereas the second is a list of major things you MUST accomplish to work in video game development.

What are your thoughts on this?

[yaustar]

While there is nothing wrong with the first list, Hecker and Blow's (H&B) bring out the fundamental points more effectively but essentially they are talking about the same thing in my opinion.

For example, "Find a peer group and exchange information with them" is the fundamental point of "Attend a conference", "Join the IGDA" and "Talk to developers".

Personally, I prefer H&B's list because it is a list of what you should do throughout the year and not how you should it whereas the first list feels more of a task list.

The points I dis-agree with are:

"Sketch something" and
"Learn how to program"

As they are more specific to roles and interest. I agree they help but are definitely not needed for every developer. If you are a programmer then why learn how to sketch well? If you are a non-programmer then why should you need to program?

[ronnoc10]

Originally Posted by yaustar

The points I dis-agree with are:

"Sketch something" and
"Learn how to program"

As they are more specific to roles and interest. I agree they help but are definitely not needed for every developer. If you are a programmer then why learn how to sketch well? If you are a non-programmer then why should you need to program?

I agree with sketching, and kind of agree with programming. I think a understanding of Computer Science (system life cycle and development, ex.) is extremely helpful, as well as the logic that programing teaches, but simply telling me to lean how to program does not directly cover either.

On a side not, I am taking you up one #8 'Submit a game postmortem or article pitch to GameCareerGuide.com'. This will be interesting...

[jslade8581]

- jillduffy, I agree with you - your article is more action-item in feel. I'll be using a good chunk of your resolutions to add to my own for this year. Before I submit my resume, though, I'll make sure that I've completed Hecker & Blow's list too.

- yaustar, while I haven't had the chance to work with game design teams yet, in my line of work, even our most-junior team members have a basic understanding of what every one else on the team is doing (it's forced on them in the training pipeline). The team leaders have even performed every single job function of every junior team member at least once to ensure that they truly understand what each person under their cognizance does. To me, it makes sense that everyone should do a little programming and a little sketching; I think it's a great idea.

Overall, both of the articles were excellent.

[yaustar]

I agree that everyone should know what everyone is doing but not how. As a programmer, I don't have to understand how the artist produces the mesh to put it in the game, just the fact that it is being done and I can expect by a certain time.

If everyone should do a little programming to understand what programmers do, then everyone should also do a little modelling, animation, texturing, story writing, audio composition and level editing to make sure they understand the whole team.

If I need to understand a pipeline to complete a task I have been given, then I will go and learn it as part of the task, not part of a resolution.