FC-FamineFuncom Community ManagerMemberUncommonPosts: 278
Originally posted by Chieftan
Originally posted by Vestas
A lot of misinformation on this thread coupled with a few good guesses. I work in the industry, particularly on MMO's.
That's nothing to brag about right now.
It's amazing who companies will hire and put in a position of responsibility. Brad McQuaid, Furor, Raph Koster. Hell all Furor did was run a "uber" guild and act like a nerd's nerd on his webpage. I don't even know what Brad did but even after getting involved in EQ I have a feeling it was alot less than what he was given credit for.
That's like saying you should be perfect at everything you create. No one is perfect and no one will ever please anyone. There is some famous quote to go here that has to do with how to make a lightbulb!
Anyways...
I work in the game industry and more specifically in the MMO genre. I noticed someone else with experience tossed a wall of text with some good information. I'll simply add this:
You can break the industry up into publishers and developers. Majority of what's been said here has been on the side of development. Positions like mine deal with the publishing end of the MMO industry. Basically that means we help sell and support the games developers make. Thus, if you're not really good at programming or 3D modeling, then you can maybe go a route in marketing or operations and even things in between like community management.
I started as a tester for Funcom which is both a publisher and developer of online video games much like NCSoft and SoE. We both develop and publish our games and it can lead to many avenues in the industry from content design to product manager. For me, I eventually went the community route along side our current Executive Producer Craig 'Silirrion' Morrison.
Although I do not develop the games you play, my role helps provide influence over those pesky developers to design the game around the player feedback I receive. It's a good loophole in learning the ropes of production in a live environment as well playing a key role in what the game becomes as the end product and will become as a live product.
Some other positions to consider in the industry:
Advertisement: Who do you think comes up with all those flashy ads that you find almost on any site?
Community Management: These guys are the representatives for the out-of-game and in-game communities. You can find them either on the official forums or in game gathering valuable feedback for the developers. Additionally, they help bridge the gap between the end user and all the many different departments of the online environment from production to marketing to even operations (customer service etc).
Communications/Public Relations: These are the guys working with the game portals much like MMORPG.com and other important sites to help spread the good word about the game. They are also the guys who help plan the awesome booths and events at popular game conventions like E3, PAX, GC and etc.
Customer Service: These guys are the Game Masters of the realm. It's not an easy job, but it's a good step in the door to lead to many other positions either on the development or publishing side of the MMO industry.
Database Adminstration: Need I say more about these guys?
Localization: These guys help with the language support of the game. Now that games are played all over the world, it's important the game text (production and publishing) and etc are also offered in multiple languages.
Network/Sever Administration: You always need these guys to help keep things in check for online games. These are the guys who maintain the network for the game or even as simple as keeping the developers or support in check within the office for all their computer/IT needs.
Sales: Various sales positions are opening up that deal with F2P market and these guys deal with the sales aspect of the product or services of the game.
Video Production: Who do you think makes all those nice trailers? Many players have learned how to make nice gameplay videos by now!
Web Development: These guys are normally with the publishing side of things, but you of course need the best looking sites in order to compete in game development too!
I didn't list everything here, but there are dozens more! Many of these avenues work with game development and can get you in the door for greater things in the field you may find interesting. You can even find some positions offered remotely if you're lucky. Nonetheless, remember that all organizations are different as some may use third-party contractors to handle various positions listed and not listed above. But, don't let that stop you from seeking great career paths that may take you where you want to be within the game indust-ry...
Glen ''Famine'' Swan Senior Assistant Community Manager - Funcom
1. Be careful about making your passion into your profession. Your job could become your life, and if things go poorly in your profession (if it has become your life), you're just doomed. There's something to be said about absolutely loving what you do. At the same time, a lot of people pursue their life's passion and spend decades not getting anywhere. It takes a toll. Doing a job that you like while pursuing your passion casually, after work, has it's benefits as well. My friend loved wood-working till he decided to try it as a career. It happens a lot.
2. Networking is key in any profession. Get to know people. Make contacts and maintain them. Almost all the good jobs I got in life were the result of previous professional, social and volunteer contacts. It's the way life is, and using it to your advantage can get you very far.
Industry-specific advice:
1. Visit the websites for the games that you like, and see what skills they're looking for. Keep in mind, technology changes all the time, so today's development environment will be entirely different when you graduate college in 5-7 years. Try to stay current as you make your way through school, as there's a good chance you'll be learning the basics on some old technology.
2. Become well-read regarding your industry of choice, and stay well-read. Read all the boring stuff to learn about all aspects of the industry. If you're as passionate as you say you are, it won't be all that boring.
3. See if you can't spur your professional networking by harnassing new media. Create a non-anonymous public persona commenting on the industry (making use of step #2). Remember it's professional and always be positive and constructive. Demonstrate your knowledge of the industry. It could lead to articles at gaming sites, and then who knows. Maybe nothing comes of it, but maybe something does.
A lot of misinformation on this thread coupled with a few good guesses. I work in the industry, particularly on MMO's.
That's nothing to brag about right now.
It's amazing who companies will hire and put in a position of responsibility. Brad McQuaid, Furor, Raph Koster. Hell all Furor did was run a "uber" guild and act like a nerd's nerd on his webpage. I don't even know what Brad did but even after getting involved in EQ I have a feeling it was alot less than what he was given credit for.
That's like saying you should be perfect at everything you create. No one is perfect and no one will ever please anyone. There is some famous quote to go here that has to do with how to make a lightbulb!
Nah its not about being perfect but instead about making sure your MMO stands up to any other game, regardless of genre.
WoW was the first MMO to launch in a state that was comparable to the bestselling games in other genres. Whether it was bugginess, missing features, missing content-- you name it, 9 out of 10 MMOs ship in incomplete form. Then people wonder why most MMOs are DOA.
I know its a team effort and you can't blame one department or one individual but the overall effort from MMO houses hasn't been very impressive. Especially when most of them are putting out formulaic WoW/EQ clones.
The gaming industry is actively developing now, and it's great that there are more and more opportunities to contribute to its development. The development of a quality game can be entrusted to experienced specialists https://ilogos.biz/ who have worked with indie projects, and with giants such as Sony, EA, and so on.
A lot of misinformation on this thread coupled with a few good guesses. I work in the industry, particularly on MMO's.
That's nothing to brag about right now.
It's amazing who companies will hire and put in a position of responsibility. Brad McQuaid, Furor, Raph Koster. Hell all Furor did was run a "uber" guild and act like a nerd's nerd on his webpage. I don't even know what Brad did but even after getting involved in EQ I have a feeling it was alot less than what he was given credit for.
That's like saying you should be perfect at everything you create. No one is perfect and no one will ever please anyone. There is some famous quote to go here that has to do with how to make a lightbulb!
Nah its not about being perfect but instead about making sure your MMO stands up to any other game, regardless of genre.
WoW was the first MMO to launch in a state that was comparable to the bestselling games in other genres. Whether it was bugginess, missing features, missing content-- you name it, 9 out of 10 MMOs ship in incomplete form. Then people wonder why most MMOs are DOA.
I know its a team effort and you can't blame one department or one individual but the overall effort from MMO houses hasn't been very impressive. Especially when most of them are putting out formulaic WoW/EQ clones.
Look at this, a 13 year old thread resurrected, and other than technology, not much has changed.
"Especially when most of them are putting out formulaic WoW/EQ clones." Especially this, as far as nuts-and-bolts design goes.
Comments
That's like saying you should be perfect at everything you create. No one is perfect and no one will ever please anyone. There is some famous quote to go here that has to do with how to make a lightbulb!
Anyways...
I work in the game industry and more specifically in the MMO genre. I noticed someone else with experience tossed a wall of text with some good information. I'll simply add this:
You can break the industry up into publishers and developers. Majority of what's been said here has been on the side of development. Positions like mine deal with the publishing end of the MMO industry. Basically that means we help sell and support the games developers make. Thus, if you're not really good at programming or 3D modeling, then you can maybe go a route in marketing or operations and even things in between like community management.
I started as a tester for Funcom which is both a publisher and developer of online video games much like NCSoft and SoE. We both develop and publish our games and it can lead to many avenues in the industry from content design to product manager. For me, I eventually went the community route along side our current Executive Producer Craig 'Silirrion' Morrison.
Although I do not develop the games you play, my role helps provide influence over those pesky developers to design the game around the player feedback I receive. It's a good loophole in learning the ropes of production in a live environment as well playing a key role in what the game becomes as the end product and will become as a live product.
Some other positions to consider in the industry:
Advertisement: Who do you think comes up with all those flashy ads that you find almost on any site?
Community Management: These guys are the representatives for the out-of-game and in-game communities. You can find them either on the official forums or in game gathering valuable feedback for the developers. Additionally, they help bridge the gap between the end user and all the many different departments of the online environment from production to marketing to even operations (customer service etc).
Communications/Public Relations: These are the guys working with the game portals much like MMORPG.com and other important sites to help spread the good word about the game. They are also the guys who help plan the awesome booths and events at popular game conventions like E3, PAX, GC and etc.
Customer Service: These guys are the Game Masters of the realm. It's not an easy job, but it's a good step in the door to lead to many other positions either on the development or publishing side of the MMO industry.
Database Adminstration: Need I say more about these guys?
Localization: These guys help with the language support of the game. Now that games are played all over the world, it's important the game text (production and publishing) and etc are also offered in multiple languages.
Network/Sever Administration: You always need these guys to help keep things in check for online games. These are the guys who maintain the network for the game or even as simple as keeping the developers or support in check within the office for all their computer/IT needs.
Sales: Various sales positions are opening up that deal with F2P market and these guys deal with the sales aspect of the product or services of the game.
Video Production: Who do you think makes all those nice trailers? Many players have learned how to make nice gameplay videos by now!
Web Development: These guys are normally with the publishing side of things, but you of course need the best looking sites in order to compete in game development too!
I didn't list everything here, but there are dozens more! Many of these avenues work with game development and can get you in the door for greater things in the field you may find interesting. You can even find some positions offered remotely if you're lucky. Nonetheless, remember that all organizations are different as some may use third-party contractors to handle various positions listed and not listed above. But, don't let that stop you from seeking great career paths that may take you where you want to be within the game indust-ry...
Glen ''Famine'' Swan
Senior Assistant Community Manager - Funcom
General advice:
1. Be careful about making your passion into your profession. Your job could become your life, and if things go poorly in your profession (if it has become your life), you're just doomed. There's something to be said about absolutely loving what you do. At the same time, a lot of people pursue their life's passion and spend decades not getting anywhere. It takes a toll. Doing a job that you like while pursuing your passion casually, after work, has it's benefits as well. My friend loved wood-working till he decided to try it as a career. It happens a lot.
2. Networking is key in any profession. Get to know people. Make contacts and maintain them. Almost all the good jobs I got in life were the result of previous professional, social and volunteer contacts. It's the way life is, and using it to your advantage can get you very far.
Industry-specific advice:
1. Visit the websites for the games that you like, and see what skills they're looking for. Keep in mind, technology changes all the time, so today's development environment will be entirely different when you graduate college in 5-7 years. Try to stay current as you make your way through school, as there's a good chance you'll be learning the basics on some old technology.
2. Become well-read regarding your industry of choice, and stay well-read. Read all the boring stuff to learn about all aspects of the industry. If you're as passionate as you say you are, it won't be all that boring.
3. See if you can't spur your professional networking by harnassing new media. Create a non-anonymous public persona commenting on the industry (making use of step #2). Remember it's professional and always be positive and constructive. Demonstrate your knowledge of the industry. It could lead to articles at gaming sites, and then who knows. Maybe nothing comes of it, but maybe something does.
Nah its not about being perfect but instead about making sure your MMO stands up to any other game, regardless of genre.
WoW was the first MMO to launch in a state that was comparable to the bestselling games in other genres. Whether it was bugginess, missing features, missing content-- you name it, 9 out of 10 MMOs ship in incomplete form. Then people wonder why most MMOs are DOA.
I know its a team effort and you can't blame one department or one individual but the overall effort from MMO houses hasn't been very impressive. Especially when most of them are putting out formulaic WoW/EQ clones.
My youtube MMO gaming channel
Ok so it might of took me a couple of days but im done! I reckon I did a pretty good job :P
I used Blender to create this, took a sample sword from the game and changed it up a bit.
So what you guys think?
"Especially when most of them are putting out formulaic WoW/EQ clones."
Especially this, as far as nuts-and-bolts design goes.
Once upon a time....