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01DT!m3r
05-05-2008, 06:47 PM
I started this thread because i was thinking of studying game developement after i leave school and hopefully starting a business or being payed for making games . And i was wondering if anyone on these forums that does game dev for money if so how much do you usually get? is it enough to make a living ? how did you get started? etc . I know it is a personal question but it will greatly help me on my future study course decision . Thanks

dislekcia
06-05-2008, 01:59 AM
I started this thread because i was thinking of studying game developement after i leave school and hopefully starting a business or being payed for making games . And i was wondering if anyone on these forums that does game dev for money if so how much do you usually get? is it enough to make a living ? how did you get started? etc . I know it is a personal question but it will greatly help me on my future study course decision . Thanks

I've made a living doing game design and development for over 3 years now...

I built up a reputation amongst certain circles by literally doing nothing but talking about games and how games could make a difference to the world non-stop. Then, after many failed starts and some projects that I should never have paid any attention to, I started doing the odd consulting job as a "games expert".

After that I kept working my way up the consulting system, charging for my time whilst building as many games as I could in the time I had spare. At one point, I-Imagine hired me to do network code for them on a PSP game, the pay from that sustained me for nearly a year while I laid the groundwork for my own company...

I started QCF Design in November last year, mainly as a place I could use to cover my consulting work and look at starting to bring some of the prototypes I'd put together to market. We've just finished our first project, a cellphone game for Mindset Learn.

I would not be able to do what I do now had I not started caring about game development as a hobby and possible vocation ever since before high school. I tailored everything from my degree to my work choices to get me closer to making games. If I didn't have the network of contacts that I've built up over the years I wouldn't be earning a living doing this...

In the end, you simply have to be willing to put the work in to build up your own skills to the point where someone will hire you, or pay for your work in other ways. It's not easy, but nothing worth doing ever is ;)

-D

xyber
06-05-2008, 11:33 AM
I did a normal IT course
I was interrested in gamedev since school and written quite a few small ones strating with 2D stuff in the early days, then did try my hand at OpenGL and DX coding and finally decided to just stick to an existing 3D game engine to do the stuff I do now.

I never did fulltime gamedev but I was always involved in multimedia related projects like training and simulation software and finally got appointed by LumaArcade in February. I now left to work fulltime at my own company, developing games, simulations and websites.

You can make a living working fulltime for a company, and if you wanna try it on your own you gonna need contacts like dislekcia said, to get those contracts in. You can also start slow and create games of your own design and build your company up that way.

Darcnyss
06-05-2008, 01:33 PM
I currently work for an indie games company full-time, but got here basically through luck! I have been creating my own games since 1986 on my old ZX Spectrum+, then in the 90s moved on to creating freeware games in C and Qbasic.

In 2005 a friend of mine said that he and a friend of his were starting their own indie company, and if I would be interested in doing level designs for their first game. Of course I accepted. Pretty soon I also moved on to creating additional art for the game, as well as sound and music.

As for the payment part, I get a salary, as well as 10% of the games sold. Our first game was released late in last month, so the sales part still needs to pick up a bit before we can see if we'll make our money back, but we're quite optimistic about it.

01DT!m3r
06-05-2008, 04:40 PM
Thanks dis , darc . And wyber . This info has definetly helped me . Please if anyone else can help the more the merrier . Well done to all you guys for your companies . I wish you all the best . At darc . Wat is the name of your game ?

Darcnyss
08-05-2008, 08:59 AM
It's called Free the Floopians: Level Mania. You can take a look at the demo at www.floopians.com.

dislekcia
08-05-2008, 03:42 PM
It's called Free the Floopians: Level Mania. You can take a look at the demo at www.floopians.com.

BTW: I downloaded the demo and it promptly bluescreened my laptop... In the middle of a hectic development cycle. It also crashed on Coolhand's laptop the first time he tried to do a longer jump. I haven't tested it on my desktop or played it since... I nearly lost a day's worth of work to the first crash, so that left a bad taste in my mouth :(

-D

Bonezmann
08-05-2008, 03:46 PM
I don't wanna throw this thread off-topic, but Floopians looks cool, will definitely download the demo at the end of the month! :)

-edit-


BTW: I downloaded the demo and it promptly bluescreened my laptop... In the middle of a hectic development cycle. It also crashed on Coolhand's laptop the first time he tried to do a longer jump. I haven't tested it on my desktop or played it since... I nearly lost a day's worth of work to the first crash, so that left a bad taste in my mouth

-D

Backup, backup, backup :P

Cyberninja
08-05-2008, 05:56 PM
It's called Free the Floopians: Level Mania. You can take a look at the demo at www.floopians.com.

I really like your work on the graphics. The game looks really good. :)

01DT!m3r
08-05-2008, 09:02 PM
I agree it looks sweet . Unfortunately i will have to wait to download this baby . I can only get my hands on it at the end of the month . :( . I like the idea for it and the little one eyed alien things are ownage .