Comments on: Hunting for Water in The Sea There are definitely a lot of ways into the industry, but they all require a lot of hard work and persistence. A lot of people joke about living in their parents' basement and making games, but it takes a true soldier to do it! LinkedIn is a great resource, and it never hurts to give yourself <em>more</em> visibility, but don't be the creepy guy who stalks companies on LinkedIn. Twitter is also a really awesome resource for contacting people in the game industry -- follow your idols and tweet at them once in a while, you might be surprised when they tweet back :D There are definitely a lot of ways into the industry, but they all require a lot of hard work and persistence. A lot of people joke about living in their parents’ basement and making games, but it takes a true soldier to do it!

LinkedIn is a great resource, and it never hurts to give yourself more visibility, but don’t be the creepy guy who stalks companies on LinkedIn. Twitter is also a really awesome resource for contacting people in the game industry — follow your idols and tweet at them once in a while, you might be surprised when they tweet back :D

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By: Mike Gribbin/2011/05/01/hunting-for-water-in-the-sea/#comment-3633 Mike Gribbin Thu, 05 May 2011 15:23:53 +0000 Saw this on Gamasutra, but wanted to leave my comment over here. I've been a certified salary-and-everything designer since February 15th 2011. I am 23 years old. I did not go to college (never enrolled in any post high school education program of any sort) I *did* work my way up through a startup of Kongregate.com, which is related to the game industry, but I did not design any games there, and my title was Community Manager. I quit that job and made Flash games for 2.5 years, which barely sustained me even while living in my mother's basement. However, my flash games have been played well over 10 million times in total, and they apparently qualified me to design mobile games at Gameloft in NYC. The only thing I take from this is that there is no ONE way into the industry. It's a matter of will and desire to be in it. If you want it bad enough, you'll find a way in. It's not a matter of not giving up, because if you really want it, giving up was never an option in the first place. Awesome write-up by the way! Mike Saw this on Gamasutra, but wanted to leave my comment over here.

I’ve been a certified salary-and-everything designer since February 15th 2011.

I am 23 years old.

I did not go to college (never enrolled in any post high school education program of any sort)

I *did* work my way up through a startup of Kongregate.com, which is related to the game industry, but I did not design any games there, and my title was Community Manager.

I quit that job and made Flash games for 2.5 years, which barely sustained me even while living in my mother’s basement.

However, my flash games have been played well over 10 million times in total, and they apparently qualified me to design mobile games at Gameloft in NYC.

The only thing I take from this is that there is no ONE way into the industry. It’s a matter of will and desire to be in it. If you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way in. It’s not a matter of not giving up, because if you really want it, giving up was never an option in the first place.

Awesome write-up by the way!
Mike

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By: Dave Herod/2011/05/01/hunting-for-water-in-the-sea/#comment-3496 Dave Herod Tue, 03 May 2011 08:51:48 +0000 I applied to two or three jobs about a month before finishing my courses. Got an interview at one and was hired as a level designer. That was three years ago; I'm still here. Of course, by the time I made those applications I had been modding, writing design articles, entering design competitions, and creating indie games for going on eight years. I had a good jump-off point. Companies are desperate for design talent. I applied to two or three jobs about a month before finishing my courses. Got an interview at one and was hired as a level designer. That was three years ago; I’m still here.

Of course, by the time I made those applications I had been modding, writing design articles, entering design competitions, and creating indie games for going on eight years. I had a good jump-off point.

Companies are desperate for design talent.

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By: Joseph Simons (@sigmel)/2011/05/01/hunting-for-water-in-the-sea/#comment-3445 Joseph Simons (@sigmel) Mon, 02 May 2011 15:29:44 +0000 I'm curious -- do you think that's still a good way to prove yourself to the industry in college? Mad props to you though I’m curious — do you think that’s still a good way to prove yourself to the industry in college? Mad props to you though

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By: Thaddaeus Frogley /2011/05/01/hunting-for-water-in-the-sea/#comment-3442 Thaddaeus Frogley  Mon, 02 May 2011 09:38:07 +0000 Yeah, totally. Internships are like a "Gateway Job" into the industry, especially if you don't have much experience to show. I'd recommend taking any internship you are offered because it'll be a great opportunity to prove you're an asset. Yeah, totally. Internships are like a “Gateway Job” into the industry, especially if you don’t have much experience to show. I’d recommend taking any internship you are offered because it’ll be a great opportunity to prove you’re an asset.

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By: Jason Pecho/2011/05/01/hunting-for-water-in-the-sea/#comment-3429 Jason Pecho Sun, 01 May 2011 15:12:32 +0000