Getting into the industry......Video Games, that is!

[project_failure]

If you can program do some projects under the gnu/gpl license. You won't make money but it is good experience and good for your portfolio.

@ Sword_Gun, really what does it take to be a beta tester? Could you hook me up?

[Sword_Gun]

You must understand, that Beta, Alpha, Gamma testing isnt JUST playing a game, its reporting bugs, its taking the bug "infected" code, and fixing it, its staying up late hours, its giving your overall thought of the game, and last but not least, its hard.

People think its just a walk in the park, its not.

Just becuase you can be a beta tester for any company once your 18 and youve passed high school, doesnt mean its easy. Ya you will start off just playing the game, but once you work your way up, there will be many upon many restless nights, as sometimes its all up to you, to say if the game is worth enough, also if you miss a bug, people get UPSET.

As it delays the games release date, if that bug cannot be fixed. Also, remember, beta testing does involve some general C++/C/Java/Basic debugging skills. Always remember, once you fix one bug, many more problems may come, as something will conflict.

Example: Joey is running in Grand theft auto, he gets shot but does NOT take damage, well say you fix that, well now another problem may occur like joey taking "too much" damage.

See what I mean?

Also when you become a beta tester, you need to sign a NDA. (Non Disclosure agreement), so the company makes sure you do not spread word until the product or game is released, or until the NDA expires, if you break a NDA, you can be prosocuted as it is a legal documentation.

[sam]

And jimmy I dont think you know what your talking about.

Dude, shut up. I've already worked on several small games as a pixel editor, and I think I know about getting a job in the industry.

OOO sorry you worked on small games as a pixel editor well sorrrr ey. I still dont think you know what your talking about. Working on an underground game that gets nowhere other than your friends isnt a very big deal. Btw good luck gamer, and always check company websites they will usually tell you if they are hiring and whatfor, and even if you arent hired you get your name in the door.

Btw jimmy dont tell me to shutup. Take it to a pm. Or I wont waste my time with you.

[Jimmy]

No, I worked on games for a portfolio, so I could show it to game developers later on. That's why people make those small games, for a portfolio.

[sammy]

Square-Enix Europe is recruiting testers, they pay about 7£ an hour. Nintendo of Europe is recruiting translaters Dutch/English which is something I might start doing in the future. Check the website's regulary and you'll find out soon what the most companies require. I should go for either advanced programming or graphic design if you want to make a real career. Getting in isn't that hard, but getting noticed is something completely different especially in a Japanese company. You don't see that many non-Japanese programmers/artists getting credit in a Nintendo game now do you?