10 replies to this topic

[Nesh108]

Hello guys,
I'm an Italian guy and I am seeking for a job as Game programmer (In Japan if I can).

Actually I live and work in Canada for a videogame testing company in Quebéc, as linguistic and functionality tester (as Lead and Core Tester in some projects). I have studied IT, programming, game programming, system analysis and 3D graphic (some of them by myself, because I was interested).
I am studying Japanese, and I can speak in Italian, English, Spanish and little bit of French (even if I can read it more or less everything).

I am really passionate in the game industry.
Until now I always worked in the last part of a game production, testing and pre-certification, and now I would like to change side.


I would like to know if I have enough experience for a job.

Can someone give me some hints?
I would really like to become a game programmer, even only for mobile phones (for now).

Can someone help me?


Thanks :)

[TheNut]

You speak quite a bit of languages there, but you missed out mathematics, C++, DirectX, HLSL, and a touch of Python or Lua. Those are the most important languages :) I know a guy who switched over from QA to engineering, so it can be done. As long as you have the passion and talent, the rest is just making it happen.

The closest big company near where you live is Ubisoft in Montreal, so it wouldn't hurt to apply there (though I wouldn't wait on them). I don't know much else about the Quebec / Montreal region. I think EA has an office there, but it might be just HR stuff. Here in the GTA there are a few companies. Konami, Silicon Knights (St. Catharine's), Pseudo Interactive, Rockstar Toronto (lol, they did a sh|t @$$ job porting GTA 4 so I dunno about them...), TransGaming (a guy by the name Nick here works for them in the European division). There are also quite a few "parlor" game companies. I use to get harassed by them all the time. Simple games for mobile devices and whatnot. I don't have them on hand, but if you contact some hiring agencies around here you'll get quite a list. They are very heavy into Flash technology (a plus if you know it), but some also use C++ and specific libraries for phones and whatnot. There's also PokerStars right near where I live if you're into that sort of thing as well (not sure what they changed their company name to this time). A little further south you'll also find a hardcore company Digital Extremes in London ON (makers of Unreal & Unreal Tournament).

I don't know about getting a job in Japan, but I do know several of my friends were hardcore into Nintendo and could not get a job with them. Apparently it's quite tough, so I don't know if that's something you should aim for just yet. Maybe give them a try after you work on a AAA title.

[Nesh108]

Well, I have some experience in DirectX, OpenGL, C, C++, VC#, VJ, SQL, Allegrolib, some Flash, web languages..

I know about Montreal and Ubisoft, but I would like to change location. Australia, Japan o somewhere else.

[.oisyn]

TheNut said:

The closest big company near where you live is Ubisoft in Montreal

Don't forget Eidos Montreal :happy:

[alphadog]

Do you know any networked people in your local workplace/community that can connect you to a key person in Japan and vouch for you? Not to put you down, but that's basically your only "quickfire" chance.

In reality, you need to work on three things, in order of importance (IMO):
a) more and more chops as an actual game coder, not tester.
your professional network, esp. wrt to getting closer to people in Japan. For example, you may want to move into a coder position locally for a company that has offices/projects in Japan. Then, land yourself in one of those, and start networking with those people on both sides of the ocean.
c) your portfolio of independent code, with a possible bias to the games and styles common to Japan.

Hmm, there may be a game in this...

Coming soon! "Seven Degrees From Japan"! Only $69.99. Exclusively for the PS3, XBox360, iPhone, Wii, DS and C64 only.

[JarkkoL]

There are plenty of game companies in Quebec and sounds like you might have a good chance to get a senior/lead role in an internal QA team. Once you are in and worked there for awhile you can talk to HR to try to switch to a game programmer role assuming you got the basics covered. I would recommend one of the larger studios since they have more room to shuffle people around. When I worked at Ubisoft Montreal few years back they had large QA department at least and IIRC had ~1400 people working in the studio, so there were more options to "pick" an interesting project. I think EA Montreal is pretty big too and Ubisoft has studio in Quebec City as well.

[eddie]

You mention that you're currently in the gaming industry, and that's a big part.

First thing I can recommend is to make the switch to programming within your current company, if it's at all possible.

Once you earn some merits there, or at least a few months (or better, years) of experience, you can hope to shop around a bit.

I worry that if you try to find a job in a field you have no practical experience in, AND try to move countries & companies, you may have a harder time finding it.

Concentrate on 'upgrading' one portion of your life at a time would be my suggestion.. :)

[Nesh108]

Yeah you are right.
Anyway my company is only a testing company.

I will try with Ubisoft Montreal, and see what happens.

For now I would like a position as game programmer anywhere ^^

[Nesh108]

Which things should I learn?
For example programs or other stuff

[alphadog]

Nesh108 said:

Which things should I learn?
For example programs or other stuff

There are lots of threads on this throughout the forums. Use the search function and search for "start" or "learn" or "python" since it is usually spoken in terms of languages to learn.

However, I will conceitedly refer you to one of my posts with a direct link. It's a bit old, in that the links may have expired, but the gist of it still stands.

[Nesh108]

Thanks, well wow.
Im already at the phase 3D Engine :P

^_^
Thanks a LOT!