Got a question for DP?

David Perry gets a ton of email from people looking to break into the gaming industry, and some of the those letters make it to the MailBag. If you've got questions, DP has answers.

Please understand that due to the high volume of email, not every single email will receive an answer.

DP's Old Programming Days (Wow! Times have Changed!)

More email from readers -- this time about everything programming. Read on!

Do you find yourself spending a lot of time keeping up with the latest programming advances?

I buy all the books on programming, though more out of interest than need. In the old days, I used to do ALL the game programming for my projects, but after our Earthworm Jim games in the mid 1990s, I put down my compiler and started playing a more business-oriented role in directing Shiny. As game technology has become more complex and as team sizes have exploded, we now have a entire programming department to handle the programming for our games.

So, to find out the latest advances, you just need to sit in a room with these guys for five minutes. A good programmer today needs to keep a close eye on the latest research, as things are moving so fast. Worse still, if you are starting from scratch, you'll a LOT of catching up to do, as game engines have a mountain of features that the game engines back in the 1980s could only dream about.

What are the best sources for doing so?

www.gamasutra.com , Develop magazine (from the UK ), Game Developer Magazine (USA), IGDA Meetings, the Game Developers Conference and searching for "BOOKS +GAME +PROGRAMMING" on Amazon.com. Want more complex references? Well, try searching for "game +programming +white +paper".

What are the most common hurdles you face?

The big hurdle for games programmers more recently was “Applied Physics,” meaning you can knock stuff around everywhere in game worlds and people can collapse into rag-dolls. That's old news now, and so people are starting to look into advanced AI where characters can understand and even form sentences themselves. What does that mean? Well, the goal is to make characters with real personality that can react interestingly to complex situations.

Could you take me through a day in the life of a programmer?

Programmers tend to battle with Designers that always want to complicate or change things; only when a happy compromise is reached can the programmer go to execute. Most things today in games end up having to pass through some kind of tool, and so the happiest programmers tend to be the ones with a really, really good tools support team. A programmer's day can be 8 hours to 24 hours depending on how things are going.

How do you attack a programming problem or challenge? Is it analogous to anything?

The skill to programming is the ability to break down tasks and reverse-engineer them in your head. What seems very complex can then be achieved by 1000s of building blocks (in that sense, it's like building a skyscraper). When you watch that soccer game on screen, just know that a programmer had to think about every single part – not just a bouncing ball and some players, but things like how to find a quick way to seem to detect every surface of every part of the field, the posts, the players and at the same time determine how the ball spins, and bounces, and how every character reacts to every other character, avoiding each other, etc.

Imagine I asked you, “How do you get an egg from the fridge?" How many steps can you break it down into? If you said, "goto fridge, open door, take egg,” that's a start. But if you said, "send impulse from brain to leg muscle to move leg forward,” then you would be a programmer. You could probably find 500 things to do before getting the egg from the fridge.

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to break into the industry?

Study hard, and in any spare time you have, practice. It's a very competitive field. People (your competitors) are literally sleeping under their desks so that they can get ahead of the other teams. Know that it's no easy job and it's also a massive mental challenge. It is, however, very rewarding, both financially and also acquiring the respect of both gamers and the game-making community. John Carmack is a great example of someone with both.

What are the qualifications needed to become a programmer?

Knowledge that you can demonstrate. That's the best reference there is. If you can prove it, that's what we want to see. There is an ENDLESS number of programmers in the world that would like to be game programmers, but they just can't get a good demo of their talent together. The good news is that you don't need to be an expert in EVERY facet of game programming, as teams are now big enough to handle specialists. So, for example, if physics was your gig, then all we expect you to be is an expert in that single field. That at least lets you focus.

What kind of personal characteristics does a typical programmer have?

The best programmers are not just good programmers. They communicate well, and they are reliable, professional, intelligent and extremely passionate. The very, very best also tend to be able to visualize a scene in their head and be able to break that scene down. Imagine I asked you to open a door. A programmer thinks of it as rotating an object (the door) about an axis (the hinge). A really good programmer allows for the acceleration, the friction (some doors stick!), the door bumping against frame, etc. They notice the details that others forget.

Can a kid learn enough in any computer science program in a university? Or is he/she better off going to a program that specializes in game programming, like DigiPen or Full Sail?

No, it's just a foundation. That would be like learning how to build skyscrapers in a classroom. The real world is the place where you REALLY get your education. As I said before, there's a lot more to programming than just programming! Are game programming classes a good idea to start? I think so, because it can be absolutely daunting if you dive in at the deep end by yourself; you also have less help at home when you get stuck. Getting stuck is the hurdle that kills off a lot of a programmer's original passion. Getting help and overcoming obstacles is what really gets a programmer's confidence going.

How much of a programmer's work is doing stuff on his/her own and how much involves working as a team?

Nowadays, it's all about working as a team. That said, with a good engine and tools, a programmer can do some quite big programming tasks with little input from others, like programming a entire projected-shadow system.

Do you have an anecdote about how you got involved in the video game industry?

I got started making games on the Timex Sinclair ZX81 -- that was over 20 years ago. That little machine only had 1K of RAM. Today a standard PC comes with over 128,000K. My Sinclair had so little memory that when you needed to add another line to your program, you had to delete something else from your program to make room! The good news was that this little machine had a keyboard (instead of a joystick), and so while many console gamers could only play games, people with the little ZX81 were able to get their programming careers started. I was one of those lucky people.

Zen and the Art of the Audio Demo

I received an email recently with several questions about tips to building a good audio presentation, for someone looking to get into the video game audio industry. There are several fundamental ideas that everyone should be aware of, so I'll copy most of the email here.

What is the best format for showcasing your skills to a developer?

Make sure to send them music they'll like -- look at the games the developer has made in the past, and if you REALLY want to stand a chance, then look at their press releases online to see what they are working on RIGHT NOW. For example, if you heard that Shiny was working right now on the Matrix, then you should send in music that you feel is appropriate for the Matrix . That will give you the best shot possible.

Audio Directors commonly get samples of random genres of music when they are just not in that frame of mind -- that's why they get tossed away or forgotten. So answer number one: SEND RELEVANT SAMPLES!

What format should you send tracks on?

By mail, a CD is good (just don't put 90 cuts on a single CD). Pick your best few tracks, best one first, and tease with them! You should think the same way with any samples you post on your Web site, and the CD should have your URL on it, in case they want more info on you or if they lose your cover letter.

Don't be too excited in your letter writing, keep it cool. "I'm submitting some work as a demonstration of our studio's audio services -- our rates are reasonable and we specialize in custom tracks for the video game industry.” That would work for me. What wouldn't work is: “I'm so excited, I've been dreaming of being a video game musician, I've got a keyboard at home and here's a CD of some cowboy music I did last night!"

Trust me, we get those letters! So answer number two: LOOK & SMELL PROFESSIONAL, LOGO AND ALL.

What would be the most effective way to produce a demo?

Target a developer you want to work for, then craft a demo for them. Meaning, if you want to work for Blizzard, then check out their games, see what they seem to like, then try to raise the bar. Answer number three: BE HONEST, IF YOUR WORK IS NOWHERE NEAR AS HIGH QUALITY, THEN FIND ANOTHER DEVELOPER OR GET BETTER!

You gotta be your own Simon Cowell -- what would he say if he heard your work? Why? Well because you can't keep spamming a company with demos each time you make a new track. Think of this demo submission as a one-time thing (or, at most, a one-year thing, before you should send a new CD demo.) So don't rush, get it right.

At what point do you go from clever to gimmicky?

Don't set your music to corny video. The video can distract us, and we focus on the wrong thing.

It's OK to SPEAK to introduce a track. Meaning, don't speak about your world view or personal philosophy of music. Introduce the tracks: “Here is a medium-size battle sequence piece with a major clash in the middle. In a master recording, we plan to replace the current temporary choir with an 80-person choir.” That would work for me.

As for gimmicks -- it's risky, but one thing you could do is to grab video from the developer's last game (or better still, from the demo of the game they are about to release), then lay your version of the audio on top of the video. Supply two, short, three-minute sequences on a DVD.

If your tracks are truly better, it's a cool way to grab the attention of the audio director. But be humble – the submission shouldn't come across as, “HAH! I'm better than you and this DVD proves it!"

ASSUME THE GAME'S AUDIO DIRECTOR IS REALLY BUSY. ASSUME YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO GET 60 SECONDS OF HIS EARS. ASSUME YOU HAVE TO IMPRESS. Only present your best work. Don't bore them, leave them hungry! Over the years I have seen demos that start good but self-destruct as you keep watching. Keep it short! Yes, I know a CD can hold lots of data, but just don't do it!

A professional jewel case and sticker is also your friend. Have an artist friend do this for you and have a printing bureau print it out properly. It's not professional enough to cut out paper from your HP Color Printer. Try to stand out. Use a slick envelope, cover letter and slick CD. It's only expensive when you make the first one, then it gets cheaper every copy after that. Discuss that with the printing people -- they are in the yellow pages. Presentation really does make a difference.

Remember, the logo should install confidence, so don't use personal head-shot pictures or pictures of tattoos, etc. Use a cool-looking logo.

Finally, be reliable. If they call, return the call. If you say you will be there at 3 p.m. , be there at 2:45 p.m.

Being a good video game musician is more than just good skills, it's also about company confidence. So always try to keep the company impressed so they can rely on you.

Q: Have artwork, need collaborator and publisher
My name is John and I'm a artist in the Austin, Texas area. For the past 2 years I've been developing the artwork (or design or program or concept) for a new game I want to make. Not being an industry person, I'm not really sure where to turn in the beginning stage now that I am looking to find a company to collaborate with. I checked out the biggest publishers but they only take working game submissions on disk, and I have what is still concept although it is a very highly developed concept with a high level of artwork finished.

If there is any information that you may have, or have companies/developers you could lead to me, I would greatly appreciate it. I am not really sure where to turn now that my concept is almost finished?

A:
The problem here is that it's REALLY difficult to get professional companies to look at your work.

• EXCUSE #1: You could possibly try to sue them for copying your ideas later.
• EXCUSE #2: They are too busy with the workload they have to read your design.
• EXCUSE #3: The people that end up reading your ideas don't have the power to say "YES." ;-)

You just have to imagine their situation. They are busy people, trying desperately to make money. It's as simple as that.

This is just like the music/movie industry. Meaning when they green-light something, they are taking a huge financial risk. The people that make that decision like to end up looking smart, as it's either that or unemployment a few years from now. In that quest to look "smart," they will always (and quite naturally) try to reduce their risk.

Knowing that, which would you prefer?

Which one would you put TEN MILLION dollars behind, to see how it turns out?

1. Hi, I've an idea for a game ... NO, I haven't made a game before, but trust me, I play games a lot and it's gonna be really cool.
2. Look, I've been working on this game demo with a group of friends for around 18 months now. As you can see, we have the engine up and running so you can get a feel for the gameplay, the new weapon system and the character control. Now look here, this is the main hook of the game, this is exactly why we know it's gonna be a hit, what do you think?
3. Hi, I've got an idea for a game. I found a group of other people that fell in love with the idea also and so we have worked up a video to show you exactly what we think the game would look like. This video is backed up by a complete game design (we will even supply all 3D models, sound effects, textures done so far for free to help get the live demo up as quickly as possible.) If you think the game looks good now, just imagine how it could be with one of your professional teams working on it. Our design documents also show the depth of the game and that we have though each part through comparing it to the current A+++ games that are on the market.

The PROBLEM is that 99% of people offer ONLY option (1).

Yet option (2) and (3) have a 99% better chance of getting you to your goal.

All is not lost however, as the reason I set up the DPFILES.COM forums was to make a honest attempt at finding people like yourself to hook up with other people faced with the same problem, but maybe from the programming/art/audio/animation side.

All you have to do is find each other and agree to try plan (2) or plan (3). (2=Difficult, 3=Easier.)

How do most designers do it? They work their way up internally in game companies until they get the respect to let them risk company money. This is often THE most difficult, frustrating and time consuming way of doing it, but it's also the path most designers end up taking after they give up on Option (1).

So, the answer you are searching for, is to find people to help you build a (live or video) mock demo of your game running.

The business people you are selling to (the ones that can say yes) often hardly even play games. They need to SEE it to believe it. You need to let them SEE that you have greatly reduced their risk. They have SEEN the competition that's out there and they need you to SHOW them why your idea is a slam-dunk.

To do this takes a lot of passion, however, there are a lot of people out there (as I have seen) that have the passion, they just need a push in the right direction.

Consider yourself pushed and I can't wait to see your video also! Post a link at DPFILES.COM for us all to see! We will be happy to help critique it.

How long does the video have to be? The good news is that it just has to be the equivalent of a movie trailer. You know, the ones that impressed you, that made you think "I GOTTA go see that!". That's what they need to see for your game.

Good luck!

- dp

Q: Experienced developer wants to make the best first impression
I'm an experienced developer trying to break into the games industry. Whilst I have some C++ experience it was a few years ago and haven't been doing mainstream programming for a while, but dull business software instead. It seems apparent that to get anywhere I'm going to need to produce a demo of my capabilities to take to interview. My question then is what sort of thing is going to make the best impression? I'm prepared to spend say 3 months working full time from home producing something but obviously don't want to waste that time.

A:
The best demo resume (C.V. in Great Britain), that I have seen is a video tape with a programmer showing his stuff and explaining (on a microphone) in detail what he achieved and how he did it. I get many tapes where people show something cool, but when asked, it commonly turns out that they only did 5% of it. I laugh as I remember one video of an animated cartoon sequence (with a horse running around) that was very cool indeed, only to find out later that the animator only did some ripples on the water that the horse drank from. So it's key that you explain what your input really was.

I have even had people send fake work that they found on the internet. That will only get you in trouble.

So say you make a cool tape, then who should you send that tape to? Mail it to "Executive Producer" at whatever company you wish to apply to. Most companies don't pay for people to filter the mail for an Executive Producer, so there is a really good chance it will make it to him.

Make sure that you have your contact information at the end of the video and don't call the guy to find out what he thought. If he does not call back, then move on. (It's wasting your time.)

What's the trick to getting them to look at it? - Don't make it look like a resume. Make it look interesting. What would I have to mail you to guarantee that when you open the package you walk right over to your VCR? That's up to your creativity.

If you're not creative, then don't put any label on the video cassette, just send a black tape in an envelope without a cover letter. Could you resist plugging it in, to see what the heck it is?

If a resume looks like a resume, it goes to the resume pile. That takes time.

What if you don't want a job, but want your team to get work from a publisher?

That's when again, you need a video demo. (Producers don't have time to install endless demos on their personal PC, so your demo may well lay in a pile forever.) A video tape or DVD is the best way to go. If they are impressed, they will contact you for a demo.

How do you best present a demo? Make a movie trailer!... Watch movie trailers, they get the point over in the most efficient and cool way possible. That's the best way to get the attention of an Executive Producer. I have been sent tapes where some guy plays a boring looking game for 2 hours. Trust me, that's not what people want to see. Grab their attention, don't show enough to form an opinion from, just leave them thinking - "That looks bloody cool!", so they call you up.

Why do you send it to the "Executive Producer" - Because he usually has the passion and power to make it happen for you.

How do you find team members to help you make that demo? - That's what www.dpfiles.com is all about.

LASTLY and MOST IMPORTANTLY... You only get one shot... So make your demo count. ALWAYS WAIT, POLISH MORE, then send.

I wish you the best of luck,

- dp

Q: Overseas Question:
I'm taking a university degree in computer engineering currently, and I'm interested in a programming career in the game industry. Considering that most of the game-related jobs are available in the US and a few European countries, do you think it is possible for someone outside those countries to pursue a career in that area (I live in Singapore)? Can I mail my application with a promise that I will come to that country if I were offered the position?

A:
This is a really common question these days. There are many talented people around the world that are kinda 'stuck' because they have no local game publishers they can apply to.

Therefore, you should of course feel free to apply overseas, but imagine if they like your demo or resume that you sent, then say "YES". That's when the problems begin! That’s when YOU will need to be able to help THEM get you over. Immigration issues stop 9 out of 10 people because they are simply not qualified. Here in the USA, the Immigration Service does not want foreigners taking jobs that could go to regular American workers. In fact they will protect them and make it as difficult for you as possible.

So you have to prove that you have something special to offer.

So what can you do? Firstly, make sure you get your degree and any other accolades that demonstrate your academic ability. Also try very hard to get things published in books or magazines. (Write articles if you can.) Start making games, ANYTHING, and publish on the web, so that you can state you have been published and get a point in time where you became 'professional'.

Also sit on panels and judge games for game magazines, call the magazine, explain what your goal is, write reviews and send them in.

The more you can demonstrate that you are "special" and very experienced in your country, then the easier it is to get into a new country.

Then add ALL those accomplishments to your resume.

For information on obtaining a work permit in Europe, try this site, WorkPermit.com.

Here is a list of the Visa's needed to work at an American company.

The primary American immigration bureau is the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. From this site, you can get all the information you need about coming to work in the United States.

Be careful, though. There are lots and lots of scams out there. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has a warning about these scams that will take your money and provide you with zero assistance.

Good luck!

- dp

Q: How much do entry-level concept artists usually earn?

A:
Concept artists are a tough one as there is a massive spread in the quality of work.

If you have a portfolio of great character or world art that is impressive (and can clearly show a relation to video games), then probably in the $50K per year area. (Nude life drawings are great, but you need more than that.)

It would drop to $25-30K if you needed a lot of training and were truly entry level.

It could be $70-$100K if it's so damn good that the publisher wants to base a game off it immediately.

- dp

Q: So, should you send your design documents to companies to try to get them to make the game?

A:
Nobody will read it. Legally they can't. Professional publishing companies will just send it back or send it to their attorneys.

NOBODY will read it. (Except un-professional companies.)

So if they won't read it, how the heck do you MAKE them read it?

Well even if they COULD read it, they won't because they are generally far to busy to be reading 100's of design documents, from ALL over the world. (You will likely get set on a pile of paper somewhere.)

So basically you see where this is going... Don't waste your time.

So here are TWO solutions:

(1) If you can get ANY job in a publishing company and can get to the Executive Producer at the company, you can pitch him personally. Companies relax a lot when they know they own what you are working on, staff are free to discuss things. If you designed something GOOD before joining, make sure you mention it on the non-disclosure-agreement when you join the company. (Just attach a copy so they know it existed BEFORE you joined.) It does not matter WHAT job you take to get into position to make this pitch. The people that can make it happen are executive producers, vice-presidents, lead designers, team leaders and lead programmers. If they get behind your idea, it will get some attention. (Just make sure it's a GREAT idea before you start this whole process!!!) To find the jobs that a company has available, check their website or call their Human Resources department.

(2) You should try to hook up with some artists (search the web for local / similar interested ones) and then build mock visuals of the game running. Basically using whatever tools you have, make it look as close to a running game as you can.

Then make a VHS video and mail it to the Executive Producer at publishers that you like. Don't label it with what it is.... Let the video TAPE (not the box) give all the information.

So for your game SLAYER, Just write SLAYER on the label. Then when the video rolls, have "Slayer, Game Development Progress, Awaiting publisher representation."

Don't pitch it as a design idea. Pitch it as an ALREADY STARTED project looking for a publisher.

If the publisher likes it, you will get a call. Then you explain that the design documents are done, the mock artwork is done, the storyboards are done, the characters designed etc... You just need a development team assigned to execute the final work. (Even suggest a list of developers that do freelance work, that you like.)

The most important point here is DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME UNLESS YOU HAVE A GREAT IDEA. Also DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME SENDING A VIDEO THAT IS NOT REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

I have had the video trick done to me, and it did get me to watch. But then the video was terrible and it made me just put it on the pile.

Don't let that happen to you.

Also consider music and voice over (a cool voice explaining things) for the video if your budget can stretch that far.

If anyone has any other ideas on how to sneak in the door, we are happy to add them here.

So there is two to get you thinking.

- dp