Presentation of the 'Advice, Tips 'n Tricks' that have been passed onto me about getting into the Video Game Development industry. Presented @ Monash University's Computer Game Boot Camp (CGBC 2013)

1. @josh_caratelli
yoshicarats@hotmail.com

2. • Josh Caratelli
• 16, High School Student
• Been lucky enough to have worked in and
been around the games industry:

4. From the studios I’ve visited and the experiences I’ve had:
A lot of developers have mentioned tips and
advice that I didn’t come across on Google. I’m
hear to share that

5. • Work Experience
• Nos Conquer Una (Work with
a Team)
• Find your Discipline (3D
Modelling, Gameplay
Programming, Sound Design)
• Working on your first game
(scope, ‘feature creep’)
• Networking – Conferences:
GCAP, IGDAM , PAX AUS,
FREEPLAY
• Online Presence (LinkedIn,
Social Media)
• Great resource sites
• Combining School Work and
Gamedev
*NO DLC

6. Great experiences if you can get some

7. • Not Guaranteed
• In all fairness, they don’t need you
• If they can accommodate – AWESOME!
• Rare if you apply from the ‘outside’
• Get to know them first: IGDAM, GCAP, Freeplay
• Be persistent, try and try again
• Personal Example – Big Ant Studios

8. Conquer Together! Work with a team

9. • Games are in nature collaborative projects
• Studios can range from 2 – 1000+ employees
• Just because you’re an artist doesn’t mean you don’t
understand some basics of programming and vice versa
• So why wouldn’t you start working as a team now?

11. • Where does it say teamwork here?

12. 3D Modelling? Gameplay Programing? Sound Design?

13. “Well which one makes you happier when you complete
something? Level Design or Gameplay Programming?”
- Chris Avellone , Creative Director & Co-Founder at Obsidian Entertainment

14. • If you have an idea and are choosing between a few, refer to
Chris’ quote.
If not:
• Try everything first, start with the ones that interest you
When you’ve found it:
• Learn the foundations first i.e. learn Art Theory, not just a 3D
or 2D Package – Adam Briggs
Remember:
• Just because you want to working with programming or Art
doesn’t mean you ignore the rest. It’s a Team Effort!

15. No such thing as a stupid question :)

16. ‘Feature Creep’, Scope and Finishing

17. • Start Now! Literally nothing stopping you
• Make it small, very, very small. Don’t ‘feature creep’
• i.e. Madden built up over 25 Editions, COD is the same
• Don’t make your dream game first, you have 10 bad
ones in you to make.
• Finish and release your game it’s a skill – I’m working on
this for my personal project
• An okay released game will always be better than the
‘best’ game, which is never released.

20. Networking and conferences/meet-ups available to you

21. • Great way to meet like minded people
• Good way to get some positive mutual benefits for both parties “Hey
you’re an artist, I’m a programmer lets make a game!”
Where can I network?
• Here! At CGBC
• Game Connect Asia Pacific (Conference)
• International Game Developers Association Melbourne (IGDAM)
• Online – Forums, LinkedIn

22. LinkedIn, Twitter and more

23. • Be respectful

24. “If you have stuff online which you don’t want others to
see, make sure what you want them to see is really easy
to find”
- Mike Acton, Engine Director at Insomniac Games

25. Gamedev Related Sites

26. Woman In Development (Games and Everything Tech)

27. Combining School Work and GameDev

28. • One way you can very easily build up skills is by
constantly practicing them.
• We’re at school most of the time, why can’t we
incorporate both?
• Generally the extra work brings favourable grades and a
‘wow’ factor
• More importantly it gives you a chance to practice your
skills AND get them critiqued by your peers

29. • Animation – Drink Driving Ad

30. • Animation – Drink Driving Ad

31. • Game – Interactive Quiz Starring Cardboard Chuck Norris

32. • Game – Interactive Quiz Starring Cardboard Chuck Norris

33. No such thing as a stupid question :)

34. Need to contact me?
Come talk to me!
Or
@josh_caratelli
yoshicarats@hotmail.com