HTC crew

[mentalguy]

I'm looking in on a career in game design.
I need to know what the job is like. (wage, hours, ect.)

Can you guys help?

[NoBaddy]

You might want to call or email them directly. Check the website.

[T0J0]

Originally posted by mentalguy
I'm looking in on a career in game design.
I need to know what the job is like. (wage, hours, ect.)

Can you guys help?

You spell way too well to be a coader...

[wetrat]

If you wind up at a large publisher, which is where most of the jobs are, pay will be good, and the hours will be very, very long. Particularly when you're pushing to meet a release date.. you'll pretty much work like a slave. EA's supposed to be the worst for it... lots of people can't handle it. My cousin worked for EA... was a coader... after 2 years, he decided to switch careers. Works for Adobe last I talked to him lolz.

[Slash27]

You have to smoke alot, I know that much.

[-sudz-]

Game design? Almost everywhere I've worked the design was done collaboratively by the coders, artist, and management.  Getting in and getting established purely as a game designer would be very difficult.  But if you can get it, more power to you.

I've worked corporate and game but, unfortunately, there is no simple answer to your question.  Wages and bennies vary widely across the differing game shops but compare favorably in every case with the corporate side. But here are some things that are consistent:

Dress is always informal at a game house
There are rarely any women colleages
Egos run the game shop so be prepared for lots of arguing
Getting the product out in time is paramount so be prepared for overtime (EA implemented a mandatory 14 hr/7 day policy for 3 months on one game)
Your coworkers are more colorful at a game house
You can have more creative input in the product
Not much 'climbing the ladder' politics, if any
Parties are more frequent and wilder
Job security is less
Job satisfaction is typically higher

The specifics of wages and hours would depend on your experience, but you won't starve.

[Superfly]

Sudz nailed it pretty good.  It would help if you said what you want to do (art, code, etc.).  Typically, artists are payed a lot less than coders, but it also depends on your experience.
Another perk Sudz didn't mention is that playing video games is actually research for your job, and it is a great way to come up with ideas.  We often play LAN games, or more recently, have been playing boardgames like House on Haunted Hill.

[Waffle]

Sounds like the music biz except for a few minor changes...

Dress is always informal  - unless you're on stage
There are rarely any women colleages, except for groupies and germs
Egos run the band so be prepared for lots of arguing
Getting the album out in time is paramount so be prepared for overtime
Your coworkers are more colorful with a band
You can have more creative input in the product
Not much 'climbing the ladder' politics, if any
Parties are more frequent and wilder
Job security is less
Job satisfaction is typically higher


The specifics of wages and hours would depend on your experience, but you won't starve, well sometimes.

Pretty much fits any smaller "boutique" type industry. Not sure about the gaming industry, but music is alot of who you know compared  to what you know. But if you're good and can produce and have a heart behind it  - well most people would rather work with someone that has the those qualities than someone who might have a huge resume and impressive credits...but in the end is hard to work with due to the "primadona" complex.