Break Into The Game Industry: How to Get A Job Making Video Games [Paperback]

Ernest Adams (Author)

Book Description

Series: Consumer | Publication Date: May 19, 2003

Find out from an industry veteran exactly what you need to do to become a game designer, tester, artist, producer, programmer, writer, soundtrack composer, videographer, or sales/marketing professional. You’ll get full-spectrum coverage of positions available within the game industry as well as details on how a game is created--from start to finish--and much more.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Ernest Adams has been around the gaming block many times; his industry insights coupled with the developer war stories should give any aspirant that extra edge to break into the game industry." --Jason Della Rocca, Program Director, International Game Developers Association

Practical Advice for Landing the Job You Want!

Join the fun! Learn how to become part of the excitement and creativity of game development--one of the hottest and most profitable industries today. Author, game designer, and producer Ernest Adams takes you inside the game industry, then delivers an action plan for you to break in--even without any game industry experience. Get great career advice and learn the different jobs that are available. Whether you're a curious gamer, a student, or a career changer seeking immediate help, this handy guide provides the information and insider advice you need to land a job in the game industry.

• Learn how a game is built and published
• Understand and acquire the skills you need to get into the industry
• Discover the inner workings of the game business
• Get your foot in the door as a game tester or with other entry-level jobs
• Exercise your creativity as a game designer, artist, producer, or programmer
• Get the right education for the job you want
• Gain insightful advice from more than 20 industry professionals
• Includes hundreds of useful resources for job seekers

About the Author

Ernest Adams’ experience includes over 12 years in the game industry as a lead designer, producer, and software engineer. More than 8 of those years were spent working on the very successful Electronic Arts (EA) Madden franchise. In addition to being a founder of the International Game Developer’s Association, a former Director of the Game Developer’s Conference, Adams writes a well-respected game design column for the popular game industry portal, gamasutra.com. As a high-profile member of the game industry, Adams speaks regularly at the Game Developer’s Conference and has been profiled in many publications including The New York Times.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media; 1 edition (May 19, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072226609
• ISBN-13: 978-0072226607
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #697,355 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like Having a Personal Mentor, June 12, 2003

By 

Dave Grundgeiger (Madison, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Break Into The Game Industry: How to Get A Job Making Video Games (Paperback)

This book is a detailed and highly readable roadmap to careers in the game software industry. Assuming only that you have an acute interest in becoming part of the game software phenomenon, Adams shows you step-by-step how to break into this field as a programmer, artist, animator, audio technician, musician, writer, designer, tester, marketer, customer service rep, or even mailroom clerk.

The book begins with a wealth of fundamental knowledge, giving a history of interactive entertainment and a taxonomy of game software venues, including PC, home console, arcade, online, handheld device, "location-based" entertainment, and gambling equipment. Chapters explaining how the game industry functions and how games are produced--from idea through manufacturing--round out the very thorough treatment of fundamentals.

With the fundamentals under your belt, Adams explains how to get from here to there, wherever "here" is for you, and with "there" being a career in the game software industry. There is separate advice for those still in high school, those in college, and those currently in careers other than game software. Every major job in the game software industry is explained, and there are "day-in-the-life" sidebars for each, written by people actually holding those jobs. There is also specific, detailed information on what education you will need (which could be formal or self-taught) in order to do each of these jobs.

Lastly, Adams leads you through the job hunt and hiring process itself, explaining how to package yourself, how to find opportunities, how to interview, and--once you're hired--what legal issues pertain to the ideas that you create for your employer.

Peppered throughout the text are "war stories" and insider anecdotes from Adams and other game software professionals. You're left with the sense that you've been in the trenches all along, working alongside the best in the industry.

I found this book to be well organized, well written, informative, and genuinely interesting. It's about 300 pages, which I consider to be the perfect length for most books. Reading this book is like having a personal mentor show you the ropes carefully, methodically, and with respect.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars For true neophytes, primary, high schoolers, college applicants. Not experienced hobbyists or graduates, February 1, 2006

By 

Munly Leong (Tempe, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Break Into The Game Industry: How to Get A Job Making Video Games (Paperback)

My quick review of Break Into the Game Industry - How to get a job making video games by Ernest Adams.

This book is a very light read and aimed specifically at real neophytes who enjoy games and are giving a passing thought at doing something in games for a living without much knowledge of the industry. If you've grown up with the industry and are doing the indie or trying to break in thing, this isn't for you. Book can be pretty much read in one night, and for a lot of people there's a lot you can skim.

However, I would recommend this book VERY STRONGLY as a purchase for high school or even primary school children researching this as a possible career path. It pretty much covers a lot of things you need to get started *early*. Don't wait till you hit "working age" to start like I did. It's the only book out there that really targets kids and not working professionals trying to get in. It spends an entire chapter (and more) on how you should plan your education, what to look for, courses that will help etc. This stuff is good stuff, not the usual BS from "How to choose a college" guides.

There is also a very good summary of publishing contracts in there, that might be unfamiliar territory for a lot of people. Even though it wasn't new to me, I'm still photocopying it for something I can refer to if anything as a very good summary reference (I borrowed the book ).

Some of the best stuff is at the end in the appendices. There are huge lists of game companies and schools for anybody that is looking to apply at either. Book mentions that they are available at gamasutra as well but it doesn't hurt to have a hard copy. There is also the IGDA curriculum framework in there too, something which I wish my current school would have spent more time taking to heart instead of just looking at buzzwords.

Bottom line is, this is still a loaner for the most part. If you've been highly specialised in one area, this book can help catch you up from a more generalist perspective. There are some great war stories in there as well, but I can't recommend buying the book just for them. For anyone at primary school level, or looking at college this book should merit serious consideration as a purchase.

35 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars NOT what i thought it would be...., November 1, 2003

By 

e. white (philly, pa.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Break Into The Game Industry: How to Get A Job Making Video Games (Paperback)

I am an experienced computer professional, who decided to change professions, which also makes me a recent graduate of a 3D animation school(i graduated at the top of my class). I purchased this book based on mary-margaret.com's(supposedly one of the best game recruiters) recomendation AND based on the other reviews listed for this book. I really thought this book would be informative. I was WRONG. This book was a huge WASTE of money. And I am not sure that the other reviews listed for this book are even from REAL buyers... I definately do not share their opinion.

This book was basically a waste of money, because it only gives you general information that most people already know. For example on page 189 the section "How to find a Job" starts. The first paragraph is a "its not what you know, its WHO you know." section. How is that supposed to help recent graduates or professionals changing professions?

In short, this book is NOT for professionals or graduates. It might be useful to high school students, who need might need to learn how to focus their career goals towards an game career... but even then i am not sure how it would help when they get to the position of actually trying to get the job.

TOTALLY DISSATISFIED, and WISH I could get my money back! This was a highway robbery at its best.