From College to Industry

1. From College to Industry 20 Lessons for Getting the Most out of your Early Career

2. Me Jeff Ward Programmer

3. Why Me? Why now?

4. In chronological order 20 Lessons Learned

5. From College

6. Tons of contacts • A tiny amount of respect • A ton of knowledge

7. 1. Get Involved

8. Andrew Plotkin • aka Zarf “First, spend fifteen years working hard on projects with no reward but community good-will.I say that without either pride or resentment. It's objectively true. This is happening because I have a big list of freeware games that many people loved, and a big list of open-source projects that many people valued.”

9. Opportunities • IGDA • Forums • SIGS • Chapters • Other Community Forums • GameDev.NET • PolyCount.com • GameArtisans.org • Open Source Tools / Engines • Community Games • Helping other students • Run your own events!

10. 2. Get Networking

11. Networking = Opportunities • Networking = Advice • Networking = Friendships

13. Networking = Opportunities • Networking = Advice • Networking = Friendships • Networking keeps you in touch, it strengthens the industry.

14. Darius Effective Networking In the Game Industry: http://tinysubversions.com/effective-networking/

15. 3. Listen. Learn Every Lesson You Can(From anyone you can)

17. Why not? He has this experience, and, even if I never use it, it would be stupid of me not ask and learn what I can from his experience.

19. 4. You are not a designer

21. From Bethesda

22. 5. Take the Time To Compliment People

23. Some Tips • In critique • Always start with the positive • Make the positive genuine • Be as specific in positive critique as you would with negative critique. • In general • Let people know that they’re appreciated • Constantly.

24. 6. The Game Industry Is Not Special

25. 7. The Game Industry Is Special

29. 8. Don’t Be a Dick

30. 9. Be A Dick

31. From Orbus

32. 10. Know a little bit about business

33. Business I Wish I Knew • Stock vs. Stock Options • Vestment • 1040 vs 1099 (Employee vs. Contractor) • Implications of owning stock • Stock holder agreements • Implications of allocated vs. unallocated stock • Partnerships, LLCs, C-Class, S-Class, Corporations

34. 11. Make Sure Everyone Is On The Same Page

35. Things to Talk About • How Long In Initial Start-up? • What are the goals of the company? • In 1 year? • In 2 years? • In 5 years? • How will everyone be compensated? • In the short term (money)? • In the long term (stock)? • How will we grow? • When will we grow? • What roles will everyone fill? • What if our initial plans don’t work? • What is our exit strategy?

36. 12. Know Your Own Goals

37. 13. Match Your Goals To Your Company’s Goals

38. On the previous three lessons…

39. From Fire Hose

40. 14. Follow Every Lead

41. It takes 3 people to make a game, 15. It Takes 5 People to Run a Studio

44. Small Teams vs. Large Teams • Communication • Process • Review • “Agile-ness”

45. Small Studio Problems are Different

46. 16. Solve Actual Problems

48. Sometimes you need to learn to let Go

49. 17. Know When To Kill Your Babies

50. The Lessons • From College • Get involved • Get networking • Listen. Learn Every Lesson you Can (From anyone you can) • You are not a designer • From Bethesda • Take the time to Complement People • The Game Industry is not special • The Game Industry is special • Don’t Be a Dick (an awful person) • But still be a Dick (assertive) • From Orbus • Know a little bit about business (enough to ask the right questions) • Know your own goals • Match goals to your company • Make sure everyone is on the same page • From Fire Hose • Follow every lead (with vigor) • It takes 5 people to run a studio • Solve Actual Problems • Sometimes, you need to learn to let go