Posts by Hourences

  • Robert Hodri - Level Designer

    Yes, now to make you and other starters scared

    Half the game studios on the planet are mismanaged to near the breaking point. Only you won't notice because you just start out, you don't know what to look for, and hell you are happy to have a cool job. This is one of the prime reasons why studios usually crash after a year or 5, or 10 max, and why few actually manage to afloat. Of that half a portion will try to exploit their employees. Either by because they simply don't have enough money but are otherwise nice people, or more likely because they really try to take advantage of you. And hey, as a starter you'll accept anything because you don't know any better and/or you are happy you got something. When I started I had to bring my own PC to work. Seriously. That stuff you don't pull off with someone who has experience because you'll get the middle finger.

    Point being, don't sell yourself too easily with your portfolio, or accept a job but keep on looking for something better.

  • Robert Hodri - Level Designer

    Quote

    And besides, after seeing PhilipK's and the other GRIN guys portfolios I was kind of discouraged to call myself an environment artist

    Don't really.

    Quote

    Yeah, everytime I look at the job sections of various companies, all I see are positions for senior or experienced artists/designers. Kind of frustrating, but I guess there were so many other people before me in that situation. Relocating would also be no problem for me.

    Try anyway. Your work is good enough that it may compensate for experience. Also a lot of studios simply try to scare off beginners, and then I mean real beginners. Furthermore sometimes a studio may be looking for a senior person but be able unable to find the person they want, and then ultimately go for a good non senior guy just to have at least someone. In the end anything can go, so just try really. Trying doesn't hurt.

    The further away a studio is the more unlikely you are to get hired. If a region has recently has known some studios shutting down, you are unlikely to get hired in that region because the remaining studios will focus solely on the people that were let go at the other studios. Especially for local studios apply anyway, even if the studio is not actively looking for someone. Being good, and local, may still get you an interview.

    Quote

    Yeah, maybe in 10-20 years I'll apply there seriously, I don't think id is a company that hires a lot of guys from europe without any professional experience or shipped AAA titles at all

    You'd actually be surprised how many people there are hired at companies like Valve, Epic, iD with no or little experience but just an absolute killer portfolio. Not saying you should apply because that is indeed unlikely to work out right now, but really, it is not impossible either

    It is 50 percent about skill, and 50 percent about luck and contacts really. Job hunting as a starter can be very frustrating at times, because half the time you really simply have to be the right guy at the right place and time to get it. The same way people do actually manage to start out at a company like Epic or iD. I know a guy I used to mod with, he has no game dev experience but just made levels for the community. He just got hired as intern at Epic. I can tell you another 50 of these stories really. Don't underestimate "luck" and the frustrations or joys it brings.

  • The Ball - Indie FPS Action/Puzzle Game

    And we are going, at full speed!

    We have some major things coming up. It is going to be a ride. We are announcing Part 4 of The Ball: Hueca (far, distant). To be released in little over a week!

    Hueca (far, distant) will be the 4th episode. To be released in little over one week from today, Hueca will be a one level extension to our adventure, but it will be a really large level. We estimate it will take people close to an hour to play through and explore. We only had three short months to produce this but I feel we have done more than ever, at a higher quality than ever, and we managed to add a range of fresh new elements to the gameplay and will certainly carry on doing that. Gone are the days of just rooms with puzzles. The design is getting mature.

    Hueca takes place in a gigantic cavern with three large pyramids. Inside each pyramid are a whole bunch of puzzles and enemies. The player will travel over the desert using a large ancient vehicle that uses the Ball as its powersource.

    Features

    # Solve the pyramids in any order and freely roam the desert.

    # The introduction of a vehicle to roam the desert with and to protect yourself from its inhabitants!

    # Three new enemies: A giant bomb dropping bird, a cannonfodder beetle, and a big sandworm that guards every pyramid.

    # Introduction of ball modifications. The ball will acts as a local low gravity field or as flashlight in certain specific areas of Hueca. This functionality will be greatly extended in Part 5.

    # The introduction of a brand new environment theme. While used only in the indoor sections in Hueca, this new metal industrial style will take over from the old one entirely in Part 5.

    # A new Survival level and further improvements done to the gametype in general.

    # A range of changes including new voice acting, more parts of the menu replaced, and last but not least a stats system.

    [Blocked Image: http://www.nijnka.com/hourences/theball/theballhueca1.jpg]

    [Blocked Image: http://www.nijnka.com/hourences/theball/huecaworm2.jpg]

    [Blocked Image: http://www.nijnka.com/hourences/theb…cleandbird1.jpg]

    [Blocked Image: http://www.nijnka.com/hourences/theb…cleandbird2.jpg]

    [Blocked Image: http://www.nijnka.com/hourences/theb…cleandbird3.jpg]

    [Blocked Image: http://www.nijnka.com/hourences/theb…cleandbird4.jpg]

    Our team has grown too. Mike Hillard joined us as voice actor, and Charlie Baker as an artist. He worked on the vehicle and did an outstanding job on it.

    Also if you come across an article about us in printed media, please shoot me a mail and tell me about it! It would be much appreciated.

    Edit:

    ModDB is running a preview special on Hueca: http://www.moddb.com/mods/the-ball/feat ... ca-preview

  • Robert Hodri - Level Designer

    Nice work indeed, you should be able to get hold of a job really. This industry would be sad if you wouldn't be able to

    You need to pick the right company though with the work you have. Joining your local casual games company would likely have a negative impact on you. A more art focused location may be better for you. Feel free to email me if you need advice or help breaking in, I think you have a very promising portfolio!

  • MapCore Job Census

    That sucks a lot!

    Good luck everyone!

    This is really bad for the swedish industry too. I hope it spawns a new studio or two.

    Since I came to Sweden, your industry has practically collapsed:P

    I believe Steppen was hired at SBZ too?

  • The Ball - Indie FPS Action/Puzzle Game

    Phase 3 results have been announced.

    We have won.

    1st Best FPS MOD

    5th Best Use of Physics

    2nd Best Level in Mod

    3rd Best Graphics in Level

    We also held nominations for.

    Best Character

    Best Weapon

    In the entire contest we now have four 1st places, a 2nd place, two 3rd places, and a 5th place.

    And more coming up! ModDB article upcoming in the near future, and we will be announcing Part 4 - Hueca!

  • 10 Best Game Engines of This Generation

    Quote from Gloglebag

    many engines lack a proper(hammer like) mouselook, even the popular UE3, or is that me just being so used to hammer.

    Because it is superior to mouselook. If you need only one hand to navigate you can use the other hand entirely for shortcuts, or to eat cookies, hold a baby, or do whatever else you may be doing at the moment.

  • One of those topics (advice)

    It is a bit of a difficult time yes. And yes I agree to also get into singleplay scripting. Lua, Kismet, Entity based, etc.

    Actually in the first place figure out if you want to go more towards visuals or towards gameplay/scripting.

    The escape course is 10 000 pound. May be very good, but that is a lot of money...

    And just make cool levels. A lot. 24/7. Just map on until next year. Apply for jobs and see what gives. If that doesn't work out get a normal job or uni and map on for a while longer. Uni would be 3 years yes, but that gives you all the time to become good in this, and you can quit any time you want. If you do find a job half way through...

    And having a higher degree may be nice if you ever want to move out to the USA or quit the games industry.

  • Minecraft

    Yeah, but on the other hand this is nice and simple. I also played with blockland for example but you got so many damn shapes and all that it gets too much trouble to build something nice. For me that is not relaxing anymore. It is the same like working.

    This on the other hand is so simple I dont have to think much or put much effort into finding the coolest shapes and all that.

  • ZeniMax Media (Bethesda) Acquires id Software (PR)

    Yes, compared to Valve, who managed to become a publisher, and Epic who pushed their tech, iD has nothing at the moment. They may be feeling that they are getting old, and that they are not up for the ever lasting competition anymore. Instead they may want to focus on just making their games, like the old days, and forget about the rest. Relaxing old day.

    Perhaps.

  • ZeniMax Media (Bethesda) Acquires id Software (PR)

    iD has been going downhill for a while though. So while I totally didnt expect this either, it was unthinkable either. It is not like they made bad games, but they just made very little, and their IP's like Quake Wars and the new RTCW didn't do all that well lately.

    Must have been seriously expensive tho, for ZeniMax. Paying for the whole slew of IP's they own, the engine, plus the studio itself must have not been cheap.