This document discusses careers in game development, including programmer, artist, designer, and producer. It provides advice for each role, such as programmers learning rapid prototyping through game jams, artists focusing on classic skills and fast sketches, designers constantly writing about and designing games, and producers becoming experts in project management, Agile techniques, and helping teams solve problems. The document encourages building a portfolio and gaining experience in each career path.

1. Game Development Careers
Past, Present, and Future
Jesse Schell (@jesseschell)
PACISE 2015

23. Game Industry Careers
•Programmer
•Artist
•Designer
•Producer

24. Game Programmer
• Code A LOT
• Code on a team
• Do Game Jams, to learn rapid
prototyping
• Finish things, to learn software
engineering
• Build a portfolio of games and
demos

25. Game Artist
• Focus on classic skills
• Make beautiful things
• Get good at fast sketches
• Learn to collaborate with
programmers
• Build a portfolio

26. Game Designer
• Learn about everything
• Write about games constantly
• Design a lot of games
• Do as many game jams as you can
• Work with artists and
programmers

27. Game Producer
• Learn about project management
• Learn about Agile
• Become a wizard of documents
• Help teams solve problems
• Learn how games are made –
estimate every game you play
• Study post-mortems
• Build a portfolio

35. Thanks!
Slides: jesseschell.com
Twitter: @jesseschell
Email: jesse@schellgames.com