Comments on: So You Want My Job: Video Game Producer

By: Jonathan Lapkoff

Jonathan Lapkoff — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 00:56:38 +0000

The art of making video games is a very manly profession. Almost any profession that supports a family is by definition manly.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 18:49:53 +0000

Video games are not manly.

By: Eitan

Eitan — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 19:24:36 +0000

Coolest part: John Kricfalusi. Someone please ask him why he gave the show to “Adult Swim”. It’s terrible now.

By: Spark Indigo

Spark Indigo — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 00:51:36 +0000

After having a long career in the music industry I was plucked to create sound for games more than 16 years ago. My first job in the industry was at origin systems. They taught me how it is to be done. I discovered I had a talent for it and love creating sound effects and music for games. Despite all the internal politics and cliques I still love my work. This is just my observations as to the improvements needed to the pipeline. short list
1. Produce an actual schedule that can be tracked not one created to fool the client as you aren’t fooling anyone.
2. Hold the Management accountable as opposed the rank and file that follow your direction.
3. Put everyone on hourly wage with overtime this ensure the product will come in on budget and on time. This will eliminate the death march, decrease the divorce rate and the awkward question by your children ‘mommy who’s that man in our house?’.
4. Give the producer the authority lock down the content according to the schedule so the next poor slob in the pipeline can complete his tasks.
5. When the sound designer know more about making games then you do, you are in deep voodoo. this isn’t really part of improvements just a personal note.

Please forgive any misspellings, grammar, punctuation, run on sentences, etc. as I am am trapped in the body of a dyslexic.

By: Living with Balls

Living with Balls — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:52:10 +0000

I can’t believe they dont get copies for free of the games they’ve developed.

By: Chris Paulene

Chris Paulene — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:08:04 +0000

You guys should interview my buddy, Matt Peterson, for this series. He writes four wheel drive and ATV guide books for a living. He spends months every year riding around the Rocky Mountains and gets paid to do it. Every guy I know is jealous of him.

By: Will

Will — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 02:54:33 +0000

People think that you need ideas for games because the video game industry has been using the same ones for a decade. For every Portal, there are a dozen Call of Duty clones.

By: Shaun C.

Shaun C. — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 17:14:55 +0000

I do, in fact, want his job. I even went so far as to get my MFA in 3D Animation & Visual Effects. Unfortunately, current economic realities forced me to move to Washington DC & I’m working as a Defense Contractor. I’m finding ways to continue developing skills useful to the position though (business development, change management, etc…). Now if I could only find my “in”.

By: JG

JG — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 17:14:28 +0000

Good interview even if my video game phase is long gone.

This reminds me of a video game producer who quit his job because of the violence and emptiness that the video games have been exhibiting. Subsequently he travels the world and dances:

http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/about.shtml

By: Charles

Charles — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:35:10 +0000

I’ve never been much into video games, but I found this interview quite enjoyable and interesting. Thanks.