“The best way to learn games is to play games. The best way to make games is to work.” – Alan Emrich
Your Weekly Homework:
Be sure to read the Review Sheet (which contains more information than the classroom lectures and you are responsible for knowing everything presented here) and the Required Reading section of the web site.
Making an Industry Contact (due week 7)
If you already have a friend in the game industry, this
assignment will be easy. You just get your friend to help you help you out by
answering a few questions. So, if you know someone who works doing Quality
Assurance testing at Blizzard, it's time to exploit your friendship.
If you don't know anyone in the game industry (or don't wish to exploit your
current friend), this task will be only slightly harder, but also a lot more
rewarding. You're going to make a new contact in the game business and ask that
person a few questions. Handing in a printout of your questions and their
answers will get you the grade.
The best way to make a new industry contact is
face-to-face. That is, meet that person at an IGDA meeting (the Orange
County chapter of the IGDA holds these are held on campus) or any other similar
organized or sponsored event (E3, the Game Developer's Conference, etc.). Smile, shake hands, introduce yourself, and make
relevant small talk if you're able. Your goal is to get that person's contact
information (such as a business card) and tell them that you may be in
touch.
If you can't meet them in person, then use the internet. Below are the steps for
making a new "contact" in the game industry through email followed by a
methodology for preparing and submitting this assignment to them for their help.
1. Find the Right Person
Begin by picking someone who has a job that you're interested in knowing more
about. Better still, if that person has done that job for a particular game you
enjoy, then you really have something to talk about. You'll find that
person's name in the credits.
Want some 'easy pickings?'
Look here at the Gamasutra web site!
2. Do Some Research on that Person
Do a Google search on that person and see what comes up; they might have
a web site or there could be some articles by or about them up on the internet (you never know). You may also want to explore relevant
newsgroups that
person might frequent, too, and search them. At the very least, explore the company website
where that person works. You want to be as knowledgeable about that person as
you can be before approaching them.
3. Prepare the Right Questions
You're going to ask at least 5 and no more than 10 questions in
writing through email. (It is no more than 10 because any more than that
will be a
burden to your contact.) Below are some sample questions from which you can select up to 10.
Feel free to create your own if you think they're appropriate (both for the
person you've selected and for this class); after all, you're the one
whose done the research on this person and the game's they've worked on,
therefore you
should know best what are the appropriate questions to ask.
What did you do before you went into the game business?
When did you start working in the game business, doing what, and about how much did that starting job pay?
What is your current job title? How would you describe what that job is?
How did you get your job there? Did you get your job because you knew someone there (or someone there knew you) or did you send in a resume 'cold?'
The people you work most closely with every day, what are their job titles and how does their job interact with yours?
What software programs do you use to get your job done?
On a typical workday, how much of your time is spent at your keyboard (as opposed to away from your computer)?
If you were offered another job, even a promotion, at your company, what would be your next step up the ladder?
What's the coolest thing about the work atmosphere in your office?
How useful do you find internet discussion boards and news groups about games? Why?
What hobby press do you regularly read (print or web sites)?
What industry events did you attend within the last year (such as E3, the Game Developer's Conference, IGDA meetings, and so forth)?
Marketing: Good or Evil?
Are you supporting a family right now or are you basically just supporting yourself?
Do you have any money put away for your retirement yet (like a 401-K or IRA account), or are you just not worrying about that right now?
Do you still pull all-nighters playing games with your buddies or do you "have a life" now that has cut into your gaming time?
Do NOT ask any "sensitive" questions about their company's trade secrets, like what game they're working on or how they better compete in the marketplace. Those questions would be out of bounds for any employee to answer without a non-disclosure agreement.
4. Create the Email
Okay, you've marked your target and selected your questions. Now it's time to
compose the email where you're going to introduce yourself and get them to help
you with this homework assignment. Of course, you can use your own words, but
here's a sample that you can copy-and-paste into an email and them modify to
suit your individual style. Remember, be respectful and show some
consideration for being an imposition to that person's work day! This
is why you should “aim low” on the credits: people lower on the credits can
usually find the time in their work day to answer your question and won’t be
‘put out’ by your interruption.
Dear, [their name]
My name is _________ and I am a student in the Game Arts and Design program at The Art Institute of California (Orange Country chapter). I am currently taking Mr. Emrich's course entitled Survey of the Game Industry and my assignment is to research someone in the game industry and ask them a few questions about what it is like to work in the game business.
I've selected you because [List your reasons here; were you interested in their job title? The games they've worked on? In other words, how did you come to choose this person? What fascinated you about this particular person?].
I hope you don't mind this small intrusion into your workday. For me, this is more than just a graded homework assignment (counting for about 10% of my course grade). I am very much interested in meeting people in the game industry and learning more about them and their work. I hope you will help me.
May I please send you another email with a few questions about your job and what it's like for you working in the game industry? Don't worry, I'm not looking for any sensitive company information or trade secrets; I'm just trying to learn more about what's it like working in the game business from someone who is already there. I will be printing out my questions and your answers, then handing them in for my grade.
Thanks! I hope to hear back from you soon.
[your name]
4. Write Something on the Subject Line that They'll be Sure to Open
Try to devise a Subject Line for the email such that they will likely open it up
and read it. It should be personal and not read like a spam address that
gets automatically deleted. Try to use the word "interview" in the Subject Line,
too; it's is both compelling to open and honest.
If you know the task they performed on a project, that's a great opener. For
example, if your target was the Lead Artist for the game Grim Fandango, a
good subject line would be: "Grim Fandango Lead Artist interview." (Who could
resist opening that?)
Another is the personal name approach. If you're writing an email to Karen
Hughes, another good Subject Line might be: "An interview with Karen Hughes."
5. Go Email "Fishing" on the Address Line
Ï The next step is to send that email. If you have
their email address already from their business card or web site, that's great.
If not, you get to play James Bond and try to crack the secret code to
that person's email address.
There's always a certain logic to business email addresses. Essentially, you
must "dial" every combination you can imagine for it in order to "get a hit."
The wrong addresses will "bounce" back to you, but the right one will get
through ― and that's all you need!
Ð
What you need to do is compose a bunch of email addresses that are all
the different variations you can think of that person's first and last name @
their company's email suffix.
For example, let's
say you're trying to reach that renown game artist Fred Smith who works
at Way Late Software. How would you figure out his email address?
The email suffix should be easy to find. Go to the company web page and
check out their Contact Us links. One of them is bound to give you a
company email address. It might also be printed in their game manuals (if you
have one handy).
For example,
Customer_Support@waylate.com.
And that will give you the company's email address suffix, which is the part
from the @ sign over to the right. With that, half your email address is
achieved.
Thus,
@waylate.com is the company's email address suffix; that's what you'll
use after every prefix.
Now, you simply create as many email address prefixes as you can imagine. Be
sure to use every possible combination of that person's first and last name (@
the company's email suffix). It's always something logical. Look at some of the
combinations below as examples for Fred Smith:
fredsmith,
smithfred, fred.smith, fred-smith, fred_smith, fred.s,
fred-s, fred_s, fsmith, f.smith, f-smith, f_smith,
smith-fred, smith.fred, smith_fred, smithf, smith.f, smith-f,
smith_f
You get the idea. One of those will likely work (and
the rest will simply bounce back to you - no harm, no foul). If one of those
doesn't get through, you have two choices: either keep guessing email addresses
and try again or pick someone at another company and start over.
Important:
Send all of these emails using the "BCC" address line! (That way, the recipient
won't know you tried every email address you could think of to reach them.)
6. Yeah, But Will it Work?
You gotta believe.
? When you believe a thing, believe in it all the way. - Walt Disney
You gotta believe in me; I wouldn't lead you on some wild
goose chase or waste your time ― we've made it this
far together, show a little faith in your old teacher, huh?
You gotta believe in this system; I used to deal with these kinds of
emails day-in and day-out working in this crazy business. I wouldn't hand you a
recipe for failure. Keep trying and, if at first you don't succeed, aim a little
lower on the credits and try, try again.
You gotta believe in the
goodness and generosity of the people who inhabit the game industry, from
the CEOs and VPs, to the Producers, Leads, Directors, right down to everyone
slaving away in the trenches.
They are a fine, fun, and largely considerate bunch. The vast majority of them
will take a few minutes to help you. (Heck, they were you only a
few years ago! And some day, one of my future students might be sending you
an email wanting an interview... think about that!)
But more importantly, you gotta believe in yourself. I've
taught you all the right things to do and the right attitude to maintain for
this assignment; I've explained it as carefully as I can. I've given you
cut-and-paste support material to build from and showed you the secrets to
accessing these great people. You can succeed here; others have, and so
can you. And when you do, you just might thank me for it. Look:
Mr. Emrich,
I just received two e-mails from two different designers; Joe Wampol who worked as lead designer of Blood Rayne, and American McGee the creator of Alice. I'm really excited.
They both were really courteous, and Joe Wampol even was very flattered that I wanted to interview him.
I just wanted to say thanks for encouraging me to e-mail them. I'm very excited about this, and really am speechless that both of them responded so quickly and with such open arms. ^_^
Again I just wanted to thank you for this assignment, because it really is great to speak with people we admire for creating the games we play. ^_^ I will see you in class with all the details.
Thanks Again,
Katy Paguirigan
Hi, Mr. Emrich,
I just wanted to say that I enjoyed the "Interview someone from the gaming biz" assignment tremendously! It was scary starting it of course, but it got me to realize that these "Giants of the gaming biz" are down to earth people who aren't too tied up with their work to be snobby and inconvenienced by people like me learning a little about them and how they do their work.
I interviewed Kevin Reipl who did the music for Unreal Tournament 2004, Unreal Tournament 3 and Gears of War to name a few, and he could not have been nicer. He gave out well developed answers, and assured me that he would help me the whole way through. Who could ask for more than that?
Thanks again!
Matthew Ogino
Hi Mr. Emrich,
Thanks for all the great advice you have given me regarding this project. I had my doubts about this project but I now feel more at ease about making industry contacts. I actually contacted David Hansen, a former Art Institute student (LA chapter) who is now working at Activision, and that was kind of cool.
Well once again thanks for everything!
Christine Tsai
Thank you sincerely, Mr. Emrich, for giving me this opportunity to get in contact with my one of my most favorite companies in the industry.
I truly hope, from the bottom of my soul, that I can get this enriching experience [a lunch interview] with one of the dream players in my industry.
Sincerely,
Brian Lee
Hey Mr. Emrich!
I just wanted to let you know that I found someone for my interview! Fast huh!? [This was the day after the assignment was given in class.] His name is Fausto De Martini, and he did the cinematics for Worlds of Warcraft.
I'm, like, insanely excited...I totally thought this would take me a million years. But, no! it only took me one day! Heck, I did it the same day you told us about the homework! And in less than a few hours or so, he responded! I feel like a little school kid in a way!
He said that it would be his pleasure to do it, though, he did ask that there will be no chance this interview will go public [there isn't, though I may pull a quote or two for future Review Sheets in class, which is no biggie].
I showed him your site for proof, as well the school site; just like you said! I'm just blown away right now! Take it easy, Mr. Emrich!
Sincerely,
Andrew Delgado
Who you gonna' call?
Well what I did was make an account with http://www.gamasutra.com/
Then I went to the Game Development Gallery where you get a big list of people in the game industry.
The best thing to do is find someone that interests you (i.e. games they have worked on), then send them a email on why you would like to interview them.
From the people that I sent emails to, I got responses back from all of them (usually within 24 hours). Every one of these people were really nice and one that I interviewed even gave me a email address to a Lead Animator (he responded back to me within 24 hours).
Just try this and I bet you will find someone that will reply to your email.
Good luck,
Brian Calcote
Extra Credit:
Arrange for an industry guest speaker to come to class next week. Send me an email at: alanemrich_at_sbcglobal.net and let me know whom you are going to invite. I’ll let you know if that would be an acceptable guest, then you can invite that person to attend. They are to show up for the last hour of class. If they do, the student who invited that guest will receive 6 extra credit points.
Redemption Credit:
If you try and try, but can't get anyone to answer, hand in a printed record of your sent emails (and their responses) to receive partial credit for this assignment.
Course Textbook, Game Development Essentials: An Introduction
Chapter 11, Development Phases: This week in class I explained the rhythm of the game industry and the ‘waterfall’ method of game production from Inception to Post Release. You learned what the Alpha and Beta versions of a game are and the ‘victory conditions’ for each stage of the process of game development. This chapter will elaborate on the points I made in class and solidify your knowledge of how a game project proceeds.
Exam #2 is next week:
Next week there will be the second course exam (20 points) on the terms, concepts, and principles from the material presented in the Introduction to Game Design unit from Weeks 4 and 5, plus Chapter 3 in the course textbook (Game Development Essentials: An Introduction). Be sure to study the Lesson Review Sheets handed out in class and make sure you've read all the Required Reading material found in each week's assignment links.
