placement opportunities

Hello.
I’m 21 years old and student of applied computer sciences in Berlin (Germany). I have just finished my basic studies and I am currently planning to do a work placement of at least 90 work days in Ireland.
I have 3 years work experience in the field of web development but was always interested in game engineering (started some hobby projects by myself, mostly unfinished).

How would you assess my chances to get a placement in the field of game developement in a company in Irleand?

Best wishes. Michael[/quote:c90b9a212b]

low…. :?

How would you assess my chances to get a placement in the field of game developement in a company in Irleand? [/quote:48d83c2d7e]

Yep, I’d say low too :(
Check out the companies listed elsewhere on gd.ie (http://www.gamedevelopers.ie/companies/) and maybe send them a letter or an email.

If you are truly interested in game companies the UK is a better bet…

If your good and got some game demos of sorts. send it to us. We’re recruiting grads at present.

depends really what skills you have picked up in your ‘basic studies’

I would suggest that when you contact companies that you have some projects from college/demos of work to show..

Aphra.

P.S @peter_b: love your simpsons quote[/quote:c282b53383]

Thats actually stewie from family guy..

As for how to boost your chances.

1: Have a very good degree grad. 1.1 or 2.1

2: Have some sort of demo in an area of games programming that your interested in. i.e. if you like ai code up a pathfinding algorithm, if you like graphics do some cool effects like particles or motion blur or something else, using latest tech like shaders etc.

3: Make it apparent on your c.v. or cover letter that you like video games and that you know how their made.

4: And most importantly “MAKE SURE ITS IN C\C++”, if its in Java\C# your pretty much wasting your time unfortunately. Too many grads are submitting work in these languages and while their often very good we don’t use these languages in games. Some studios possibly use C# for tools related tasks but basically everyone who works on games tools or the actual code need to be proficient in C\C++.

I’d guess he’s refering to “Lies makes baby jesus cry” I could be wrong though.

You did say Ireland, Peter is in England by the way.

ya its unlikely you’ll get anything in ireland unless you want to focus on middleware..

Ya aint got 2.1 no one will touch you without a very good demo or a very good reason.. Although its unlikely you’ll get to an interview to explain the good reason.. :? Even at that if your demo is good and its up against someone with a 2.1 or 1.1 and a good demo, then you could be in trouble. Which is often the case.

You’ve got 100 ppl applying for 2-3 jobs, why not get 1.1/ 2.1 students if you can have them, or even phds! Its a good bonus..

That is not to say cause you got a 1.1. or 2.1 your any good, you could have played the system, submitted the correct assignments, taken easier courses to boost grades etc. But usually the programming test and interview will sort that out. Ours does..

PhD….. only a good bonus?

PhD….. only a good bonus?[/quote:e63b7f58db]
Yeah, I’d say so. All it means is you’ve spent more time studying… Do you have any more experience in actually writing games, if not, well then you’ll still be a junior so it’ll just be a bonus on the cv, it could gain you a couple of K on your starting salary and it’ll mean you’ll have something more to talk about on your interview.

Phd does matter a shit for games. Only means the company and tout “way we got a person with a phd”.

PhD….. only a good bonus?[/quote:bfe9c6cd24]
Yeah, I’d say so. All it means is you’ve spent more time studying… Do you have any more experience in actually writing games, if not, well then you’ll still be a junior so it’ll just be a bonus on the cv, it could gain you a couple of K on your starting salary and it’ll mean you’ll have something more to talk about on your interview.[/quote:bfe9c6cd24]

I suppose you have a point there. But then you could say anything you have on your CV is a bonus, its just a matter of what bonus will make you stand out from the crowd and be noticed.

4: And most importantly “MAKE SURE ITS IN C\C++”, if its in Java\C# your pretty much wasting your time unfortunately. Too many grads are submitting work in these languages and while their often very good we don’t use these languages in games. Some studios possibly use C# for tools related tasks but basically everyone who works on games tools or the actual code need to be proficient in C\C++.[/quote:1ae24273df]

I’d go further. If you want to be a programmer, set a target of knowing C++ backwards. Throw away your heathen texts and replace them with the following: “C++, The Programming Language (3rd Edition)”, “Effective C++”, “More Effective C++”, “Modern C++ Design”, “Design Patterns”, and “Large-Scale C++ Software Design”.

Then take this and your areas of casual interest and incidental knowledge (mechanics / visual effects / ai / whatever), and spend a few structured months putting together a demo, and doing it right. I wouldn’t actually do a game for this, since whatever you send people has about 10 seconds to make an impression before they move on to something else. Do something that’s both immediately cool to wow an ignorant producer, and technical enough to interest a lead coder. I wrote a small explosions demo using an old-school software renderer I had lying about from another project and a pretty nice C++ template-based particle engine using the strategy/policy pattern for particle behaviours that I developed from an idea on gamedev.net

An excellent well-engineered demo, passion and game knowledge will serve you much better than a 1.1 will serve someone with less to offer, because you’ll have to live with earning less and working longer hours for it than you would elsewhere.

The above may all be lies and self-delusion, and I might just be a jammy git… But it got me as far as an interview, and subsequently a job.

4: And most importantly “MAKE SURE ITS IN C\C++”, if its in Java\C# your pretty much wasting your time unfortunately. Too many grads are submitting work in these languages and while their often very good we don’t use these languages in games. Some studios possibly use C# for tools related tasks but basically everyone who works on games tools or the actual code need to be proficient in C\C++.[/quote:17a998b157]

I’d go further. If you want to be a programmer, set a target of knowing C++ backwards. Throw away your heathen texts and replace them with the following: “C++, The Programming Language (3rd Edition)”, “Effective C++”, “More Effective C++”, “Modern C++ Design”, “Design Patterns”, and “Large-Scale C++ Software Design”.

Then take this and your areas of casual interest and incidental knowledge (mechanics / visual effects / ai / whatever), and spend a few structured months putting together a demo, and doing it right. I wouldn’t actually do a game for this, since whatever you send people has about 10 seconds to make an impression before they move on to something else. Do something that’s both immediately cool to wow an ignorant producer, and technical enough to interest a lead coder. I wrote a small explosions demo using an old-school software renderer I had lying about from another project and a pretty nice C++ template-based particle engine using the strategy/policy pattern for particle behaviours that I developed from an idea on gamedev.net

An excellent well-engineered demo, passion and game knowledge will serve you much better than a 1.1 will serve someone with less to offer, because you’ll have to live with earning less and working longer hours for it than you would elsewhere.

The above may all be lies and self-delusion, and I might just be a jammy git… But it got me as far as an interview, and subsequently a job.[/quote:17a998b157]

i wouldnt say a 1.1. earns you less, you start on a hell of alot more (in most places), hence someone with a 2.2 etc if their lucky enough to get in, they’ll be on quite a bit less and they’ll have to work their bollocks off to catch up. And you can take that as fact. if you’ve got a 2.2 and a killer demo its gonna be hard for ppl to take notice of you, because a demo is only looked at after you’ve c.v. has been screened\checked. And thats pretty much fact in most companies.

I got my job from a good degree and a demo (not the best demo, but it was my degree which ultimately got me the interview and my performance on the tests and interviews which got me the job.) The demo just proved I was interested in games.

Yup, you need to have a pretty CV to get yourself an interview ( so you need a good degree or better ) and then you need something else to get yourself through the interview ( demo / fantastic C++ knowledge / etc )