Home Forums Education, Training and Jobs Current Games/Java ME employment environment

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    • #6739
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      Hi everyone,

      I’m a Java developer with a degree in Computer Science and a small amount of (non-gaming) industry experience. I also have some Java ME experience gained in my own time.

      I have a Java development job at the moment so I’m happy enough, but I’m just wondering, if I were to try get into games development or Java ME, what could I expect without leaving the country?

      Are there many jobs available?
      Am I under-qualified?
      What are the beginning salaries like? 20k/30k/40k?

      Thank you!

    • #41202
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      Hi everyone,

      I’m a Java developer with a degree in Computer Science and a small amount of (non-gaming) industry experience. I also have some Java ME experience gained in my own time.

      I have a Java development job at the moment so I’m happy enough, but I’m just wondering, if I were to try get into games development or Java ME, what could I expect without leaving the country?

      Are there many jobs available?
      Am I under-qualified?
      What are the beginning salaries like? 20k/30k/40k?

      Thank you![/quote:3a0be58112]

      Okay, here we go. Harsh truth :)

      1: Few jobs in games in ireland, cant think of any game companies left which do java though?Most mobile ones are gone tits up i think.

      2: Under-qualified? You have a CS degree but experience with java and not c\c++ which is the industry standard. If you were lucky to get a games break its most likely in england, as there about 100 studios here. Although they will probably want you to have c++ and graphics api experience. So you’ll need some commerical c++ experience or a kick ass demo, or something to get noticed. (very high degree (1.1 or awards etc) often gets you noticed also outside the demo).

      3:Starting salary i’d say in uk this year with no games experience and a little dev experience i’d reckon mid-20k is the max you’ll get, actually probably be lucky if you got that. I know it doesnt sound good, but games doesnt pay, unless your very good or very experienced.

      my advice would be get some commerical c++ experience with api’s etc and then possible look to break into the industry on the tools side of things, better chance you’ll start on a slightly higher wage, cause if you go the game play route (you have no experience), you’ll get lower on wages.

    • #41209
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      Well that’s not very promising!

      Thanks for that, a very informative response.

      Looks like going abroad is the most realistic option unless things pick up a lot over here. But with the starting salaries so low, there’s not a huge incentive. Perhaps if I could somehow fit in the postgraduate course in Trinity that would put me in a better position to enter the industry…

      Would I be right in thinking there must be a good few companies in Britain using Java ME and making mobile games/applications?

    • #41210
      Anonymous
      Inactive
    • #41211
      Anonymous
      Inactive
    • #41212
      Anonymous
      Inactive
    • #41213
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      As for alot of j2me game companies in uk, i doubt it, i was referring to console and pc. If anyone is developing mobile games though i doubt they use j2me now, seen much more impressive stuff using brew and c++. Check out the brew website to see what i mean, makes j2me look pants ;)[/quote:24b0dbccfc]

      I’m relatively new to Java ME and even newer to games. Is Java ME losing popularity in general, or just in the gaming side of mobile applications? What about the smaller games that come with phones? – I assumed that they were made using Java ME.

    • #41214
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      As for alot of j2me game companies in uk, i doubt it, i was referring to console and pc. If anyone is developing mobile games though i doubt they use j2me now, seen much more impressive stuff using brew and c++. Check out the brew website to see what i mean, makes j2me look pants ;)[/quote:fdebf4b0ed]

      I’m relatively new to Java ME and even newer to games. Is Java ME losing popularity in general, or just in the gaming side of mobile applications? What about the smaller games that come with phones? – I assumed that they were made using Java ME.[/quote:fdebf4b0ed]

      j2me is still kicking about but majority of games made using it are fairly limited and dated looking. Games which come on cheap phone probably use j2me, as their limited in processor speed and graphics. The more modern top end phones typically come with brew games, as they have good gpu’s and cpu’s.

      Prob best to do some coding with brew, at least it will enhance your c++.

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