Scott Hartsman (not verified) on January 23, 2007 - 18:06.
Contacts are definitely important, but in a complementary way to those attributes.
Contacts get you the interview, not the job.
When I know someone who I think would make a good designer, they still interview with the lead designer, producers, and other designers. That's who they'll be working with the closest, and are therefore the ones who should make the call.
Those people in turn tell me whether we should pass or go, and their decision is based on the kinds of skills that Moorgard linked.
We've had candidates I've brought in go both ways. I assume that most producers feel the same way. Any responsible one has a primary goal of making the best product possible, not employing as many friends as possible regardless of their abilities.
Re: What it takes to become a game designer
Contacts are definitely important, but in a complementary way to those attributes.
Contacts get you the interview, not the job.
When I know someone who I think would make a good designer, they still interview with the lead designer, producers, and other designers. That's who they'll be working with the closest, and are therefore the ones who should make the call.
Those people in turn tell me whether we should pass or go, and their decision is based on the kinds of skills that Moorgard linked.
We've had candidates I've brought in go both ways. I assume that most producers feel the same way. Any responsible one has a primary goal of making the best product possible, not employing as many friends as possible regardless of their abilities.
- Scott