Re: Getting a job in the Linux game industry?

[Steve Baker <sjbaker1@airmail.net>]

Roger Ostrander wrote:

>   Long time listener, first time caller, etc, etc....
> I pounced on the recent article "Getting a job in
> the game industry" because, well, I'd like to get a
> job in the game industry.

That's an idea I flirt with every year or two - but in
the end, I can earn *far* more money and have nearly
as much fun doing other (Linux-related) things at work
and writing games for fun in my spare time.

Still, my US work permit should be arriving any day now
and my next round of flirtation with the idea of switching
careers will come up again soon!

>   Something I noticed was the lack of coverage about
> Linux games; this is hardly surprising since none of
> the people interviewed work at a linux game company.
>   It got me thinking; I like working with linux, and I
> like making games.  I'm working on a game for linux.
> I started wondering:  what would it take to get into
> the linux games industry?

A Linux games industry is what it would take to get you
into the Linux games industry.

Simply put - there *is* no Linux games industry.  Loki
is really the only company of any significance doing this
stuff "for real" and all they do is port other people's
games.  Notice that they are selling off their inventory
at half price - and several of the companies they sold
games through are selling them for $9.99.

This is *not* a good place to be right now.

>   I don't believe that Loki is hiring at the moment

...that doesn't suprise me....

> and I'm not sure of the hiring status of the other
> linux game companies.  Every porting house for linux
> seems like a small company, and I have an impression
> that it's hard to get a position at such a place (as
> they usually have all the people they need)
>   With that said, what does it take to get into the
> linux game industry?  Joining Loki, assisting Bioware
> (or another company) with their latest cross platform
> project?  Possibly striking out on your own?

I think it's hard.

You'll either have to do what Mark suggests (get a job
in a Windoze game company and lobby for Linux ports) - or
do what I do - which is to find some *similar* business.
(I work in Flight Simulation - we are a Linux-only group
doing software that's *almost* indistinguishable from games!
Well - not quite - but close enough to keep me sane.)

-- 
Steve Baker   HomeEmail: <sjbaker1@airmail.net>
              WorkEmail: <sjbaker@link.com>
              HomePage : http://web2.airmail.net/sjbaker1
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