IPP Digital Media - Industry consultation forum

How can you tell who the most employable geek is? He's the one looking at your shoes - not his own!
This and much much more came from our gathering today at ABC studio's.
A REALLY useful event both for me as a Multimedia teacher and someone interested in entering the Multimedia industry.
I was fortunate to sit on the Gaming stream that attracted the best professionals;
Steven Ready from Digital Lamb
Shane Bevan from Monkeystack
Richard Taylor from Holopoint
Peta Pash from Mega
Hamish Park from DTED (Government)
Their collective suggestions included;
Good Gamers are

• aware of the components that go into making a game and which bits they do best
• able to traverse diverse visual platforms ie Flash, 3D, Multiplayer modalities etc
  
• are generalists that specialise
• able to show a product and explain how they got it
• demonstrate diverse processes for achieving creative goals
• are explicit about the differing visual platforms and able to name the similarities and differences
• have purposeful exercises in their folio and can explain (why does your avatar look that way?)
• have consulted widely and sought extensive feedback on their products
• have considered differing user types
• can show where they started and where they finished and how that happened (folio)
• are willing to work on someone else's design concept as passionately as their own
• have artistic flair, technical merit and present polished products
• are able to crossover the artistic and technical bridge
• are good business managers and have some entrepreneurial traits
• are excellent problem solvers and troubleshooters
  
• are able to network

phew......

Peta referred to Digital Industry Education Forum findings from investigating the pathway for 20 000 graduates that the most essential things are the 'soft' skills;

• communication
• understanding of how the company works and your place in it
• are able to articulate design concepts
• and are problem solvers

Shane said a good test for your game is that you can test the interface with a peer without hovering over their shoulder.
Richard talked about game mechanics theory. Where's the game play? This could be with an iphone app or a multiplayer roleplay game.
Both spoke about 'What happens after you push the start button'. What sort of 'experience' is it for your user?

Get started on your folio!

www.digitallamb.com.au
www.holopoint.com.au
www.monkeystack.com.au
www.southaustralia.biz
www.mega.org.au