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.auwww.holopoint.com.auwww.monkeystack.com.auwww.southaustralia.bizwww.mega.org.au