Any RPG game company hiring out there?

[InfamousKnight]

I always wanted to be a battle system designer for a game company but idk whats open. Should I just learn how to make my own company? In school or college. I'm a junior for now.

[Celice]

You should start creating the battle system, now, instead of waiting. You're not worth being scouted if you've nothing to show for it.

[InfamousKnight]

You should start creating the battle system, now, instead of waiting. You're not worth being scouted if you've nothing to show for it.

I already made it. And I posted it too.

[ETG]

Some career advice:
http://www.sloperama.com/advice.html

Tools to make your own game:
http://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=49.0

Get a wide foundation by learning and doing different things, then find an area to specialize in. Also be flexible about it, do what you can, when you can, and see where it takes you. And math. Definitely learn to math.

[Klarth]

I already made it. And I posted it too.

It was simplistic to the point any beginning programmer could do it.  That system wouldn't even suffice for Dragon Warrior 1.  Modern battle systems in Action-RPGs are thousands of lines of code and we haven't even talked about the non-coding aspects of balancing, equipment progression, monster progression, etc.  If you're serious about this, then you need to do much more.

[DragonmasterX]

I saw plenty of social game companies hiring programmers in Japan. You'll probably want some Japanese skills though.

[InfamousKnight]

It was simplistic to the point any beginning programmer could do it.  That system wouldn't even suffice for Dragon Warrior 1.  Modern battle systems in Action-RPGs are thousands of lines of code and we haven't even talked about the non-coding aspects of balancing, equipment progression, monster progression, etc.  If you're serious about this, then you need to do much more.

Well, not only is my battle system simply coded, but also, theres no strategy in the game. I like killing my party and leaving it up to one person. But still, theres no MP, no world map(which I have a project with an empty gigantic world), no equipment(which I know a very simple way of doing this), no epic boss fights with an AI script(I have a way of doing it but its a tedious way), no job system(this one needs some thinking on my part), no level-ups(this shouldn't be an issue), no defense stat(I'm looking for a formula for this), no evasion stat(again, I'm looking for a formula for this).

I can do both the world map and the battle system I just want to figure out how to make a world map editor which should be fun and easy in some way.

Anyways, you are correct. Dragon warrior 1, as small as that game is, its still MUCH more advanced then my little game. It shouldn't be that hard to make a game like it. It would be a lot of work but then what do you expect. Oh, and also status aliments.

[BRPXQZME]

If you make it something worth playing, you will have no problem getting hired.

Of course, this is easy to say, but hard to do. I haven't done it; I just have it on good authority.

[Rhys]

I've been working on a game engine of my own in XNA and I'm about 2 months in from 2 hours a day spent coding, and I'm almost to the point where my engine could handle a battle system - animation, maps, sprites, and a decent UI system are all in, along with decent tools to generate the content for the engine to load, but it's taken a lot of work to reach that point, and in no way is it in a state that can be called a game.

I can easily see it taking another 6 months to even reach a point where real content can be used and the various parts of the game I've designed be play tested. Chances are you're going to be working on your project alone until you have something to show for it, so you'll probably end up in a similar situation that I'm in now. By all means go for it, but it's not an easy ride, and you have to be committed to finishing the project 100% or it just won't happen, I know that from experience.

Fortunately indie games are a big thing lately, so if you make something decent enough, you'll definitely be successful, so by all means keep going

(Plus making something that's successful is a great addition to a CV)

[InfamousKnight]

You do know that professional games take years to complete. It just depends on how much effort was put in the game. The battle system is a pretty big portion of an RPG. It should be pretty fun and there for time goes faster if you're really focused.

[Rhys]

From scratch they do yes, I'm a firm believer of not reinventing the wheel though If a decent solution already exists, I use it. That's why I'm making my engine with XNA.

[Celice]

Well, not only is my battle system simply coded, but also, theres no strategy in the game. I like killing my party and leaving it up to one person.

It is quite likely that if you're wanting to be hired, no one's going to care about what you like. They're going to demand you make them what they want, in exchange for money and your hours. Are you capable of coding just about anything that's required, with proficiency?

[InfamousKnight]

It is quite likely that if you're wanting to be hired, no one's going to care about what you like. They're going to demand you make them what they want, in exchange for money and your hours. Are you capable of coding just about anything that's required, with proficiency?

Possibly no. I might just head for another career.

[Kiyoshi Aman]

If you are serious about developing games, you need to write design documents. I would present examples, but my primary example is presently being reviewed by game-designer colleagues of an acquaintance of mine so that I can improve it.

[Rhys]

Last time I tried the whole documenting approach it didn't really work out, I just find it difficult to work that way

I do write down my ideas and work through them, they're not very formal though. I have a few notebooks I shove all my ideas in along with any todos for that particular week.

[ETG]

Before you start writing design docs, I'd strongly suggest you make a game or two on your own. Do write down any ideas you get, but keep those as notes or a sketch book. A formal design doc is something more for larger teams, where communicating the status and direction of the game is more difficult.

Now for a job designing games professionally, remember, nobody will ever hire you for your ideas. No matter what, you will have to offer a useful skill to get hired, then you can start offering up your ideas to the project. Eventually they might even move you into a full time designer position.

Consider being a writer, artist, producer, or programmer first.  To be a writer, read; an artist, draw; a programmer, make games.

A producer is hard role to define. They do whatever is needed to get the job done. That is another job you will probably have to move into after starting in another role.

edit: Now that I think about it, being a non-art/music game designer would probably have the title of producer. In a game big enough to consider damage formulas and drop tables as assets, the guy in charge of generating and adjusting that will usually be called a producer. For a job that seems like it should be fun, but turns out to be a tedious, soul sucking exercise in spreadsheets, producer is second only to tester.

Don't let that discourage you or anything, but defiantly do your research before you start building any expectations.