Geek Woman: That is an interesting factoid, I wonder if we should point to peers or the guidance counselors for that loss of interest in science. You are planning to present a paper at the next Women in Games Conference, tell me what it is going to be about, briefly?
Anne Odom : I think it would be more accurate to say we've been "thinking" about presenting a paper at the Women in Games Conference. It looks like the call for papers just went up last week, and we haven't yet decided for sure if it's going to be possible for us to attend the conference this year. Right now, Saint's Row is our priority, so we might not be able to build a quality paper before the submission deadline. If we don't make it this time around, definitely look for us in the future.
Rose Hunt : Unfortunately while we would have liked to write a paper, we now realize that the demands of our project are going to prevent us from hammering out something worthwhile by the due date. This is disappointing, but the project comes first. Perhaps we can plan ahead for next year.
Geek Woman: What type of education or experience did you have to get your job? (this is directed at young girls who want degrees that will lead them to jobs in the gaming industry)
Rose Hunt : My former experience was not strictly gaming or software related. Before taking on this role, I had 8 years of project management experience in the telecommunications industry. The types of projects I led ranged from integrating acquired Internet companies to creating virtual ISPs for professional sports teams to developing bundled internet and phone products. Project management in the game industry is both wildly different and remarkably similar to the projects I've managed before. The similarities - assessing risk, managing scope, scheduling, tracking, motivating developers - are how I could make the transition from telecommunications to games. It doesn't hurt that I've been a gamer for many years and had friends in the game industry that provided insights and encouraged me to apply for the job.
Anne Odom : My undergraduate degree is in Philosophy, but I've pursued additional education in computer science and math. I built my experience starting as an entry level programmer at a software development firm, and gained my project management skills as I've grown in my career. Currently, I'm pursuing some official project management certifications to build my skill set.
Anne Odom : The educational path that people should pursue will depend largely on the area of game development that holds the most interest for them. It's rare that any company, game studio or not, will hire a programmer these days who does not have a formal four-year degree in computer science. Young women who are technically inclined will want to look for strong CS programs when they make their college plans.
Anne Odom : There are many art and animation schools out there that do a good job of preparing people with the skills they'll need for producing game art. These schools will be clear about the fact that their curriculum will prepare students for game development. Young women who are drawn more to the artistic side of development should look for schools like these.
Anne Odom : Design is the trickiest of the areas to break into, as there isn't much out there in the way of formal education for design. Good designers are people who play a lot of games -- video games, board games, card games, and anything else they can get their hands on. In doing this, they build up a strong understanding of game play mechanics, what makes a game fun, and how people they play with respond to the games they play. In addition to this understanding, designers must have strong and clear communication skills. One of the key responsibilities of designers on game-projects is to communicate the vision, passion, and requirements of a game to all the other developers. Design is the one area of game development that does not necessarily require a college degree, and you'll find that designers with degrees have them in a wide variety of areas -- english, history, computer science, fine arts, philosophy, engineering, and more.
Anne Odom : I think it would be more accurate to say we've been "thinking" about presenting a paper at the Women in Games Conference. It looks like the call for papers just went up last week, and we haven't yet decided for sure if it's going to be possible for us to attend the conference this year. Right now, Saint's Row is our priority, so we might not be able to build a quality paper before the submission deadline. If we don't make it this time around, definitely look for us in the future.
Rose Hunt : Unfortunately while we would have liked to write a paper, we now realize that the demands of our project are going to prevent us from hammering out something worthwhile by the due date. This is disappointing, but the project comes first. Perhaps we can plan ahead for next year.Geek Woman: What type of education or experience did you have to get your job? (this is directed at young girls who want degrees that will lead them to jobs in the gaming industry)
Rose Hunt : My former experience was not strictly gaming or software related. Before taking on this role, I had 8 years of project management experience in the telecommunications industry. The types of projects I led ranged from integrating acquired Internet companies to creating virtual ISPs for professional sports teams to developing bundled internet and phone products. Project management in the game industry is both wildly different and remarkably similar to the projects I've managed before. The similarities - assessing risk, managing scope, scheduling, tracking, motivating developers - are how I could make the transition from telecommunications to games. It doesn't hurt that I've been a gamer for many years and had friends in the game industry that provided insights and encouraged me to apply for the job.
Anne Odom : My undergraduate degree is in Philosophy, but I've pursued additional education in computer science and math. I built my experience starting as an entry level programmer at a software development firm, and gained my project management skills as I've grown in my career. Currently, I'm pursuing some official project management certifications to build my skill set.
Anne Odom : The educational path that people should pursue will depend largely on the area of game development that holds the most interest for them. It's rare that any company, game studio or not, will hire a programmer these days who does not have a formal four-year degree in computer science. Young women who are technically inclined will want to look for strong CS programs when they make their college plans.
Anne Odom : There are many art and animation schools out there that do a good job of preparing people with the skills they'll need for producing game art. These schools will be clear about the fact that their curriculum will prepare students for game development. Young women who are drawn more to the artistic side of development should look for schools like these.
Anne Odom : Design is the trickiest of the areas to break into, as there isn't much out there in the way of formal education for design. Good designers are people who play a lot of games -- video games, board games, card games, and anything else they can get their hands on. In doing this, they build up a strong understanding of game play mechanics, what makes a game fun, and how people they play with respond to the games they play. In addition to this understanding, designers must have strong and clear communication skills. One of the key responsibilities of designers on game-projects is to communicate the vision, passion, and requirements of a game to all the other developers. Design is the one area of game development that does not necessarily require a college degree, and you'll find that designers with degrees have them in a wide variety of areas -- english, history, computer science, fine arts, philosophy, engineering, and more.
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