We started the afternoon with the opportunity to hear from alumni Jamie Blacknell. He graduated in 2021, with the game Portage as his final-year project, and went on to become a game developer.
Communication with different disciplines
- Seek an understanding of what the people you are working with are doing
- Ask what your colleagues have done to achieve your shared goal
- Branch out of your own skill – learn their terminology and the basics of how things work
Portfolios
We were advised to keep our LinkedIn profiles up-to-date and to create any accounts on Arstation, GitHub, Instagram or a blog to showcase our work outside of university.
Networking
- Speak to real people in the industry
- Join game jams
- Learn who’s big in the industry
- Learn about the artists in the media you like
- Ask seniors for porfolios
Developer Portfolio
- Make it accessible and ready for when you have an interview
- Create a release if you have a finished game
- Understand your code
- Create a blog or website to accompany your GitHub so you can talk more freely about your project
Artsitic Ability
- Show that you can draw to a competent level
- Show that you can follow through with a concept
- Showcase your experience with all software, therefore learn it (e.g. draw from references, show wireframes and UV layouts, understand optimisation, etc.)
- Details are important on your models
- Do research to inform your artistic decisions
- Think about the context of what you are making
Passion Pieces & Presentation
- Quality over quantity always
- Present your work professionally and in theme with your other work
- Include projects you are interested in
Soft Skills
- Soft skills are just as important as technical skills
- Try to integrate into the culture in the workplace
- Dress appropriately
- Have a willingness to try
- Show dedication
- Take criticism and feedback well
- Show improvement
- Listen!
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