You may not recognize the name Roberta Williams like you would Shigeru Miyamoto or Sid Meier.

And we think that’s a huge problem.

As you’ll see, Roberta Williams is one of the most important figures in adventure gaming and the evolution of video games as a whole. Let’s dig in and see what makes Roberta Williams one of the most impactful video gaming figures.

Where She Got Her Start

Roberta Williams’ career started off pretty unexpectedly. By the late 1970s, Williams was a full-time housewife, caring for her children while her husband worked in software.

Not a video gamer at all, Roberta Williams was transformed by her husband’s decisions to bring the then brand new Apple computer home. Through playing games like the 1977 adventure title, Colossal Cave Adventure, Roberta Williams unknowingly started the journey towards full-time game design.

Joining her husband, Ken, Roberta went on to form what would become Sierra On-Line, Inc. in 1980.

Games Credited

Here are some of the most prominent and most influential titles credited to Roberta Williams.

Mystery House

Mystery House, the 1980 adventure game, was fully illustrated and written by Roberta Williams. She had her husband, Ken, help her program the title.

Drawing from the mystery novels of Agatha Christie, Mystery House takes place in a Victorian mansion, where the player must discover and catch the murderer wreaking havoc.

This was Roberta Williams’s first title, and it paved the way for future titles in her repertoire.

The King’s Quest Series (I-VIII)

This is where Roberta Williams made her enduring mark on gaming forever.

King’s Quest I, aka Roberta Williams’ King’s Quest I: Quest for the Crown, was the quintessential 1984 adventure game developed by Sierra On-Line, Inc. From 1984 to 2016, the long-running King’s Quest series spawned spin-offs, remakes, and books.

Following the adventures of those in the Kingdom of Daventry, the King’s Quest series contains all of the fantasy genre goodies: witches, warlocks, kings, and bards. Using her preferred adventure game format, Roberta Williams designed colorful visuals, included humor, and created a truly unique fantasy world for gamers to play in.

Williams went on record to say that the character personalities were the main parts of the King’s Quest games that she enjoyed most. A close second was the brain-busting puzzles she formulated for gamers.

The most recent entry in the series, 2015’s King’s Quest, developed by The Odd Gentlemen, followed a more modern adventure game approach. Taking influence from Telltale Games like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, Roberta Williams’ franchise’s newest iterations an episodic, comedic fantasy tale, with more updated graphics and a whimsical art style.

If you love games like Monkey Island and other point-and-click adventures, the King’s Quest series is well worth your time.

Phantasmagoria

Citing the works of literary horror giants like Edgar Alan Poe, Williams wanted to bring emotion, terror, and immersion to gaming.

Released in 1995, Phantasmagoria was a little different from Sierra’s past adventure games. This point-and-click adventure was a tour de force in supernatural horror.

Roberta had always wanted to create a good horror game but felt that the current software available wouldn’t be a good fit for what she had planned.

Phantasmagoria was based on a hefty script written entirely by Roberta. It follows the story of a writer, Adrienne Delaney, and her subsequent terrifying experience upon moving into a mansion. Who would’ve thought?

The seven-disc game received mixed praise and was a financial hit, garnering over $12 million dollars upon release. Blending the styles of Roberta’s past games and interactive movies (FMVs), Phantasmagoria dialed up the horror and the controversy as well: the game included graphic scenes of violence.

Roberta committed to making the user interface simple. This would effectively pull gamers into the story and gameplay, rather than bogging them down in useless displays.

However, Phantasmagoria was criticized for more simple puzzles, something that Roberta’s past games didn’t have. The sacrifice of puzzle difficulty was instead used to make the game more immersive and horrific. A sequel, Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh, was released in 1996. Unlike the first, Roberta had no involvement, and the game was an abject failure in nearly every way.

Her Impact on the Industry

Roberta Williams’ impact on the industry is astounding. Her creation of Sierra On-Line, Inc. with Ken alone was enough to solidify her legacy in the gaming world. Sierra On-Line, Inc., eventually renamed Sierra Entertainment, has been a fantastic company for game development.

The company developed King’s Quest, Police Quest, Space Quest, Carcassonne, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, Phantasmagoria, You Don’t Know Jack, Diablo: Hellfire, Half-Life, Caesar III, Counter-Strike, Team Fortress Classic, F.E.A.R., and Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex. My god, let that all set in. And that’s only a fraction of what the company has released.

In addition to Sierra, Roberta simply transformed the adventure game niche into a full-fledged, beloved genre.

Legacy

Roberta Williams has received the Industry Icon Award and the Game Developers Choice Awards’ Pioneer Award.

Now that you know more about one of gaming’s most famous feminine voices, why not give one of the many King’s Quest games a spin? The series is readily available via GOG.com. See where it all began with King’s Quest 1+2+3, or maybe give the later games a spin to see how well the franchise developed over the next decade.

Roberta Williams retired from game development in 1999.

Aaron Hunter of Austin, Texas has been making digital games for over 20 years. He played video games extensively when he was young. His fascination for games turned into curiosity about how they were made which then paved the way to a career path in game development.

“I started with a language called BASIC. I started making simple games, on my own at first, and then with some friends in high school. I studied and tinkered with C++ on my own time until I was good enough to get my first job in the field when I was 18,” he recalled.

Fast forward to today, he is currently the lead developer of Starport: Galactic Empires: “It’s a real-time action, multi-player, online, persistent-world game for desktop PCs. I’m focused on improving product quality for the small group of people who play this game, and moving on to port it to other platforms besides Windows and to make a sequel to it as well.”

His Work-Life

He has built a fair amount of games for Windows, and some for Unity.

“I built Starport using a Windows client app and a Linux server app, both using C++. It took about a year to get Starport off the ground, working with one other programmer, and then I’ve also been updating it live for the past 16 years as well!” Aaron said.

“The last Unity game I wrote is called Georgia Golf and it took me 3 years, most of that working on my own, on the engineering side, with one artist providing art assets. It’s always nice to have a good artist to work with if you can find one,” he added.

Game Engine and Tools of the Trade

According to Austin, the game development process is mature enough now that it’s hard to justify not using an engine.

“I’ve enjoyed working with Unity because it has good standard game engine features like 3D rendering, physics, and input-handling. The best part about Unity is its ability to build out your executable for multiple platforms like iOS and Android without much extra work required,” he explained.

He likes Unity for a number of reasons. For one, it has a nice rendering engine. But its most appealing feature would have to be its ease of use while at the same time supports specially-coded behavior with C# script quite well:

“On the last game I made in Unity, called Georgia Golf, I was able to customize a huge amount of behavior using C# script. I even did a lot of modifications and filters on the art and geometry assets in the game world. This was only possible because Unity does such a nice job of exposing game world data in its script environment.”

For image editing, he uses GIMP, a free tool you can use without sacrificing quality.

Typical Workday

He starts work at 10:00 am and that’s basically what he does throughout the day. Sometimes, his work stretches late into the night.

“Software development can be rough in that there is so much possibility, so many things you want to get done, but each of them is time-consuming to correctly integrate into the product as a whole. Testing and debugging are mandatory and they also take time.”

Some days can be a little stressful like when he publishes changes to a live game and if something goes wrong, it could affect their live customers’ experience.

“So sometimes I publish new updates late at night when there are fewer players online, though this has the drawback of me being asleep during the first 12 hours of new code being live.”

The Best Advice

Aaron loves that there’s always room for a lot of creativity and world creation in his career. The worst part, he said, is finding gamers to play his video games is a real challenge with all the competition out there.

And he’s not about to do something drastic like creating complex game architecture: “Keep your game designs as simple as possible. That gives you the best chance to get your project done with a high level of quality.”

When asked about what he wishes he’d known going into game development, he said:

“I wish I had known more about the run-time efficiency of algorithms since that’s where much of the artistry of programming lies. If you do programming, my advice is to learn best practices from the beginning. I will admit though, my personal path throughout my career involved a lot of just going in and getting things done quickly, which is also a good skill to have.”

Future of Gaming

“Games will continue to become even more user-friendly, more connected. Games that can be played on smaller, mobile devices have a bright future too,” he said.

Connect with Aaron

You can download Starport: Galactic: Empire here. And check out Georgia Golf on the PlayStore if you fancy playing golf online.

A common misconception that people have about getting into video game development is that the only skill you need to learn is to code. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

“I wish I had known about the many different parts of game development. You need to try all the different aspects of game development such as VFX, 3D Modeling, Animation, and a lot more,” said Usman Salim, owner of Liontech Studios, a video game development studio in the UK. “My advice to all beginners is to get on YouTube, watch tutorials, and try as many things as possible. It’s all free to learn and you will 100% find an area that is of interest to you,” advised Usman.

When you find the field in game development that you enjoy, start practicing right away. Don’t worry about being perfect. Always start with the basics. Establish a routine to practice your new skill. It may be tough at first but you will reap the rewards of your hard work.

“This will also help build your portfolio of work which is essential when trying to get a job in the industry. A good portfolio of work with no formal education is better than a formal education with no portfolio of work,” added Usman.

And he’s right. Your portfolio is your way of showing what sets you apart from others in the same profession as you do. You may have the same skill set as the next developer but no one does it quite like it as you do.

How did Usman get into the video game industry?

Well, like all game developers’ stories, it all started with a love for video games.

Early Start

“I have always had an interest in video games at a very young age. My first system was the master system in the 1990s and since then I fell in love with games and always wanted to work in the field,” Usman said as he looked back on his childhood.

He officially started his video game development journey using Buildbox, a 2D drag-and-drop engine, with no coding experience required: “It allowed me to get right into making games and receiving visual feedback very quickly.”

Education

He studied Interactive Systems & Video Games Design at the University of Bradford. His first few jobs after he graduated in 2013 were in the game testing roles. Unable to secure a permanent position, he decided to work in administration until 2016.

It was in that year when he decided to break free from the 9-to-5 grind and turned to freelance work. Not long after, he created his video game studio: Liontech Studios.

Career

His work focuses mainly on hyper-casual games. But more recently he has shifted his focus to creating educational games targeted at both adults & children. “I am interested in exploring the benefits of delivering educational content through gaming for a variety of age groups.” Learning Lions, a game he created to help children learn the alphabet, was born out of his interest in educational games.

He had his 15 minutes of fame on national TV:

“I have had one of my games, Tuk Tuk Trials, marketed across national tv on the catch-up platform for Channel 4 in the UK. One of my games last year was featured in over 130 countries and received over 100,000 downloads worldwide in around 10 days.”

As for the workload, he mostly works by himself. However, from time to time, he hires a programmer to help speed up his workflow.

On top of having his own game studio, he has worked alongside other developers and artists on multiple projects.
Favorite Tools

“Unity for game development,” Usman tells me. Unity has given him more free rein in creating complex games. “If I have an idea, I am now able to create beautiful 3D environments as well as create VFX and character animations, which is great,” he added.

Blender, it seems is everyone’s favorite 3D tool and for two good reasons. First, it’s free. Secondly, it’s open-source. “So if you need a new feature you can request it. And the likelihood of it being implemented is a lot higher than other 3D software.”

To create 2D assets such as UI, he leans on the Adobe Creative Suite such as Illustrator, Photoshop. He uses Premiere Pro and After Effects to edit gameplay trailers and dev logs for TikTok.

Typical Workday

Usman doesn’t have a typical workday because there’s nothing typical about his work schedule. Working with clients located across the globe, and in different time zones, he aligns his work hours with his clients.

When he doesn’t have client projects, he works between 8-12 hours a day. He starts his workday at half-past 9 in the morning and finishes at 8:00 in the evening. That, of course, includes taking breaks in the middle of the day, either to go to the gym or spend time with his family.

The Best and Worst

Asked about the best advice he received as a game developer, Usman replied: “Always stick to your principles and values.”

He discourages anyone from sacrificing their principles for money. “You could be offered jobs or work based on something which you don’t agree with in terms of the story, or possibly the game may have nudity. If you don’t agree with these things then you must stick to your principles and not just accept work in order to have an income.”

So far, it’s been solid advice that’s at the core with everything he does.

“The best by far is being able to do something I love every day and allow my creativity to flourish. I love being able to have an idea for a game and within a few days have a working prototype,” he said about his choice of career.

But just like in any business, there are highs and lows. For Usman, he finds growing a community around his games challenging. Even with all the hard work that you put into creating your game if it doesn’t appeal to your audience, no one is going to download it.

Future of Gaming

“I think the future of gaming is VR and AR. I think the more immersive games will be successful in the future,” Usman envisioned. He added that with the technology constantly improving and becoming more accessible to the general public, the number of genres in games will increase. “I also expect educational content to start to be delivered through AR/VR as well,” he said.

And as for game development skills, he has this to say: “I think these skills can take you to any other field not restricted just to games. Recently, I read an article from Boston Dynamics where they suggested games development would be the perfect job for aspiring roboticists.”

You can read the article here.

Connect with Usman

If you want to learn more about Usman and his work, check out:

• Liontech Studios YouTube
• TikTok
• iOS Games
• Android Games

When you think of video games, what comes to mind?

Sure, you probably think of a few modern examples of game protagonists. However, the chances are good that you thought of Mario, Donkey Kong, or Link. These characters and other Nintendo creations are synonymous with video games.

But what creative genius hatched all those ideas into iconic characters? The incomparable Shigeru Miyamoto. Let’s explore his background and what makes him the linchpin that holds gaming together.

Miyamoto’s Humble Beginnings

Born on November 16, 1952, in Kyoto, Japan, Shigeru Miyamoto was always driven by art and creativity. A particularly poignant and stark example of his childhood’s influence on his future career is his forays into the Kyoto wilderness, which directly inspired him to craft the first game in the Legend of Zelda series.

Initially aiming to cut it as a manga artist in the mid to late 1970s, Miyamoto joined a little-known company called Nintendo as its first artist. For the first three years of his time at Nintendo, he was their go-to artist.

Eventually, Nintendo executives asked him to help design games. His first experience with game design, Radar Scope, opened the floodgates of creativity and opportunity.

After the game’s success, Nintendo’s president personally asked Shigeru Miyamoto to make Radar Scope into a different, more modern arcade game to help Nintendo make it into the western game market.

Luckily for Nintendo, it had just stumbled upon its golden goose.

Miyamoto immediately began hatching creative plans for his pet project. To anyone familiar with Nintendo’s first arcade hit, Donkey Kong, you know what happened next.

A plumber, an ape, and a princess.

The combination would take Shigeru Miyamoto from amateur game designer and talented game artist to the top of the heap.

The 1980s was Miyamoto’s decade to shine. With the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) development, Miyamoto had more advanced hardware to work with. Out came Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Kid Icarus.

By this point, many game developers would be minor celebrities, content with their work. Not Miyamoto. He doubled down, working extra hard, eventually going through game after game on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, followed by smash success with the Nintendo 64.

Sequels and iterations of his beloved creations made their way from the 2D world to fully 3D, captivating a new generation of gamers. We all know what happens next. The Wii, GameCube, Nintendo Switch. Where does this guy get his energy!?

Games Credited

Where to begin with the games credited to Miyamoto’s creative brain? There are a lot, but let’s narrow down some of our favorites.

Super Mario Bros.

After Donkey Kong, this title cemented his legacy on NES. Focusing more on a narrative (the classic ‘Bowser steals Peach’), Mario didn’t focus on high scores like past arcade games. The simple concept of moving from left to right, along with the multiplayer help from our second favorite Italian plumber, Luigi, vaulted Super Mario Bros. into legend.

The Legend of Zelda

Bringing his adventuring spirit and high fantasy together, Kiyamoto developed the first Legend of Zelda game in the mid to late 1980s. Link, our hero, must quest through different screens filled with enemies to save the titular princess from the clutches of evil.

This concept spawned almost 20 main games in the series.

Star Fox

If you didn’t know that Star Fox existed, was popular, and spawned future games, would you believe Miyamoto dabbled in flight combat simulators? Probably not. Up until that point, he mainly focused on platformers.

In 1993, Nintendo and Miyamoto brought 3D graphics to the Super Nintendo in the iconic game, Star Fox. The Super FX chip helped the team at Nintendo create more three-dimensional graphics and game mechanics.

What followed was the beloved story of Star Fox and his pilot pals, Slippy Toad, Falco Lombardi, and our favorite barrel roller, Peppy Hare.

Game Development Philosophy

Although many see Miyamoto as a creative genius, writing, designing, and implementing fantastic characters into likewise fantastic games, Miyamoto himself says that his design philosophy is more than just being a good artist.

“People have paid me a lot of lip service, calling me a genius storyteller or a talented animator, and have gone so far as to suggest that I try my hand at movies, since my style of game design is, in their words, quite similar to making movies. But I feel that I am not a movie maker, but rather that my strength lies in my pioneering spirit to make use of technology to create the best interactive commodities possible and use that interactivity to give users a game they can enjoy and play comfortably.”

Miyamoto nails precisely what makes his games and systems successful. His undefeatable spirit, optimism, and belief in his creations spur on his continued success well into his 60s.

Something unique that can’t be said for other game studios is that Nintendo totally ignores focus groups. Instead of seeing if the new Far Cry or Assassin’s Creed works with a particular demographic, Shigeru Miyamoto just tries the game himself.

Is it fun? Does it work? Will it satisfy Nintendo players?

He has all of this in mind. If it passes muster, then Miyamoto is satisfied with the product.

This unique process strips game development of its corporate goals and somewhat ingenious development veneer. It brings pure fun and optimism back into game development, which we need more of.

His Impact on the Industry

How to even begin to describe his long-lasting legacy? It’s iconic and perhaps one of the most influential ones in game history. It’s improbable someone with his design philosophies, and spirit will come around in our lifetimes to topple the king of Nintendo.

How Does Miyamoto Come Up with His Ideas?

Once the shift towards narratives in games became popular, Miyamoto started to apply everyday activities into his game designs. Simple aspects of life, like walking his dog, or shopping, inspired him to bring real life into the virtual space.

While there’s no ‘dog walking simulator,’ Miyamoto dedicated himself to bringing real-life experiences and making them into captivating stories and immersive games.

The Importance of Making A Successful Game

For Shigeru Miyamoto, the most crucial aspect of game creation is innovation and its unique idea. He shuns rehashing old ideas and played-out concepts. That’s what sets games like Donkey Kong Country and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time apart from titles like Call of Duty and Halo.

What makes a game unique? What makes it fun?

This is where Shigeru Miyamoto’s thinking goes. And it has made gaming a wonderful world to play in because of it.

With the release of the excellent Final Fantasy VII Remake in 2020, gamers the world over once again experienced the magic of one of gaming’s most celebrated franchises.

But where did such a wonderful and influential series begin? It wasn’t born out of a vacuum: it was due to talented game designers like Hironobu Sakaguchi.

Short Bio

While you may not immediately recognize Hironobu Sakaguchi’s name like other game creators, his far-reaching influence over the state of the gaming industry is breathtaking. If it wasn’t for him and other talented developers at Square, (now Square Enix), we wouldn’t have fantastic titles like Kingdom Hearts those in the Final Fantasy series.

Born on November 25, 1962, in Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan, Hironobu Sakaguchi gravitated towards becoming a musician. While we would have no doubt been graced with a talented artist, we’re extremely grateful that he chose game development in the mid-1980s at Square Co., Ltd. Back then, Square was a minor division of the Denyūsha Electric Company.

He eventually helped create Square’s first game, The Death Trap in 1984, a text-based adventure game. The Death Trap set the stage for Sakaguchi’s creative ambitions. Fast forward almost four decades later, and Sakaguchi has had a direct hand in over 60 games.

Games Credited

Here are some of the most notable games that Sakaguchi was responsible for.

Final Fantasy

Yep, he started it all. Anyone who enjoys any old school Final Fantasy game owes some serious props to Hironobu Sakaguchi.

He was the executive director of the first 5 Final Fantasy games. After Final Fantasy 5, he became the lead supervisor, executive producer, and story developer for subsequent games. That includes the iconic Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Final Fantasy X.

It’s safe to say that Final Fantasy would not be the global phenomenon it is without his amazing creative influence.

Kingdom Hearts

Hironobu Sakaguchi’s legacy as gaming great could have been solidified with the creation of Final Fantasy. However, he was determined to keep creating. His next award-winning story would take the form of the absolutely unique and beloved Kingdom Hearts series.

Blending Disney characters like Mickey Mouse and Final Fantasy characters like Cloud Strife and Sephiroth, (it works, trust us), Hironobu Sakaguchi created one of the most unique JRPG stories.

While he didn’t have a part in the subsequent sequels, his role as executive producer set off a wildfire of creativity that would last over almost 20 years.

Game Development Philosophy

Sakaguchi’s game development philosophy is rooted in his last-ditch gambit to save Square as a game development studio. When faced with financial ruin, Sakaguchi faced an intimidating prospect: create a great game or Square is essentially dead in the water.

Sakaguchi, torn between feeling incompetent in game design (which he absolutely wasn’t), decided that Square needed to make a last stand. His idea to save Square? Developing the iconic JRPG, Final Fantasy.

Yeah, I’m thinking that paid off big time. That’s like saying you invented the light bulb to pay rent.

His philosophy? Tearing yourself from the fads and trends of the current gaming era. He states that this defiant act not only saved Square, but gave him the confidence to create ambitious titles like Kingdom Hearts and Parasite Eve.

His Impact on the Industry

To say Hironobu Sakaguchi had an important impact on the video game industry would be the understatement of the century. His invaluable creative touches to all the games he created or oversaw were responsible for some of the most influential games from Square, and arguably, all of Japan.

For those who adore the Final Fantasy series (like me) and all the story-based magic it’s responsible for, we owe Sakaguchi a huge thanks.

When he eventually stepped down from his coveted position at Square in the early 2000s, he actually significantly reduced Square’s influential and financial capital.

It’s a pretty good sign a person is invaluable when their leaving triggers a company-wide crisis. This eventually led to Square merging with Enix, creating Square Enix, a fantastic company in its won right.

He went on to form the Mistwalker Corporation with the help of executives from Microsoft.

What is Hironobu Sakaguchi Doing Now?

As you would expect from a devilishly creative mind like Sakaguchi, he’s still developing games. While he’s no longer with Square developing Final Fantasy games, he’s dabbling mainly in iOS games at his personal company, the Mistwalker Corporation in Japan.

At Mistwalker, Sakaguchi has already created over 10 games, including Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and his popular Terra Battles series.

How far will you go to achieve your dreams? Soyhan Yazgan jumped through hoops to become a game developer. He is a Turkish national who moved to Finland in 2012 to pursue his education.

“I spent many years playing video games and being fascinated with technology. I’ve always wanted to be a programmer for as long as I can remember,” he said. When he was in high school, he was confronted with the reality that Turkey was not ready to accommodate a culture of technological innovations. But he gave it a chance.

He studied architecture for 3 years but his heart wasn’t in it. That’s when he knew he needed to make his dream a reality abroad. He settled in Finland. “After some years of searching, I found myself in Finland. Finland has great software and game companies. I got into university to study software engineering. Today, I am a bachelor’s degree, I am making video games, and I am enjoying it,” Soyhan said, retracing his education path.

A Road Less Traveled

In 2016, Soyhan ran into a problem with his visa in Finland: “I needed to get a student visa. My original goal was to continue my education in architecture in Finland. But I didn’t make it to the university. I tried my luck in some other category. Then I realized where I am and how much more of a chance I have in Finland to pursue the job I’ve always wanted.”

He applied to three different schools. Two schools offered game design degrees. And one school with a software engineering program. “I got accepted to the school offering software engineering program,” he revealed.

And as luck would have it, the school he attended offered a major in Games. But it was only for students studying the Finnish language. “I tried my best to get as many courses as possible from that major, even if it wasn’t on my curriculum. In the end, I had a lot of game-related courses to get me to kickstart my own game company.”

Soyhan made everything sound like it was a walk in the park. Determined to learn about game development, he took control of the situation, persevered, and overcame every roadblock that threatened to slow his progress down.

But you’ll be facing a very different reality when you leave school.

Building His Portfolio

Soyhan has his own one-person indie company called Black Poodle Entertainment. “I developed 2 VR games and sold them on Steam,” he said, proud of what he has accomplished. He has worked with video game companies as a 3D designer and game programmer. And has mastered the art of realistic renderings.

He is showing no sign of slowing down. “I would like to collect enough budget for my company and make my own games with my team,” he said. He wants to get ahead of the game by gaining more experience and growing his network of connections.

Work Schedule

His contracts dictate the project’s schedule hence, he doesn’t have a fixed schedule. He’s worked the 9 to 5 grind while on other projects, he had more flexibility with his hours.

“The latter is more efficient because many computer people are night owls. The important thing is that I finish the task on time. And the quality meets the company’s standards,” Soyhan observed.

A Game Developer’s Tools

Soyhan prefers using tools that are easy to use, popular, and with a community of users to share tips and ideas with.

He uses the 3Ds Max for 3D modeling. He relies on Adobe Photoshop for editing images, and Adobe Premiere Pro for video editing. VRay is his go-to rendering engine for high-quality, pre-rendered stills, and animations.

He learned a lot of new skills from watching free tutorials on Youtube. For paid courses with access to video game experts and instructors, he turns to Udemy for help.

How to Stand Out In A Saturated Job Market

For Soyhan, the best part of game development is building the games and introducing them to the world. As a gamer, he knows the thrill of playing video games. The thought of other players enjoying the game he created is mind-blowing. “To see someone play your game, leaving comments about their experience on YouTube, it tugs at my heart. It’s so emotional and heartwarming.”

The worst part of being in this industry? Like other industries, the job search is the least favorite of the job seekers. And in a saturated job market like the video game industry, it can get overwhelming.

“When I see an ad looking for developers with 5+ years working on AAA title, it makes me furious. That as specific qualification as that is a job requirement. The number of years is such a big issue for these companies. A new, talented, hard-working developer can be very competent. He or she is capable of delivering as good a job as a person who spent at least 5 years in the industry,” argued Soyhan.

So how do you make yourself stand out in the gaming job market?

Choose A Specialization

“I wish someone told me that the programming skill is easily accessible and learned today. The job search sites are exploding with skilled programmers. Had I known, I would have put more effort into studying design and modeling. Even 2d drawing, rather than spending more time on learning the programming languages. Those positions are more valued as far as I see,” Soyhan regretfully admitted.

Self-Learn

Soyhan preferred using Unreal engine over Unity. Unfortunately, his school used Unity in all its design courses. “I had to learn all the knowledge myself from documentations and YouTube videos. I built my first game with Unreal after six months of learning. Making the game took one month. After that, another month and I made my second game,” he said.

Be A Team Player

A self-starter with an insatiable thirst for continuous learning is a desirable asset. True, having a community may help enhance your knowledge. But nothing compares to learning it on the job. Soyhan agrees: “I decided to gain experience by working for other companies for the time being. I worked with two companies with less than 10 people and one company with around 100 people.”

Working with a team does have its challenges. “Honestly, I cannot say it is easy to work with others all the time. Everyone has different ideas, ethics, and quality of work,” Soyhan tells us reluctantly. “But in the end, being a group player is important. I must respect other members and try to make the project go forward,” he added.

Execute Successful Ideas (MVP)

In a seminar that Soyhan attended, one of the speakers said: Your ideas are worth nothing.

“He meant that everyone has ideas that they want to sell. And a lot of people think they can make millions out of those ideas. But ideas are worthless without execution,” he said. A lot of work needs to go into the execution of those ideas. One has to consider the cost of building the prototypes, of pitching the idea, and on marketing cost.

“It’s easy to say you have an idea. But it’s not easy to spend thousands of dollars in executing the idea. You need to spend to create a team. Then you need to buy assets and all the things you need to build a game. The project could go on for months. Months of hard work, and spending money on advertisements.”

Soyhan knows the importance of marketing all too well. He knows how crucial it is to have a  Minimum Viable Product (MVP). He released his VR video game without a budget in marketing. Then there’s the issue of needing to have access to a VR headset to play the game. Needless to say, his game didn’t sell as well as he hoped it would.

Unity vs Unreal Engine

Soyhan uses both Unity and Unreal engines. “Unity is a widely used and known engine. They use it to teach at schools. It is older. It uses C#, which is easy to learn. Unity is simple enough to get in. Making 2D games and that doesn’t need too much graphics power is easy to do with Unity.”

But, when it comes to more advanced programmings, Unity can be challenging to use. “Like in creating multiplayer, particles, graphics, making big projects.”

“Every coder has his or her own style. Sometimes, I check on the code that I wrote 6 months ago, I’d wonder to myself how I made such messy code.” The bottom line, according to Soyhan, is that Unity is good for small, simple projects. For complex projects, he prefers to use another engine.

Yes, there are great games made with Unity. But his personal choice is Unreal engine. “Unreal Engine uses Blueprints, a visual coding. It also uses C++ in the background. As long as modifying the source code is not necessary, C++ is not needed every day.”

Blueprints are very easy to learn. It is not possible to make syntax errors. All Blueprint modules come with input and output modules, color-coded and self-explained. According to Soyhan, this makes programming very convenient and easy. On top of that, Unreal Engine has superior graphics.

“Unreal was a paid engine when it was first released. Epic Games offered the software for free not long ago. That’s why most schools use Unity to teach students game development,” Soyhan said.

The community around Unreal Engine has been rapidly growing. Epic Games has committed to giving a $100M grant to support developers who are using the engine. “Unreal Engine is much more modern, it gets upgraded very often, and superior compared to Unity. If I was a teacher, I would teach Unreal Engine instead. I do not talk about other engines as they are less common to indie developers like me,” he asserted.

The Future of Gaming

The gaming industry continues to expand and grow. People from all walks of life, from toddlers to senior citizens, they play video games. “Video games are not going anywhere. Better technology arrives every day. People will continue to explore Virtual Reality. It won’t be long until the technology is available to users,” Soyhan said as he remains hopeful for the future.

If you want to connect with Zoyhan, visit his website: blackpoodleent.com.

“As a freelance game developer, I have a flexible schedule and the freedom to choose what project to work on,” Guillaume Letaeron, a French expat living in Japan, said. He is one of the growing numbers of foreign game developers settling in the land of the rising sun, searching for opportunities to work with video game company giants or start an indie game studio.

The toxic working environment prevalent in video game studios has some game developers take the huge leap from employee to freelancer. But it’s not just that.

As creatives and tech experts, they want to have control over the projects that they get to create. They want to explore and work on other video game genres. “You are going to be spending much of your time developing the same type of video games repeatedly,” Guillaume said, sharing his experience from working in mobile games and in Japanese companies.

But freelance work comes with risks. For one thing, you lose your job security. “It’s tough when you don’t have regular clients and long-term projects,” admits Guillaume.

And unless you have a portfolio that clearly demonstrates your expertise in the field and a reference from one of the heavyweights in the gaming industry, looking for projects can be hard. You need to prepare yourself for the lean times. In the interim, freelancers resort to contract works, bidding against newbies and some other cheap competitions to earn money.

In this article, we explore the ins-and-outs of being a freelance game developer, as Guillaume talks candidly about his experience.

From Audio Engineer to Game Developer

Guillaume is from the era of Computer Games: Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Amiga 500; and consoles like the N64, Playstation 1, Sega Saturn. He dabbled in BASIC (Beginners’ All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) when he had his first computer, a Canon MSX 1.

Professionally, he entered the gaming industry as an audio engineer: “I wanted to become a music composer for video games. I was using a framework called Darkbasic and did some programming with it.”

He worked on 3D low poly modeling for games before becoming a full-time programmer.

He tinkered with map tools, experimented with game engines, and taught himself how to create video games. For his first serious project, he used the XNA framework and the Shiva engine before moving on to Unity. And he never looked back.

A Daily Routine

It’s hard to establish a routine when you’re working irregular hours, taking on short-term projects. But when he’s working on projects, Guillaume starts his mornings by checking his emails and project management tool for client feedback. He organizes his day around his project tasks.

Freelance Work

He used to work for a company making casual games, JRPG, and battle RPG on a 9 to 12 month development time.

As a freelancer, he has worked on various video game genres from a few weeks to a couple of months.

His work involves implementing core gameplay and UI. “We used Unity engine to develop those games, so that was mainly the tool I used to work on my part.”

Add Logic Audio, Blender 3D, and Photoshop to his list of tools. He relies on Trello for project management and to stay organized. Github or Bitbucket to store and manage his digital assets.

Why Math Matters

“I wish I had been more serious in my math class. My advice for newbies would be: don’t neglect your math class,” Guillaume regretfully admits.

Math is the foundation of game design. We wrote an article about the importance of Math, which you can read it here. The branches of Math that programmers use in game development are the following:

• Algebra
• Trigonometry
• Calculus
• Linear Algebra
• Discrete Mathematics
• Applied Mathematics

It looks daunting, I know. And yes, there are game engines that let you drag and drop the elements of your design. But if you want to be indispensable in an already saturated job market, you need to stand out by having the technical skills video game company giants are seeking.

Second, self-learning is a must-have skill if you want to stay relevant. There’s no way for you to know everything. Thanks to the internet, you now have limitless information at your disposal. Use it well.

KISS and Don’t Fall In Love…

…with your prototype. You are not making the final product. In this line of work, a failure is an option. It’s easier for you to let go and move on when things don’t work out.

KISS stands for ‘Keep It Simple Stupid’, a term coined by Kelly Johnson, the lead engineer at Lockheed Skunk Works. This principle is still very relevant today and is widely used by software engineers. The challenge is on the designers to design a product with the end-users in mind. Thus, simple.

In video game development, apply the KISS principle when you’re building a prototype. “It’s something to keep in mind. Things may radically change based on feedback and other factors.”

Final Thoughts

“I believe that mobile platforms are going to stay strong,” Guillaume said with a hint of uncertainty when asked about the future of gaming. “The only thing I can say without being wrong is that whatever happens, developers will have to continue to adapt over time to stay in the loop.”

If you want to connect with Guillaume, visit his website here.

Can game developers achieve work-life balance?

Game Developers work with only one goal in mind: finish a video game project. Achieving work-life balance is unheard of in a career in which crunch time is part of the job description. And though they’re not exactly shy in calling for office reform, most have embraced their fate and have settled into a routine of bottomless coffee, endless meetings, and overtime work.

The situation looks dire but what if I tell you it’s possible for game developers to achieve work-life balance?

We recently caught up with Edward Bennett, an Authorised Unreal Engine trainer living in London, UK. “I run workshops to teach companies the distinct elements of the engine. When I’m not training, I work as a developer with indie game companies,” Edward tells me. He does all of those and still finds the time to bond with his 2-year-old son.

I got the impression that even with those activities on his to-do list, he still has room to do more. There is no magic formula for achieving work-life balance. And for a highly-competitive job market like the gaming industry, in a stressful working environment, you’ll have to create your own balance. How?

Choose a Specialization

For Edward, it means taking the time to make sure he is committed to a role he will be happy with: “I recommend you specialize since most jobs rarely require a generalist.”

But before you’ll get there, he encourages newbies to get a broad experience of all the potential roles they could do.

“Learn a little of the design pipeline, try some coding, do some animation, and even help with the marketing. This will help you have a broader view of the industry. It will make it easier to work with others and understand how your work fits in with the overall project,” he recommends. “It also gives you a chance to see what other roles are available to you. You can get pigeonholed very quickly,” he added.

How It Started

Edward has been programming games since he was 12 years old. “My first game was a platformer called ‘Bob’ made on Amstrad 464,” he recalled.

Equipped with general technical qualifications, he entered the gaming industry as a programmer. However, he gained all of his game-relevant skills through self-education and the job. An accomplishment that he’s proud of:

“The nature of my role means I need to be constantly learning new skills, most of which have little formal qualifications connected to them. In a lot of cases, I would be the person writing the tutorials and teaching the workshops.”

The Daily Routine

Edward works from home. He has a small office with a lot of monitors and a big box full of random broken tech as a permanent fixture.

He starts work at 9:00 am and will work through to 6:00 in the evening. “If I am running a training course, I will usually teach from 10:00 am onwards. If I am not training, I will start the day doing an hour’s training with an expert and then it would be a mixture of meeting and coding.”

He spends most of his time training.

“Development-wise, the project I’m most proud of was a level layout tool. It’s used to procedurally generate levels in an upcoming FPS, and made of the unreal engine and built in C++.”

Video Game Engines

He’s worked with both Unreal Engine and Unity. And he has a favorite: “Unreal is my engine of choice. I really like the blueprints system, it allows me to create a prototype quickly without having to type a line of code. It also makes the engine very accessible for any non-programmers involved in a project.”

He gushes over his second choice:

“I think Blender is the most exciting software at the moment. It is capable of so much – from rigging, modeling, sculpting, texturing, and animation. Other software is arguably better than Blender at single functions, however, the speed of development and the sheer amount of support provided by the open-source community means in a couple of years other software will have trouble keeping up.”

Not only is Blender free, but it has had massive cash investments from the likes of Epic, Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook.

“I believe in the next 5 years we will see Blender become industry standard,” he boldly predicted.

Love – ’Is This Even Worth It’ Relationship

For Edward, the best part of working in games is he’s almost always working on something that he loves: “It is rare to find someone who works in a job they are genuinely passionate about, however, that is the norm in the game industry.”

This can also be the worst part. Once he’s in a roll, it’s hard to switch off: “You’ll find yourself caught in 10-15-hour workdays. Crunch is very real in this industry and a lot of time it is self-inflicted.”

Video game companies now offer unlimited holiday benefits. But not all are interested to go on a holiday with a deadline to beat.

“In reality, this usually results in people taking less holiday since they do not want to let down their team get behind in work.”

Finish the Game (Build Your Portfolio)

“Complete things! Be part of things that finish!” It’s a declaration. And Edward is right. Video game companies, specifically hiring managers, will judge you on your body of work. It’s insane to think that there are a lot of computer games that never see the light of day. Make sure that you attach your name to shipped titles rather than canceled projects.

Your video game portfolio will determine the success of your career. There is now a shift in how video game companies look for the perfect candidate to fill the job vacancy.

If you browse through job advertisements, you’ll notice that companies have become more specific in their messaging.

“You will see a lot of job adverts, ‘must have worked on X amount of AAA titles’, in most cases,” noticed Edward. Once you have one or two games under your belt, hiring managers are only interested in that now.

“Here, I feel that the value of any game development degree is very short-lived. It may get you an interview, but it would likely be quicker to self educate and take any role on any semi-respectable project which actually ships.”

The Future of Gaming

Brace yourself for Edward’s 3 predictions:

“The power of computers and improvements in software is going to make optimization in game development less vital. “

Already in the demo for Unreal Engine 5, they have shown off their new technology called Ninite which removes the limitation on the number of polygons shown on screen. For game development, this means that a lot of optimization work on models can be done away with.
Virtual Reality is going to explode. (Not a shocker)

With Facebook Oculus Quest 2 being a tremendous success, this is now close to hitting a tipping point. What is more exciting is the new brain-computer interfaces, now in their building process.
This technology can only get better and combining these two together is going to create an amazing new level of immersion.

“Google’s Stadia will be an immense success and that this will mark a massive change in the gaming market.”

Edward considers Stadia to be a colossal failure now – it lags, and it houses a poor selection of games. But not for long. As 5G becomes standard, it will solve the lagging problem.

“At the rate TV is losing market share to small content providers on YouTube, I predict that large development companies are going to lose market share to small indie developers on Stadia, people who push out updates to their games periodically.”

It’s a lot to take in, I know. But with game development becoming easier, more accessible, and more affordable, the only barriers standing in your way are the marketing and publishing of games.

Connect with Edward

Edward is currently working on an awesome fast-paced, parko hero shooter called BulletVille. You can check it out here.

He’s a host on the Game Dev London Podcast which you can listen to here. If you would like to get in touch with him professionally, connect with him on LinkedIn.

The indie game industry is perhaps more widely known for its financial failures than its success, and yet it shows no sign of slowing down.

This comes as no surprise. Developers are some of the most passionate and dedicated individuals to walk this earth. And with a multi-billion dollar gaming market to invest in, it’s definitely worth the time, money, and all risk associated with it.

But why do game designers who dip their toes in indie development fail? They have the best intention for their career goals, but most are not entrepreneurs and they lack the skills to handle the business side of things.

“I wish I had known more about the business side of the industry when I had started, and I would advise any beginners to take the time to learn it for themselves,” Zachary Bennett, co-founder of Silent Man Games studio, tells us.

Zach belongs to the lucky few who found success in the industry. How did he get there? It took more than luck, for sure. Opportunity and hard-work also play major roles.

Before you take the plunge, make sure you learn from someone with first-hand experience. In this article, we map out Zach’s career path into life lessons that you can learn from. Be sure to take notes!

12 Lessons For Indie Game Dev Success

You Must Be Passionate About Video Games.

Like all video game players, Zach had an early start: “I got my start playing around with YoYo Games’ GameMaker and Flash in the early 2000s. At the time, I was a huge fan of the Megaman Battle Network games, and would try to recreate them on my own.”

Learn Programming.

Zach attended the University of Michigan in 2010. He learned the basics of programming and began to experiment with Unity and video game creation with C#.

Explore and Expand.

“I have been making games as a hobby since 2010, have periodically worked as a freelance game developer and design consultant, and recently started my own studio: Silent Man Games.”

Start with the Basics and Make Room for Growth.

His first video games were all made with simple drag-and-drop software like GameMaker and Construct. He has since moved on to more robust game engines:

“These days I do all of my development in Unity, but still work on the occasional project in Unreal. Unity is especially great. It’s easy to learn and has an incredible amount of flexibility whether you’re creating for PC, consoles, mobile, or any combination of platforms.”

Choose the Right Game Design Tools For You.

Zach is a fan of pixel art and a ton of other tools:

“Aseprite is easily my favorite tool for creating art and animations. It’s cheap, easy to use, and offers a lot of flexibility in designing sprite sheets. Also, for some lessons in design, I find the GameMaker’s Toolkit channel on YouTube to be very informative.”

Establish a Routine.

“I start my day by checking in with business partners to stay up-to-date on any recent developments with publishing, funding, and promotional opportunities. Then, I’ll check the status of any ongoing marketing campaigns and make adjustments as needed. I spend the remaining part of my day focusing on development: fixing bugs, adding content, streamlining gameplay, etc.”

Start Small and Keep Going.

He has built dozens of prototypes over the years. The average completion period? One week!

“After about 2 years of development, I just released my first complete project, Hilt Arena. I made it with one other developer in Unity and uses a combination of Photon and SmartFoxServer to handle matchmaking and multiplayer.”

Be Ready to Wear Multiple Hats and Learn How to Balance Them.

“I am currently working on the continued development and success of our first title, Hilt Arena. I don’t have an official title or position, but take on responsibilities from many unique positions. Some days I work on development and coding, other days I manage marketing and analytics.”

Understand the Basics of Business.

Remember what I said about wearing many hats? Indie game developers are more than just technical experts and creatives. They’re entrepreneurs, too. You need to have the entrepreneurial skills needed to run a successful business.

“Funding, publishing, and marketing are all important aspects of making a successful game that many aspiring developers overlook,” says Zach.

He learned the basics of business with the help of a consulting group:

“Luckily, I came across The Powell Group Consulting as I was finishing up the first build of Hilt Arena. They held seminars and networking events that provided me with the perspective on the industry beyond simply building the game, and I even joined their partner program to gain access to their expert consulting services. The knowledge and connections I made through them became invaluable in launching my projects.”

Let Your Game Be Played.

How do you improve the development of your game? Zach tells us:

“Good or bad, getting people to play your game is the single best thing you can do to improve development. Growing your player base and getting constructive feedback is crucial to building a great gaming experience. Plus, it’s incredibly motivating and inspiring when you see players having fun, or when someone praises your game.”

You’ll Have Better Days and You’ll Have Worst Days. Learn to Live With It.

“The best part of being a video game designer is seeing your work come to life and watching others experience it. I never tire of watching players get drawn into and appreciate the games I create. The worst part is definitely the enormous work involved. Creating games, especially as an indie dev, requires an incredible amount of time and effort.”

Zach recognizes that passion is the key motivator to remain engaged in your work.

Watch Out For Game Design Trends.

“VR will definitely continue to grow,” he tells us. He added that games that put a unique twist on multiplayer competition will continue to find outstanding success:

“Between pre-made assets and open-minded players who don’t care so much about the graphical and technical aspects of games, the barrier of entry into game development is lower than ever. While AAA titles will always have their place, it’s the intensely creative, low-budget games that are the future of game development.”

Connect with Zach

Feeling Inspired? You can learn more about Zach and his works by visiting his website: https://silentmangames.com/. His video game, Hilt Arena is now out on Android and iOS. He is active on Discord and loves hearing feedback from players.

For the first time in his 20-year career, Darrell finds himself in between jobs, taking on freelance work as much as he could.

“It’s new territory for me as I’m very much used to being in an office with a large group of people,” says the former Lead Level Designer from Sheffield, UK. “But seeing as the world is working from home at the moment it seemed a good time to try it out.”

He is only one of the many in the workforce impacted by the pandemic. While the video game industry saw a rise in the demand for more video games in 2020, it’s mostly the game studio giants who are thriving and have seen big success in their businesses.

The Rise: From Game Tester to Designer

But Darrell doesn’t see himself as a victim of company downsizing. In fact, he’s currently working on his own video game and is considering becoming his own boss. As a veteran in the industry, he knows what hard work is.

“Back when I was starting out, there was no such thing as a degree in video game design so I had to approach it in the (at the time) standard way – game testing!”

He got his break in the industry in 2000 as a Game Tester at Infogrames UK and worked his way up to senior test positions. “I’ve worked as a professional Game/Level Designer since 2005, from a Junior position up to Lead Level Design roles.”

He worked long hours, barely making any decent income, constantly replaying the same bits of broken game. But he loved it! He relished the reaction he got from people when they asked him what he did for work.

He’s a great team player at work and enjoyed spending the time after work with his colleagues for a happy hour.

But the bar was more than a place for him to wind down, it became an opportunity for him to prove to the designers that he has what it takes to become one of them. He engaged in meaningful conversations with them about work. He rose through the ranks and became a senior designer.

Game Design Career

Video Game Companies

Darrell has worked at Rebellion, Revolution, Infogrames, EA, Sony, Cloud Imperium, and a couple of smaller companies. Among the titles he’s worked with are:

“Broken Sword 3 (Revolution Software), Call of Duty: World At War PS2 (Rebellion), Black Hawk Down: Team Sabre (Rebellion), Starship Troopers (Rebellion), Wipeout 2048 PSVita (Sony) and Star Citizen (Cloud Imperium) to name a few.”

He’s held mainly Senior Designer or Senior Level Designer positions on some of those companies with project lengths varying from short-term: 6 to 12 months; or a longer-term of up to 5+ years.

Team Player

He’s been in 10-man game development teams all the way up to multinational of over 300-people teams and each place and office culture has its own unique flavor.

Game Engines and Design Tools

He has worked with many game engines, mostly in-house ones that have varied in quality and functionality:

“Most companies I have worked at have had their own proprietary tools, sometimes using middleware to bridge gaps in the tech, and as such it’s like starting again each place you go – which is half the fun!”

Typical Work Day

So, what does Darrell do on a normal day? Drink a lot of coffee, of course!

“Over the last 20 years it would generally involve a lot of coffee, a lot of talking with fellow designers about our assigned work, be it a level or a particular mechanic or issues with them, followed by hours of headphone-wearing, music-blasting, non-blinking dev work!”

Working in a highly collaborative industry, a lot of time is spent in level and game meetings involving seniors from each discipline to plan and discuss current progress and issues.

“I always loved the days more when I was a few weeks into some level design that was going well and I was able to be creative and try things out for review, confident in my vision for the level in the wider game,” he added wistfully.

Freelance Tools of the Trade

When asked about his engine of choice at the moment, he said:

“Unreal Engine 4. It is a fantastic environment to work in and has really helped designers like me see their games come to life without the need for advanced programming skills – which I don’t have!”

When prototyping assets, he relies on Maya rather than Max as the modeling tool. “This is just personal preference as I used it extensively when I was making collision meshes for Wipeout 2048 so became pretty familiar with it,” he said, defending his choice.

He uses Photoshop for texture creation and UI creation and editing; and ‘free for commercial use’ fonts from various websites: “as there are so many good ones so no need to pay for them.”

When it comes to music, he does think it’s worth investing in a few audio assets to ensure he’s getting premium quality.

Not All Companies Are The Same

It’s no secret that most, if not all, who work in the video game industry are there because of their passion for video games. Getting paid to do what you love is the ultimate dream job.

Darrell thinks so, too: “The best is that most people who work in the game industry are passionate about games and have been since being a child, so there are already a lot of common bonds between employees from the get-go.”

However, not all companies are the same:

“Overtime is expected at most companies (though it has got better IMO in a lot of places) and in some, it is even written into the contract of employment that ‘reasonable’ unpaid hours are expected to be worked in addition to contracted hours when required.”

Even with the best teams, working in a high-pressure environment can lead to burnout. When he was just starting out, he would breeze through a day, and on some projects, through the night, and nothing could take the fun out of his work.

But marriage and having kids can tip the scale of work-life balance against your favor.

“I’ve worked several 48-hour shifts, and on some projects I have worked 15 – 20 hours each day, gone home and collapsed on the bed, and got up a few hours later to start it all again – sometimes for weeks at a time. That’s the reality of how it can be, but not all the time obviously and some places are better than others and some even pay overtime. Others just provide food, which is nice but is not the same as seeing your kids on an evening!”

“Survival of the Fittest”

Don’t burn any bridges – that was the best advice Darrel was given in his 20-year career. Community is the foundation on which the gaming industry is built. You need each other in order to thrive.

He reasoned: “Firstly it makes the working day much more enjoyable but secondly, reputation is half the battle in the games industry as it is fairly insular and often the same people will be working together on multiple occasions at completely different companies at different times.”

You never know who’s hands your CV is going to fall into when you apply for a job, it just might be somebody you worked with previously and at that moment you’re going to want them to remember you fondly.

His Unique Advice for Beginners

With the augment of technology, the development landscape has changed so much since Darrell started. When before you need to fight tooth and nail to be elevated to a higher designation, new recruits today take the fast lane to promotions.

“You are classed as an experienced designer when you have worked for a couple of years fresh from college/university…That is in stark contrast to when I became a designer, where you were regarded as a rookie for many years and many projects down the road!”

His advice to the newbies? Be humble.

“Never be afraid to admit you don’t know something, and build great relationships with the coders and artists, because having that mutual trust between the disciplines REALLY helps when you’ve done a 48-hour shift for a deadline and you need some support, believe me!”

The Future of Gaming

We all know it’s virtual reality. With the ubiquity of VR technology, does this mean the future is now? Darrell thinks there’s still room for improvement:

“I think VR will have another wave in the next 5 – 10 years where the tech improves and some of the issues holding it back now will be removed. Whether you like it or not, immersion is important, and actually having the image right next to your eyes and trying to fool your brain into believing you are there is the goal for some. This will get more sophisticated but will not be the holy grail for a long time to come.”

There is no telling what the next tech advances will be and the impact they will have on the gaming industry. With the world slowing down, it seems innovation is also taking a pause.

Darrell opined that: “There was a time when there were exponential improvements over short spaces of time and each ‘generation’ felt light years ahead of the previous one. That has slowed down in recent times but maybe we’re just awaiting those cyborg-like implants wiring data straight into our brains?”

Staying up late at night, playing video games seems pretty normal. After all, if you’re playing an addictive game, what good is sleep when you can have fun?

I first experienced this phenomenon in the 1990s with a game called Civilization. Thanks to some guy named Sid Meier, I was losing a ton of sleep. But it was totally worth it.

The king of just ‘one more turn’ strategy games, Sid Meier, has had an incredible impact on the world of video gaming.

Who is Sid Meier?

Sid Meier, born Sidney K. Meier in Canada, is the world-famous creator of the Civilization series of video games. These games put a strong emphasis on history, science, and learning.

While there were games that taught video gamers things, Civ did it with style and addictive gameplay. However, Civ isn’t the only gaming project he has worked on, not by a long shot.

After leaving MicroProse, Meier and his colleagues formed what is now Firaxis. Meier wished for Firaxis to focus more on design principles than hardcore computer engineering.

Firaxis has been the steady developer of Civ games since 2001 with the release of Civilization III.

What Games Has Sid Meier Developed?

While this is by no means a definitive list, these are the most notable video games and projects Sid Meier worked on. A common theme of these games is the melding of history, science, industry, and technology.

The Civilization Series

No matter how far along you are in your game of Civ, you swear you’ll stop playing after just ‘one more turn.’

However, the game never stops evolving, having players answer various crises, develop new buildings, and settle new cities at every opportunity.

Sid Meier’s Pirates!

For those who yearn for a life on the high seas, Sid Meier’s Pirates! is the game for you. Initially released in the 1980s from Meier’s previous company, MicroProse, the more notable version is the remake for consoles and PC in 2004.

Along with death-defying ship combat, pitting crew against crew, the player must partake in resource management and use strategy to dominate the high seas.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Mixing hard science fiction with tried and true 4X combat, XCOM is an unforgettable adventure of vanquishing invading aliens. XCOM: Enemy Unknown is the continuation of the celebrated XCOM series of PC games stretching back into the 1980s.

Like Civ, it follows the ‘4x’ concept: explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate.

Sid Meier’s Memoir!: A Life in Computer Games

If you were curious about the inner depths of Sid Meier’s book, Sid Meier’s Memoir!: A Life in Computer Games is a remarkable memoir, as well as a description of his rise in the video game industry.

Part life story, part in-depth examination of the video game industry, Sid’s book explores how a young, eager computer developer turned a vision into a multimillion-dollar reality.

Be sure to check out the book for some more interesting inside looks at the video game industry. Meier is also a fantastic writer as well, injecting humor and his personality into the work.

Game Development Philosophy

If there’s one thing made clear in Meier’s book, it’s that he believes games should be ‘a series of interesting decisions’. Meier and his team at Firaxis have easily fulfilled this goal of making video games all about interesting decisions.

Whether it’s attempting to conquer an enemy in Civ with diplomacy or choosing to attack a gang of swashbuckling pirates, Firaxis games have always taken this philosophy seriously.

His Impact on the Industry

Where would strategy games be without someone like Sid Meier?

Meier’s contribution to video games has been monumental. His stalwart dedication to education, history, science, and industry earned him a coveted spot in the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame.

GameSpot, in 1996, had this brilliant piece to say about Meier when naming him one of the most influential game designers of our time:

“Any game designer who tries to tell you that he hasn’t taken anything away from a Sid Meier game is akin to a film director saying he has never watched a Hitchcock movie. For Sid is our Hitchcock, our Spielberg, our Ellington, holding to his gameplay muse, rather than being seduced by the latest technology.”

And that sums Sid up: someone who doesn’t bend to the latest trends, shunning what popular games of the modern era are doing now. He adds his own unique perspective to game design, allowing for the quality and dedication shown in the final product.

Sid Recommends

What sort of games does a game developing genius like Sid Meier recommend to other players?

The one game he recommends is Overland, a turn-based strategy game. In Overland, you control a family trying to survive on the road in the post-apocalyptic United States.

What Is Sid Working On These Days?

Meier’s most recent Civ output, Civilization VI, continued the rich legacy of his iconic strategy game series. Adding more gameplay elements, tweaking others, and creating a vibrant, unique world, Meier has again mastered his own project.

Other than that, Meier is aiming to complete a game centered around dinosaurs. For now, it has been put on the shelf, but Meier hopes to get to it.

All in all, no one can do it like Sid Meier.

It seems like we are a million years from when video game soundtracks were MIDI-based music motifs that merely accompanied gameplay. However, the kind of music that players experience these days is of epic scope and talent. Gone are the days when little ‘beeps’ would be your entire soundtrack.

It isn’t unheard of for current game designers to employ the talents of full symphony orchestras, deep choirs, crazy brass, and ominous synthesizers. The main difference between now and 40 years ago is that game soundtracks are more Beethoven than beep.

History

Games have always had soundtracks in one form or another. As we stated before, the earliest game soundtracks were little more than MIDI beeps and boops. However, you have revolutionary innovators at companies like Nintendo.

One of the pioneers of the video games effects industry, Hirokazu Tanaka, worked tirelessly to create the sound effects for the original Donkey Kong.

His simple soundboard would help video game sounds and soundtracks evolve into creative powerhouses that would leave a lasting mark on the industry.

Impact

I think we can all agree that video game soundtracks are essential. Whether you are someone who merely appreciates the music in a game passively, or you are a music enthusiast, the impact that great composers have had on video games has constantly narrowed the fundamental differences between film and game soundtracks.

In our modern era, we have film composers entirely composing game soundtracks. The multimedia world in which we live experiences this beautiful bleeding effect, melding some of our favorite forms of media into a cohesive whole. Their work has further lent credence to the eternal argument of whether video games are art (hint: they totally are).

If you boot up The Last of Us Part II and tell me that the soundtrack isn’t stunning art, I don’t know what to tell you.
Let’s explore game music as a separate genre.

Game Music As A Genre

If you were to look at video game music on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube, you would clearly see that it is now a genre all its own. Soundtracks for some of our favorite games have left a lasting impact on gamers. Simple songs, musical motifs, and pieces of theme music have become synonymous with having fun in your favorite game.

Let’s look at some of the titans of the industry who have created some of the most popular game music ever recorded.

There is no shortage of video game music compilations, covers, and more. For Final Fantasy alone, there are hundreds of cover albums, songs, and influences.

Likewise, some of the most famous video game-related albums, mainly from Tommy Tallarico’s Video Games Live, and more. Instances of video games as a standalone genre have become more and more apparent with each passing year.

Need to study and concentrate? Put on Persona 5’s soundtrack.

Want to work out and feel motivated? Crank up Skyrim’s outstanding, booming percussion into your earbuds.

Feel free to go ahead and search the internet for video game genre music. You’ll find some incredible gems.

Famous Video Game Composers in the World

Here are just some of the greatest video game composers of all time. Make sure to explore their various discographies to get a better feel of their style, influence, and mastery of music.

Harry Gregson-Williams

• Video Game: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
• Released Date: November 17, 2004

If you have ever played Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, you will know the work of Harry Gregson-Williams right off the bat.

The intense fighting music between Naked Snake and The Boss is an extraordinarily moving piece of video game music. The moving ending, which evokes strong emotions of sorrow, hollow victory, and regret, wouldn’t be at all possible without the talents of Harry-Gregson Williams.

His additions to the hit Konami game were literally instrumental in creating a moving story, relatable characters, and memorable boss fights.

Harry Gregson-Williams also has an awe-inspiring list of movie soundtracks, including the Kingdom of Heaven, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Man On Fire. Whether it is video games or Hollywood, Harry Gregson-Williams can do it all.

When asked by an IGN reporter the difference between composing for someone like Hideo Kojima and Konami vs. film soundtracks, he had this to say:

“…With a movie, I’m constantly working in sync with the picture, and I score every moment very deliberately. In the MGS games that I’ve done, I have had to write all the music without any visual aid but from detailed, written descriptions given to me by Hideo outlining the mood, tempo, and atmosphere of various situations he was trying to create. “

Using the writing, story, and other game elements, Harry Gregson-Williams was forced to evoke emotions within himself and others to create some of his most memorable soundtrack work.

Follow Harry Gregson-Williams on Spotify.

Nobuo Uematsu

• Video Game: The Final Fantasy Franchise
• Released Date: December 18, 1987 – Present

For decades, Nobuo Uematsu has been a driving force in the creation of Final Fantasy games. He has left his indelible mark on all the games in the series, with memorable songs and tunes.

Think of the small victory fanfare that plays every time you defeat a monster in any Final Fantasy game. Thanks to Nobuo Uematsu, those songs have become well-loved staples in video gaming.

The newest addition to the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy VII Remake, takes all of Uematsu’s famous, moving, and intense songs and modernizes them in such a powerful way.

On perhaps his most famous track, ‘One-Winged Angel,’ Uematsu includes frantic, dark classical music with haunting vocals to transport the player into the final boss battle with Sephiroth.

In Guy Dammann’s piece on Nobuo Uematsu, he marvels at the composer’s place in classical music:

“Uematsu has made the top 10 three years running, with his Final Fantasy music slipping from seven to nine in this year’s chart, now nestling between Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony – appropriately enough as, according to Classic FM, Uematsu is the “Beethoven of video game music.”

Being considered the Beethoven of video game music? Now that’s an impressive accolade.

Follow Nobuo Uematsu on Spotify.

Koji Kondo

• Video Game: The Legend of Zelda
•  Released Date: February 21, 1986 – Present

Koji Kondo has been Nintendo’s go-to soundtrack composer for The Legend of Zelda series. He has been a pillar of Nintendo’s music in nearly every Zelda title since the mid-1980s.

The moving score that accompanies Link in his adventures to defeat the evil Ganondorf and rescue Zelda has encouraged and motivated players for years.

The most recent Legend of Zelda title, Breath of the Wild, instead uses the talents of Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata, and Hajime Wakai. However, they continue Koji Kondo’s excellent work and essence through the memorable soundtrack.

His music transported millions of players into an amazingly rich high fantasy world.

Follow Koji Kondo on Spotify.

Akira Yamaoka

• Video Game: Silent Hill
• Released Date: February 23, 1999 – Present

The talented Akira Yamaoka has worked as the video game composer for the iconic Silent Hill series of psychological horror games. With a mix of dark, ambient, droning mixed with haunting, dirty-sounding guitars, the Akira Yamaoka discography is one you can listen to if you’re in a spooky mood.

A standout track, ‘Laura’s Theme’ from Silent Hill 2, combines a wailing guitar with ethereal, faintly detuned synthesizers to create a fantastically creepy and moving atmosphere in-game.

He made his mark on the original PlayStation’s Silent Hill. Spurred on to find his lost daughter in the clearly haunted town of Silent Hill was accompanied by striking percussion and industrial music to scare the living daylights out of players.

Regarding Silent Hill 4: The Room, music reviewer Simon Smith had this to say about Akira Yamaoka’s work:

“Melancholy Requiem” begins the first real instrumental “song” with arpeggios of piano and some distorted keyboards and string implements. The whole piece has a dirty, edgy, and uncomfortable feel to it – it encapsulates the essence of Silent Hill completely, especially as the song degenerates into discorded ambiance – a trait again carried in many songs.”

Smith’s track by track review is a microcosm of what all of Yamaoka’s brilliant work conveys: horror, discomfort, loss, and loneliness.

Follow Akira Yamaoka on Spotify.

Jesper Kyd

• Video Game: Assassin’s Creed II
• Released Date: November 17, 2009

Composer Jesper Kyd has a fantastic resume. Starting with Eidos and IO Interactive’s fantastic Hitman games, Jesper Kyd quickly moved on to projects like the beloved Assassin’s Creed II.

Although we could wax and wane for hours about his contributions to the fantastic soundtrack for the Hitman games, his surprising contribution to Assassin’s Creed is perhaps his musical magnum opus.

His work in the Ubisoft franchise won him the 2009 G.A.N.G. Awards and Hollywood Music in Media Awards. A blend of haunting choral work with amazingly fitting electronica, Kyd actually somehow makes wildly different genres blend together for a unique and memorable game soundtrack.

IGN’s Brian Linder had high praise for Kyd’s Assassin’s Creed II work:

“Kyd, who utilized a 30-piece orchestra and a 13-person choir while recording the score, has created a beautiful, sweeping soundtrack that’s just as epic as anything you’d hear in a contemporary cinematic epic scored by Hans Zimmer of James Newton Howard.”

If you listen to only one Kyd song, make sure it is the central theme from Assassin’s Creed II. Ezio and his brother race to the top of a building in Renaissance-era Florence. Once they reach the top, players are treated to a hair-raising;y beautiful theme, which sets the tempo for the epic, history-changing scope of the game.

Follow Jesper Kyd on Spotify.

Jeremy Soule

• Video Game: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• Released Date: November 11, 2011

For many gamers who have spent countless hours in the rich world of Skyrim, the wonderful music of Jeremy Soule should strike a chord. Ever since his first foray into Skyrim’s world with the beautiful main theme – including breathtaking barbarian choirs and booming percussion – to the more quiet, ambient pieces that accompany the player through dungeons, mountain passes, and temples.

Although he has worked on various projects like Harry Potter, Icewind Dale, and Guild Wars, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is easily his most recognized and appreciated work.

Although it seems like it, Skyrim doesn’t actually employ the talents of live orchestras. Jeremy Soule is a technical wizard and could recreate the same sounds of string instruments, brass, and more to pull the player into the well-known fantasy epic.

If you somehow haven’t heard the fantastic theme, ‘Dragonborn,’ do yourself a favor and listen. I dare you not to install Skyrim after hearing the booming, motivating choral work.

Follow Jeremy Soule on Spotify.

How to Become a Video Game Music Composer

Now that you know that video game composers are talented, accomplished, and creative powerhouses, how do you become one? Let’s see what it takes to get you started on the right path.

Career Path

There are a few key things you can do to ensure a smooth transition from music lover to video game audio engineer or composer. Not everyone’s journey is exactly the same.

Some musicians will do better with a school curriculum in music theory. Other musicians will benefit from experimenting independently, using their innate talent to break new barriers in the video game music sphere.

Education & Training

There has never been a better time to consider getting into video game composing. With the aid of computers, nearly anyone with determination can create fantastic musical pieces.

However, it’s always a great idea to get some training or educational direction. Universities like Full Sail and the Berklee College of Music allows students to indulge in their musical artistry.

If a four-year college curriculum isn’t exactly your style, you can still benefit from training. Guitar and piano lessons, music theory, and more taught to you by private tutors and trainers can give you an edge in musical know-how.

Experience & Skills

Whether your preferred genre of music is rock, funk, industrial, or new age, you need to bring solid skills and experience to job interviews.

Do you have a degree from a musical program? A certificate in music theory? Who taught you your craft? Who are your influences, and how have they shaped your music-making process?

All of these things can determine whether you find success in the video game music industry.

Salary

A consensus on a video game composer’s salary can range anywhere from $30,000 to $75,000+. The salary depends on your education, experience, and job title. It varies greatly and isn’t a linear path like becoming an accountant or doctor.

Where to Look for Composer Jobs

There are a ton of different avenues you can take with this one. Video game composer isn’t a set, concrete position you can find in only a few places, depending on where you live, where the game studio is located, and other factors all determine where you should look for jobs.

A general rule of thumb is to concentrate on looking near cities and metro centers. Moving to a big city or the outskirts of one can offer great networking opportunities, as well as a wealth of different choices for various fields.

Tips on Getting A Big Break As A Video Game Composer

Here are a few helpful hints and tips on how to get a better chance to break into the video game music industry.

Know Your Market

What type of music are you creating? If you are composing music for a game like Viva Pinata, don’t make songs as Akira Yamaoka would. You need to clamp down and familiarize yourself with your target demographic and game genre. To achieve success, you might have to create music that you aren’t used to making.

This is the test of a genuinely great musician: flexibility as an artist.

Networking

Networking is perhaps one of the most valuable and viable job strategies in existence. It’s all about who you know. If you rub shoulders with video game executives and designers regularly, you simply have a better chance at scoring gigs as a composer.

Work Well With a Sound Team

It may seem a bit obvious, but you are going to need to work well with others. Since you are creating a cohesive project, you need to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

In addition, you need to have excellent communication skills. It’s your duty to create great music, so don’t squander that great opportunity by being uncooperative.

Conclusion

Although it may seem daunting trying to enter the field of game composing, it is by no means impossible. If you follow our tips, network, and practice, you could easily find yourself scoring game titles.

While it may take a long time to get to the exalted status of composers like Nobuo Uematsu and the talented Akira Yamaoka, there’s more than enough opportunity to make your musical mark on the video game industry.

Regardless of your decision, we can all agree that without these titans of the video game soundtrack industry, our favorite games might lack emotional nuance, impactful plot developments, and ambient dungeon exploration.

Make sure you explore some of these composers’ tracks and use them as motivation and influence.

Image Sources:

Harry Gregson-Williams
Nobuo Uematsu
Koji Kondo
Jesper Kyd
Jeremy Soule