Really now... best job ever?

[roboczar]

http://money.cnn.com/2006/04/07/pf/bestjobs_moneymag_bestjob/index.htm

Well, for those in the industry that didn't go into laughter-induced cardiac arrest and die, do you think your job is is the best job ever?

Discuss.

[DeathMonkey]

If you get to do meaningful work on a game you enjoy and the amount of OT doesn't destroy your life, it's the best job ever.

-Scott-

[Gary Whitta]

I think I have a pretty great job. I work from home and 99% of the time I answer to no-one. After a few years of working for myself, I think it would be really hard to re-adjust to the concept of going back to working for The Man in a 9-to-9 office-type setting. And yet, for the majority of my working life, that's all I knew and most of that time I pretty much enjoyed it because I was lucky enough work at a good company with good people on a good product. But I still wouldn't trade that back for what I do now.

[Thrrrpptt!]

Interesting that "Psychologist" is in their top 10 list. What they describe isn't the kind of psychology I do, though. Also interesting to note that these jobs are just rated on salary and job prospects, not job satisfaction.

[roboczar]

I thought stress levels were thrown in the mix, as well as mobility... hell if I can be bothered to actually check.

[SwampIrish]

I find it hard to believe that any of the management at EA are gamers.

[Old Man Gravy]

I heard somewhere that it was an okay industry to work in, but that stress was hurting creativity and Wal*Mart picked the games you actually develop.

[Fugitive]

I heard somewhere that it was an okay industry to work in, but that stress was hurting creativity and Wal*Mart picked the games you actually develop.
It becomes even more stressful if you get bought out by Microsoft.

[Charles]

I find it hard to believe that any of the management at EA are gamers.


They are actually. At least in EA Burnaby/Vancouver. When I was getting interviewed there, they put out a really good vibe. On top of that, I have friends working there, and they are all extremely happy with their job. One guy has shipped three games without a day of overtime.

Everyone I met knew their shit, had their head screwed on straight, and came across as really nice. Really, the only reason I didn't take the job is because I was going to be doing tools more than game development there, and the offer I ended up taking was far more in line with my preferences.

[instant0]

I like this comment:
"Still, there's stress. The worst is a bug or defect. And you can't waste time tweaking that last whiz-bang feature, given the market pressures."

Does this mean that they cant 'waste' time fixing bugs in the game, because its so much fun to see it on the shelves? good to see that its official EA policy.

Bonus! he has a reference to Duke 3D :-)

[Xemu]

It's definitely the #1 job in my book... I would be writing games in my basement for free if I weren't being paid to do it.

And actually, we were acquired by Microsoft. :)

[instant0]

@Xemu:
But do you get to make the kind of games that you want to make, or are you just a hired programmer to make a game, reagardless of what kind of game that'd be, e.g. "Barbie Hunt 3" or "Deer Tycoon 2005"...

Does not every game programmer wish he was able/allowed to design his own game?

Edit: Did you hear LIONH~1 was bought by Microsoft?

[Mark Crump]

I think I have a pretty great job. I work from home and 99% of the time I answer to no-one. After a few years of working for myself, I think it would be really hard to re-adjust to the concept of going back to working for The Man in a 9-to-9 office-type setting. And yet, for the majority of my working life, that's all I knew and most of that time I pretty much enjoyed it because I was lucky enough work at a good company with good people on a good product. But I still wouldn't trade that back for what I do now.

I just started freelancing full-time (it sounds better than unemployed bum). Even though I'm working on projects, it's damn nice to decide that I'm going to work tonight instead and drive around with my wife for the afternoon. She's a pet-sitter and I spent a couple of hours throwing toys for dogs.

I'm really hoping I can keep it this way.

[DennyA]

I worked from home for about 4 years before I was acquired by Microsoft.

Both have their perks. I missed the interaction when I was working at home. But now I like the fact that there's a solid demarcation between "work" and "home." When I worked at home, I always felt guilty when I wasn't working.

[Xemu]

I've always been highly involved in the games I've made (System Shock 1 & 2, Age of Mythology, a handful of others). I find the fact that it is so creatively rewarding a huge part of why it is the #1 job. Obviously you will be able to find any industry where there are poor working conditions. But competition for talent is fierce -- if you are a talented game programmer and passionate about your craft there is no inherent reason you should be accepting poor working conditions.

[ashileedo]

If you are passionate about games, it is the best job ever. Even after finishing Oblivion (which was easily the largest, most difficult, complex and soul crushing project I've ever worked on), I still feel the same.

[EFlannum]

It's a really good job but I think if I had any job to pick from NBA basketball player might be higher on my list :)

[Dave Weinstein]

"Best job" is a continually shifting target.

"Best job" at 25 may look very different at 35, or 45, or 55.

"Best job" may change when you marry, have kids, get divorced, or simply decide that you want a change.

A good friend of mine once observed, "I'm not the man I was 10 years ago, but I still have all his stuff." You should always be considering, "What do I really want to do?" rather than assuming that your choices are determined by what the you of N years ago decided.

[nKoan]

Yeah, plus it changes from person to person. One person may love their job, but I'm probably glad I don't have to do it.

I work in gaming (in the gambling sense, not the video game sense) and I have to say some days it does feel like the Best Job Ever. But I doubt systems programming for slot machines would be considered the 'Best Job Ever' by a lot of people. Hell, I work with people that hate it.

[Simpilot]

I worked from home for about 4 years before I was acquired by Microsoft.

Both have their perks. I missed the interaction when I was working at home. But now I like the fact that there's a solid demarcation between "work" and "home." When I worked at home, I always felt guilty when I wasn't working.

I was very similar. When I ran my computer biz from home, the commute was great but I couldn't get away from work and felt guilty if I wasn't working. So I set up shop in a brick and morter and now home is home and work is work. Now if I could only find a way to get rid of this dang cell phone...

[Lum]

I make a decent living and I work on games.

While I wouldn't say "best job ever", "best job for me", sure.

[Qenan]

I was very similar. When I ran my computer biz from home, the commute was great but I couldn't get away from work and felt guilty if I wasn't working. So I set up shop in a brick and morter and now home is home and work is work. Now if I could only find a way to get rid of this dang cell phone...

Sounds like my experience as a grad student/post-doc. I was glad to get a real job; it was much less stressful.

[nKoan]

Yeah, I imagine it makes it much easier to leave the work (and associated stress) behind when 'work' is a physically seperate building.

[krayzkrok]

Well according to the list I would have the 41st best job in America, so it's a good job I don't live there.

[Troy S Goodfellow]

The average writer in America makes 60k a year? (http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/snapshots/25.html)

Troy

[Lunch of Kong]

The banal writers make even more!

[Steve Canyon]

The banal writers make even more!

Less, actually: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/snapshots/13.html

[Troy S Goodfellow]

Less, actually: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/snapshots/13.html

Unless he's referring to Dan Brown.

Troy

[Steve Canyon]

Unless he's referring to Dan Brown.


I bet Dan Brown has made all the money he needs.

[Troy S Goodfellow]

I bet Dan Brown has made all the money he needs.

Fool. No one ever has all the money they need.

Troy

[Steve Canyon]

Fool. No one ever has all the money they need.


You know what they say about fools and their money.

[Troy S Goodfellow]

You know what they say about fools and their money.

They give it to me?

Troy

[Lunch of Kong]

Less, actually

I was referring to Dan Brown. :-)

[Hanzii]

I have the best job in the world, and it's not even on the list. I think it's because of the high death rate, but I'm pretty sure that war correspondents and those in high stress positions (traditional crime beats and whatnot) with the associated alcohol/tobacco overuse ruin the statistics for the rest of us.

If I took my title as editor in stead of journalist, then I would make the list... but then I'm clearly making too little money.

[jpinard]

I've always been highly involved in the games I've made (System Shock 1 & 2, Age of Mythology, a handful of others). I find the fact that it is so creatively rewarding a huge part of why it is the #1 job. Obviously you will be able to find any industry where there are poor working conditions. But competition for talent is fierce -- if you are a talented game programmer and passionate about your craft there is no inherent reason you should be accepting poor working conditions.

You worked on SS2? ... that's darn near my favorite game of all time. No other game got fear so right, with all the rpg excellence, levels, sound effects and music (and I thought it was best in its released form, not with the tool degradation patch). Nothing has ever scared me so much since, and this was the only thing I've ever watched/played where I was literally scared to play/watch in the dark. I'm not kidding when I say Half-Life 2 seemed like an Adam Sandler comedy compared to SS2.