Articles by Jonathon Halston on ArticleSnatch.com

Game Design - How to Become a Games Design Programmer

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:17:22 -0400

Many have expressed an interest in becoming a Game Design professional, so in this article we explore this exciting and rapidly growing career opportunity. We will show you just what a games design degree is, how it can help you, how to get that degree, and helpful resources for exploring this career option. - So What Exactly is a Game Design Degree Anyways? - If you have a deep passion for video games, and would love to join the industry, a games design degree can help turn these dreams into reality, giving you the skills, knowledge, and creative inspiration to become a top-notch games designer in the rapidly expanding interactive entertainment industry. Degrees in Games design prepare students to join the companies that create the games they love, such as World of Warcraft, Halo, and Half Life. If the design and creation aspect of video games intrigue you, then getting a game design degree is definitely an option you should explore, as it will allow you to join the industry that creates that which you are so passionate about. - What Will I Learn While Earning a Game Design Degree? **End Summary** Topics: game design]]> game programming]]> games design]]> programming game]]> video game design]]> video game jobs]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> We can provide you with free in-depth, excellent information of a wide range of programs available in both Game Design and Game Art. To learn more about how to get started in an exciting game design career, and becoming a games design professional, visit us today!

Video Game Testing Jobs - What Hiring Managers Are Looking For

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:19:08 -0400

Hiring managers for video game testing jobs typically have a specific set of skills, attributes and experience in mind when interviewing potential employees. Depending on the job level, whether entry-level or advanced, this list can vary quite widely. However, there are a general set of attributes that are universal for all video game testing jobs, and knowing what hiring managers are looking for will enable you to demonstrate why you are the right candidate for the job. Specifically, it is important for candidates to have a firm grasp on exactly what hiring managers expect when hiring for video game testing jobs. Hiring managers enter every interview with a precise understanding of the elements they need to see and hear that will enable them to make a yes or no decision as to hiring any specific candidate. The most important elements they will be looking for are as follows: - Analytical Judgment - It is important to be able to show that you can impart good judgment and analysis to your testing efforts. You should be able to determine whether something constitutes a serious bug, or merely an annoyance. **End Summary** Topics: game testing jobs]]> video game testing jobs]]> game testing]]> video game testing]]> game testers job]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jonathon Halston has tested video games for over 11 years. He started out as a contract video game tester, and soon became a Software Design Engineer in Test at a World Class Software Company and you can too. To learn more about how to get hired for game testing jobs , and start a video game testing career , visit http://Hot-Game-Tester-Jobs.com today!

The Fundamentals of Becoming a Video Game Tester

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:16:19 -0400

So you have decided to become a video game tester - congratulations! The career path is a great one, and there will always be high demand for skilled video game testers. Becoming a game tester is a great way to get started in the video game industry. Doing so will enable you to use your creative skills and technical knowledge in such a fashion that will permit you to build things that others will experience and enjoy. Keep in mind, however, that there are some things you should know about becoming a video game tester before jumping into the field head first. Knowing the details that others may neglect to inform you of will make all the difference in building a long-term, successful career for yourself in the video game industry. We'll begin with the skill set and experience you should have to make a great start in the video game industry. This is an important factor that many who are passionate about becoming a video game tester neglect to investigate. The most important elements are as follows: - Gaining Experience with Software Testing - At a fundamental level, testing video games is no different from standard software testing. **End Summary** Topics: game tester]]> video game tester]]> game testing]]> video games testing]]> game testing jobs]]> game testers]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jonathon Halston has tested video games for over 11 years. He started out as a contract video game tester, and soon became a Software Design Engineer in Test at a World Class Software Company and you can too. To learn more about how to get hired for game testing jobs , and start a video game testing career , visit http://Hot-Game-Tester-Jobs.com today!

What Video Game Testers Actually Do For A Living

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:16:03 -0400

Video game testers are often perceived as not having to endure the normal work requirements found in most jobs - that they are not required to work on a regular basis in an office or company workspace; that they get to make a great deal of money while playing games and telling people that they are having fun while doing so. The truth isn't quite so idealistic or glamorous. However, for those that are willing to work hard and put in the effort to develop their career, becoming a video game tester can be the best decision they ever made. Game testers have jobs that enable them to make an excellent living - top testers earn up to 80k to 100k a year once they have racked up several years of experience and have advanced in their testing and technical expertise. Though entry level wages are closer to 15-20 and hour, for those that stick with it and make a serious effort at building a career as a professional video game tester, the rewards are great. **End Summary** Topics: game testers]]> video game testers]]> game testing]]> video game testing]]> game testing jobs]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jonathon Halston has tested video games for over 11 years. He started out as a contract video game tester, and soon became a Software Design Engineer in Test at a World Class Software Company and you can too. To learn more about how to get hired for game testing jobs , and start a video game testing career , visit http://Hot-Game-Tester-Jobs.com today!

How Beta Video Game Testing Can Fast Track Your Game Testing Career

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:16:03 -0400

Many conceive of beta video game testing as simply signing up for free opportunities to play games still under development in the comfort of their own home, writing down any bugs they come across and getting to play the content weeks or even months before the rest of the world. And indeed, much of beta testing consists of just that. More often than not, however, beta testing is performed by people working directly for game design companies, and involves testing the game immediately following what is termed code-complete. Those hired to perform beta testing work off of specific sets of test cases, and will often review specific parts of the game repetitively, composing bug reports to describe whatever issues they may encounter. However, much beta testing is still done for free, by unpaid volunteers. How can you leverage this into a paid game testing position? The answer is that experience is experience, whether paid or not. By starting off as an unpaid beta tester, you will be building your resume for when you do apply for a paid game testing position. **End Summary** Topics: beta game testing]]> video game testing]]> game testing]]> beta video game testing]]> paid game testing]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jonathon Halston has tested video games for over 11 years. He started out as a contract video game tester, and soon became a Software Design Engineer in Test at a World Class Software Company and you can too. To learn more about how to get hired for game testing jobs , and start a video game testing career , visit http://Hot-Game-Tester-Jobs.com today!

What it Takes to Land Video Game Tester Jobs

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:01:55 -0400

Video game tester jobs are often seen by many as an entry-level route into the video game industry, and indeed, they are. Game testing positions - typically less technical than developer and programming positions - are created in order to assist the programmers in ensuring there are no bugs and that every module within the game integrates correctly with the other modules, resulting in a game that precisely as specified in design documentation. However, many people get the mistaken idea that getting hired for game tester jobs is a simpler process than what is in fact entailed. For the higher paying, permanent positions, it can take a significant investment in time and energy to get hired into what is considered to be one of the most competitive fields anywhere, namely, game design and development. The first thing that anyone looking for game tester jobs needs to do is determine precisely what the game design employers are looking for. In practical terms, in order for you to stand out from the many other applicants, you should attempt to gain some actual experience testing video games before submitting your resume. **End Summary** Topics: Video Game Tester]]> game tester jobs]]> game jobs]]> game tester]]> Video Game Tester Jobs]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jonathon Halston has tested video games for over 11 years. He started out as a contract video game tester, and soon became a Software Design Engineer in Test at a World Class Software Company and you can too. To learn more about how to get hired for game testing jobs , and start a video game testing career , visit http://Hot-Game-Tester-Jobs.com today!

How to Start Video Game Testing for a Living

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:01:38 -0400

Video game testing is a career path not usually advertised by your average vocational councilor. The truth be told, if you informed him of the fact, he probably wouldn't advertise it, afraid of getting in trouble for informing people they could make a living at something they enjoy, but that is normally considered recreation, rather than work. Regardless, at some point, it occurs to many dedicated gaming enthusiasts that it would be great to actually be able to make a living doing what they know and love so well - playing video games. Be forewarned - you may need to spend a little time and time and effort into getting a job video game testing for a living. If it was easy, everybody would be doing it - as it stands, although there are plenty of jobs available, there are also plenty of applicants. The key to success is learning to stand out from the crowd. Most game testers work hard with many hours and average pay from an office somewhere. **End Summary** Topics: game testing]]> video game testing]]> game testing jobs]]> game tester jobs]]> game testers job]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jonathon Halston has tested video games for over 11 years. He started out as a contract video game tester, and soon became a Software Design Engineer in Test at a World Class Software Company and you can too. To learn more about how to get hired for game testing jobs , and start a video game testing career , visit http://Hot-Game-Tester-Jobs.com today!

Video Game Jobs - Companies Hiring Workers Now For Video Game Jobs

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:53:34 -0400

One of the key steps step towards getting hired for video game jobs involves determining who it is you would like to work for. A big factor in determining this choice will be your own preference of gaming platform, as well as gaming experience. Are you more into online role-playing games, or are you a big Xbox fan? Strategy games, or sports games? Narrowing down what you are most familiar with and enjoy playing will help immensely in determining who you would enjoy working for. The four biggest employers in the video game industry are of course Microsoft (Xbox), Sony (PlayStation), and Nintendo (Wii), and for the PC, Electronic Arts. Yet it would be a mistake to only consider these four companies as your only options. There are numerous small and medium-sized companies that create numerous video game jobs, both temporary and permanent. Preparing to apply to the dozens of other game development companies for video game jobs will enable you to expand and diversify your list of possible employers, and your chances of getting hired will increase tremendously. For this reason, it is also very important to acquire knowledge and experience on multiple gaming hardware platforms. **End Summary** Topics: game testing jobs]]> game jobs]]> game tester jobs]]> video game tester]]> games jobs]]> game tester career]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jonathon Halston has tested video games for over 11 years. He started out as a contract video game tester, and soon became a Software Design Engineer in Test at a World Class Software Company and you can too. To learn more about how to get hired for game testing jobs , and start a video game testing career , visit http://Hot-Game-Tester-Jobs.com today!

Video Game Testing - Learn How to Test Games Before Your First Interview

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:53:21 -0400

Acquiring video game testing experience before you submit your resume and begin interviewing for your first your first paying video game tester job will greatly improve your odds of getting hired, and open many more doors for you. You will find many more job opportunities if you are able to put some authentic video game testing experience on your resume, even if it wasn't paid experience. So then - how does one get experience testing games before getting hired as a video game tester? There are several ways: - Beta Test for free. Microsoft, EA, Sony and Nintendo all run huge non-paid beta testing programs that will permit you to test their video games and file bugs. This won't be a paid position, but it will allow you to learn the process of playing, testing, finding bugs and filing them. This will be a huge plus on your resume, and will gain you experience and perspective on how to actually test video games. - Online gaming beta testing. Before any new massive online gaming infrastructure goes live, the beta testing is extensive. There are large amounts of bugs to be found and filed, and represents a great opportunity for you. **End Summary** Topics: game testing jobs]]> game jobs]]> game tester jobs]]> video game tester]]> games jobs]]> game tester career]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jonathon Halston has tested video games for over 11 years. He started out as a contract video game tester, and soon became a Software Design Engineer in Test at a World Class Software Company and you can too. To learn more about how to get hired for game testing jobs , and start a video game testing career , visit http://Hot-Game-Tester-Jobs.com today!

Game Testing Careers - How to Plan a Great Career Testing Video Games

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:34:18 -0400

There are a number of ways that someone can start down the path of a game testing career. In fact, many people are already starting down that path, trying to learn what they can do to become a video game tester and then move on to even better careers in the industry. Here are four of the bigger career paths available to anyone who wants to start a game testing career in the video game industry. Many have started off as video game testers and gone on to achieve great success in one of the following areas, and you can too. PROGRAMMER Programmers will need to have degrees in computer science or mathematics and a profound knowledge of languages like C++, Java and XNA. However, for many game dev testers, just working on games will give them many of these skills. A little extra college and some hard work in your job can quickly set you up for a position much higher in the hierarchy that will allow you to become a programmer in a few short years. DESIGNER Designers are the men and women behind the ideas that games are built on. **End Summary** Topics: game testing jobs]]> game jobs]]> game tester jobs]]> video game tester]]> games jobs]]> game tester career]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jonathon Halston has tested video games for over 11 years. He started out as a contract video game tester, and soon became a Software Design Engineer in Test at a World Class Software Company and you can too. To learn more about how to get hired for game testing jobs , and start a video game testing career , visit http://Hot-Game-Tester-Jobs.com today!

Game Testing Job Resumes - How to Write a Killer Video Game Testing Job Resume

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:23:57 -0400

Creating a winning game testing job resume is an often overlooked step in the process of getting hired for one's first game testing job. To stand out from the crowd of would-be game testers, it is critical to build a resume and cover letter that truly showcase not only your passion for video games, but also highlight exactly why your prospective employer should hire you for a game testing job, what you can bring to the table, your dream of making a career out of being a video game tester, and the benefits you can bring your new employer. Many are unnecessarily intimidated by the idea of creating a professional resume and cover letter, and as a result, don't project the necessary confidence in their writing that they possess the necessary attribute to do the job well, thus bringing value to their new employer. For this reason, many resumes simply don't get a second glance. The way past this stumbling block is simply to focus on these three key areas: - What you can do well. **End Summary** Topics: game testing jobs]]> game jobs]]> game tester jobs]]> video game tester]]> games jobs]]> game tester career]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jonathon Halston has tested video games for over 11 years. He started out as a contract video game tester, and soon became a Software Design Engineer in Test at a World Class Software Company and you can too. To learn more about how to get hired for game testing jobs , and start a video game testing career , visit http://Hot-Game-Tester-Jobs.com today!