Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Familiarity with and Passion for Games
Hiring a narrative expert with at least some knowledge of and enthusiasm
for games is also hugely important. Do you think a movie studio would
consider hiring a writer who admitted he never watched movies? A pro-
spective game writer must at the very least have a good working know-
ledge of various platforms and genres, and be able to list good and bad
examples from a few. He should at a minimum be able to speak the lan-
guage of games. In short, a game writer should also be a gamer. However,
even better is …
Game Development Experience
There is a world of difference between someone who likes to play games
and someone who has direct experience making them. Think of it as the
capability gap between someone who has lived in houses her whole life
vs. an experienced residential construction engineer. They may both have
strong opinions about the kinds of homes they like, but only one of them
truly understands the reasons behind many house layouts and features.
And only one has hands-on knowledge of actually designing and building
the structure.
There are many elements of game development that have to be experi-
enced to be understood. Hiring someone who has at least a few develop-
ment cycles under her belt—even in a role other than that of writer—will
help avoid some on-the-job mistake-making down the road.
Game Writing/Narrative Design Experience
Beyond involvement in the development of games, if the candidate has
actually served as a writer and/or narrative designer before, he should be
at the front of the line. Due to the interactive nature of video games, there
are many elements that are unique to their narrative development. A pro-
spect who can show familiarity with these elements will need little training
or oversight to hit the ground running.
Experience in a Specific Game Genre
Finally, if a candidate has all the aforementioned strengths,
plus
develop-
ment experience in the exact genre of game for which you're hiring, you
may have hit the jackpot. Certainly this person, at least on paper, has the
