Positions at studios for non-developers?

[Eavega]

Hi all! 

I'm curious to know if there are positions at game studios for people who aren't developers/designers. 

For example, I got my degree in organizational communication, but video games and story telling is a passion of mine. I'd love to be involved in the industry (especially somehow involved in a creative aspect), but it seems the positions all require technical developer and design experience. I mean, I'd love to learn those things too, but going to school for something else isn't in the wheelhouse at the moment. 

Are there other jobs out there that would fit with what I'm thinking? 

Thank you! 

[StupidSeal]

Game testing? Being a game tester, could work especially with that degree in organizational communication. You could use that degree, to explain how you can clearly communicate thoughts/feelings/findings in a game. 

I'm not sure. Maybe the degree in organizational communication could get you a place as a social media manager, you could even be a customer service/contact person (emails/phone) for a game company?  

[Lexx]

Generic office jobs exist almost everywhere. There's PR / advertisement stuff, accounting, lawyers, QA, HR, etc.

Of course if you actually want to do game design stuff, applying to these positions seems kinda the wrong approach.

Other than that, you don't have to "go to school" for game dev stuff at all. You can get into it with making mods as well... you just have to show your skills (which you have to do anyways, even if you went to some fancy game dev study group). Results to show are more important than degrees, imo.

Edited September 20, 2020 by Lexx

[xzar_monty]

<ignore this. was going to do an unnecessary necro, 'cos I didn't recognize the topic was over a year old. apologies.>

Edited August 24, 2021 by xzar_monty

[Ouroboros226]

Game tester would be my dream job perfectly fitted for me, as well as my employer's dream hire I think (as a game tester).

I have Asperger Syndrome and I get hung up and obsessed with details that stand out as "wrong". I once argued with a dev at Creative Assembly, that a unit in Total War: Warhammer needed a +2 melee attack stat buff. This change was miniscule, but was actually implemented among some other suggestions for stat balance I gave them. Positive reception from the community in terms of balance would imply success I'd say.  

 While game developers work on the bigger picture against the deadline clock. Even when specialized on a singular job. Many things on a micro level is often overlooked. Being on the autism spectrum, and having my one single focused hobby being gaming for over 20 years. I can play a game once and instantly see 50 small cogs that would make the whole machine much, much better. 

I can not say this without being perceived as arrogant. But if you are reading this Obsidian. Give me 3 games I haven't played which involves many intertwining factors and numbers. And I can, in just a week, complete them and give a professional and objective unbiased report on the many smaller details and numbers that would make the game balance as a whole much better.  It's actually a handicap too. This is not a joke: I was once tormented for weeks because I was obsessively thinking over the many balance issues that made Diablo 3 a bad game in terms of fundamental gameplay balance. Though I didn't manage to get through to the devs in this scenario.   

Many, many miniscule changes can as a whole make games that require good gameplay balance - vastly more enjoyable. An issue many failed games have today is beautiful visuals and cool concepts and themes for gameplay loops, while lacking the fundamental numerical balance that makes games feel fair and satisfying. I also see the big picture of a game. For example, I could easily write a long article on how good the pacing of Deadfire is. Gameplay pacing also being of huge importance especially RPGs, often mishandled.  

  I'll stop there. I could quiet literally write about this for hours on end to explain it all. My life experience and my mental illness is actually my resumè  I can take a shower and be bothered by a unit in a 10 year old game having a defensive stat overtuned, or the movement speed of a unit in a RTS being slightly too slow. 

 

The most common complaint by gaming communities is the "nerf hammer". Things being too good becoming useless instead of balanced, because they don't have the time to analyze the numerical values indepth and in relation to other factors. So developers often end up approaching balancing very heavy handed, while a few slight touches was all that was needed. 

[Gfted1]

@Ouroboros226 You might check here.

[Ouroboros226]

5 hours ago, Gfted1 said:

@Ouroboros226 You might check here.

Is game tester a part of quality assurance? 

[Gfted1]

Sounds like it should be.

But just fyi, we mods are not Obsidian employees, so I know what you know. I was just hoping to point you in a direction.

[Ouroboros226]

7 minutes ago, Gfted1 said:

Sounds like it should be.

But just fyi, we mods are not Obsidian employees, so I know what you know. I was just hoping to point you in a direction.

I figured as much, but thanks for that   I genuinely think I'd be perfect as a game tester and it's a job I would enjoy as well. I already have a job so it's no biggie. It would have to be contract or freelance anyway as I don't want to move to the US. Not sure if the media is blowing things way out of proportions but the health care system you guys have is a deal breaker. Not that I plan to do anything illegal but the justice and prison systems you have is also scary and dystopian. Lots of things I love about the US but the negatives are too negative so to speak.