• Ms. ArmoredThirteen@lemmy.ml
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    2 months ago

    Back to game dev. I tried the first time around over ten years ago, dropped out of college, got one abusive job in, then switched to QA automation for pay. I had a heavy focus on programming because I’m naturally good at it but I want to be a level designer so I’m going to study that specifically. Gonna halve my salary or worse to get into level design

    • mohammed_alibi@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I feel the gaming industry itself is abusive and low pay. In HS, I thought I was going into the video game industry as well. But now I’m just doing enterprise-y REST API development. It pays more and is less demanding than making games. Family comes first I guess. I can do my passion projects on the side if I want. I managed to buy a home by moving to LCOL area in Texas instead of going to California.

      • Ms. ArmoredThirteen@lemmy.ml
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        2 months ago

        My entire social circle and marriage fell out from under me in the last year. Nobody left but me so I’m going to take advantage of the freedom to make questionable decisions since it will only affect me now if it goes sideways

          • Ms. ArmoredThirteen@lemmy.ml
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            2 months ago

            Yeah it’s about the only silver lining of my life right now so I’m latching onto it! I’m pretty excited that it’s even a possibility for me should be interesting if it works out

    • FridgeReborn@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I graduated college a couple years ago with a comp sci degree. I had dreams of game dev as a kid, but anxiety about pay and affording a house plus just the overall shittiness in the games industry pushed me elsewhere. I’m currently in a QA automation job for a consulting company… wondering if I’m going to become you in 10 years

      • Ms. ArmoredThirteen@lemmy.ml
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        2 months ago

        If you’re trans too then add that to the list lol. I got pulled away from the industry for stability reasons but I’m not in that situation anymore. I’ve only ever wanted to be a game dev, as a kid it never occurred to me to be anything else, it still doesn’t. I know I’m not one of those hotshot early twenties devs who cracked into the industry right away, I’m a bit slow to it, but I’ll get there if it kills me

      • fosho@lemmy.ca
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        2 months ago

        what qualifies you to make such a blanket statement?

        • skuzz@discuss.tchncs.de
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          2 months ago

          You didn’t even miss the misplaced comma. Check mate. (Edit, I jest, but just asking the question means you don’t know and are probably a dev. Making something work one way is easy. Covering everything the dev missed because horse blinders takes skill. The best developers are ex-QA engineers.)

          • fosho@lemmy.ca
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            1 month ago

            I’m a senior full stack dev and qa engineer. Both can be equally challenging given the context. Making this statement makes you sound probably qa. Thought I’d ask but you dodged the question.