We were fortunate enough to be
invited to Rare Ltd, the veteran UK games development company
who've produced many hit games including Donkey Kong
Country, Goldeneye 007, Conker's Bad Fur
Day, Banjo-Kazooie and Perfect Dark to name
but a few. They now predominantly develop for Microsoft's Xbox 360,
with new titles such as Kameo and Viva Piñata
already released and a fresh outing for
Banjo-Kazooie on its way. We wanted to find out
exactly what they think about the ever increasing numbers of games
design and development courses in UK education and their views on
the new Creative Media diploma qualification.
Surprisingly, Rare hold traditional views
about academic qualifications and favor a background in subjects
like maths, computer science and physics over specific gaming
courses. No course provides all the skills a student needs to
fulfill their role but a strong background in an analytical subject
is a good starting point. Games development is a cutting-edge field
which makes it difficult to predict what skills or knowledge will
be desirable in the next 5 or 10 years so 'core' skills are
crucial. In a potential employee, Rare look for flexibility,
problem-solving and an eye for detail. Most importantly they
require skills like the ability to work in a team, communicate
well, work hard and a passion for video games.
The choice of computer hardware is less important for
console games development than it would be for a home computer
games company. Although, it would be possible to develop on an
Apple Mac in theory, Rare, like other developers, exclusively use
PCs for development work but do use Macs extensively in the music
department. Ideally, students should gain experience and skills on
both platforms. Games companies know that the future of games is
likely to be online so it is also important for all students and
prospective employees to have strong understanding of the
fundamental principles of the web.
For programmers, knowledge of C
and C++ is essential. An understanding of C# or .NET is also
beneficial, with knowledge of Direct X and shader programming both
being helpful for budding graphics developers.
For artists and graphic
designers keen to break into the industry the key thing to remember
is that Rare, like most other games companies, only occasionally
hire games designers - usually this position results from a
progression through experience. Just like any other artistic roles,
natural talent, a first-rate concept and an enthusiasm for gaming
are essential but there are many different levels and types of
artists working within the art departments of games
companies.
If your students are interested in a career in games art
and design, being aware of and getting to grips with current
software trends within the industry is essential. At Rare, 3D
artists usually work using Autodesk software, mainly Maya. 2D and
concept artists work using the Adobe CS3 package, mostly Fireworks
and Photoshop. Using these packages is one of the easiest, and
pragmatic, ways of gaining vital experience for the industry. The
field of animation is slightly different - experience and
qualifications are not as significant as other areas. There are
some amazing animation courses online and the software for
animation, such as the Toon Boom range, starts from very basic,
easy-to-use packages such as Toon Boom Flip Boom right the way to
Toon Boom Studio and Storyboard Pro. By progressing from entry
level to advanced software, the skills and processes of animation
can be taught and learnt without spending a fortune on
courses.
Rare work closely with SkillSet, the sector skills council
for the AV industry, to support their accreditation which
identifies the university courses with the right content for the
industry. They explain that the content of some courses can be too
focused, not substantial or outdated but Rare believe the main
reason for games courses not delivering is the nature of the
industry itself. One of the most interesting suggestions by Rare is
for schools, colleges and universities to set up their own
independent games studios where students can get an idea of the
complete process and produce their own game as part of the
course.
When it comes to the new Creative and Media diploma
qualification, Rare believe this is a great starting point for
those wanting a career in the games industry. Project
work and independent study promotes valuable skills like teamwork,
project management, communication and an awareness of others'
roles. The chance to actually produce a game as part of the project
is a new and very exciting prospect which would be mutually
beneficial to students and industry. Key to the diploma is gaining
transferable, industry-standard skills and the best way to do this
is to use the correct tools and establish a strong knowledge of the
whole industry process.
Whether your school is teaching
the new diploma qualifications or not, companies like Rare within
the creative industries value real-world experience of the tools
and processes involved. To give your students the best chance of
succeeding, emphasis should be placed on gaining strong core
skills, as much experience as possible of the hardware and software
tools used in that particular field, and a solid understanding of
the industry process and practices.
Jigsaw would like to thank everyone at
Rare for all their cooperation and help with this article! Visit
Rare Ltd at www.rare.co.uk.
For more information, call
Jigsaw on 03332 409 300 or email 3D@Jigsaw24.com.
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