Just quit my career. Life is good

Mr Jack · 5 Sep 2011 at 12:09

This Friday will be my last ever day as a Games Programmer. I was feeling kind and I handed in my notice today rather than leaving it to the last minute so it's all signed and sealed now. Ten years of my life will shortly become nothing more than a memory, and my earnings will fall off a cliff and probably never make it back up again.

A week today I start an MSc in Molecular Genetics at the University of Leicester.

If only I could find a buyer for my house in Coventry all would be well with the world!

Mr Jack · 5 Sep 2011 at 13:00

Thank you all for your kind words

simulatorman said:
What made you decide to go this way?

I just find living things more interesting than computers I guess. It was the classic thing of turning a hobby into a career: I loved programming when it was something I did in my own time on my own terms, doing it 9-5 it's just kinda of a grind. It's not terrible - I'm good at it, it pays well, and it's not half as hard or horrible as some jobs would be - but I just don't find it satisfying so I decided something new was needed.

waso_dude said:
What games company did you work for out of interest?

I was (well, am for the next few days) a contractor so I've worked for various people. I'm currently working for Sumo Digital.

and what qualifications did you need for it?

Er, I had an MMath when I got into it but things were different back then.

The Funktopus said:
Nothing better than the feeling of "I'm out of this ****hole and I'm never coming back."

It certainly is a weight off my mind

Mr Jack · 5 Sep 2011 at 13:28

Uhtred said:
Good luck Mr Jack, very brave indeed. Out of interest, can I ask how old you are?

34, 35 in January.

Mr Jack · 5 Sep 2011 at 19:32

FabienO said:
What games did you make?

Oh gods, loads of things.

Obviously, the best is Alien Swing for iPhone (hint, hint) that was just me and my brother doing the art. The first was Independence War 2: Edge of Chaos, although I was just doing mission scripting for that, my first programming gig was Salt Lake 2002, then Drome Racers 2. I left the industry for a few years after that, doing some CAD/CAM software programming, before returning for Geon and then doing work on various ports and bits and pieces: X-Dream exercise bikes and TOCA Race Driver for skillgrounds, a PSP camera phone thing that got canned, F1 2009 and Dirt 3 for Wii/PSP. I worked on various versions of Space Ark, and most recently on F1 2011 for 3DS and PS Vita. I can't tell you what I'm currently working on because it still hasn't been announced and I'm under NDA.

Mr Jack · 5 Sep 2011 at 22:20

AGD said:
Ha! The company I work for has a port of Space Ark on our platform. I've played that game to death!

It's one of the games I've worked on that I liked most. Turbulenz, per chance?

Mr Jack · 5 Sep 2011 at 22:31

AGD said:
Yep.

You've got some seriously impressive tech going on there, but I remain baffled as to why it uses JavaScript.

We're gonna make that game HUGE.

Heh, I hope so

I don't get royalties or anything but Strawdogs are good people.

Mr Jack · 6 Sep 2011 at 15:22

DarkShadow said:
Do you know Tom? Joined a few months ago?

I don't think so. It's a big company and I mostly work from home so I don't really know who people are unless I work with them directly.

Cruiser said:
cool! did you need to do an access course or anything? how are you financing it?

I have a BSc in Life Sciences from the Open University that I finished last year which covers the entry requirements quite nicely. It's all self-financed, course fees are £4.5k, then it's "just" living costs.

Judgeneo said:
On a more serious note, good luck with your masters, do you have any plan on what you want to do afterwards?

Hopefully I'll do a PhD and then follow a career in research.