Why Game Development?
I took computer science for college and actually enjoyed it. Unfortunately, at that time, there were no subjects that specialized in game development. There weren't even 3D Modelling classes, no 2D animation as well! I just had to do my own research whenever I wanted to make games. Learning the basics of programming were very useful, but I'm pretty sure game development focused lessons would've helped even more. For my final thesis, my partner and I created a flash/visual basic action game called The Big Mix. It was the biggest game project I have become a part of, especially since we practically had an entire year to work on it. I'm glad that the dean and other professors actually enjoyed our game and gave us top marks.
After that, various real life situations forced me away from programming and making games. I had to relocate. I became a Home Improvement marketer for a big retail store, which unfortunately ended when nobody would buy the services being offered. You really can't blame people for not buying something intended for homes when your store is surrounded by apartments. I also developed some sort of feet problem because I was required to walk all over the store hunting for potential customers. Up to this day I still have the big calluses on both feet and pain in my knees.
I also took a few data entry jobs during that period for a self-care grooming company. I had to type in the same information every day. The strain to my eyes were really bad that I actually noticed my eyesight deteriorate. When their business failed, I ended up becoming a concierge to a city's plaza tower.
My experience as a concierge was actually fun. People were very nice to me and the tenants of the building were thoughtful especially during the holidays. I even received fresh salmon that someone got from his fishing trip. I also got along with the staff in the building, from the manager, the maintenance crew, and even the janitors. I was the "go to" guy when somebody needed to contact someone or when the building's vistors got lost.
I remember taking care of this boy who got lost. I had to make him sit still in my office so that his dad can finally get him. Another time, this woman dropped her car and home keys and it fell behind the stairs. There was no other way to get them and she was in panic. Fortunately, there's a really long stick in the maintenance room (I don't know why they kept it in there and what it was for) so I used it to snatch the keys. It took around an hour to do because it's like playing one of those unfair "claw snatcher" games in the arcades where the claw might grab the prize but suddenly drop it for no reason than just to annoy you! The thing I only hated about that job is when I had to deal with crazy people or violent people. It's actually pretty dangerous, since the building was full of lawyers and when somebody got violent, it's probably some nuthead who finally lost all of his screws or some guilty psychopath who wants to find his next victim. I had to deal with these people almost every other day. Oh yeah, one time, I also had to shoo away a gang of skateboarding punks from the private parking area.
When my stint as a concierge came to an end (because they required my position to be able to drive the tenant's or visitors' cars and park them somewhere and at the time I had no driver's license yet), I became a newspaper subscription seller. Fortunately by this time I already had license to drive a car so I was able to reach places where I wouldn't have. Although I successfully met and spoke with the people in charge of the "homes for the aged" that I tried selling subscription to, they never really went with the deal. Who could blame them? They already had subscriptions and having to cancel them and then resubscribe just to get a new deal from me was just very inconvenient for them. Of course I also tried selling to individual homes, but as expected, everyone was already subscribed. This is America today, almost everybody has newspaper subscription. I also got chased away by two giant dogs as the owner yelled at me to "Get the F*CK away!".
The subscription gig failed terribly. I guess this is something that people in the newspaper industry should understand. In today's world, everyone already has newspaper subscription and internet access. Only people whom you can sell subscription to are those who just moved in recently, which you can rarely find today in light of the economic climate.
I also became a writer for Yahoo's Associated Content. I wrote reviews for games and other topics, but earning only $1 for every thousand of hits is quite harsh. Even if you're writing about something very popular, say the latest Call of Duty game, even if you generate 25,000 unique visitors that's just going to amount to $25 for you!
