Man, what is up with testing jobs? Everything I've heard about them sounds absolutely horrible.

I just zapped another mosquito with my electric fly swatter.

"You bite my shoulder, I make you smolder!"

Dang Keg, that's definitely a horrible situation. I'm sorry you're in it. Your employer obviously doesn't think much of the people they hire. It seems they see the as an interchangable identical workforce. I wish there were some way I could lend a hand.

Dang, it seems I've led us on another tangent. Sorry, folks.

edited 16th Jul '13 5:41:49 PM by Thirikal

The motto of Bug hater Futtershy.

edited 16th Jul '13 5:42:24 PM by KingKix

@Kegisak: Ugh, that sucks.

@Kix: I used to have to do a lot of that stuff. It sucks, but it's not as bad as waxing floors.

You can. Get him fired/find him a better job he could try.

You don't have your dad yelling at you to "Hurry up!", which is impossible when you have a giant 3&1/2 pound vac-pac on your back!

edited 16th Jul '13 5:47:06 PM by KingKix

I think the worst job I ever had was working customer service at Pizza Hut for two years. The one silver lining is that it turned me off to Pizza Hut.

It really depends on where you go, frankly. QA that actually works for a company is better than independant testers in general, but there's often the same underlying issue: You don't get any respect. None from devs, and none from corporate. Despite the attention to detail, creativity and analytical skills that're involved in being a good tester, it's seen as a job that anyone can do(Hence pulling people off the street. I stress, that was not exaggeration). So Corporate views you as expendable and Devs can sometimes see Testers as 'those idiot kids who want to be a part of video games but can't actually do anything'(Ironically, designers can be sometimes viewed the same way by programmers and artists). Plus, your job is basically to tell someone what they're making is shit, so you don't make any friends that way.

Even when you do get respect, it can often feel like you don't, because near the end of a project the devs have to start prioritizing bugs. The first game I worked on, 95% of the bugs I put in were waived, because the devs just didn't have time(And didn't care) to deal with it all unless it was really blatant.

It's very easy for the job to weigh on the self-esteem, basically, and it doesn't help that you're pretty expendable as far as companies are concerned. But in a way that applies for all positions in the games industry. The company I'm outsourced to provides zero benefits for working over time because 'you shouldn't have to'. Shouldn't, yeah, but when your deadlines are set by someone in another country, shit happens. There are people who work 10-12 hour days, every day. And what happens if you complain? "Well, I'm sure there are thousands of people who'd want your job and be glad to work all that extra time".

To be frank... I'm kinda beginning to think The industry needs to unionize, or something.

EDIT: Ugh, I don't mean to complain. Sorry to unload that on all of you. I appreciate the sympathy, though. Hopefully it won't be too long before I can find another, better job.

edited 16th Jul '13 5:48:01 PM by kegisak

I'm sort of surprised they haven't already.

I don't have a job. Life is great!

No it's not.

I still want to try out for a Graphic design job at some major game developer or at least start making indie material for free on DA and for sale on anywhere else. I just need the extra money now so I can buy Disney Infinity later.

Don't ever do free work. A good idea is to come up with a game concept, then do the conept art and assets for that thing, even if it'll never be made, and use that as a portfolio. Also, learn to model. Game companies will be reluctant to take someone on graphic design alone unless they're really good.

You sound like my aunt at that last point. I know i'm terrible, but not too terrible. It's like an "MLP meets Regular show" style of art I do. I just need more time, steady hands, and most importaint: A DAMN FASTER COMPUTER! *Scream*

Heh. It's not the greatest advice to hear, I'll grant you, but it is true. For entry level positions it's best to know a bit of everything, and specialize once you start getting work.

No, you're right. I want my work to feel... right. Like get to keep my ideas but make it decent so it doesn't end up like 5th grade scribble.

Yeah, I know the feeling. Practice on all counts helps there. Hell, if the way my art jumped in college is any example, even just understanding a bit of theory helps you to improve, let alone branching out.

I look to other artists for inspiration, such as Tumblr blogs like Ask Sweet Cream or Dirty Duck Draw. I love to draw them in a form that fits the worlds that I create for my OC, Commander.B.Video(No copyright laws)and more. I've just fallen in love with their style, so that's what may help spark some better skils i guess.

Evening everypony. What did I miss?

Some impressions on the Pinkie book and general meandering. Oh, and ninjas.

Yeah, I've tried getting a job at tons of places over the summer, but no luck (and I REFUSE to get a job at any of the requisite fast-food places). I did put in a resume at my college's newspaper which I hope will bear some kind of fruit...

Seems like I've been beaten.

Right now, being devoid of a job really stinks...

Anyways... -pats Orion's head- Hope today's been good, given that a couple days ago, someone decided I'd be sockpuppet of temporary or something...

@NES: You'd be a sock puppet?

Anyway, good luck on getting job for those who don't have it.

x5 Just jobs, humanized pony names, your mom. Y'know, the usual.

edited 16th Jul '13 6:51:52 PM by KingKix

You're beaten NES? How so? As for my current job it wasn't realy what I envisioned myself doing to be sure. Shortly after graduation I took a job at the Center for Military History telling me it'd be a permanent position with the museum staff. Somehow that didn't quite rturn out. Not that I hate my current job or anything, it's just that scanning and redacting registration jackets can get tiresome sometimes. But overall, it's pretty cool. Hooray for the Freedom of Information Act.

anyway, Rarity is now a pirate Or a Gypsy, I dunno.

edited 16th Jul '13 7:00:56 PM by Thirikal

I'm currently working in a school office, doing lots of paperwork and stuff (Right now it's mostly tracking down income info for students so we know how much scholarship money to give them). Hopefully I'll start doing more interesting stuff relatively soon; my boss is having me start writing a company newsletter type thing for our supporters (the school is run by a non-profit organization) and he wants me to start doing grant writing as well. We'll see.

It's not the most glamorous job, but it's relatively stable, and it beats what I used to do: cleaning bathrooms and painting.