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My new employer is Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), and my new job is in the glamorous world of testing.  Thats right, short hours, great pay, and global travel are all perks of the job…well…kinda.

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So its not the most glamorous of jobs, but so so far Sony seem like a good company to work for, their portfolio of games is undeniably strong and wide ranging, and the experience of working with console hardware is a refreshing change from my experiences with RTW.

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Here is to what will hopefully be a successful future, and an some doors of opportunity opened!

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Soooo my last post may have not read so enthusiastically. I was still licking my wounds from huge metaphoric and financial gash that was dealt to me by the RTW closure. So I was thinking, time to get back on track. I have found re-employment, and gained a little financial stability and this has afforded me some perspective.Some perspective that I thought I’d share here.

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Firstly I am more than grateful at the fact I have re-gained employment even if it isn’t within the games industry, I have bills to pay so yay me for money input! But secondly I am back where I was before uni.

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I am working retail for a giant who I wouldn’t mind progressing in the long run, but that shows little concern for my plight either financially contractually with a set amount of hours each week. And this has me questioning my path, to proceed safely down my hum-drum path and earn minimum wage in a job a trained monkey could do until someone above me dies/sees my potential – OR to with plan A and do what I went to uni for and pursue working within the games industry, and do a job I actually give a crap about?

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The answer now after just a couple of months of employment seems very clear. Back to plan A! Yes, the terrain is treacherous, its a messy path, but what’s the point of trying once and failing? Ill answer that – THERE IS NONE. If I’d sat on my arse crying after falling over from my first steps I doubt I’d have done much in life.

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So to the games industry – IM COMING FOR YOU!

to quote Cliff Bleszinksi, quoting Winston Churchill -

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”

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Note: Material on the site is currently in a regressed state, I will be working hard to update the site, once I’ve gained a little more server stability (which I am currently working on).

Since my first post back in June 2010 I have had a simply massive year.  I got employed by the worlds leading independant games company, Realtime Worlds just in time to see them combust. Soon after this (a matter of days infact) I married Katherine. With my life still in boxes north of the Scottish border, I started looking for a job however realising that options where limited for in an area where 300 experienced staff had just been made redundant was not the easiest thing. I worked out my time in Dundee finishing in a retail job to pay for me to come home and live with my wife. Oh and i didnt even mention the flood in my flat, my computer blowing up, and the hosting failing on my website to keep me busy in the meantime.

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Part 2 – The situation

So now that I’ve moved back to Bolton in England, I need to take stock: I have a little Games Industry experience working for one of the most credible names in the games industry. I have worked in an area that I am very passionate about, and finally after 5 months I am finally living with my wife for the first time since being married! I am looking for a job (Which is, chances are why you are here). The site is back up, all be it in a regressed state. The territory in the games industry however is rocky at best and I think i might have to widen my scope to non games industry where my creativity, persistance, and qualifications are put to use.

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Part 3 – Moving on…

So for a battleplan, I have to find re-employment asap this is priority 1. However limiting myself to the games industry seems rather narrow sighted. I need an employer thats stable and the terrain in the games industry is certainly in flux. I Will broaden my horizons and rather than try to focus on getting a job in the games industry, I will try to focus on getting a job where my creativity, persistance and qualifications are put to use!Sort out the site is priority 2, the state of the content on the site is rather limited right now, the site needs to be updated and visually upgraded once the content is in place. I already have in mind what changes I’d like so watch this space as I slowly progress towards that point.

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I’ll start in the logical place by introducing myself! I am an aspiring games designer who has recently graduated from Bolton University. I have both a HnD and BSc (2.1) in Games Design. Whilst satisfying to obtain and enjoyable to earn I know that I am just starting out attempting to earn a place in the highly competitive games industry.

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This is a goal I hope that this website will assist me in achieving.
I know achieving this goal will not be easy, but from leaving school with no qualifications and fluttering around from one retail job to another, to graduating university with a degree I am proud but not complacent over what I have done so far.

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My opinion on gaming will always be this: If its fun I’m in! I play games for this purpose. I enjoy winning but having my friends use me as punching bag or queue up to play me at FIFA because I seem to be constantly enduring a goal drought does not usually phase me. I play for fun and the experience of assisting or hindering my friend’s progresses in virtual worlds, always carries its own fun.

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In single player games I enjoy a challenging game, either challenging from a skill point of view such as Ninja Gaiden’s relentless scores of evil ninja’s to scythe through, or challenging in a logical way such as Portals’ often puzzling levels.
However where as most people’s fascination of games stops there, my interest shines! I ponder everything from meaning of specific missions, to character motivations, from trigger zones, to overarching level design, as all of things are made in a specific way to impart the artists’ specific image or message to us, the games player.

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Aside from gaming I enjoy spending time with my fiancé, Katherine who I am getting happily married to in just 3 short months. Aside from this I am also fond of American punk and dramatic metal music – with  the latest addition to my album collection being “Captain Morgan’s Revenge” by Alestorm.

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I hope this tells you a little bit about me and the kind of person I am. I will hope to discuss my opinions on the wider games industry in coming blog posts. Thanks for reading!