After 2 days, I got laid off from the writers team for the game I posted about the other day because I couldn’t understand the code used for the scrip

[BryceMcBryde]

I feel like a massive failure, which was why I made the post about getting over failure. The creators had a coding system for using commands for emotions and music when scripting out the game. I just couldn’t understand it. I spoke to the creator and he had to have me leave the team because of it. After 2 days. I don’t want to keep going through these failures anymore truth be told. I feel a bit happier from y’all’s responses, but I don’t want to face failing anymore. I’m tired of losing opportunities constantly. I really don’t see a point in continuing if all I’ll ever receive is this kind of thing.

 

[Bolletje]

I’m so sorry to hear that.

 

[mysterionz]

why do ppl have to be like that

 

[Rodafina]

So disappointing.

 

[MNAus]

I feel like a massive failure, which was why I made the post about getting over failure. The creators had a coding system for using commands for emotions and music when scripting out the game. I just couldn’t understand it. I spoke to the creator and he had to have me leave the team because of it. After 2 days. I don’t want to keep going through these failures anymore truth be told. I feel a bit happier from y’all’s responses, but I don’t want to face failing anymore. I’m tired of losing opportunities constantly. I really don’t see a point in continuing if all I’ll ever receive is this kind of thing.

Sounds like a poor system, to be honest. Any background admin system that is so indecipherable that a game tech can't do their job is, to be fair, worthless.

 

[Misery]

Wait, wait, wait.

So, let me get this straight: they bring you on as a writer for their game. As a writer, your job... is to write. Just to write. Story stuff, dialogue, not code.

But they booted you because you couldnt understand the code/scripting? Which THEY set up? What?

That... that's not your failure. That's THEIR failure.

Sounds like a poor system, to be honest. Any background admin system that is so indecipherable that a game tech can't do their job is, to be fair, worthless.

Yes, exactly.

Seriously, @BryceMcBryde this doesnt sound like your fault, or your failure. A good dev team sets things up well, and works together instead of against each other... and gets the skills and needs of the team down BEFORE starting.

If you want to do game-dev stuff, whether it's writing or something else, honestly, it aint easy to get into. You have to poke around a bit, really search to find a group that not only can work, but that WILL work. Or go on your own entirely but I dont really recommend that.

 

[Kisa the tea]

This is so confusing to me. I agree with others. Why would a writer need to know coding?

This is like expecting the writers of a show to be good at animation. It's unrelated to what you were brought on to do, no?

I'm sorry this happened to you. I hope you get another chance with someone else because it sounded like you were going to have a good time.

 

[Judge]

Sorry to hear, though having worked for a major software entertainment publisher/developer, it doesn't really surprise me. Reminds me of the broad expectations employers had pertaining to even website design at the time. One time a web producer fed me a bunch of proofreading instructions written in a way I had no understanding of. Didn't lose my job, but it got a little tense. Not a skill I was taught in tech school. Then again, I also recall when I was handed a web assignment to be done in another language I did not know.

In the real business world, on occasion they will throw some real "curve balls" at you. It's not always the "dream job" one may think it is to work in such environments.

Some cold, hard industry facts:

"A video game writer is part of the overall video game design team. They write the storyline and character backstories that accompany the gameplay, graphics and other technical elements of the video game. Often, video game writers also have some background in coding or software development to better understand how the other game designers will use their language in the context of the game."

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-become-a-video-game-writer

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

sounds like the halfway point of my career, personal computers were invented. not being a computer guy, recent position change previous position had secretaries who would type reports new. company expected familiarity with personal computers. fortunately, I took a typing Course in grade nine anticipating it might come in useful some day
sounds like something similar. cut and paste fonts way beyond me at the time. had to learn quick no choice.
I like dance cannot dance worth a crap but like watching, stuff on dance, noticed they have their own notation for dance moves sort of code

So yes I feel for you. time to learn their code.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I had to learn either word of word perfect or excel neither I ever seen before. For the young ones here now might sound silly. When you get down to it musical notation is code, so is writing, more importantly cursive which soon may no longer exist.

 

[BryceMcBryde]

Wait, wait, wait.

So, let me get this straight: they bring you on as a writer for their game. As a writer, your job... is to write. Just to write. Story stuff, dialogue, not code.

But they booted you because you couldnt understand the code/scripting? Which THEY set up? What?

That... that's not your failure. That's THEIR failure.



Yes, exactly.

Seriously, @BryceMcBryde this doesnt sound like your fault, or your failure. A good dev team sets things up well, and works together instead of against each other... and gets the skills and needs of the team down BEFORE starting.

If you want to do game-dev stuff, whether it's writing or something else, honestly, it aint easy to get into. You have to poke around a bit, really search to find a group that not only can work, but that WILL work. Or go on your own entirely but I dont really recommend that.

“Hello, hello, I'm part of an indie game which has a lot of progress already and even a small fanbase. Currently our writer disappeared, it's not answering at all, so we are looking for a new writer that is able to finish the last content that's not done and also polish the current writing. We will share an equal revenue of the game between participants and we'll also provide with a lot of creative freedom and an innovative writing systems that allows direct modification of dialogue cutscenes without even knowing how to code! Please contact me in DMs if you are interested.” They said I didn’t even know how to code, but when we talked about what I had written, they told me to like, use commands and stuff to trigger background music and character emotions…. Which is technically coding isn’t it?. I even told them “I may have a hard time understanding this, but I’m willing to work my ass off for this.” I asked them nicely if they would make a list of background songs and emotes and send the list to me because according to them, they’re weren’t many. But nah, they told me I had to understand that process of writing commands as well as writing the script. So weird

 

[Misery]

“Hello, hello, I'm part of an indie game which has a lot of progress already and even a small fanbase. Currently our writer disappeared, it's not answering at all, so we are looking for a new writer that is able to finish the last content that's not done and also polish the current writing. We will share an equal revenue of the game between participants and we'll also provide with a lot of creative freedom and an innovative writing systems that allows direct modification of dialogue cutscenes without even knowing how to code! Please contact me in DMs if you are interested.” They said I didn’t even know how to code, but when we talked about what I had written, they told me to like, use commands and stuff to trigger background music and character emotions…. Which is technically coding isn’t it?. I even told them “I may have a hard time understanding this, but I’m willing to work my ass off for this.” I asked them nicely if they would make a list of background songs and emotes and send the list to me because according to them, they’re weren’t many. But nah, they told me I had to understand that process of writing commands as well as writing the script. So weird

See that just sounds messy to me. Also the "our writer vanished and isnt answering" sounds like a bit of a dark portent there.

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say they've had some extra troubles during development.

There's one huge thing to keep in mind, if this sort of thing is something you want to pursue, and that is that indie development is wildly unpredictable. Which I say from experience. The big AAA companies, they all have standards of the profession and yada yada yada. But indie development can be summed up as "however we bloody well feel like doing it". And that means that not just the process, but also the people running the process, can be all over the place. Great creative freedom, but potentially great confusion too. And you may find that some indie teams, well, the leaders dont truly know what they are doing. Or, maybe they know what THEY are doing, but dont quite understand what the others on the team should be doing, or how to enable them to do it.

Having trouble with things like that doesnt mean that you personally failed. It's just part of how it is sometimes. Keep looking and maybe find a group that's a bit better at everything. Particularly the part where they tell you "no coding needed" and then it indeed does not need coding. Sounds like those other guys totally blew that bit.

 

[BryceMcBryde]

See that just sounds messy to me. Also the "our writer vanished and isnt answering" sounds like a bit of a dark portent there.

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say they've had some extra troubles during development.

There's one huge thing to keep in mind, if this sort of thing is something you want to pursue, and that is that indie development is wildly unpredictable. Which I say from experience. The big AAA companies, they all have standards of the profession and yada yada yada. But indie development can be summed up as "however we bloody well feel like doing it". And that means that not just the process, but also the people running the process, can be all over the place. Great creative freedom, but potentially great confusion too. And you may find that some indie teams, well, the leaders dont truly know what they are doing. Or, maybe they know what THEY are doing, but dont quite understand what the others on the team should be doing, or how to enable them to do it.

Having trouble with things like that doesnt mean that you personally failed. It's just part of how it is sometimes. Keep looking and maybe find a group that's a bit better at everything. Particularly the part where they tell you "no coding needed" and then it indeed does not need coding. Sounds like those other guys totally blew that bit.

I greatly appreciate your reply, misery

 

[Hypnalis]

@BryceMcBryde

Are you trying to figure out what happened (i.e. what led to your being let go)?

There isn't enough information so far for me to figure it out, but they clearly expected a degree of technical skill that you don't have. Not "coding" though.

Coding in the gaming world is actual technical programming, often with specialist areas like game engine, graphics, scripting, etc. Game Development requires professional programmers for most of that, with "grey areas" for some - e.g. scripting simple NPCs.
"direct modification of dialogue cutscenes" will mean much simpler automation. The kind of skill that a lot of gamers (millions) can learn very quickly on their own.

This is potentially both good news and bad news for you.

They were clearly in a hurry, and didn't have time to teach you IT basics (which takes quite a lot of effort) - if so, they've made a snap judgement (probably a correct one for them), and moved on. Which means they might not be upset with you, so this experience won't necessarily block you from future opportunities.

But if you do look for similar work, you'll need to skill up.