So, E3 has come and gone and I'm giddy with anticipation for the coming months. For those not in the know (aka people with "lives"), E3 is the Electronic Entertainment Expo. In a nutshell, a gamer's paradise.  Two franchises I adore for totally different reasons, Assassin's Creed and Uncharted are going to bless us with sequels that seem to actually surpass the original outings. After seeing gameplay of both new iterations, I find myself at odds with a decision I've made and am currently bound by, say no to working in games. I love video games, not in that creepy, "you really need to go outside and experience the world" kind of way but I enjoy them enough to have a healthy and growing library.  I often get asked why I don't work in the gaming industry or why I don't apply to x developer. Often by folks within the industry itself, which is flattering, since I don't think I'm at that level yet.  One major reason I don't do it is because I like games but more importantly, I like playing games (the electronic kind, not the emotional - stay with me here).  It seems liking games is a must for becoming a game creator but liking to play them is dangerous, as that can change swiftly playing through the same level repeatedly looking for bugs. Imagine having to play through the worst level of My Little Pony's Big Adventure dozens of times to make sure it plays the way it should or all assets behave as they're meant too. Oh the horror. lol.

Seriously though, I found myself torn after watching those videos. You see, I have an advantage that some looking to get in the industry solely because they like playing games doesn't: I'm a modeler and a software developer. I spend countless hours making sure hundreds of morphs work the way they should or that they transfer from one version of a figure to the next the way they should. I've spent countless hours uv mapping, texturing and rigging figures and then testing them in new and buggy builds of our software to make sure both work. Ever try testing both a new figure and a new piece of software without losing some hair? Give it a try sometime and let me know how it goes.

The problem though, despite that extra bit of experience that would otherwise make me a perfect candidate for selection, is that games are part of my escape from the daily grind of my job. I fear, should game creation become my bread and butter, that I will no longer want to eat of it. I've yet to reach out to the few game creators I know from my travels to Siggraph and CGTalk to find out how they manage to maintain a love of gaming and still create games. If I can find out how they do it, I may give it a try myself. I just hope it's not one of those things you have to find on your own, as that will mean I'd first have to take the plunge without knowing if I'll sink or swim.  Life is scary sometimes. lol. An odd feeling for someone who taught himself all he knows about the art...