Comments on: On Age

By: doomzilla

doomzilla — Sat, 24 May 2008 04:40:00 +0000

At work I send out weekly emails with forewords that highlight certain aspects of the industry with some deep analysis. This has been going on since I started in the industry *cough* three months ago *cough*. ;-)

I've met a few people that looked stunned once they realized who I am (aka "the report guy"). Apparently its shocking to people that a 23 year old can have intelligent views of the industry.

By: Joe Ludwig

Joe Ludwig — Thu, 22 May 2008 14:55:00 +0000

Well I was certainly surprised when you told me, but it was in more of a “Wow, good for you” sort of way than a “you kids get off my lawn” kind of thing. :)

I was 27 (or so) when I joined the industry so I missed the first transition. Now that I’ve made the second to “grizzled veteran” I know that one wasn’t sooo bad. Next up: old timer that no one takes seriously.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:43:00 +0000

I candidly mentioned that I’m 22 to an Angel Investor at GDC, and he had this flabberghasted look briefly, but then we kept talking and it seemed like not such a big deal. The trick is to have the uncertainty of your compentency due to age cancel out against the feelings that you’re exceptionally professional for your age.

By: Ian Schreiber

Ian Schreiber — Wed, 21 May 2008 04:32:00 +0000

It’s really hard to tell a game developer’s age just by looking. Must be all that time spent in the “flow”, causing weird time dilation effects with aging, or something… but I know very few developers who actually look their age. (It can go in either direction.)

I know that in Darius’s case, I was surprised when he was a student. I didn’t hold his age against him; by the time I found out, he had already earned enough respect points. Hell, you could be 3 years old, purple-skinned and from the planet Zagon, as long as you’ve got solid game dev skills :)

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 20 May 2008 23:16:00 +0000

Whereas I, being 21, felt completely out of place at ION. Everyone kept thinking I was somewhere between 12-17 years old. But it didn't really matter, because as long as I had their attention, it made no difference to me what age they thought I was.

~David Bass

By: david.mcgraw

david.mcgraw — Tue, 20 May 2008 22:55:00 +0000

Ugh… Now I really feel old. Nothing like a detour in the Marines to slap that one on the face. I’m going to turn 26 in August. O_o

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 20 May 2008 22:17:00 +0000

You haven't hit the real fun point yet.

You've made it from precocious young talent to "normal".

The weird mind shift is when you go from that to "seasoned/grizzled/jaded veteran".