I have an Interview at EA on Thursday.

[healthy paranoia]

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I spent 2 summers testing for one of EA's competitors, I suspect it's easier to get a job with the companies that aren't as well-known.

Testing isn't about just playing the game and being like "oh, this part's fun, this part sucks" or anything - it's basically bug testing. You spend 8 hours (more in crunch time) a day trying to break the game so you can fill out bug reports detailing how the production team can reproduce the problem, and it gets pretty repetitive at times. It still beats the hell out of most other jobs (although tbh, I think the fact that I was testing sports games and got to hang out with a bunch of like-minded 20something sports fans all day was cooler than the fact that I was testing games), but I think people have a misconception about it being "getting paid to play videogames." It kinda changes the way you play games too - you start noticing stuff in other games you play that you used to take for granted, but now look at it and say "lol, they [censored] that up."

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My current job involves standing up and getting yelled at by idiots all day. This would be a decided upgrade. Thanks for the info btw,

hp

[DCF in SoCal]

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In what capacity?

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Tester for the time being. Apparently, this is the recommended starting point if you have very little knowledge of the industry. I could have gotten interviews for higher ups but, I am related to a certain person in the company and he suggested that I start at the bottom.

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It's true, QA can be a good place to start if you don't have any experience, education or background in the business, but you have to have the desire to get ahead and make connections with higher ups.

Me and a couple other guys all basically started at the same time at a Sony-owned studio as monkey testers about 5 years ago, and now I'm a QA Manager, one is a sound designer and another is a level designer. /brag The only thing we all had in common was that all of us really wanted to be in the industry, and not just another mindless drone that gets laid off after 6 months of non-stop overtime and burnout. Collectively we met lots of people, shook alot of hands, drank alot of beers after-hours with people from our company and others, and generally grinded it out until we each caught a break. Point is, if you want to make something of it, you can definitely do it through QA, you just have to hustle a little more.

Good luck at EA and if you have any questions drop me a line. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[DCF in SoCal]

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It kinda changes the way you play games too - you start noticing stuff in other games you play that you used to take for granted, but now look at it and say "lol, they [censored] that up."

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This is probably the biggest beat of being a QA monkey (besides long hours). It's very hard to ever play another game again like a normal person and not notice the imperfections and I always catch myself complaining randomly about a glitch in whatever game I'm playing.

[TheProbst]

Ya everything you guys have said is basically what ive heard from both my uncle (exec) and cousin (producer).

I doubt I will not get the job but, I guess there is a chance. What were the interviews like? What questions do you think they will ask and what would are things you think would make life easier as pertaining to the interview and the job itself.

Like if you could go back and tell yourself to do something differently with the job, what would you tell yourself.

[DCF in SoCal]

I had the silliest interview ever for my QA gig. My future manager asks me if I like video games, I say yeah, he says what kinds, I give a few examples, he prods me to make sure I'm not full of [censored], I back up my examples of nerdiness with stories of playing Ultima Online, Quake 1/2, [insert PC/PS1/2], and he says ok that's enough, come Monday at 11 and you can start testing the Spanish language version of this new game. Took about 3 minutes, I think the tour of the studio took him longer.

I've heard the EA interview is kinda retarded, and there's a written portion that asks you to explain to an alien how to use a phone or something. Typical dumb [censored] that you get at big companies, but if you're not a retard it should be easy enough for you. The most important thing for the interview is don't be cocky/annoying, and don't try to [censored] anyone. Be honest with your answers, just because you may not have played a game they ask you about doesn't mean anything. Remember, they are just looking for people with a pulse and a working brain to operate in QA, and also someone who will fit in nicely in an environment of packed sardines. Loudmouth braggarts and annoying [censored] don't last very long in QA.

I really can't say I'd change a damn thing. I grabbed my opportunity by the horns when it came and my superiors noticed and started asking me to do more. That is all you can ask for in QA, when you get your break do whatever you [censored] can to make it stick. I worked so many 100+ weeks on the come up (with a fiancee) but in the end, it was all worth it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go play in a house SNG with the guy who gave me my first QA gig. He's standing over my shoulder and laughing as I post this.

[TheProbst]

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I had the silliest interview ever for my QA gig. My future manager asks me if I like video games, I say yeah, he says what kinds, I give a few examples, he prods me to make sure I'm not full of [censored], I back up my examples of nerdiness with stories of playing Ultima Online, Quake 1/2, [insert PC/PS1/2], and he says ok that's enough, come Monday at 11 and you can start testing the Spanish language version of this new game. Took about 3 minutes, I think the tour of the studio took him longer.

I've heard the EA interview is kinda retarded, and there's a written portion that asks you to explain to an alien how to use a phone or something. Typical dumb [censored] that you get at big companies, but if you're not a retard it should be easy enough for you. The most important thing for the interview is don't be cocky/annoying, and don't try to [censored] anyone. Be honest with your answers, just because you may not have played a game they ask you about doesn't mean anything. Remember, they are just looking for people with a pulse and a working brain to operate in QA, and also someone who will fit in nicely in an environment of packed sardines. Loudmouth braggarts and annoying [censored] don't last very long in QA.

I really can't say I'd change a damn thing. I grabbed my opportunity by the horns when it came and my superiors noticed and started asking me to do more. That is all you can ask for in QA, when you get your break do whatever you [censored] can to make it stick. I worked so many 100+ weeks on the come up (with a fiancee) but in the end, it was all worth it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go play in a house SNG with the guy who gave me my first QA gig. He's standing over my shoulder and laughing as I post this.

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I appreciate your time. Thanks!

Edited to ask - Do you think it would be a bad idea to mention multitabling poker in my interview?

[DCF in SoCal]

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I appreciate your time. Thanks!

Edited to ask - Do you think it would be a bad idea to mention multitabling poker in my interview?

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Ehhh... unless it specifically comes up, no. Alot of people still get all wide-eyed when you say you mention you play poker in a professional work setting. But definitely ask around if/when you get hired about it, chances are there's a soft house game or two at EA [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[plzleenowhammy]

I interviewed for a tester job at EA in Orlando and didn't get it. The first thing they did was give us a written test with logic problems and a few of those puzzles where there are 2 similar pictures but the details are different and you have to identify the changes. Then they set us up with NFL Street and we had to look for and identify bugs. Then they did 1-on-1 interviews. Pretty standard. They asked if I'd rather work on a team or individually - I said individually and didn't get the job because of it, I think. Also, they asked me to for a funny anecdote from one of my previous jobs which was such a bizarre question that I flubbed it up.

Hope that helped.

[Suigin406]

sweet, make sure the jets are ranked higher than the patriots in the next madden...make it happen...

[Stake Monster]

One of my friends works at EA/Mythic on the new Warhammer game. I asked him for free games. If he doesn't deliver, I will disown him.