Looking for work

Community Forums/General Help/Looking for work

_JIM(Posted 2010) [#1]
Hey guys.

I recently (30 mins ago) got the "you'll resign monday" treatment from my employer (Ubisoft) due to the economical crysis and other crap like that. I'm not really upset about it since I was planning to do this anyways in 2-3 months time.

There's one problem though. Bills need to be paid. Lucky me I still live with my parents so I basically just have to cover about 100$ a month. (and probably not for a long time either since my game should be finished soon and with a bit of luck it will keep me floating).

Therefore, I'm offering my coding/modelling/drawing/web design skills to you fells.

3$ a day (100$ a month) I think is pretty cheap :)

So, anyone need me?


Chroma(Posted 2010) [#2]
Sorry to hear man...


D4NM4N(Posted 2010) [#3]
:(
I think unless you are paid weekly / by the hour or on a casual basis if they are making you redundant and not actually firing you then they have to give you at LEAST a months notice or a give you a months severence if you have to go "now". Check your contract / CAB. That is crazy.

Ps $3 a day?!?
Why not just say "excellent rates depending on project size". Give them a price for a the work and request 10-20% up front to show commitment. That way if you finish quick then great, you win some, otherwise you loose some (the more you do it the better you get at guessing this).
The advantage is you know that you are getting and they know what they are paying. Estimating your time at $50-$150 an hour is certainly not cheeky by any sense of the word in the industry (although estimating time at $10p/h probably what you should be aiming for around indie forums. -any less that that and you are -really- selling your soul)

Never say how much you charge per hour though (unless it is IT support/teaching) just do the maths against your own confidence of completion and give a straight figure and date for completion (which should have a big safety net, start out with double and work it closer when you get better at it. (eg if you think it will take you a week, say 2 weeks).


_JIM(Posted 2010) [#4]
Well, I think I'll let them fire me instead of resigning, since that means they'll have to pay me for 3 months.

However, I'm still looking for work around here. I said 3$ a day as in that's what I need to cover... this is not to scare off the possible "employers".

Someone might need a basic piece of code and can't afford more than 5$ for it, and what could be 3 days of work to him might be 30 mins to me. That way I get 5$ for 30 mins and he gets his stuff cheap.

I don't really like the "by the hour" payment since I'm not really a robot. I like to slack off once in a while. If that happens to be during the pay hours, I'll feel lame for not devoting to the work, the employer will probably feel like he's paying too much and so on.

Anyway, the offer still stands. If anyone needs help, poke me :o)

Heck, I could actually work donation-based. If your job seems like an easy task to me, I'll do it quick and you're welcome to donate if you want.

I could look for jobs in my area, even know a buddy who has a job for me. But there's nothing more fun than BlitzMAX. And if that involves helping a fellow blitzer then I'm happy.


-=Darkheart=-(Posted 2010) [#5]
Bad luck dude, I hope you find something soon, 3$ a day is a bargain, what languages can your program in and do you mind doing non-gaming work?

I hope you got some decent severance from Ubisoft!

Darkheart


nrasool(Posted 2010) [#6]
Jim,

I have sent you an email :-)


_JIM(Posted 2010) [#7]

what languages can your program in and do you mind doing non-gaming work?



Mainly C++ and BlitzMAX. Those are my favs. But over the years I've done C#, Visual Basic, PHP, ASP.NET, javascript, Java (but I really hate this one) and Blitz3D too :)

Also, I've never done any Win32 stuff in C++ from scratch. I had to modify some tools at Ubi written by other people and it horrified me. I wouldn't do that, but I don't particularly mind working on something else than games. Other stuff can be fun too, like image processing for example.

Some other rather obscure more scripting-like languages like Game Maker and such but that was a while ago.

Also, I'm obviously not going to go for working full-time for a month for 3$ a day. I'm just saying that's what I need to cover and it seems like a small sum.

Some workmates said they envy me. They wouldn't quit their job, but since I was forced to now I have lots of options, and they wish they had those. So I'm not really that pissed about it. It may be among the good things that have happened to me... time will tell.


-=Darkheart=-(Posted 2010) [#8]
Thanks for the info, if I find anything I can send your way I will, don't worry I'll offer more than 3$.

Darkheart


dynaman(Posted 2010) [#9]
If you are getting laid off you will get unemployment for a few months, or do you already have that figured into your needs?


_JIM(Posted 2010) [#10]
After studying my options better, it's better to resign than get laid off. So I won't get unemployment. However, it appears I can negotiate how much I get before I leave.


nrasool(Posted 2010) [#11]
Just want to add that I vouch for Jim, he is extremely hardworking and very fast turnaround. I really hope this posting helps you out Jim and people take up on your offer

Thanks


ShadowTurtle(Posted 2010) [#12]
[offtopic] without reading the other postings ... [/offtopic]
_JIM: I give you 4$ if you are bad but learnable. I give you 1$ if you are good but not learnable. Wich software do you use? What are the main references?
About all them... Do you have time to learn!? I have a nice project..


_JIM(Posted 2010) [#13]
@ShadowTurtle All I can tell you is I learn stuff quite fast.

It depends on what it implies. You asked what software I use but not the purpose. For programming I use the default/usual IDEs. For 2D work I use photoshop. For 3D blender. For web design Dreamweaver.

I know how to use others/alternatives.

However, it really depends on the project. If it's something too big or complex I'll have to think about it because I have my own projects to worry about.

You can drop me an email if you want.


ShadowTurtle(Posted 2010) [#14]
With these software i think you are a designer with coding experience. Are you able to learn & use a "new" programming language? I do need a commandset/framework documentation. The core has ~20 commands already and some APIs (2D, VTL Vector-Text-Library, GUI) ~80.

The programming language can read some sort of C++ codes and can compile itself into other programming languages. :)

The job is to write the documentation. I do finish some commands every week and these must be written into the documentation. You do only work on commands wich will be used in the release version.

I do not know how i do sell the new programming language. Eventually it will completely opensource. Therefore i need the permission that you make the documentation completely opensource too etc. etc.

The programming language will be released ~6 months after release of the new "BlitzMax Mobile Edition" ( ^_^ ) programming language. I will see how the community does need a professional code-converter wich supports exporter templating, source minifier, code encryption at conversion (programmers can write commercial modules) etc.

At moment here is only one converter into MINGW CPP Sourcecode. The core is written into main.h and main.cpp and does use GDI. Ports to other languages are possible.


There are some samples from the GUI items handling:
// GUI: Gadget Item/Items handling
int itemContainerId = getGadgetItemContainer( int gadgetId )
int itemsCount = getGadgetItemsCount ( int itemContainerId )
int gadgetItemId = addGadgetItem( int itemContainerId, string itemText, int itemData )
removeGadgetItem( int itemContainerId, int gadgetItemId )
setGadgetItemLabel( int itemContainerId, int gadgetItemId, string newItemText )
string gadgetItemLabel = getGadgetItemLabel( int itemContainerId, int gadgetItemId )
setGadgetItemData( int itemContainerId, int gadgetItemId, int itemData )
int gadgetItemData = getGadgetItemData( int itemContainerId, int gadgetItemId )
removeGadgetItems( int itemContainerId )

// GUI: Item Move/Swap handling
swapGadgetItems( int itemContainerId, int gadgetSourceItemId, int gadgetTargetItemId )
moveGadgetItemUp( int itemContainerId, int gadgetItemId, int moveSteps )
moveGadgetItemDown( int itemContainerId, int gadgetItemId, int moveSteps )

// GUI: Item selection handling
setGadgetItemMultiselect( int itemContainerId, bool flag_enableMultiselect )
setGadgetItemToggleSelect( int itemContainerId, bool flag_enableToggleSelect)
selectGadgetItem( int itemContainerId, int gadgetItemId, bool flag_isAdditionalySelect )
unselectGadgetItem( int itemContainerId, int gadgetItemId  )
unselectGadgetItems( int itemContainerId )
selectToggleGadgetItem( int itemContainerId, int gadgetItemId )

// GUI: Item selection reading
resetGadgetItemSelectionIterator( int itemContainerId )
bool flag_nextFound = nextGadgetSelectedItem( int itemContainerId )
int selectionCount = getGadgetItemSelectionCount( int itemContainerId )
int gadgetItemId = getSelectedGadgetItemId( int itemContainerId )

// GUI: Item iteration
resetGadgetItemIterator( int itemContainerId )
resetGadgetItemIterator_byIndex( graphicGUI_gadgetItemContainer *mainWorkContainer, int generalIndex )
resetGadgetItemIterator_byItemId( graphicGUI_gadgetItemContainer *mainWorkContainer, int beginningItemId )
int gadgetContainerItemIndex = nextGadgetItem( int itemContainerId )


Here is one screenshot from the GUI. The Design has is based on BlitzUI:



_JIM(Posted 2010) [#15]
Yes, I can learn new languages. As a matter of fact I enjoy that.

If I understand you correctly, you want me to write descriptions and examples for each command. Sounds simple but time consuming. However, I think I can do that.

Email me with the details when you have time :) (email is in my profile)


Chroma(Posted 2010) [#16]
DO NOT RESIGN. Yes, let them fire you. My sister's husband was convinced to resign. The laugh was on him, he couldn't collect unemployment. Then he went home and told my sister that he resigned and she about killed him...


_JIM(Posted 2010) [#17]
Actually, I was offered a job already somewhere else. The payment is double so the unemployment is not really a problem. However, a recommendation from them could help. So I'll go with that :)


Canardian(Posted 2010) [#18]
The economical crisis is a lie, there are many companies who make now much more money than ever before in their history before. It's just a split economy, some businesses just don't make money anymore, and it has nothing to do with a crisis. The crisis ended long time ago in late 2009/early 2010. If you see a company who thinks there is still a crisis, you know that that company is just doing things wrong. They are doing things which nobody wants.

Last edited 2010


Gabriel(Posted 2010) [#19]
You should write a book.

No, wait.. a pamphlet.


Canardian(Posted 2010) [#20]
Yes, a pamphlet is definitely the way to go, just a few pictures and words and a link to the website with the updated online book.