Do you think RPG Maker Games are good for my resume?

Hello all,

I'm currently in the process of finding work, and at the same time, making RPGs with RPG Maker. I will not sell my games commercially (don't want to get involved with any copyright issues, among other things), but instead I was thinking about using the games I make as part of my resume.

I'm simply asking for opinions...do you think this will work well in my job search? Will my experience with RPG Maker help me find a job?

Absolutely! And it doesn't matter if you're applying for a job making other types of games or nothing to do with game making at all.


If you're after a programming job (or artist work, or audio work, or whatever) it will show that you enjoy doing that kind of work and make it a hobby. That means you'll probably enjoy working for them too if it's the same sort of work, and a happy employee is a good thing to have.


Even if you're not after a job in the same field or even remotely related, it will show that you can work well either on your own or as part of a team, and that you have the COMMITMENT to see a project through to the end, that you don't start things, get bored or frustrated, and drop them to move on to something else.


It shows that while you haven't been working, you haven't spent all your time sitting on your backside playing WoW or Halo - you've actually been creating stuff.


Just make sure it's COMPLETED games that you refer to.


If your resume gets to be more than a page or two long, you need to reduce it. THEN if the job you're applying for has nothing that makes use of the skills you develop while making games, you can remove it and leave the more relevant stuff.

I am thirteen, so take mt advivce with a pound of salt. I would. If you think that these games show your skills go ahead.

Ah yes, thanks for that reply. Yeah, that makes sense. I guess I have to complete my games then....

Ohhh yes it does. When I mentioned I was leading a team in game development, the guy who I was talking with was super happy with hearing that. I was hired soon after.

Do you have any other games besides RPG Maker games on your demo reel and resume?

Not really, although I do have the C++ source code I wrote for a Tic-Tac-Toe game.

Mine are on my resume - 3 completed games, soon to be 4. Shows commitment, creativity, taking onboard ideas, marketing, design... Just tailor the flowery stuff to your application! :D

Yea, I think it is. My script writing is on there currently for the exact reasons Shaz mentioned.

I have only recently actually completed my first game (for the IGMC) and when I fix it up some more that will also be going on my c.v.  :)

Well you can put anything on a resume, and if yours is lacking in other things then I would say it is a good idea.

Are you saying I've been doing something actually useful all this time? Huh.

in my opinion putting regular RPG maker games might not affect much to resume....

not meaning to discourage... but the engine already done most of the job...

it's like telling you can drive a car but the car is "knight rider" car which can drive by itself. :D .

(or using more up to date example. the car is 'bumblebee' from transformer. :D ).

UNLESS you do something different with the engine. for example using your own custom scripts

(using other people scripts is like hiring a driver to drive the car in above case....).

create your own resources (if you apply for job involving art / design).

make your own music (if you apply for job involving music).

(using other people art/sound = another hiring a driver example)

the more you're not using regular script / graphic / music. and using your original resources....

the more it have affect to your resume.

just my opinion though...

edit: for example... i've seen people that really rewrite the script to create the game and did not use any scripts from default scripts. (s/he create his own scene. and change the first scene to that scene instead of scene_map)

i think the game about sports minigames... i forgot the link...

I done that with my RPG Maker Game too. - I transformed the engine into a side view space style shooter using only the default Scene_Base and SceneManager scripts. Everything else was removed fully or heavily modified to work how I wanted it to.

I completely agree with your overall statement though. Like, would you put ''makes great drinks' on your resume if you used a sodastream? I think not :p

I think it's a bit more nuanced than that.  You might be using other people's scripts or art, but at work you are may be using Microsoft's Word or Excel.  Using pre-made programs can (depending on the job) be somewhat beside the point.  If, though, you can demonstrate that you brought a project through from initial concept to completion, then that is a valuable skill.  If you could research adequately to find what was needed, made any adjustments for compatibility, coordinated the work of others so that everyone worked harmoniously as a team, then the fact that you were using Yanfly's scripts and not your own is irrelevant to the skills being demonstrated.  Sure, if it's an art or programming job, then that's different; but for most jobs it's the transferable skills that the potential employer is looking at.  And how you present those could make a big difference to your success in applying for something.

EDIT

You also have to learn to blagg your way through by using language to your advantage.  For example, you had an idea which you checked out on the forums.  On your cv you talk about

"I conducted market research with potential end users, adapting my original concept to meet their concerns while keeping the integrity of the project intact."

Yeah, I know, jargon, but what can you do?  Obviously you pick your aspects and phraseology to match the job you're applying for.

The fact that I'm doing voiceover for my own game as well as for others' games as well as for a HUGE game team... Yeah, I think it would help!

Absolutely. It'll show so many skills that employeers love and you'll have tangiable evidence of your prowess.