As a veteran game developer, I am lucky enough to be invited to partake in convention panels, career days, and interviews discussing my experience in game development. Recently, I joined a group of young ladies to discuss some quick bullet points for their podcast, and I’d like to share some of my answers here. It was a true pleasure and I hope the information I relayed help provide a bit of insight and some encouragement to those who want to become game designers.
We read on your blog that you accidentally became a game developer, could you explain that story for our listeners?
I had the opportunity to relocate with my family to the Bay Area in 2000. I was working toward a degree in child development and working as a preschool teacher during that time. Due to a few circumstances that happened with my employer at the time, I was let go and in need of a job. Shortly after, while I was scouring the paper for possible job opportunities, I noticed EA was hiring testers. Not expecting much from my inquiry, I applied, and was added to their two-week training group. Upon successful completion of the training regime, I was hired on as a contract tester for the Sims PS2.
While a lot of adults give me pause when I relay this story, my goal in retelling my situation is to show that even though we can plan for things, unexpected events may throw off our trajectory. We can either let us hold us back or we can use that opportunity as a springboard to delve into other opportunities.
Do you have any goals you want to accomplish with your career?
In the short term, I would love to move into a leadership role. One of my favorite aspects of my job is mentoring and I would love to expand on that. Long term, I’m hoping to develop my own software company that will focus on tech that can be used for game development and forensics. Think, Sims but with real physics and scenario play throughs of possible crime situations.
Do you suggest or wish you’d taken any classes or skills in order to excel in this job?
The one group of courses I wish I had taken when I was younger was more focus on coding and programming. My main focus during my academic career was always within the creative realm, like 3D modeling software, Adobe suites, and mixed media. Having that background has been extremely helpful in trying to meld creativity with implementation, but I still feel like I could expand upon my coding knowledge.
You listed childcare as one of your former employments. How do you think you are making an impact on kids’ lives now as a senior video game designer?
This specific question has me excited because I get a chance to talk about one of the most pivotal moments in my career; working with the Make A Wish foundation. I was tasked with making a playable experience based on a child’s wish to come tour the KingsIsle studio. He had no idea that we were going to put him in the game and create a bit of playable content in his name and legacy. The sweat, toil, and stress all culminated into this emotional experience that everyone who took part shared in, and it still makes me emotional to think about to this day.
While this is just one aspect of how my career has impacted a child’s life, there are countless other moments, including speaking and mentoring young adults about what my job entails and how they can also become a game developer.
Sometimes as we sit in an office closed off from the rest of the world, just going through our day-to-day tasks, it’s easy to forget just how influential our content is to the world. Any opportunity I get to talk about my job and eschew in a new generation into the industry, it reminds me of just how important whimsy is in our life and how I play a small role in that.
What do you think we can do to break the stereotypes of “male/female” jobs? What challenges have you encountered as a female video game designer?
I personally feel my generation hit a pivot point in noticing that gender specific roles are antiquated and in dire need of re-evaluation. While we’re still working toward breaking through these roles, we still have a lot of work to do; including remembering that people aren’t cardboard cutouts and templates, but unique individuals with broad interests. I personally feel it’s important to lead by example and show that gender is not a primary characteristic in a person’s ability to do a job.
As a woman game developer, I’ve had my mix of situations that have made me uncomfortable and could be considered traumatic and categorized as harassment. Over time, I’ve learned how to handle certain people and situations, but it is my hope that with the recent revelations that were exposed due to the #MeToo movement, we can start working toward calling these situations out earlier and not letting these bullies continue with their behavior thinking it’s ok.
What advice would you give to girls listening to this podcast?
Never stop learning and never let anyone make you feel uncomfortable about who you are. It took me years to get to a point where I learned this lesson, but I’m hoping with each telling of my story those long lessons translate and give other young women hope in breaking through the noise.
Also, if it’s feasible, try to find a mentor or someone you admire that you feel comfortable opening up to and asking for advice. Listen to them and learn from their experiences while also feeling comfortable enough to give them feedback, too. The more we support each other, the easier it is to learn and teach each other.
Valerie Kromas 
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