Many people think that working in the video game industry is one of the coolest jobs in the world. Playing games, developing games or being involved in some aspect in game development doesn’t sound like “work” at all.
Of course the reputation is unjustified because it is still a job with its own set of responsibilities and duties. For those whose dream is to get into the gaming industry, one of the ways they try to get the doors of opportunity to open is by writing game walkthroughs or hints. Here is a brief, straightforward guide (just like o5.com’s other recipes for life).
See walkthroughs as opportunities
Walkthroughs are usually done by fanboys who have a lot of time on their hands and who just want to show other gamers that they’ve done well in the game and want to share what they’ve learned. This is more a work of love more than anything – no one pays them for all of their hard work. But there are some people who have managed to land opportunities to write game walkthroughs and hints AND get paid for it. But how did they get these opportunities?
Choose a game to make a walkthrough for
There are many games that come out almost every week and it runs the gamut of all game genres–RPGs, Real time strategy, adventure, platforming and action games, to name just a few. The key is choosing a game that you actually like playing. Remember that you’ll have to play through the game, maybe even multiple times. If you choose a game that you don’t even like then you just might give up and there goes all of your plans.
Play through the game
This is a no-brainer. In order to write a walkthrough you’ll have to play through the whole game and you’ll have to master it as well. This will mean playing through the game repeatedly. You need to discover all of the secrets, write down effective strategies for beating all areas of the game and also identify any glitches. No procrastinators please. Game walkthroughs need to be published as near the game’s release date as possible. The walkthrough is at its most useful and valuable when there only a few walkthroughs of the game available. If you can produce it first then it’s the best possible scenario.
Get the help of other gamers
Going to game forums and reading through the posts of people who are also playing the same game will help you finish the game faster and more thoroughly. Forums are great way of getting additional tips from members. Take note of all these tips and hints and try to use it when playing the game to confirm their usefulness. These can then be added on to your own walkthrough.
Write your walkthrough
After playing through the game and if you’re confident already that you have all the information you need you can now begin writing your walkthrough. Be as thorough as possible when writing it. Add all of the information that you know will be useful when playing the game. Don’t add any information that you think players won’t need to finish the game.
Look for clients
There are many web sites that solicit people for cheats and walkthroughs. One web site is the Universal Hint System which pays people for complete, comprehensive walkthroughs. You can even apply for positions for walkthrough writers if you think that you are skilled enough for the job. Be sure that when you submit your walkthroughs, it is with legitimate web sites. There are some sites that will only scam walkthrough writers – asking for their work but never paying them.
This article is just one of o5.com’s life tips for earning and making money. See our articles on personal finance and business opportunities. You will also find an article on how to become a beta game tester.
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