I'd also need the game idea to be something I genuinely believed in.
That's another key point - it's next to impossible to find 3 people who agree about what kind of game they want to make.
I want to help design and develop a PvE-focused, solo-friendly, sandpark MMO which combines crafting, monster hunting, and story. So PM me if you are starting one.
It would have to be a better job than the one I have now. If I were offered a six-figure salary, a 40-hour week with no pressure to crunch in longer hours, flexible hours, real long-term job security, and working on a game that I thought was interesting, I'd be interested and possibly go for it. But does that sound like typical indie game development to you?
My impression was that as a programmer you can make a good salary and have decent working conditions if you worked in business fields; either as a freelancer with high pay but lots of job changes (but generally high demand so easy to get work) or as permanent staff (lower pay, less interesting, but paid holidays etc). Is that true?
If so I imagine it would be very hard to give that up for basically a shot in the dark chance to make some money as an indie dev. But if you got an offer from an indie company like City State, that would have to be pretty tempting right?
Not true, I worked for large companies, and now an indie developer, money is important, but being an indie developer, if you know business like I do, you can be smart about over head, guess what I don't have any overhead... I use my home.... Some may say well that is dumb, no it's actually not...What does a company need ? Space, well I have space ...What else tools/software, guess what I have that to, plenty of it... About 13k worth... What else computers, the list goes on... More importantly its the space that is needed..
So to get going and to same money as a indie developer if you own a Home or space in general, your good to go, I know some that use an apartment they live in, and do well ...
Skills is important I have 15 years of experience, then and got my degree in Game Development , not important, but can help.. But knowing business is so important to many thing oh I can make games, so I will make a company, and they fail...You need to understand how business works, if you don't your screwed, or hire someone if you can afford it, most can,t, so get learning, so this is where college is useful, my school I was taught some business in Game development, but I also ran many business's in the past field, so I was aware of how it worked and had experience ..
Mobile is the way to go for indie's to get the ground running, to many want to make the next new MMORPG....Do not do that!!!!!! That can cost alot and you will need help, if it's a large MMORPG..Now if its a small MMO, then that is another story... So really depends what type of game...I always tell people to start small and build your company up..
Right now we are making mobile games, and moving to console, PC next year we are actually doing very well as a newer Indie.. But we are NOT new as developers... We all have large and small company experience..
I already work in IT as a technical development manager (managing a team of programmers) and I've been a programmer most of my adult life.
There is literally nothing you could do to get me to be a programmer again (except if it was the only job I could get - I'd rather be a programmer than homeless!).
However, if I had a bunch of friends who wanted to make games and at least one of them was a talented programmer then I'd be up for it. I'd willingly learn modelling skills and I'd love to do the design work / plan out mechanics / project management / marketing / finance. I'd also need the game idea to be something I genuinely believed in.
Yeah, I know what you mean.
I can "borrow" code and merge it with bits and pieces of my own, but it'll never be my passion. I hate how coding something ends up being 95% detective work and 5% progress.
I can do decent UI art, I'm an ok writer - and I'm willing to challenge anyone in terms of creative game design - but coding is damned hard work.
ROFL, borrow??? That is illegal, you can't borrow people's code and call it your own,... You need too be a programmer, to many thing that is how you programmer, it not!! What is wrong with you people thinking that is how its done...Its not!!!
Your game will be a pile of poop.. That is not how it works, and good luck being sued...
Easy, money, give me enough money and I'll become a indie dev.
This tells me you never worked on any game ever... Working on games is NOT easy ask any real game developer, I been doing it for 15 years on AAA and indie, it's not easy at all...Otherwise everyone would be doing it.. College 95% of the people drop out of game development, because they realize its not all peaches and cream to development a game, you should of heard them whine, when trying to do anything... Funny stuff.
I'd also need the game idea to be something I genuinely believed in.
That's another key point - it's next to impossible to find 3 people who agree about what kind of game they want to make.
Not true, I have been doing it for years, it takes a real leader, and people with open mind to do so, College will give you this as well, since you have to make games with groups of 2-8... Full working games, and you will make alot of them while there...
About $30k a year and complete control over everything. Currently trying to do this, my salary would be cut in half but I would not have to work under people or with people that don't understand how complex I.T. can be in this day and age of lawsuit-happy idiots jesus christ I hate security and policies and procedures.
I'd also need the game idea to be something I genuinely believed in.
That's another key point - it's next to impossible to find 3 people who agree about what kind of game they want to make.
Not true, I have been doing it for years, it takes a real leader, and people with open mind to do so, College will give you this as well, since you have to make games with groups of 2-8... Full working games, and you will make alot of them while there...
I think you misread vveaver's post.
As for people agreeing about what kind of game they want to make, being assigned to make a game with random partners just forces everyone to compromise because they want a good grade, it doesn't mean that that group of people actually really want to make the kind of game they end up making. Going to college for making games would be a way to meet people who want to make games, yes, but it's not exactly a practical option for those of us who already have a college degree. Similarly, people old enough to be past college are less likely to be open-minded, for the good reason that they have had more time to explore the various existing kinds of games and form opinions about which are better than others. I'd really prefer to work with people who have formed their own firm opinions about games, as long as most of their opinions agree with mine. That ideal situation is what I am complaining is rare. Not just for my personal set of opinions, but for anyone's. The same is true in other fields where creative people need to cooperate, like making comics or movies. There is no good matchmaking site for indie game developers, to help them meet others who want to make the same kinds of games.
I want to help design and develop a PvE-focused, solo-friendly, sandpark MMO which combines crafting, monster hunting, and story. So PM me if you are starting one.
Hobby game developer here. To go full time I would like to add a designer and artist.
What kind of game do you want to develop, and are there any websites you've looked at in the attempt to find teammates?
I want to help design and develop a PvE-focused, solo-friendly, sandpark MMO which combines crafting, monster hunting, and story. So PM me if you are starting one.
I would like to do it but I don't have the skills to program the games I want to make. I'm even willing to throw around 100k at something but sadly I don't think that would realistically get me too far.
Hobby game developer here. To go full time I would like to add a designer and artist.
What kind of game do you want to develop, and are there any websites you've looked at in the attempt to find teammates?
I'm currently developing a 2d/3d platformer. It will be released on the Windows store and Android for sure, but other platforms depend on a variety of things, like getting a mac. I'm roughly 90% complete with coding, barring any changes/additions, and am working on level creation. I find that going through each level layout, then going back through with design making them spiffy can get pretty tedious and I end up putting time between each level
After this would depend on a few things, including partner feedback. I like the idea of working with a few (2-3) small games to get a good workflow going, then move on to a larger and more complex project.
The end goal would definitely be to create at least one online game. MMO? Perhaps. You never know
Not true, I worked for large companies, and now an indie developer, money is important, but being an indie developer, if you know business like I do, you can be smart about over head, guess what I don't have any overhead... I use my home.... Some may say well that is dumb, no it's actually not...What does a company need ? Space, well I have space ...What else tools/software, guess what I have that to, plenty of it... About 13k worth... What else computers, the list goes on... More importantly its the space that is needed..
So to get going and to same money as a indie developer if you own a Home or space in general, your good to go, I know some that use an apartment they live in, and do well ...
Skills is important I have 15 years of experience, then and got my degree in Game Development , not important, but can help.. But knowing business is so important to many thing oh I can make games, so I will make a company, and they fail...You need to understand how business works, if you don't your screwed, or hire someone if you can afford it, most can,t, so get learning, so this is where college is useful, my school I was taught some business in Game development, but I also ran many business's in the past field, so I was aware of how it worked and had experience ..
Mobile is the way to go for indie's to get the ground running, to many want to make the next new MMORPG....Do not do that!!!!!! That can cost alot and you will need help, if it's a large MMORPG..Now if its a small MMO, then that is another story... So really depends what type of game...I always tell people to start small and build your company up..
Right now we are making mobile games, and moving to console, PC next year we are actually doing very well as a newer Indie.. But we are NOT new as developers... We all have large and small company experience..
I meant it as in what would it take for me to drop my current stable job and dedicate myself to making small indie games alone since I have the art and programming background. About $100k.
Financial security... As much I would like to spend all day talking about and developing games, I still want to be able to go home, have a good meal and not worry about where the next one is coming from. Game development is damn hard work, and takes a lot of time, and even if you make something good you still need to sell the hell out of it.
Now I could keep my day job (software development) and work on a game in my spare time (and I do and have from time to time), but honestly there are so many good games to play already I really can't find the motivation to spend the next 5+ years making one more slightly different one (especially now with KS and professional indie studios making some of the types of games I have wanted for years; battletech, battle chaser: nightwar, and bloodstained to name just 3).
Nothing, Already doing it. Also intend to make comics, cartoons, and CG movies.
There is no magic number of cash to start developing. At one point I was making $20k a year, I was still developing. At other times I was making over $20k a month. Something or someone will being paying your expenses. Be sure you don't sign anything that grants right to anything you develop or work on at the same time as your employment.
Your outside projects are something employers want, but are not entitled to. Unless you unwittingly give it to them.
If you want a dollar amount, I would say look at your yearly budget today. Decide what it takes you to live on today and triple that. Why? Because you will have to spend the money. Buy your software and assets. Pay for Legal and Business advice. The saying, "You have to spend money to make money" is true. And is lesson one.
Lesson Two. The trick of tripling your yearly budget is not to earn more money. It is to live on less.
Post edited by Konfess on
Pardon any spelling errors
Konfess your cyns and some maybe forgiven Boy: Why can't I talk to Him? Mom: We don't talk to Priests. As if it could exist, without being payed for. F2P means you get what you paid for. Pay nothing, get nothing. Even telemarketers wouldn't think that. It costs money to play. Therefore P2W.
Easy, money, give me enough money and I'll become a indie dev.
This tells me you never worked on any game ever... Working on games is NOT easy ask any real game developer, I been doing it for 15 years on AAA and indie, it's not easy at all...Otherwise everyone would be doing it.. College 95% of the people drop out of game development, because they realize its not all peaches and cream to development a game, you should of heard them whine, when trying to do anything... Funny stuff.
If that's what my sentence told you you need to re-evaluate your comprehension skills. I'v been both to gamedev school and made a good bunch about 12-20 smaller games of various quality, I would say that you would probably think all my attempts at games suck, but that's okay, at least I know who I would hire to make the game I want, and to hire those people, I need money.
On a serious level, what would it take for you to drop whatever you're doing now - and just go for it?
For some time now i have contemplated starting my own business selling mobile games. nothing fancy, single operator business with one "flagship" game would be the startup goal.
Securing the startup money wont be a problem, but the profitability of the business always has me questioning weather or not it would be a wise idea considering the type of return i would get.
Selling a minimum of 2k units at $1 each per week, for an unknown number of weeks makes me really insecure considering the stability of a 9-5 job would offer as the alternative.
TSW - AoC - Aion - WOW - EVE - Fallen Earth - Co - Rift - || XNA C# Java Development
On a serious level, what would it take for you to drop whatever you're doing now - and just go for it?
For some time now i have contemplated starting my own business selling mobile games. nothing fancy, single operator business with one "flagship" game would be the startup goal.
Securing the startup money wont be a problem, but the profitability of the business always has me questioning weather or not it would be a wise idea considering the type of return i would get.
Selling a minimum of 2k units at $1 each per week, for an unknown number of weeks makes me really insecure considering the stability of a 9-5 job would offer as the alternative.
The mobile market is also extremely hard to penetrate.
Personally, I've been wanting to develop a game for a long time - and I'm making progress, but it's a pretty complex game for a 1-person job.
I already have a steady "9-5" job, but it's not satisfying - and I'm usually pretty bored.
What I really need is the right motivator - and another person who's hungry for it, could be the ticket. Tried using my brother for this, but he's hopeless
I'll probably never find the right person.
But I'm not interested in making some cheap gimmicky mobile game - or steam "retro-pixel" crap. I want to make something I'd want to play myself.
My current project is an exploration-based "blobber" - like an expanded Dungeon Master. I've got the basic engine made, and a very primitive editor. But there's a ton of work to do, yet - and I'll probably end up paying some artist for the monster art.
Based on steamdb - the worst in this genre sell around 2K units - and I'm pretty confident I can beat that. My personal estimate - under ideal circumstances, would be around 5K units. Given the right price - that would be a decent start, and then I could slowly start expanding. I'm thinking of doing an expansion or two, first.
But who knows. It could all just be a wild dream that never happens.
On a serious level, what would it take for you to drop whatever you're doing now - and just go for it?
For some time now i have contemplated starting my own business selling mobile games. nothing fancy, single operator business with one "flagship" game would be the startup goal.
Securing the startup money wont be a problem, but the profitability of the business always has me questioning weather or not it would be a wise idea considering the type of return i would get.
Selling a minimum of 2k units at $1 each per week, for an unknown number of weeks makes me really insecure considering the stability of a 9-5 job would offer as the alternative.
The mobile market is also extremely hard to penetrate.
Personally, I've been wanting to develop a game for a long time - and I'm making progress, but it's a pretty complex game for a 1-person job.
I already have a steady "9-5" job, but it's not satisfying - and I'm usually pretty bored.
What I really need is the right motivator - and another person who's hungry for it, could be the ticket. Tried using my brother for this, but he's hopeless
I'll probably never find the right person.
But I'm not interested in making some cheap gimmicky mobile game - or steam "retro-pixel" crap. I want to make something I'd want to play myself.
My current project is an exploration-based "blobber" - like an expanded Dungeon Master. I've got the basic engine made, and a very primitive editor. But there's a ton of work to do, yet - and I'll probably end up paying some artist for the monster art.
Based on steamdb - the worst in this genre sell around 2K units - and I'm pretty confident I can beat that. My personal estimate - under ideal circumstances, would be around 5K units. Given the right price - that would be a decent start, and then I could slowly start expanding. I'm thinking of doing an expansion or two, first.
But who knows. It could all just be a wild dream that never happens.
Sounds really good. Are you mainly a programmer or an artist?
My impression was that as a programmer you can make a good salary and have decent working conditions if you worked in business fields; either as a freelancer with high pay but lots of job changes (but generally high demand so easy to get work) or as permanent staff (lower pay, less interesting, but paid holidays etc). Is that true?
If so I imagine it would be very hard to give that up for basically a shot in the dark chance to make some money as an indie dev. But if you got an offer from an indie company like City State, that would have to be pretty tempting right?
Depends what sort of programmer you are.
In the UK, average salary country-wide is ~£27k pa ( ~£23k if you include the unemployed).
Average graduate programmer starting salary is around £25k, so pretty decent straight out on uni, rising to around £35k-£40k after 10 years in the industry. This is comfortable, above average and you'll get your 20 days holiday + public holidays + sick leave.
There are some caveats on reaching that level.
1) Vast majority of programmers quit the field - its a pretty horrendous job so most people can't cope. Virtually no physical effort required, so its unhealthy. Staring at a screen all day hurts your eyes. You're generally looking at code - i.e. text files, so it's not stimulating. Then, actual subject matter is often dull. Most common development jobs are building websites and building business systems - not really inspiring.
2) Its actually a very difficult job to do. In web development (the easiest type), you still need to know a minimum of 4 different languages (html, css, js, php) but usually more. Then you've got the different technologies (macs, pc, linux, different browsers, different hardware etc), different versions of software to be compatible with. You're basically solving logic problems all day long, so you need a decent level of intelligence. Then, large projects require extremely good levels of organisation in order to be able to maintain it long term. This is where enthusiasts usually fall down.
3) The glass ceiling. Once you reach a certain level of skill, management is the next step. However, the skills required to be an excellent programmer often mean the person is rubbish at management. Some of the best programmers I've ever met are basically autistic and can't speak to normal people. Most programmers I've met basically progressed for 5 years and have been stuck at that level ever since. Still earn alright money, but can't go further due to personality type.
4) Rarity of skills. The big money in programming comes not just from being talented, but by how rare your skills are. Web development is the most common, so it is the least well paid. However, if you start learning rare languages, you can specialise and command high wages. However, this increases the risk - it doesn't take long before your more general skills become out of date. When I worked in the defence industry, I worked with some guys who were extremely specialised in old languages. They earned a lot because they were one of just a few people country-wide with the necessary skills. However, when the projects they were working on ended, they couldn't get new jobs because nobody needed their specialism any more. (I guess this problem is true for every type of specialism, but very common in programming).
5) Ultimately, nobody knows what they're doing. This is the big one for me. Ultimately, computers are simply too complex for any single person to understand 100% of how it works. Its just impossible. This means that unless you're working on specialised hardware/software, you're going to just have to guess. Code breaks all the time and fixing it is usually a trial and error job. As an example, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) releases official standards for how code is supposed to work on the web. But, not a single web browser complies 100%. This means what works on chrome, breaks on internet explorer. What looks great on firefox looks weird on safari. Its infuriating!
I graduated in 2008 from one of the top universities in the UK for computer science. Approximately 100 of us graduated that year with degrees in computer science. 8 years later, less than 20 of us are actually working within IT, despite the high demand for programmers country wide. Programming actually caused me some minor mental health problems for the first few years after uni - the jobs suck, but I'm so specialised that nobody else would hire me! I actually had to dumb down my CV just to get a bartending job! I still get 1 or 2 job offers a week for development jobs around the country, offering £40k-£50k plus benefits but I'd never take one.
I got really lucky with my current job. I started as a programmer but decided to quit after 6 months. However, my boss recognised my other talents so now instead of being a programmer, I manage our team of programmers. I'm still working in IT, but I rarely have to code now which is great!
Currently Playing: WAR RoR - Spitt rr7X Black Orc | Scrotling rr6X Squig Herder | Scabrous rr4X Shaman
Comments
If so I imagine it would be very hard to give that up for basically a shot in the dark chance to make some money as an indie dev. But if you got an offer from an indie company like City State, that would have to be pretty tempting right?
I play MMOs for the Forum PVP
So to get going and to same money as a indie developer if you own a Home or space in general, your good to go, I know some that use an apartment they live in, and do well ...
Skills is important I have 15 years of experience, then and got my degree in Game Development , not important, but can help.. But knowing business is so important to many thing oh I can make games, so I will make a company, and they fail...You need to understand how business works, if you don't your screwed, or hire someone if you can afford it, most can,t, so get learning, so this is where college is useful, my school I was taught some business in Game development, but I also ran many business's in the past field, so I was aware of how it worked and had experience ..
Mobile is the way to go for indie's to get the ground running, to many want to make the next new MMORPG....Do not do that!!!!!! That can cost alot and you will need help, if it's a large MMORPG..Now if its a small MMO, then that is another story... So really depends what type of game...I always tell people to start small and build your company up..
Right now we are making mobile games, and moving to console, PC next year we are actually doing very well as a newer Indie.. But we are NOT new as developers... We all have large and small company experience..
Your game will be a pile of poop.. That is not how it works, and good luck being sued...
As for people agreeing about what kind of game they want to make, being assigned to make a game with random partners just forces everyone to compromise because they want a good grade, it doesn't mean that that group of people actually really want to make the kind of game they end up making. Going to college for making games would be a way to meet people who want to make games, yes, but it's not exactly a practical option for those of us who already have a college degree. Similarly, people old enough to be past college are less likely to be open-minded, for the good reason that they have had more time to explore the various existing kinds of games and form opinions about which are better than others. I'd really prefer to work with people who have formed their own firm opinions about games, as long as most of their opinions agree with mine. That ideal situation is what I am complaining is rare. Not just for my personal set of opinions, but for anyone's. The same is true in other fields where creative people need to cooperate, like making comics or movies. There is no good matchmaking site for indie game developers, to help them meet others who want to make the same kinds of games.
After this would depend on a few things, including partner feedback. I like the idea of working with a few (2-3) small games to get a good workflow going, then move on to a larger and more complex project.
The end goal would definitely be to create at least one online game. MMO? Perhaps. You never know
Now I could keep my day job (software development) and work on a game in my spare time (and I do and have from time to time), but honestly there are so many good games to play already I really can't find the motivation to spend the next 5+ years making one more slightly different one (especially now with KS and professional indie studios making some of the types of games I have wanted for years; battletech, battle chaser: nightwar, and bloodstained to name just 3).
There is no magic number of cash to start developing. At one point I was making $20k a year, I was still developing. At other times I was making over $20k a month. Something or someone will being paying your expenses. Be sure you don't sign anything that grants right to anything you develop or work on at the same time as your employment.
Your outside projects are something employers want, but are not entitled to. Unless you unwittingly give it to them.
If you want a dollar amount, I would say look at your yearly budget today. Decide what it takes you to live on today and triple that. Why? Because you will have to spend the money. Buy your software and assets. Pay for Legal and Business advice. The saying, "You have to spend money to make money" is true. And is lesson one.
Lesson Two. The trick of tripling your yearly budget is not to earn more money. It is to live on less.
Boy: Why can't I talk to Him?
Mom: We don't talk to Priests.
As if it could exist, without being payed for.
F2P means you get what you paid for. Pay nothing, get nothing.
Even telemarketers wouldn't think that.
It costs money to play. Therefore P2W.
If that's what my sentence told you you need to re-evaluate your comprehension skills. I'v been both to gamedev school and made a good bunch about 12-20 smaller games of various quality, I would say that you would probably think all my attempts at games suck, but that's okay, at least I know who I would hire to make the game I want, and to hire those people, I need money.
Herald of innovation, Vanquisher of the old! - Awake a few hours almost everyday!
Securing the startup money wont be a problem, but the profitability of the business always has me questioning weather or not it would be a wise idea considering the type of return i would get.
Selling a minimum of 2k units at $1 each per week, for an unknown number of weeks makes me really insecure considering the stability of a 9-5 job would offer as the alternative.
TSW - AoC - Aion - WOW - EVE - Fallen Earth - Co - Rift - || XNA C# Java Development
Personally, I've been wanting to develop a game for a long time - and I'm making progress, but it's a pretty complex game for a 1-person job.
I already have a steady "9-5" job, but it's not satisfying - and I'm usually pretty bored.
What I really need is the right motivator - and another person who's hungry for it, could be the ticket. Tried using my brother for this, but he's hopeless
I'll probably never find the right person.
But I'm not interested in making some cheap gimmicky mobile game - or steam "retro-pixel" crap. I want to make something I'd want to play myself.
My current project is an exploration-based "blobber" - like an expanded Dungeon Master. I've got the basic engine made, and a very primitive editor. But there's a ton of work to do, yet - and I'll probably end up paying some artist for the monster art.
Based on steamdb - the worst in this genre sell around 2K units - and I'm pretty confident I can beat that. My personal estimate - under ideal circumstances, would be around 5K units. Given the right price - that would be a decent start, and then I could slowly start expanding. I'm thinking of doing an expansion or two, first.
But who knows. It could all just be a wild dream that never happens.
In the UK, average salary country-wide is ~£27k pa ( ~£23k if you include the unemployed).
Average graduate programmer starting salary is around £25k, so pretty decent straight out on uni, rising to around £35k-£40k after 10 years in the industry. This is comfortable, above average and you'll get your 20 days holiday + public holidays + sick leave.
There are some caveats on reaching that level.
1) Vast majority of programmers quit the field - its a pretty horrendous job so most people can't cope. Virtually no physical effort required, so its unhealthy. Staring at a screen all day hurts your eyes. You're generally looking at code - i.e. text files, so it's not stimulating. Then, actual subject matter is often dull. Most common development jobs are building websites and building business systems - not really inspiring.
2) Its actually a very difficult job to do. In web development (the easiest type), you still need to know a minimum of 4 different languages (html, css, js, php) but usually more. Then you've got the different technologies (macs, pc, linux, different browsers, different hardware etc), different versions of software to be compatible with. You're basically solving logic problems all day long, so you need a decent level of intelligence. Then, large projects require extremely good levels of organisation in order to be able to maintain it long term. This is where enthusiasts usually fall down.
3) The glass ceiling. Once you reach a certain level of skill, management is the next step. However, the skills required to be an excellent programmer often mean the person is rubbish at management. Some of the best programmers I've ever met are basically autistic and can't speak to normal people. Most programmers I've met basically progressed for 5 years and have been stuck at that level ever since. Still earn alright money, but can't go further due to personality type.
4) Rarity of skills. The big money in programming comes not just from being talented, but by how rare your skills are. Web development is the most common, so it is the least well paid. However, if you start learning rare languages, you can specialise and command high wages. However, this increases the risk - it doesn't take long before your more general skills become out of date. When I worked in the defence industry, I worked with some guys who were extremely specialised in old languages. They earned a lot because they were one of just a few people country-wide with the necessary skills. However, when the projects they were working on ended, they couldn't get new jobs because nobody needed their specialism any more. (I guess this problem is true for every type of specialism, but very common in programming).
5) Ultimately, nobody knows what they're doing. This is the big one for me. Ultimately, computers are simply too complex for any single person to understand 100% of how it works. Its just impossible. This means that unless you're working on specialised hardware/software, you're going to just have to guess. Code breaks all the time and fixing it is usually a trial and error job. As an example, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) releases official standards for how code is supposed to work on the web. But, not a single web browser complies 100%. This means what works on chrome, breaks on internet explorer. What looks great on firefox looks weird on safari. Its infuriating!
I graduated in 2008 from one of the top universities in the UK for computer science. Approximately 100 of us graduated that year with degrees in computer science. 8 years later, less than 20 of us are actually working within IT, despite the high demand for programmers country wide. Programming actually caused me some minor mental health problems for the first few years after uni - the jobs suck, but I'm so specialised that nobody else would hire me! I actually had to dumb down my CV just to get a bartending job! I still get 1 or 2 job offers a week for development jobs around the country, offering £40k-£50k plus benefits but I'd never take one.
I got really lucky with my current job. I started as a programmer but decided to quit after 6 months. However, my boss recognised my other talents so now instead of being a programmer, I manage our team of programmers. I'm still working in IT, but I rarely have to code now which is great!
winning millions in a lottery
* more info, screenshots and videos here