-BYE BYE BABY BYE-

July 29, 2009 { 7/29/2009 06:43:00 PM }

Article
IT WAS his teacher who inspired Jason Chionh to pursue a career in video games, but not in the way you would expect.
While doing his final-year Computer Science project at Victoria Junior College, Jason was discouraged from proposing a games-related one. According to his teacher, his design could 'never compete' with the commercial games that are in the market.
'I didn't do a games project but it got me thinking that maybe I can do something in the future,' recalls the 33-year-old, who grew up playing Wing Commander, Monkey Island and Ultima role-playing PC games.
After receiving a computer science degree from the National University of Singapore (NUS), he followed it up with a Master of Science, all the while dreaming of entering the fledgling game industry.
'There were no game-related studies but I knew what I wanted to do and was prepared to move overseas if I had to.'
There was also the fantasy of creating his own game with a few friends, if no one would hire him.
All this while, he kept his aspirations from his family and friends, knowing that job opportunities were scant, with gaming still considered mere child's play.
In 2002, he applied through the Economic Development Board job attachment program to work with noted Japanese games company Koei but was not selected.
He found a job as a full-time teaching assistant at NUS and tried again the following year. This time, he was accepted by Sega, another noted Japanese games developer and publisher, and went on an 18-month stint.
What he found really useful was the on-the-job training and experience he gained from working on console games.
One title he worked on was Altered Beast for the Sony PlayStation 2 console.
He worked on all the programming aspects for implementing the fight scenario, the artificial intelligence behaviour of the boss character, the visual effects and the sound and animation of the characters, to name a few.
Upon returning home, he took on a job with G-Gadget, a local start-up working on games for the Nintendo DS-Lite platform.
His parents, however, did not like his job because they felt that game piracy limited any possible success in the industry.
Things took a positive turn when industry giant Lucasfilm of Star Wars fame announced that it was setting up an animation and games arm here.
Jason successfully applied to Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and soon found himself surrounded by his childhood movie and game heroes, from the Jedi masters, Indiana Jones to Guybrush Threepwood.
'I heard they were hiring and you don't question yourself if you want to join Lucasfilm,' he said.
As a games software engineer, he is currently working on several unannounced game projects. He already has one title under his belt - last year's Jedi Alliance game for the DS Lite.
His involvement in this game was more extensive, as he worked on programming both the engine for the game and the game systems, including the sound, visual effects and combat systems.
His parents have also come around and accepted his chosen profession.
For Jason, his long-time dream lives on. Although he is part of a large team working on several games, he still wants to create his own video game one day.
To turn that dream into reality, he realises it is going to take more hard work at Lucasfilm.
'What I find most valuable is to be able to work with a very talented pool of people here. We are able to openly discuss ideas and bounce these ideas off one another,' he said.
'Because of this, I have learnt a lot and I feel there is so much more that I can learn.'

After you read, I would like you to answer a few questions.
a) What are your views in pursuing a career with the gaming industry, especially in Singapore?
b) What qualities does Jason Chionh have that allow him to do what he wish to do?

ANS:
a)I think that the gaming industry in Singapore will do fairly well but not fantastically, as nowadays games such as World of Warcraft, Habbo Hotel, Facebook have taken the big screens(not movies hor). These games allow you to have fun while interacting as if you're conversing to your friends thus attracting the crowds. According to a 7-11 outlet salesperson, they can sell about 100 $10.70 A-cash cards for either AuditionSEA or MaplestorySEA per day, and that's only one outlet. Do the maths you all are so brilliant in and calculate the total earnings of these companies. The downside is that people are encouraged to be more active and play less computer games(huh really, does it show at all?).the video games we play are also made abroad like Japan, China as they think that the quality is better and cheaper(typical..). To increase his chances of breaking into the local market(ok this sounds chim, but bear with it!al,almost done :D:D), he can collaborate with other foreign companies like Nintendo, etc.(still got what else har?). This way, people will believe more in his reliability and buy more.

b)From the start, he knew he wanted to be a game designer, that was his goal and he remained focused on it.He faced many setbacks like the lack of game-designing studies in Singapore, but he never let these setbacks take him down. Instead he persevered and fulfilled his dream into reality. He also did not hesitate when joining Lucasfilm, as all the hesitations may stop you from your journey.