Salary Review

For those game programmers who actually want to make money in the field, there’s a nice article from Christer Ericson.

The post includes an Excel file of the data, but here’s the posted version that gives you an idea who to shoot for and who to avoid. I’ve worked for a few of these companies, on the low end and in the high end, and it does accord with my experience.

Employer Work city State Job title Wage
Capcom Entertainment San Mateo CA Engineering Manager $160,000
High Moon Studios Carlsbad CA Technical Director $155,300
SCEA Foster City CA Senior Staff Software Engineer $142,050
LucasArts San Francisco CA Lead Engineer $140,000
SCEA Foster City CA Senior Software Engineer $138,100
Activision Publishing Santa Monica CA Senior Programmer Analyst $130,000
Zipper Interactive Redmond WA Software Manager $130,000
Pixar Emeryville CA Software Engineer (Image Mastering SWEng) $125,008
Midway Amusement Games Chicago IL Senior Software Engineer $125,000
Rockstar San Diego Carlsbad CA Lead Programmer $125,000
SCEA Foster City CA Staff Compiler Engineer $123,900
id Software Mesquite TX Programmer $123,670
Disney Interactive Studios Burbank/Glendale CA Technology Director $121,500
Digital Domain Venice CA Senior Software Engineer $120,000
LucasArts San Francisco CA Senior Core Engineer $120,000
Rockstar San Diego Carlsbad CA Lead Programmer $120,000
Rockstar San Diego Carlsbad CA Lead Programmer $120,000
SCEA Foster City CA Senior Developer Support Engineer $118,400
Backbone Entertainment Newport Beach CA Lead Rendering Programmer $118,359
Sony Online Entertainment San Diego CA Senior Programmer $117,683
Sony Online Entertainment San Diego CA Senior Programmer $117,683
Visual Concepts Entertainment Novato CA Senior Software Engineer $117,495
SCEA Foster City CA Software Engineer $117,450
SCEA Foster City CA Senior Software Engineer $115,800
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $114,275
SCEA Foster City CA Senior Software Engineer $114,000
Crystal Dynamics Redwood City CA Programmer $113,300
Naughty Dog Santa Monica CA Software Research Engineer (Games Software) $113,200
Crystal Dynamics Redwood City CA Senior Programmer $111,200
Visual Concepts Entertainment Novato CA Software Engineer $110,770
Activision Publishing Santa Monica CA Software Engineer - Game Design $110,000
DreamWorks Animation Redwood City CA Senior Software Engineer $110,000
LucasArts San Francisco CA Senior Software Engineer $110,000
LucasArts San Francisco CA Senior Software Engineer $110,000
SCEA San Diego CA Computer Scientist $110,000
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Technical Director $109,054
SCEA Foster City CA Staff Software Engineer $108,846
SCEA Foster City CA Staff Software Engineer $108,846
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Senior Artificial Intelligence Engineer $107,133
Rockstar San Diego Carlsbad CA Lead Programmer $106,000
Rockstar San Diego Carlsbad CA Programmer $106,000
Activision Publishing Santa Monica CA Programmer Analyst $105,000
Factor 5 San Rafael CA Senior Software Engineer $105,000
Vivendi Games Los Angeles CA 11i Development Manager $104,500
Vivendi Games Los Angeles CA 11i Development Manager $104,500
Vivendi Games Los Angeles CA Applications Development Manager $104,500
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Senior Software Engineer $104,247
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $104,247
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $104,247
PDI/DreamWorks Glendale CA Production Engineer $103,430
SCEA Foster City CA Senior Software Engineer $103,050
SCEA Foster City CA Senior Software Engineer $103,000
Midway Studios-Austin Austin TX Lead Gameplay Programmer $102,500
Midway Studios-Austin Austin TX Lead Gameplay Programmer $102,500
NAMCO BANDAI Games America San Jose CA Software Engineer $102,500
Left Field Productions Ventura CA Software Engineer $101,972
Page 44 Studios San Francisco CA Computer Software Engineer $100,420
Page 44 Studios San Francisco CA Computer Software Engineer $100,420
PDI/DreamWorks Redwood City CA Production Engineer $100,000
DreamWorks Animation Glendale CA Senior Software Engineer $100,000
LucasArts San Francisco CA Senior Gameplay Engineer $100,000
NAMCO BANDAI Games America Santa Clara CA Software Engineer $100,000
Naughty Dog Santa Monica CA Senior Programmer $100,000
Obsidian Entertainment Santa Ana CA Computer Software Engineer $100,000
Rockstar San Diego Carlsbad CA Programmer 4 $100,000
SCEA San Diego CA Software Engineer $100,000
THQ Kirkland CA Senior Software Engineer $100,000
Vivendi Games Los Angeles CA Associate Technical Director $100,000
Neversoft Entertainment Woodland Hills CA Senior Artificial Intelligence Programmer $99,144
SCEA Foster City CA Senior Software Engineer $99,000
Activision Publishing Santa Monica CA Programmer Analyst $98,800
SCEA San Diego CA Software Engineer $98,150
Activision Publishing Santa Monica CA Senior Software Engineer $98,000
Midway Amusement Games Chicago IL Programmer $98,000
Sony Online Entertainment San Diego CA Senior Software Engineer $98,000
DreamWorks Animation Glendale CA Senior Software Engineer $97,958
Electronic Arts Emeryville CA Software Engineer $97,906
Electronic Arts Emeryville CA Software Engineer $97,906
Electronic Arts Emeryville CA Software Engineer $97,365
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer (Software Engineer III) $97,365
Z-AXIS Ltd (Activision) Foster City CA Senior Software Engineer $97,365
Retro Studios Austin TX Senior Software Engineer $95,940
Visual Concepts Entertainment Novato CA Software Engineer $95,025
DreamWorks Animation Glendale CA Software Engineer $95,006
DreamWorks Animation Glendale CA Software Engineer $95,000
DreamWorks Animation Redwood City CA Production Engineer $94,500
High Moon Studios Carlsbad CA Senior Programmer $94,500
SCEA Foster City CA Software Engineer $94,400
SCEA San Diego CA Software Engineer $94,400
LucasArts San Francisco CA AI Engineer $93,000
Electronic Arts Chicago CA Software Engineer $92,099
Electronic Arts Chicago CA Software Engineer $92,099
Electronic Arts Chicago CA Software Engineer $92,099
Electronic Arts Chicago CA Software Engineer $92,099
Activision Publishing Middleton CA Software Engineer $92,000
Midway Studios - Los Angeles Moorpark CA Online Game Programmer $92,000
Retro Studios Austin TX Software Engineer $92,000
Neversoft Entertainment Woodland Hills CA Project Programmer $91,584
id Software Mesquite TX Programmer $90,000
LucasArts San Francisco CA Software Engineer $90,000
Naughty Dog Santa Monica CA Senior Programmer $90,000
Page 44 Studios San Francisco CA Computer Software Engineer $90,000
Pixar Emeryville CA Software Engineer (Technical Director) $90,000
Secret Level San Francisco CA Tools Programmer $90,000
THQ Los Angeles CA Senior Programmer $90,000
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Programmer Analyst $88,569
Backbone Entertainment Newport Beach CA Lead Rendering Programmer $88,000
Nintendo of America Redmond WA Senior Programmer/Analyst $88,000
Visual Concepts Entertainment Novato CA Software Engineer $87,975
Apogee Software Campbell CA Software Engineer $87,006
Apogee Software Campbell CA Software Engineer $85,000
LucasArts San Francisco CA Computer Programmer $85,000
LucasArts San Francisco CA Gameplay/Artificial Intelligence Engineer $85,000
Naughty Dog Santa Monica CA Senior Programmer $85,000
NCsoft Corporation Austin TX Tools Engineer $85,000
Retro Studios Austin TX Software Engineer $85,000
SCEA Foster City CA Developer Support Engineer $85,000
SCEA Foster City CA Developer Support Engineer $85,000
The Collective Newport Beach CA Computer Systems Analyst (Sr. Maya Prg) $85,000
THQ Moorpark CA Senior Software Engineer $85,000
Zipper Interactive Redmond WA Software Engineer $85,000
Zipper Interactive Redmond WA Software Engineer $85,000
Pixar Emeryville CA Software Engineer (Technical Director) $84,942
Electronic Arts Tiburon Orlando CA Software Engineer III $84,698
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Programmer/Analyst $84,240
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $84,240
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer (Senior Lead Online Dev) $84,240
SCEA Foster City CA Software Engineer $83,600
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $83,512
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $83,512
Sanzaru Games San Mateo CA Senior Engineer $83,512
Sanzaru Games San Mateo CA Senior Engineer $83,512
WildTangent Redmond WA Senior Software Engineer $83,500
SCEA Foster City CA Software Engineer $83,440
Nintendo of America Redmond WA Senior Bilingual Software Engineer $83,242
Valve Corporation Bellevue WA Software Engineer $83,242
Valve Corporation Bellevue WA Software Engineer $83,242
Activision Publishing Santa Monica CA Software Engineer $82,900
SCEA Foster City CA Software Engineer $82,400
Z-AXIS Ltd (Activision) Foster City CA Senior Software Engineer $81,890
Electronic Arts Orlando CA Software Engineer $81,471
Activision Publishing San Francisco CA Systems Analyst - Product Development $81,000
Electronic Arts Playa Vista CA Software Engineer $80,925
Nintendo Software Tech Corp Redmond WA Engineering Specialist $80,450
Kush Games Camarillo CA Software Engineer $80,000
LucasArts San Francisco CA Gameplay Engineer $80,000
Rockstar San Diego Carlsbad CA Programmer $80,000
SCEA San Diego CA Software Engineer $80,000
Electronic Arts Tiburon Orlando CA Software Engineer $79,404
Sennari Entertainment Cupertino CA Software Engineer - Lead Programmer $79,000
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Senior Software Engineer $78,293
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $78,293
Kush Games Camarillo CA Software Engineer $76,000
Visual Concepts Entertainment Novato CA Software Engineer $75,490
Arete Seven (dba Bungie) Kirkland WA Software Development Engineer $75,000
Arete Seven (dba Bungie) Kirkland WA Software Development Engineer $75,000
DreamWorks Animation Glendale CA Software Engineer $75,000
DreamWorks Animation Glendale CA Software Engineer $75,000
Firaxis Games Hunt Valley MD Software Engineer - Gaming Systems $75,000
Activision Publishing Albany CA Programmer Analyst $74,900
High Impact Games Los Angeles CA Game Programmer $74,000
High Impact Games Los Angeles CA Game Programmer $74,000
Electronic Arts Emeryville CA Software Engineer (Audio Software Engineer) $73,278
Gas Powered Games Corporation Redmond WA Graphics Engineer (PC) $72,500
Red Storm Entertainment Morrisville NC AI Engineer $72,000
Vicarious Visions Menands NY Game Programmer $71,470
Arete Seven (dba Bungie) Kirkland WA AI Programmer $70,000
Arete Seven (dba Bungie) Kirkland WA Artificial Intelligence Programmer $70,000
Idol Minds Louisville CO Senior Games Programmer $70,000
Kush Games Camarillo CA Software Engineer $70,000
LucasArts San Francisco CA UI Interface Engineer $70,000
THQ Carrollton CA Software Engineer $70,000
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $69,700
Electronic Arts Playa Vista CA Software Engineer $69,362
Electronic Arts Playa Vista CA Software Engineer $69,362
Electronic Arts Tiburon Orlando CA Software Engineer $68,543
Pixar Emeryville CA Software Engineer $67,600
Pixar Emeryville CA Software Engineer (Technical Director) $67,600
Activision Publishing Albany CA Software Engineer $66,200
Activision Publishing Santa Monica CA Software Engineer $66,000
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $65,325
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $65,325
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $65,325
Electronic Arts Redwood City CA Software Engineer $65,325
Arete Seven (dba Bungie) Kirkland WA Game Designer $65,000
Blue Heat Games Atlanta GA Lead Programmer $65,000
High Impact Games N Hollywood CA Computer Systems Analyst $65,000
High Moon Studios Carlsbad CA Associate Programmer $65,000
Obsidian Entertainment Santa Ana CA Software Engineer $65,000
Pixar Emeryville CA Software Engineer (Technical Director) $65,000
Sony Online Entertainment San Diego CA Computer Systems Engineer $65,000
High Impact Games N Hollywood CA Computer Systems Analyst $62,000
Nintendo Software Tech Corp Redmond WA Engineering Specialist (Software Engineer) $61,300
Electronic Arts Chicago CA Software Developer $60,606
Midway Amusement Games Chicago IL Software Engineer $60,000
Obsidian Entertainment Santa Ana CA Software Engineer $60,000
Raven Software Solutions Jacksonville FL Software Engineer $60,000
Raven Software Solutions Jacksonville FL Software Engineer $60,000
Ready At Dawn Studios Santa Ana CA Software Engineer $58,000
Ready At Dawn Studios Santa Ana CA Software Engineer $58,000
THQ Los Angeles CA Software Engineer $57,803
Electronic Arts Tiburon Orlando CA Software Engineer $57,701
THQ Kirkland CA Software Engineer $57,000
High Voltage Software Hoffman Estates IL Software Engineer $56,000
Activision Publishing Albany CA Software Engineer $55,000
Kush Games Camarillo CA Software Engineer $55,000
Kush Games Camarillo CA Software Engineer - Games $55,000
Raven Software Solutions Jacksonville FL Software Engineer $55,000
Raven Software Solutions Jacksonville FL Software Engineer $55,000
Visual Concepts Entertainment Novato CA Software Engineer (Game Tools) $55,000
Visual Concepts Entertainment Novato CA Software Programming Engineer $55,000
Realtime Associates El Segundo CA Computer Programmer $53,500
SCEA Austin CA Software Engineer $52,374
Big Fish Games Seattle WA Software Development Engineer in Test $52,250
Electronic Arts Chicago CA Software Engineer $51,071
THQ Moorpark CA Programmer $51,000
Insomniac Games Burbank CA Associate Gameplay Programmer $50,050
Idol Minds Louisville CO Games Programmer $50,000
Kush Games Camarillo CA Computer Programmer $50,000
THQ Los Angeles CA Game Programmer $50,000
Papaya Studio Irvine CA Game Programmer $48,000
Electronic Arts Tiburon Orlando CA Software Engineer $46,839
THQ Los Angeles CA Game Programmer $45,000
THQ Los Angeles CA Software Engineer $45,000
Electronic Arts Bountiful CA Software Engineer $42,588
Papaya Studio Irvine CA Game Programmer $38,000

Nessie

Web Site Revisions

I’ve been meaning to remark on a couple of web sites, but the oddities I saw a few weeks ago are gone:

  • LegalZoom - I visited this site for low-cost legal services after repeatedly seeing ads on CNBC featuring founder Robert Shapiro, of O.J. trial fame. Strangely, the site had a page of endorsements solely from Fox News talk show hosts (does Bill O’Reilly really need cheap legal advice?). That page is entirely gone, now.
  • MoveOn - I vaguely recall seeing somewhat obnoxious political ads from them in past elections and indignant Republican responses (but nothing lately, are they getting less attention?), but only recently visited their web site. The top campaign asked visitors to express their outrage at Wesley Clark’s comment about McCain being taken out of context. Right below that, a list of Top Ten Things You Should Know About McCain, with a bunch of snippets taken out of context (what did you expect, top ten expansive essays?) Stuff like, did you know John McCain is one of the richest members of Congress? (Who cares? What’s the cutoff - Clinton-rich is OK, but McCain rich is too rich?) Top ten lists are great for talk-show comedy bits and, well, blogs (try googling “McCain top ten”), but not so great for political discourse. The list is still there, but the Clark campaign is now gone - can’t even find it in their campaign archives.

This leads me to a few conclusions:

  1. When I see something that looks ridiculous on a web site, it seems I’m not the only one.
  2. If I want to blog about it, I’ve gotta move faster.
  3. There’s plenty of regular revision work out there for web designers.

Nesting

Don’t Call Me Ralph

After watching my health insurance premiums increase five-fold over the last six years, without every incurring expenses beyond my deductible, I finally got around to switching from Healthnet to another provider.

Besides getting my premiums back down, I wanted a plan that was HSA-compatible. But applying for new health insurance is a pain, even on ehealthinsurance, so I wouldn’t have bothered if I didn’t still have a grudge against Healthnet from a few years ago, when they cashed my premium check, told me they hadn’t received it, and then cancelled my policy. And then since I’d shown high cholesterol from a recent doctor’s visit, I had trouble finding new coverage (Blue Cross sent me a rejection letter that said I was welcome to apply to one of their “high risk” programs)

Contrary to the standard riff that health coverage would work better if government got out of the way of private insurers, the State of California came to my rescue. Following the instruction in my Healthnet manual, I sent a complaint to the California Department of Managed Health Care, which within a few days replied that they only handle HMO’s and not my PPO plan, but they did examine my complaint and agree it appeared valid, so they forwarded it to the appropriate agency, the California Department of Insurance, which also promptly replied saying they sent Healthnet an inquiry.

Shortly after, I received a letter from the Healthnet legal office explaining that the policy number I’d written on my check had been “illegible” so they’d deposited it in another account (apparently the account where they cash any checks they can’t identify, that’s what “illegible” means, right? - I suppose it was too much trouble to check the name and address on the envelope?).

Their not-so-subtle attempt to blame me was undermined by typing the wrong name on the letter. In contrast, the case officer from the Department of Insurance sent me a letter some months later apologizing for not following up sooner with details of the reply from Healthnet.

Insomnia

Dr. Horrible

I hate musicals, except when they’re written by Joss Whedon. The first was Buffy: The Musical. Now Dr. Horrible comes along. Even has a fan site, already.

What’s a Fugu?

When I listed Fugu Games on the Dreamhost Site of the Month forum (garnering an average of 2 points out of 10), one reviewer asked :”What’s a Fugu?”. It seems to me it would have been faster to just type “fugu” in the browser search box, but a fugu is the poisonous Japanese puffer fish served as a delicacy. Some of you may recall the Simpsons episode. See the wikipedia article for more information.

I came up with the name a few years ago after watching a segment on fugu on the Food Network. Tasty, with a hint of danger - perfect name for a game company!

McCain Maze

I wasted part of this weekend messing around with the Green Screen Challenge movie from the Colbert Report, integrating it into a 3D maze web player, on Fugu Games:

and here’s a little movie, captured with SnapZ Pro X from Ambrosia Software.

First Date

a repository of unfinished thoughts