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<html> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=7YQSqjSh" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.gamepro.com:80/hub/indexes/insidegp.shtml","20040610161036","https://web.archive.org/","web","https://web-static.archive.org/_static/", "1086883836"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=p7PEIJWi" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <title>Hub Inside GamePro on GamePro.com - So You Want To Work at GamePro?</title> <meta name="Description" content="So You Want To Work at GamePro? Letters Scores for gameplay, graphics, sound, control and fun factor provided. Plus get the latest screenshots, cheats, codes, strategy guides, news, reviews, previews, FAQ's, demo downloads and more from GamePro.com."> <meta name="Keywords" content="So You Want To Work at GamePro? Letters gamepro, gamepro.com, cheats, codes, strategy guide, news, reviews, previews, FAQ's, demo downloads, screenshots."> <script language="JavaScript" src="/web/20040610161036js_/http://www.gamepro.com/scripts/global.js" type="text/JavaScript"></script> <script language="JavaScript" type="text/JavaScript">  adCall2( 'hub', 'article' ); </script> <link href="/web/20040610161036cs_/http://www.gamepro.com/css/gamepro_styles.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> </head> <body bgcolor="CCCCCC" leftmargin="0" topmargin="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0"> <table width="760" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="000000"> <form name="printForm"> <input type="hidden" name="title" value="So You Want To Work at GamePro?"> <input type="hidden" name="genus" value="Domestic"> <input type="hidden" name="type" value="Inside GamePro"> <input type="hidden" name="body" value="'Working at GamePro-that's gotta be the coolest job in the world!' Ask any editor here-we think it is. However, some misconceptions exist about exactly what a job as a GamePro editor involves. There really is serious work amidst all the play. Hopefully, the following snippets of wisdom should give those of you who are serious about game journalism a few starting points. Because we're pretty sure everyone reading this has some assumptions about what a job as a GamePro editor entails, let's start by addressing a few of the myths, rumors, and frequently asked questions. <p><b>You get paid to play games.</b> <br>True. <p><b>Any idiot can play games.</b> <br>True. <p><b>I'm good at games. Can I have a job at GamePro?</b> <br>No. Because being a GamePro editor consists of more than just playing games and being an idiot. <p>The biggest fallacy concerning game journalism is that work is all play. Not so. The job is equal parts effort and fun. In addition to playing games, editors need to be able to summarize them and pass judgment on them-in words!-which requires an additional and wholly different skill set. <p>Obviously, you should be good enough to finish a game quickly-three days for most games, longer for RPGs and adventures. After all, a large proportion of our readers are that good, if not better. But what most people don't realize is that, to be a competent game journalist, other factors besides skilled gameplay are just as important, if not more so. <p> <img class=img_border src='/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/images/12720-1-1.jpg' width='200' height='232' vpsace='0' hspace=8 vspace=8 align='right' alt='Dan Elektro loves helping out the world's aspiring gaming editors.'> Here's a good example: A few years back when I was working for another magazine, I received a complaint from a reader who was annoyed that we'd made a factual error. 'How could you do this? This is irresponsible, shoddy journalism, and it's clear you guys don't know what you're talking about. You need someone there who's on the ball-and that's me. Enclosed is my resume.' Obviously, the guy didn't get many points for manners or tact, but when we looked at his resume, it was funny as hell. 'Beat Super Punch-Out!! in two hours. Finished Final Fantasy III in three days. Have played and mastered every game ever released for the Nintendo Entertainment System.' My boss at the magazine turned to me and said, 'Yeah, but can the guy write?' The snotty attitude didn't bother us, but the enraged reader clearly had no concept whatsoever about what it takes to work at a game magazine. <p><b>Okay, so what are these other skills?</b> <br>First, communication. Think about what the job really is: writing about games. A command of language, correct spelling, variety of vocabulary, knowledge of grammar, and, above all, the ability to explain complex ideas simply. If you're not capable of conveying your thoughts to other people in well-written, fun-to-read prose, this is not the career for you. <p>And communicating means you can't be lazy. Poor journalists often describe how to play the game without actually describing the game experience. If you find yourself reading the phrase, 'You can use the X button to kick or the O button to punch, while the L1 button changes your camera view,' drop the publication and run away immediately. You're reading the instruction manual, and not an article about the feeling you get from blasting aliens or taking a tight turn at 150 mph. Defining fuzzy elements like 'gameplay,' 'immersion,' and, dare we say it, 'Fun Factor' are all constant challenges in this line of work. Meeting these challenges is where the creative portion of the writing comes in, and your review is worthless without it. <p> <img class=img_border src='/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/images/12720-3-1.jpg' width='316' height='232' hspace=8 vspace=8 align='left' alt='Watching Four-Eyed Dragon play Virtua Tennis is one the the most frightening experiences you will ever face.'> Another necessary skill is perception. How many times have you asked a friend how a game was, only to hear, 'It's great! You get to fly around and blow stuff up, and the bosses are cool.' Of course, what your friend neglected to mention was that the graphics consist of giant pixelated images that flood the screen, the music is repetitive and dramatically inappropriate for the action, the explosions don't sound very large or potent, and learning how to use the controls is a nightmare. A good reviewer will think about everything that went into the game, then analyze everything that's coming out of it. <p>Finally, the main reason people read reviews is for help making buying decisions, so criticism is extremely important. If a game is bad, you must specify what's bad about it. What's even harder is defining why a good game is good-you must pinpoint the elements that make it such a strong candidate for play or purchase. You're putting your neck on the chopping block when you say, definitively, 'This is a good thing' or 'This is a bad thing.' 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href="/web/20040610161036/http://www.gamepro.com/hub/indexes/insidegp.shtml" class="breadcrumb">Inside GamePro</a> / So You Want To Work at GamePro?</td> <td width="10" valign="top" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" class="header_right"><img src="/web/20040610161036im_/http://www.gamepro.com/images/spacer.gif" width="10" height="20"></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" valign="top" class="topic_tools"> <form name="article_pulldown" id="article_pulldown"> <select name="article_list" class="forum_index_pulldown" style="width: 85%"><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/35469.shtml">Inside GamePro: Dan Elekro's E3 Blog [E3 2004] [ 11-MAY-04]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/31994.shtml">Inside GamePro: Inside GP: Blood, Sweat, and Photoshop [ 09-DEC-03]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/31534.shtml">Inside GamePro: The Blowdart Wars [ 07-NOV-03]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/31561.shtml">Inside GamePro: Halloween 2003 at GamePro [ 31-OCT-03]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/30771.shtml">Inside GamePro: QuakeCon 2003 [ 15-AUG-03]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/30410.shtml">Inside GamePro: San Diego Comic Con Report [ 25-JUL-03]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/28795.shtml">Inside GamePro: Clueless In Seattle [ 04-APR-03]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/28225.shtml">Inside GamePro: Don't Try This At Home [ 14-FEB-03]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/27804.shtml">Inside GamePro: What抯 On Your Desk? [ 17-JAN-03]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/27583.shtml">Inside GamePro: Dan Elektro Live! [ 27-DEC-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/27447.shtml">Inside GamePro: GamePro Action DVD 2003 Outtakes [ 13-DEC-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/26909.shtml">Inside GamePro: Halloween 2002 [ 01-NOV-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/26396.shtml">Inside GamePro: D-Pad and Star Dingo: Unforgiven [ 27-SEP-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/26206.shtml">Inside GamePro: Major Mike in Japan [ 13-SEP-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/25487.shtml">Inside GamePro: Inside Inside GP [ 02-AUG-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/25145.shtml">Inside GamePro: Tokyo Madness [ 19-JUL-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/25084.shtml">Inside GamePro: Prose and Conventions: Anime Expo [ 17-JUL-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/23760.shtml">Inside GamePro: The Real Story of E3 [ 24-MAY-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/22950.shtml">Inside GamePro: ScooterPro [ 26-APR-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/22600.shtml">Inside GamePro: Kirby & Slime in Oak-town [ 12-APR-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/21926.shtml">Inside GamePro: Throwdown at the Legion of Honor [ 22-MAR-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/21670.shtml">Inside GamePro: Why Do Video Game Movies Suck? [ 15-MAR-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/21420.shtml">Inside GamePro: Gamepro Wins with Rayman [ 08-MAR-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/20800.shtml">Inside GamePro: GP Road Trip: Toy Fair, New York City [ 19-FEB-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/20580.shtml">Inside GamePro: GamePro Blue: Maligned By Jealousy [ 08-FEB-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/20425.shtml">Inside GamePro: Valiant Adventures of GamePro Red [ 01-FEB-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/19966.shtml">Inside GamePro: The Ghosts of GamePro [ 18-JAN-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/19780.shtml">Inside GamePro: Interview With the Boss [ 11-JAN-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/19547.shtml">Inside GamePro: Kirby and Slime抯 Holiday Tour [ 04-JAN-02]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/19400.shtml">Inside GamePro: Miracle on 2nd Street [ 21-DEC-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/18450.shtml">Inside GamePro: ThanksgivinGP [ 21-NOV-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/18161.shtml">Inside GamePro: The Most Dangerous Cubicle [ 09-NOV-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/17901.shtml">Inside GamePro: Halloween 2001 [ 02-NOV-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/17441.shtml">Inside GamePro: Nobody Plays Return to Castle Wolfenstein Right But Me [ 19-OCT-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/17146.shtml">Inside GamePro: At the Bottom of the Barrel of Monkeys [ 05-OCT-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/16990.shtml">Inside GamePro: Uncovering Hidden Characters [ 28-SEP-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/16873.shtml">Inside GamePro: Are You A Video Game Boss Character? [ 21-SEP-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/16743.shtml">Inside GamePro: This Is The Goodlin Midget [ 14-SEP-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/16600.shtml">Inside GamePro: A Day in the Life of The Destroyer [ 07-SEP-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/16500.shtml">Inside GamePro: Happy Birthday from Dr. Zombie [ 31-AUG-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/16341.shtml">Inside GamePro: Nobody Plays Counter-Strike Right But Me [ 24-AUG-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/16203.shtml">Inside GamePro: Birth of a Puppet [ 17-AUG-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/15465.shtml">Inside GamePro: Get a Hobby! (Part 2) [ 20-JUL-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/15320.shtml">Inside GamePro: Get a Hobby! (Part 1) [ 13-JUL-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/15140.shtml">Inside GamePro: A Day in the Life of匘an Elektro [ 06-JUL-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/14624.shtml">Inside GamePro: A Night at the Lanes! [ 08-JUN-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/14427.shtml">Inside GamePro: Cubicle Scavenger Hunt [ 01-JUN-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/13860.shtml">Inside GamePro: The Many Faces of GamePro [ 11-MAY-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/12720.shtml">Inside GamePro: So You Want To Work at GamePro? [ 04-MAY-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/13504.shtml">Inside GamePro: The Wayne Event [ 27-APR-01]</option><option value="/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/13341.shtml">Inside GamePro: The Malibu Racing Challenge [ 20-APR-01]</option></select> <input type="button" value="go" class="search_button" onclick="self.location.href = document.article_pulldown.article_list.options[document.article_pulldown.article_list.selectedIndex].value;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" valign="top" class="body"> <table width="300" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="body_ad"> <tr> <td> <motif width="300" height="250" interstitial="yes"> <script language="JavaScript"> document.write('<SCR' + 'IPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" SRC="https://web.archive.org/web/20040610161036/http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/idg.us.gamepro.'+dartSite+'/'+dartZone+';pos=imu;ptile=2;sz=300x250;ord='+timeStamp+'?"><\/SCR' + 'IPT>'); if ((!document.images && navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Mozilla/2.") >= 0) || navigator.userAgent.indexOf("WebTV")>= 0) { document.write('<A HREF="https://web.archive.org/web/20040610161036/http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/idg.us.gamepro.'+dartSite+'/'+dartZone+';pos=imu;ptile=2;sz=300x250;ord='+timeStamp+'?" 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Ask any editor here-we think it is. However, some misconceptions exist about exactly what a job as a GamePro editor involves. There really is serious work amidst all the play. Hopefully, the following snippets of wisdom should give those of you who are serious about game journalism a few starting points. Because we're pretty sure everyone reading this has some assumptions about what a job as a GamePro editor entails, let's start by addressing a few of the myths, rumors, and frequently asked questions. <p><b>You get paid to play games.</b> <br>True. <p><b>Any idiot can play games.</b> <br>True. <p><b>I'm good at games. Can I have a job at GamePro?</b> <br>No. Because being a GamePro editor consists of more than just playing games and being an idiot. <p>The biggest fallacy concerning game journalism is that work is all play. Not so. The job is equal parts effort and fun. In addition to playing games, editors need to be able to summarize them and pass judgment on them-in words!-which requires an additional and wholly different skill set. <p>Obviously, you should be good enough to finish a game quickly-three days for most games, longer for RPGs and adventures. After all, a large proportion of our readers are that good, if not better. But what most people don't realize is that, to be a competent game journalist, other factors besides skilled gameplay are just as important, if not more so. <p> <img class="img_border" src="/web/20040610161036im_/http://www.gamepro.com/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/images/12720-1-1.jpg" width="200" height="232" vpsace="0" hspace="8" vspace="8" align="right" alt="Dan Elektro loves helping out the world's aspiring gaming editors."> Here's a good example: A few years back when I was working for another magazine, I received a complaint from a reader who was annoyed that we'd made a factual error. "How could you do this? This is irresponsible, shoddy journalism, and it's clear you guys don't know what you're talking about. You need someone there who's on the ball-and that's me. Enclosed is my resume." Obviously, the guy didn't get many points for manners or tact, but when we looked at his resume, it was funny as hell. "Beat Super Punch-Out!! in two hours. Finished Final Fantasy III in three days. Have played and mastered every game ever released for the Nintendo Entertainment System." My boss at the magazine turned to me and said, "Yeah, but can the guy write?" The snotty attitude didn't bother us, but the enraged reader clearly had no concept whatsoever about what it takes to work at a game magazine. <p><b>Okay, so what are these other skills?</b> <br>First, communication. Think about what the job really is: writing about games. A command of language, correct spelling, variety of vocabulary, knowledge of grammar, and, above all, the ability to explain complex ideas simply. If you're not capable of conveying your thoughts to other people in well-written, fun-to-read prose, this is not the career for you. <p>And communicating means you can't be lazy. Poor journalists often describe how to play the game without actually describing the game experience. If you find yourself reading the phrase, "You can use the X button to kick or the O button to punch, while the L1 button changes your camera view," drop the publication and run away immediately. You're reading the instruction manual, and not an article about the feeling you get from blasting aliens or taking a tight turn at 150 mph. Defining fuzzy elements like "gameplay," "immersion," and, dare we say it, "Fun Factor" are all constant challenges in this line of work. Meeting these challenges is where the creative portion of the writing comes in, and your review is worthless without it. <p> <img class="img_border" src="/web/20040610161036im_/http://www.gamepro.com/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/images/12720-3-1.jpg" width="316" height="232" hspace="8" vspace="8" align="left" alt="Watching Four-Eyed Dragon play Virtua Tennis is one the the most frightening experiences you will ever face."> Another necessary skill is perception. How many times have you asked a friend how a game was, only to hear, "It's great! You get to fly around and blow stuff up, and the bosses are cool." Of course, what your friend neglected to mention was that the graphics consist of giant pixelated images that flood the screen, the music is repetitive and dramatically inappropriate for the action, the explosions don't sound very large or potent, and learning how to use the controls is a nightmare. A good reviewer will think about everything that went into the game, then analyze everything that's coming out of it. <p>Finally, the main reason people read reviews is for help making buying decisions, so criticism is extremely important. If a game is bad, you must specify what's bad about it. What's even harder is defining why a good game is good-you must pinpoint the elements that make it such a strong candidate for play or purchase. You're putting your neck on the chopping block when you say, definitively, "This is a good thing" or "This is a bad thing." Yet that's exactly why readers want to read reviews in the first place-because they're about to drop $50 based in part on what you say. <p> <br clear="all"> <div align="center"><a href="/web/20040610161036/http://www.gamepro.com/hub/insidegp/games/insidegp/12722.shtml" class="header">Next Page >></a></div> <a href="javascript:emailAFriend( "Inside%20GamePro%3ASo%20You%20Want%20To%20Work%20at%20GamePro%3F", "/hub/insidegp/games/blockbuster_list/12720.shtml", 1 )"><b>email this article</b></a> <b class="messages">/</b> <a href="javascript:printArticle();"><b>print this article</b></a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td><img src="/web/20040610161036im_/http://www.gamepro.com/images/leftnav_bottom.gif" width="140" height="10"></td> <td></td> <td><img src="/web/20040610161036im_/http://www.gamepro.com/images/610_bottom.gif" width="610" height="10"></td> </tr> </table> <table width="760" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td colspan="3"><img src="/web/20040610161036im_/http://www.gamepro.com/images/spacer.gif" width="760" height="10"></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><img src="/web/20040610161036im_/http://www.gamepro.com/images/legal_top.gif" width="760" height="10"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background: #666666; border-left:solid 3px black;"><a href="javascript:popFull('https://web.archive.org/web/20040610161036/http://www.idgentertainment.com',800,550);"><img src="/web/20040610161036im_/http://www.gamepro.com/images/legal_idge.gif" width="79" height="35" border="0" style="margin-left:10px"></a></td> <td width="75%" class="legal_static">© 2003 IDG Entertainment. 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