posted 05-05- 08:03 PM               

I went from being a C-5 Flight Engineer in the USAF (great job, but gone way too much from my real passions, being with my family and working on computers). In my down time I got very into SDOE and OP, and taught myself to use 3DS Max with several books and tutorials. After a couple years of just tinkering and having fun seeing my work in the game I got an email out of the blue and the end result was a $35K / Yr job down here in Palm Desert, CA. Pretty cool considering I was just self taught.

Next when that company ran into some problems I was hired by another company in Arizona, but after a few months the project was cancelled. Then a couple more close calls occured but didn't "take" until a new one entered the picture. I got hired last weekend to help finish up a game that will hopefully be ready this September. It's pretty fun and hopefully will do well. Btw, I just find an email on websites of games I'm interested in and then send them my resume and try to put accross my passion for games and 3D modeling, and it seems to be a good forumula for getting hired.

So with that having been said, I still wanted a decent fulltime day job that could take my computer skills even further (always looking for growth). I then interviewed this past Wednesday and about a 1/2 hour after I got home I got the call saying I was hired and to come in the next morning. This is where things get interesting now. This latest job is with a pool construction company that designs award winning free-form pools for some pretty wealthy clients down here. But knowing what I know in 3D, I figured working with 2D schematics and blueprints should be a walk in the park. And guess what, it is! All the knowledge I gained from THIS GAME has lead me to a great job as a computer draftsman that should earn me and my family over $60K this next year. That's the most I've ever been able to earn.

So what's my point? If you really enjoy modeling and CAD type programs and feel you are good at it, use your skills to earn some really great money. Keep and eye in your local classifieds and jobs will come up that you'll be very good for. Btw, I'm working on a Mac G4 system now at work but it's very easy to use and pretty fast.