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Cosplayer to Studio Head

Blogs > Riku
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Riku
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States1064 Posts
April 08 2016 16:45 GMT
#1
Hey TL! Long time, yet again!

Some of you may remember me from, well, dressing up like a baneling (seriously: http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/276689-baneling-costume-progress ). Others from my various rants and raves in this series of blogs.

I’ve been a huge gamer my entire life, from the moment I went from sitting next to my dad, watching him play Wolfenstein 3D and took control of the keyboard and mouse myself. That grew past what most would consider a hobby into a full life passion. At the time, though, I only knew how to invest in this passion by writing blogs, making cosplaying and playing a hell of a lot of video games.

That all changed a few years ago, when I realized that, holy crap, there are people who actually MAKE video games. And, thus, my entire life changed.

I went from working as a System and Design Engineer in biotech to a Software Engineer in biotech (I taught myself programming and requested a team transfer), then I began to work as both a Producer and as a Server Engineer for Fixer Studios, and then… well, I started my own studio just over a year and a half ago.

Since then, I’ve been busting my little baneling butt making my first major title, Potions: A Curious Tale.



It’s been a crazy and wild ride.

[image loading]

Of course, I started this venture in the game industry at a very tumultuous time for women in games, but I’m happy to say I’ve remained relatively unscathed for the past two years. Though I did talk about a little bit of the subtle sexism (if it even qualifies as that) that I’ve experienced in my last blog: http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/494285-post-pax-potions

I’m really happy where I am now: Leading a team of great artists and developers, helping others in the game industry through IGDA and my own vlogs and articles.

I just wanted to let you all at TL know, because here was one of the places that I cultivated, shared and expanded my passion for video games.

<3

As always, reach out to me if you need my advice or help.

~Renee "Riku" Gittins

P.S.
+ Show Spoiler +
Not wanting to let QXC steal all of the Kickstarter spotlight ( http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/507100-from-pro-gaming-to-game-designer-a-qxc-story ), I’m happy to announce that Potions is now also on Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1268017280/potions-a-curious-tale



[image loading]

***
Creative Director, CEO at Stumbling Cat, Writer for Broken Joysticks - Twitter: @RikuKat
JimmyJRaynor
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Canada17614 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-04-08 18:30:39
April 08 2016 18:22 GMT
#2
My #1 customer is desperate for female coders. its great for me because they keep hiring women who can't do the job ; i swoop in as an outside contractor and save project after project. Of course project rescue jobs pay a lot more than normal projects. Also, there is no will to hire me and pay me as a salaried employee less than one third what they are paying me now because i'm male.
Ray Kassar To David Crane : "you're no more important to Atari than the factory workers assembling the cartridges"
Riku
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States1064 Posts
April 08 2016 18:27 GMT
#3
On April 09 2016 03:22 JimmyJRaynor wrote:
My #1 customer is desperate for female coders. its great for me because they keep hiring women who can't do the job ; i swoop in as an outside contractor and save the project. Of course project rescue jobs pay a lot more than normal projects. Also, there is no will to hire me and pay me as a salaried employee less than one third what they are paying me now because i'm male.


I hear contracting is really the way to go if you like flexible hours and don't mind the whole job instability part.
Creative Director, CEO at Stumbling Cat, Writer for Broken Joysticks - Twitter: @RikuKat
JimmyJRaynor
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Canada17614 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-04-08 18:49:17
April 08 2016 18:37 GMT
#4
As long as you have a nice little network of project managers you should have a steady stream of incoming work. The Arnica Web Portal and West Wind Web Connection are where i make the most cash by far and that's sort of my niche.

A big mistake most of the software engineers make is not networking with the right people; They also do not create a niche for themselves.

Technically speaking i am a "software development contractor"; in reality i'm a coder with four part time jobs.
Ray Kassar To David Crane : "you're no more important to Atari than the factory workers assembling the cartridges"
Jealous
Profile Blog Joined December 2011
10336 Posts
April 08 2016 18:58 GMT
#5
You've come a long way since this was said:

"It's as though Riku's life is some really lame version of Speed where if she doesn't post at least one terrible blog a day, her cats will die."

Congratulations on your project and your position.
"The right to vote is only the oar of the slaveship, I wanna be free." -- бум бум сучка!
Riku
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States1064 Posts
April 08 2016 22:32 GMT
#6
On April 09 2016 03:58 Jealous wrote:
You've come a long way since this was said:

"It's as though Riku's life is some really lame version of Speed where if she doesn't post at least one terrible blog a day, her cats will die."

Congratulations on your project and your position.



Ahhh... the days of college, where writing blog posts was my escape from the harsh reality of going to a really damn challenging school.
Creative Director, CEO at Stumbling Cat, Writer for Broken Joysticks - Twitter: @RikuKat
Psyonic_Reaver
Profile Blog Joined June 2007
United States4342 Posts
April 09 2016 04:55 GMT
#7
Riku I remember meeting you at PAX back in.... 2010 I want to say....

Good luck with your game!
So wait? I'm bad? =(
FFGenerations
Profile Blog Joined April 2011
7088 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-04-09 17:29:55
April 09 2016 17:25 GMT
#8
fantastic trailer, congrats

i posted in your old blog that 'my "dream" is sort of like work for a year or two and then take time off to develop myself in something i really want to do, like you are doing (for me maybe it will be music or art or idk)' .... well in 2 days i move house and start studying to draw after quitting my job
Cool BW Music Vid - youtube.com/watch?v=W54nlqJ-Nx8 ~~~~~ ᕤ OYSTERS ᕤ CLAMS ᕤ AND ᕤ CUCKOLDS ᕤ ~~~~~~ ༼ ᕤ◕◡◕ ༽ᕤ PUNCH HIM ༼ ᕤ◕◡◕ ༽ᕤ
Riku
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States1064 Posts
April 09 2016 17:30 GMT
#9
On April 09 2016 13:55 Psyonic_Reaver wrote:
Riku I remember meeting you at PAX back in.... 2010 I want to say....

Good luck with your game!


Thanks! :D

Maybe see you at PAX this year?

On April 10 2016 02:25 FFGenerations wrote:
fantastic trailer, congrats

i posted in your old blog that "my "dream" is sort of like work for a year or two and then take time off to develop myself in something i really want to do, like you are doing (for me maybe it will be music or art or idk)" .... well in 2 days i move house and start studying to draw after quitting my job


Nice! I hope it goes really well for you. Rock it!
Creative Director, CEO at Stumbling Cat, Writer for Broken Joysticks - Twitter: @RikuKat
fabiano
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Brazil4644 Posts
April 11 2016 23:36 GMT
#10
Nothing out of this world, but pretty straightforward, very well paced and professionally fit the narrative with the scenes.

Keep up the good work!
"When the geyser died, a probe came out" - SirJolt
Falling
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Canada11549 Posts
April 12 2016 21:08 GMT
#11
I hope you find funding for your game. It's always interesting to hear what different TL members have gone on to do.
ModeratorDavid Duke, Richard Spencer, Nick Fuentes, Daily Stormer... "Some very fine people on both sides"
Riku
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States1064 Posts
April 13 2016 16:59 GMT
#12
On April 12 2016 08:36 fabiano wrote:
Nothing out of this world, but pretty straightforward, very well paced and professionally fit the narrative with the scenes.

Keep up the good work!


Thanks! :D

On April 13 2016 06:08 Falling wrote:
I hope you find funding for your game. It's always interesting to hear what different TL members have gone on to do.


Right? Kind of crazy to watch.

I went to school at Harvey Mudd and know Sean (Day[9]) and Kevin (QXC) really well. It's great seeing that they are still putting their talents towards their passions.
Creative Director, CEO at Stumbling Cat, Writer for Broken Joysticks - Twitter: @RikuKat
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