How would you like to play all of the hottest games before they hit the market and get paid to write about them? David Knight has what might seem like a dream job for many gamers, but it’s not all fun and games. I recently interviewed Knight, the author of many of Prima’s official game guides – including most recently Battlefield 3 – about what it’s like to work in the gaming industry and how he got the job. Read on for his answers, plus three hot tips for improving your own Battlefield 3 game!
I’ll bet that most people think that you play video games for a living. How close is that to the truth?
I get that a lot, but it’s not entirely accurate. I’d say only 20% of my time (or less) is spent playing video games. The rest of the time I spend writing and producing content for our guides and digital products. The tricky part is convincing myself to turn off the game and start the actual work. It takes discipline, especially when working on a fun title like Battlefield 3.
How did you get this job?
I guess you could say I was in the right place at the right time. While going to college I was working for a company that was in the same business park as Prima. At the time I was designing scenarios for a turn-based PC war game called Steel Panthers, published by SSI. Since we were involved in the same industry, there was a natural connection. Little by little I began doing some freelance tech editing and quality-assurance type work for Prima Games. After college, Prima Games asked me to write guides, and I’ve been doing the same thing ever since.
How many other people do you work with?
Each project is different, but for most guides I’m the sole author. That means I’m responsible for all text and screens that appear in the guide. On Battlefield 3 we brought in a second author (Sam Bishop) to tackle the campaign and co-op here in California while I was at DICE in Stockholm working on multiplayer. Outside of content production, each book also has a copy editor, a designer, and a product marketing manager, who oversees everything from start to finish. We also work closely with the developers and collaborate with them (when possible) to provide an insider’s perspective. On Battlefield 3, I worked closely with Diego Jimenez at DICE, the level designer of the Caspian Border and Seine Crossing maps.
How do you go about developing the tips and strategies that go in each book?
Although most of my time is spent writing, I have nothing to write if I don’t really dig-in to the game first. Before I even write a sentence, I try to play through an entire game at least once. At that point I have a pretty good idea of what is challenging or confusing about a game. But for a multiplayer game like Battlefield 3, there really is no end. Even more problematic, the only place to play Battlefield 3 before launch was DICE’s office in Stockholm. So I spent two weeks at DICE playing with the developers and testers everyday, capturing video footage of each match. Simply playing with the people who made the game was a huge eye-opener, not to mention a humbling experience for this Battlefield veteran.
How long does it take to work out a first draft?
We work under very strict deadlines to ensure the guide is available the same day as the game’s release. On average, we only have 3-6 weeks from the time we get a playable build to the time when a guide goes to print. In that time we have to not only master the game, but also turn out 200+ pages of designed text. So instead of writing a first draft, we begin with a very detailed outline. The outline is then discussed by our team and tweaked until we have a very clear idea what content must be conveyed. At the same time we work closely with the designer to make sure all content is presented in a way that reflects the aesthetic of the game. Once an outline is fleshed-out, I start writing.
When do you know that you’re done? Is there a certain point where you say “Alright, I’ve found out everything I need to in this game.”?
With some games, it’s easy. Working from our outline, we make sure every aspect of the game is covered, including unlocks and collectibles, as well as achievements and trophies. But with Battlefield 3’s multiplayer, it was very difficult to stop writing because the game is so unpredictable and filled with so many possibilities. So if it weren’t for a deadline, I’d probably still be writing the guide. But through Prima Games’ website, I can continue supplying the community with tips, tactics, and other crazy Battlefield moments we encounter post-release.
Well, how about some tips for Battlefield 3?
Target Spotted: Make a habit of spotting enemy troops and vehicles before attacking. This allows your teammates to see the enemy you’re aiming at. While this isn’t a new feature, it’s extremely important in Battlefield 3 particularly when calling out targets for jets. If enemy ground vehicles aren’t spotted, it makes it extremely difficult for pilots to see them while streaking over the battlefield at high speed.
Pass the Ammo: If you’re playing as the support class, don’t’ forget to drop ammo bags for your teammates. This is the only way they can replenish their ammo. Engineers need constant resupply to load-up on rockets and mines. In addition to helping your teammates, you’ll also help yourself to some Resupply points every time a teammate pulls ammo from one of your bags.
Defend the Flag: During Conquest matches don’t leave your captured flags undefended. Once your squad has secured a flag, stay put and defend it. Have your squad leader place a defend order on the flag to guarantee you bonus points for all kills scored within the order’s radius. In Conquest your team only needs to hold the majority of the flags to bleed the ticket count of the opposing team. For example, if there’s five flags, you only need to hold three to drain the enemy’s reinforcements. Otherwise you’re simply spreading your forces too thin.
