Started a new job today at a game company!

[Jancelot]

Not the kind we're all used to around here, but a game company for the new emerging casual frontier.  Zynga.  If you don't know (and were too lazy to make one click ) they do games for Facebook and MySpace.  The big one is Texas Hold 'Em but they also have Mafia Wars, YoVille, Pirates, Space Wars and many others.

I'm on the Pirates, Space Wars and Mafia Wars team.  I was hired as a PHP programmer and will eventually own a game project.  Today I started out learning the system by fixing some bugs on Pirates.  Woot!  You're welcome, mateys.

It's about a 45 minute commute in to the city for me, but I hope to eventually move in there once I'm better established.  While the hours are going to be long I am getting the pay I wanted and the atmosphere is a typical start-up casual great.  Even better since they are profitable and flush with cash.  A ping-pong table, MAME cabinet, Rock Band setup, free lunch and dinner cooked by students from a culinary school, etc.  So I figure the fuel costs are more than offset by all of the goodies.

If anyone needs a job in San Francisco let me know.  They're hiring like mad right now...and I get a nice referral bonus I'd be glad to share.

[TiLT]

If anyone needs a job in San Francisco let me know.  They're hiring like mad right now...and I get a nice referral bonus I'd be glad to share.

Too bad I don't live anywhere near SF, or I'd throw myself at that offer in a second.

Sounds like you've found something fun to do while earning money doing it. Can't get any better than that.

[Jag]

Congrats. My first job out of college was for a game company (Acclaim). For some really stupid reason I quit it to go to law school. 

[ATB]

Outstanding!  Congratulations. Program in a shout out to gamingtrend on one of the hulls of the pirate ships.

[Tokek]

Hmm, I play Mafia Wars. Any chance you can boost up my stats? 

If I live near SF, I'd take you up on that offer.

[Zero]

Congrats man!  Those games make facebook a "fun" place to be...just wish that facebook would stop tracking my activities.  Damn Beacon!

[gellar]

Awesome.  Congrats.  Whereabouts in the city are you?  I could make hella good recommendations on where to eat and/or where you might look to live.

gellar

[jersoc]

I thought this was going to be about the recently formed Turbine West Studio.

[Larraque]

I've got a development background and always wanted to break into gaming. Are they hiring noobs with a business development background?

[Jancelot]

@gellar - The job is currently located at South Van Ness and 17th in the Potrero Hill area.  Any recommendations are most welcome.  I've heard Nob Hill, Hayes Hill and SoMa are good places to live.

@DragonFyre - well I really don't have a gaming background either other than loving to play them.  I've spent the last 12 years doing medical software in Visual Studio and just the past two web programming with PHP, JS, etc.  I had a couple game programming classes way back in college and have dabbled here and there in it but nothing really to show.  What they wanted was someone who really loves games and had a solid background for my position (programming + PHP).

Anyone interested can start at the job board.  But as you'll notice at the bottom they're open to applications for any and all comers.  They are going from around 100 to 170 employees.  There were 10 people in my orientation and we're about to move in to a new (temporary) building.  Just send it on in, put me down as a ref and I'll do what I can to at least let the right people know...although as I'm a complete newb I naturally don't have much pull (well, none to be honest).

[Fellstrike]

Hmm, I play Mafia Wars. Any chance you can boost up my stats? 

If I live near SF, I'd take you up on that offer.

ditto

[naednek]

Awesome.  Congrats.  Whereabouts in the city are you?  I could make hella good recommendations on where to eat and/or where you might look to live.

gellar

and he has niner tickets to sell you

[gellar]

@gellar - The job is currently located at South Van Ness and 17th in the Potrero Hill area.  Any recommendations are most welcome.  I've heard Nob Hill, Hayes Hill and SoMa are good places to live.

You're in Potrero?  Dude... just live there.  I f'ing LOVE that neighborhood.  If I ever moved in city (I'm about 10 mins south right now), Potrero would be #1 on my list.

In ABSOLUTELY NO WAY should you choose SoMa over Potrero unless you require a fancy new building.  A flat in Potrero is the way to go for sure.  Just make sure you stay on the North slope.  Hayes Valley (not hill) is cool, but kinda a sucky commute for you.  It's pretty much left of center.  I don't really have anything up or down to say about Nob Hill.

Depending on what you are looking for, I'd look at the Mission as well.  Sure it's a little gritty, but it's also got a ton of character and some great restaurants/hang outs.  Also the best tacos in the city.  If you want more of a family type place, Glen Park, Bernal Heights, and Noe Valley.  All that being said, stay in Potrero.  Best weather in the city bar none.

Places worth going in Potrero:  Bottom of the Hill (Music Venue/Bar, bands like the Foo Fighters played some of their first gigs here), Connecticut Yankee (Bar - huge Boston fan hang out), Bloom's Saloon (Dive Bar - don't piss Rico the bartender off or you will never get drinks there ever again, also a FANTASTIC view of the SF Skyline), Farley's (coffee, best cappuccino in SF), Chez Papa/Mama (good food, little expensive), Lingba (good thai food, better looking waitresses), Goat Hill Pizza (awesome pizza, best in SF), Hard Knox Cafe (a bit far from your side of the hill, but excellent fried chicken), and The Slow Club (I think this might technically be Mission as it's on the other side of 101, but the food here is also pretty good.  Nice place for lunch).

Hope that's helpful.  Let me know if you have any other questions.  Incidentally, where are you commuting in from?

gellar

[gellar]

Awesome.  Congrats.  Whereabouts in the city are you?  I could make hella good recommendations on where to eat and/or where you might look to live.

gellar

and he has niner tickets to sell you

Nah I didn't renew this year.  I figured the Niners to suck and I travel too much to make spending half my weekend at that shithole of a stadium to be worth my time.  I'll probably rebuy season tix if they ever build a new stadium, but not likely till then.

gellar

[Jancelot]

Excellent and thanks for the tips.  I'm hoping to move in right after the New Year but I'll certainly start checking out those places and the neighborhoods in general.  Potrero does seem like a really nice location, though.  The only bummer is that the company is moving to a new temporary building soon and then somewhere to be to determined afterwards.  But overall I want to live in a cool area of the city and, well, just be in the city.

Cheers!