[QUOTE=GameDev;29024236]If I go into game design and don't land at a professional company, ie Valve or DICE, is saying going indie a good idea for a safety net?
If not, what fields could I possibly take for level design that if not the video game industry I could go elsewhere? I'm into level design.[/QUOTE]
Keep in mind I was thinking Bachelor of Arts in Game Design not Bachelor of Science.
So I can be ARTSY!
Bachelor of Interactive media with Major in Animation.
Mine sounds more technical :v:
[editline]7th April 2011[/editline]
Also, portfolios are crucial to standing out, especially if you show you can take criticism and evolve your projects around them.
I want to do graphic design for a games company, or areonautical engineering.
If your interested in the more Artistic Side of the Industry, Something like Computer Arts and Design (or whatever its called outside the UK) might suit you.
You could allways do Game Design as a side job to whatever your back up plan is in your spare time.
I was thinking of this too and planned on going to Digipen in Seattle. But after doing research and people's opinion, I've ultimately decided to get a Computer Science degree then maybe try for a Masters degree in Digipen.
[QUOTE=avergejoe;29022663]Bitches love people with money. People with money = engineers.
[editline]6th April 2011[/editline]
haaaaaa[/QUOTE]
I didn't mean that no women are going to go after you, but only that there are no women actually studying that. And if they are there are 5ers or worse.
[QUOTE=Highwind017;29031268]If your interested in the more Artistic Side of the Industry, Something like Computer Arts and Design (or whatever its called outside the UK) might suit you.
You could allways do Game Design as a side job to whatever your back up plan is in your spare time.[/QUOTE]
Considering that my backup plan was join the marines with my friend, I doubt it'll work out well. Not that I'm implying that marines aren't great at games, From what I've heard the armed forces quite like their video games too. The plan their was to join the marines in the Us, come back when service was up and try out for the rangers here.
[QUOTE=Highwind017;29031268]If your interested in the more Artistic Side of the Industry, Something like Computer Arts and Design (or whatever its called outside the UK) might suit you.
You could allways do Game Design as a side job to whatever your back up plan is in your spare time.[/QUOTE]
I read some big vidya game company saying they'd rather get people educated in real arts than vidya game art.
[QUOTE=Stathis;29022368]engineering=not a single woman[/QUOTE]
Your more likely to be a game designer if your a woman.
[QUOTE=Stathis;29036014]I didn't mean that no women are going to go after you, but only that there are no women actually studying that. And if they are there are 5ers or worse.[/QUOTE]
Do we really want women designing our planes, buildings, and bridges?
Do we really want misogyny in this thread?
I do
[QUOTE=sp00ks;29039113]Do we really want misogyny in this thread?[/QUOTE]
To late
If there's one thing I've learnt it's that you want to be good in a specific area - companies wont hire a jack of all trades unless he is truly the jack, but since hardly anyone is - concentrate on one specific area - Modelling, Graphic Design, Programming and that other one too.
I find that I myself tend to be drawn more towards mapping and designing. Theres some great feeing associated with just seeing the product of your labor. Like making a finished piece in art, or a well done prep page.
Whatever you do STAY AWAY FROM I.A.D.T. That school is nothing but fraud.
[QUOTE=Galoi;29053698]I find that I myself tend to be drawn more towards mapping and designing. Theres some great feeing associated with just seeing the product of your labor. Like making a finished piece in art, or a well done prep page.[/QUOTE]
Strive towards that and enjoy your title as environmental artist or level designer (Both require large amounts of artistic skill)
Whatever you do STAY AWAY FROM I.A.D.T. That school is nothing but fraud.
I was going to take a games design course, luckily I chose an alternate option at a college I wasn't particularly fond of (Animation was the course), however because of that I think I saved my ass - My main option was a pile of shit while my second one has a professional teaching it, the interview took 30 minutes and about a week later the guy gave me 25g of tutorials for Unity, Maya, Photoshop, Character Design and some others, I'm so fucking glad I chose to take my course there.
[QUOTE=avergejoe;29003585]Find a college with a good program ([B]there are loads[/B] of them).
Be original.[/QUOTE]
:science:
Even if i somehow fuck up so utterly that I don't get hired at a games company, ever. I'm still going to make games. Its already my hobby and interest. College is just about turning that hobby into a future right?
I also wanna know, where does OP live? If so, I might have a better idea of places he could check out and which companies he'd enjoy more.
[QUOTE=Jallen;29015615]I've been programming in C++ since I was 14 (now 20, so 6 years so far), I'm doing a Computer Science degree on track for a first, and it's still no guarantee I'm going to be able to get a game development job.
A "game design" course is completely useless. I haven't heard of a single case of someone coming from one of those courses and ending up successful. Anyone can design a game, everybody has ideas. The programmers will design code better than you, the artists will design assets better than you, composers will design music better than you, and ALL of them are capable of coming up with game ideas. A designer position is aquired through years of working through the company into the position. Not by some course which by the way will be pretty much useless in every other area of life, especially in the eyes of employers.
If you're really serious, you need to pick an area of game development and work on it, work on it and work on it. Either that or work your way into manager positions so you have valid experience. A game design course will get you nowhere.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://www.retroaffect.com/[/url]
These guys have game design majors. Its just veiled as "Digital Arts & Sciences" they graduated from my school.
Also, depending on what you want to do, if you're going into indie dev like I want to. Be prepared for LOTS of cheap food and sleeping at your work.
If not, be prepared to do a bunch of side jobs before you even get invovled with game design. You're not guaranteed a job and most people want experience so you'll end up working at other media companies before even getting a chance to join a game dev studio.
[QUOTE=Galoi;29056442]Even if i somehow fuck up so utterly that I don't get hired at a games company, ever. I'm still going to make games. Its already my hobby and interest. College is just about turning that hobby into a future right?[/QUOTE]
not fucking up utterly, doesn't get you a job in the industry. You have to be incredibly talented, incredibly persistent, and lastly incredibly lucky. A combination of all three, and then you just [b]might[/b] have a job in the game industry, other than gaymen tester.
[editline]9th April 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Galoi;29056442]Even if i somehow fuck up so utterly that I don't get hired at a games company, ever. I'm still going to make games. Its already my hobby and interest. College is just about turning that hobby into a future right?[/QUOTE]
not fucking up utterly, doesn't get you a job in the industry. You have to be incredibly talented, incredibly persistent, and lastly incredibly lucky. A combination of all three, and then you just [b]might[/b] have a job in the game industry, other than gaymen tester.
So Game Design courses are useless? Of course a portfolio is a great thing to have, but if you're lacking in the know-how, your portfolio will look like shit.
These courses give you the skills you need to build a decent portfolio and get a job. It isn't about what is on the resume, but the skills and knowledge you gain by completing these courses.
[QUOTE=Galoi;29056442]Even if i somehow fuck up so utterly that I don't get hired at a games company, ever. I'm still going to make games. Its already my hobby and interest. College is just about turning that hobby into a future right?[/QUOTE]
Exactly.
Here's some advice from someone who is dead happy with my direction in life because I am 100% confident I will get to work on the thing that interests me most, which is level design, enviornment design, etc. With a side of game design, of course.
It's one of the few creative efforts that actually *charge* my mental batteries, not drain them. I can draw, I can sketch and I can come up with creative concepts but these all drain my mental and creative batteries (but they are all important, so I try to do them and tend to find satisfication from it). Level design however is one of the few things I can do at night and be totally "in the zone" while doing it (I am a morning person who struggles at doing homework past 5pm - this says a lot).
I honestly can't see myself doing any other profession. Except perhaps freelance graphic design, which happens to slightly interest me and is what I am studying in college (Visual Communications degree). There is no doubt in my mind that I will achieve it, because its somethign I know that I want and I know I love to it.
The thing is, you gotta have the mindset to win it. Game design is one of those rare professions where:
1. Your degree really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but it CAN enrich your work, your life, and your deeper knowledge of the subject. It can make you more well rounded, which is an excellent asset to have in any creative field.
2. It's output is directly tied to how much you put into your life, both from a study standpoint and lifestyle standpoint.
3. Extremely rewarding (if you are not working at a sweatshop) and you are pretty much garunteed to work with like minded individuals.
Here's my current staus report:
I am 21 years of age as of two months ago, I've been a major contributing level designer for the award winning Mechwarrior Living Legends mod which won MOTY 2009. I've designed a single player level for Crysis that won 2nd place in Creativity for the ICMC contest. I pay for my own school and am financially sounds thanks to my part time pizza delivery job.
I REALLY want to buy a Kayak this summer and get involved in Kayaking. I'm kinda anxious because I graduate with an associates in Visual Communications this spring, which requires me to show off my graphic design portfolio infront of many people including professionals.
I plan on continuing to do level design and modding realated activies in my free time while all this is going on. If I can't get a job in a design studio, that suits me fine at the moment too. Because my lifestyle of pizza delivery and modding or independant game design sounds just as appealing to me, especially if I suppliment it with doing some freelance graphic design on the side.
I love making shit. As long as I can make my passion come to life and nuture it, then my life is set. And I know eventually, it'll get me noticed. Even if it takes me 10 years to do so, and that's kinda exciting. I'm curious to see what kind of stuff I can make in 10 years, and what kinds of skills I might have. Wiether I'm a professional for a company or a "guru" for modding teams and indies, I'll be doing what I love and that's what counts.
That is what getting a job in the industry is all about, when you just -do it-, and you love it. Then it doesnt matter if you get in or not because you are already "working in the industry" even if it's just as a hobby. Getting paid to do what I love seems like a bonus to me rather than an incentive. And I know that'll get me far in this field.
[editline]9th April 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Lamar;29059581]not fucking up utterly, doesn't get you a job in the industry. You have to be incredibly talented, incredibly persistent, and lastly incredibly lucky. A combination of all three, and then you just [b]might[/b] have a job in the game industry, other than gaymen tester.
[editline]9th April 2011[/editline]
not fucking up utterly, doesn't get you a job in the industry. You have to be incredibly talented, incredibly persistent, and lastly incredibly lucky. A combination of all three, and then you just [b]might[/b] have a job in the game industry, other than gaymen tester.[/QUOTE]
Luck = preperation meets opportunity. You can tip luck in your favor, especially if you get your name out there.
Getting into the industrusty is 50% networking, 40% your portfolio and 10% your degree. Networking = who you know. Get to know people, and make yourself involved in people. I'm 99% sure if I applied to Crytek right now I'd be seriously considered as a candidate considering two of the people that worked on MWLL with me now profesionally work there in senior positions. I won't though because I know my portfolio isn't as strong as it could be, I'm not ready to move up profesionally yet, and I still have a lot to experience life wise before I'd be comfortable moving to Germany.
Another amazing post by KorJax
:golfclap:
Hey Guys,
I'm Dave from the previously mentioned Retro Affect ([url]www.retroaffect.com[/url]). I'm a video game programmer currently working on a game called Snapshot, and before that I spent a handful of years writing gameplay systems for a couple different MMOs. I graduated from Clarkson University with a Degree in Computer Science, and then was fortunate enough to enter into the gaming industry.
I just wanted to chime in a bit because I've read a handful of statements through the thread that aren't exactly correct in my opinion, mainly regarding getting into the game industry or what it's like. Granted everything I'm about to say is also completely my opinion, which I've based on my years in the industry and everything surrounding it. Let me start by addressing these questions...
I want to make games:
Do I need to get a college degree?
If so, what degree should I get?
What should I do in addition to my degree?
Before you can answer these questions, you need to know what exactly it is that you'd like to be doing in the industry. It's almost like saying, "I'd like to work cars". Thats great, but there are a lot of different positions working on cars: mechanics, design, production, sales, etc. In the gaming industry there are a lot of different positions available, and each have their own requirements. They typically break down to something along the lines of:
Producers ("Producer", "Studio Director", "Studio Head", etc) - These lovely people manage the schedules, organize meetings, and handle any large amount of coordination that needs to take place in developing a game. They spend their days doing organizational work and making sure the entire project is moving along smoothly.
Programmers ("Engineer", "Technical Director", "Lead Programmer", etc) - The nuts and bolts to a video game. When you hit a button on the controller, programmers (and the code they create) are behind moving the character around, shooting the lasers, or delivering that bicycle kick. Most programmers have specialties such as Gameplay Programmers, Graphics Programmers, Engine Programmers, Networking/Server Programmers, or Tools Programmers.
Artists ("3D Character Animator", "Texture Artists", "Environmental Artists", "Art Director", etc) - If you want your game to look great, most likely you'll want some great artists backing the project up. They spend most of their day drawing or animating, and some even write code much like a programmer.
Designers ("Systems Designer", "World Builder", "Content Designer", etc) - Designers are commonly thought of as the ones who determine what the game is like. This highly depends on the studio you work for. Some studios don't even employ full time designers, and others have giant teams of them. Most of their time is spent either in programs like Microsoft Word writing "Design Docs" which detail all aspects of the game (What size should those icons be? What options should be in the Options menu?). If they aren't doing that, they are typically creating content for the game with specialized tools written by the programmers (For example, this is how they would actually put a "Sword of a Thousand Truths" into the game).
Testers - These jobs can vary from highly technical and exciting, to having very low requirements and mundane. Testers normally spend their time playing the games in different ways to try and find as many bugs as possible, then filing bug reports, and retesting once a new version of the game is available to them. In addition, there are also testers who write code to automate the testing process.
Once you know what you'd like to be doing, then its time to figure out how to get there....
THE NUMBER ONE RULE TO GET INTO THE GAME INDUSTRY: Enjoy playing AND making games in some capacity. It turns out that making games is actually a lot of work, and a lot of people would rather just play them. That's totally cool! However, making video games can be equally as rewarding at hitting level cap or getting that KO against King Hippo. Best way to show you love making games? Make games.
That's great, What about college?!?
Yes. Go to college. In my opinion, if you're a...
Producer - You want to make sure that you're organized and can lead a team. You need to know the processes for video game production (how code is developed, how art is created, etc).
Programmer - You should be looking into a 4 year degree on Computer Science or Software Engineering. Be a rockstar programmer first, rockstar game programmer second.
Artist - Look into a 4 year degree where you can work on your art. Try to decide what you want to specialize in and practice that over and over. (To level your crafting in wow, you do it... lots. Same thing here)
Designer - Personally, I think the best designers are the ones with a degree in something else. Art, Engineering, etc. Learn to analyze the games you play though, and try to discover why soulstones have a 1 hour cooldown, why you flash for a few seconds after respawning or getting hurt, etc.
Wow, have I really written THAT much about this already? I need to stop. I swear tomorrow I'm going to be coding SO many bugs into snapshot because of my lack of sleep.
I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you guys might have about anything related to the gaming industry. I could seriously talk for hours about this stuff. I could answer them here, start a new thread (with more specifics about the different jobs), or feel free to email me at [email]dave@retroaffect.com[/email] (if you don't want to post your question), or jump into our irc chat room #retroaffect on irc.esper.net or here: [url]http://www.retroaffect.com/contact/#c[/url]
-Dave
[url]www.retroaffect.com[/url]
PS - This post is only contains SUPER brief descriptions of what the different jobs entail. Let me know if you'd like for specifics about any of them.
EDIT: OH MY GOD MY AVATAR
I read a few years ago that the collage in Tyrone does courses in game design. I think you only need 300 points or around that.
[QUOTE=cathal6606;29084168]I read a few years ago that the collage in Tyrone does courses in game design. I think you only need 300 points or around that.[/QUOTE]
I think they do, 've applied to Letterkenny and Sligo, I'm sure I can change the courses soon so I may add more.
[editline]10th April 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=dcarrigg;29083400]Hey Guys,
I'm Dave from the previously mentioned Retro Affect ([url]www.retroaffect.com[/url]). I'm a video game programmer currently working on a game called Snapshot, and before that I spent a handful of years writing gameplay systems for a couple different MMOs. I gradu........
[/QUOTE]
Thanks man, thats a great deal of information that is very very useful. I'll make sure to read everything and absorb it all. Thanks for taking the time to be so helpful and help shed some light on this. I'm glad you noticed this because your post will be of gret use to me. Again, thanks.
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