Career of games development - General

It might be a good idea if you have not done so already to dive into [url=http://www.udk.com/]Unreal[/url] or [url=http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Main_Page]Source.[/url] Both are great ways to get your feet wet and if you can get proficient at them they make great portfolio peaces.

I've talked to a lot of people about this. A few of them have landed themselves a programming/3d modeling career, and the majority didn't. The difference between the two groups is that the people who got the career actively took part in programming and modeling independently; before they aimed to get a career. The rest jumped straight into university with no experience and hoped for the best. Moral of the story is that if you don't already program (or whatever), AND enjoy it; your chances of actually landing yourself a career doing it are slim.

Game design courses are worthless and restricting. I'm currently doing an animation course and doing as much 2D and 3D art as I can in my spare time to build a portfolio. Put your school time towards something more valuable. You would have a better chance at getting an industry job with a digital tutors account and a strong and varied portfolio than with some game design degree that taught you the bare basics of all aspects.

[QUOTE=Overworld;24887500]Game design courses are worthless and restricting. I'm currently doing an animation course and doing as much 2D and 3D art as I can in my spare time to build a portfolio. Put your school time towards something more valuable. You would have a better chance at getting an industry job with a digital tutors account and a strong and varied portfolio than with some game design degree that taught you the bare basics of all aspects.[/QUOTE] So it's not possible to build up a portfolio whist doing a game related course?

[QUOTE=Wiggles;24887546]So it's not possible to build up a portfolio whist doing a game related course?[/QUOTE] I'm talking more about the people who don't know what they're doing beforehand. Chances are that if you already know what you're interested in doing, you wouldn't be taking a course like that anyway.

People just don't know how to do real research anymore, go to the BLS website and look at different statistics while trying to match your interests to a good stable field. Game Development? Crap, unless you are fantastic. Which you aren't, and never will be.

[QUOTE=Wiggles;24887546]So it's not possible to build up a portfolio whist doing a game related course?[/QUOTE] Yeah it is, but why would you do that when you could do a course that actually helps you improve your portfolio? [editline]01:00AM[/editline] [QUOTE=Vonderdurp;24887357]I've talked to a lot of people about this. A few of them have landed themselves a programming/3d modeling career, and the majority didn't. The difference between the two groups is that the people who got the career actively took part in programming and modeling independently; before they aimed to get a career. The rest jumped straight into university with no experience and hoped for the best. Moral of the story is that if you don't already program (or whatever), AND enjoy it; your chances of actually landing yourself a career doing it are slim.[/QUOTE] This is also a pretty good point. The vast majority of work you'll have to do is outside of classes, practicing and building a skill set. The reason taking classes is good is because it puts you in contact with experienced people who can help guide your development.

As many said playing games =/= making games. I myself plan either Engineering Physics or Computer Science. I know that my highschool score will be sufficient for CE. If CE I'm planning to study 5 more years at UNI and maybe do a sideproject such as a game. In the end earning a master in Human Computer interaction. I think it's really too hard to achive something from one Game developmet course.

Math, math, math, math, math. Game physics use trigonomic formulas to determine how far you should throw a grenade or how far a ragdoll flies from a blast.

It's fine if you do programming and/or flash development and put a lot of effort into it. Going to uni for game design though is the same as going to Uni to study art, entirely unneeded and has very poor job outlook. Becoming a game designer or artist, is about as easy as becoming a designer or artist in general. (it's fucking hard!) How should I know? I went to an art school that included "game development" and I've talked to the CEO of a pretty big studio about it as well

I'm actually thinking of doing the same thing. Found some courses over here and wanted to think what your opinion was. [url]http://www.nyp.edu.sg/sidm/DET_game_main.html[/url]

[QUOTE=Pedophila;24888625]I'm actually thinking of doing the same thing. Found some courses over here and wanted to think what your opinion was. [url]http://www.nyp.edu.sg/sidm/DET_game_main.html[/url][/QUOTE] read the first page. its a horrible idea period

So for one looking to get into the programming side of things with respect to Games Dev, taking a course in say Software Engineering may be a better fit than a Games course to learn to a professional level then?

[QUOTE=XanKrieger;24888812]So for one looking to get into the programming side of things with respect to Games Dev, taking a course in say Software Engineering may be a better fit than a Games course to learn to a professional level then?[/QUOTE] Yeah, just do games on the side.

The university I'm going to offers Computer Science with Games Development. In some ways it's harder than raw CS, there is a lot of physics to learn. Things such as viscosity simulation, trajectories, cloth simulation etc.

I am looking for a career in games. I would like to start off coding in lua, then, when i get older 15 or 16 (i am 14 at the moment) i will try to start learning animation, and possibly produce a source engine mod with a few of my friends. With them doing art, graphics and other things. If i can produce a good portfolio with a source mod. I could apply at 2k Australia as an entry level animator and coder. Eventually i will have to move to The USA to work in a bigger games company, because,there is nothing in Australia. Oh yes, does anyone have good guides for learning to code lua?

[QUOTE=Sporkfire;24888952]Yeah, just do games on the side.[/QUOTE] Right, well I ask only because it was by blind chance I stumbled into this thread. Long and short I did a course over the past 2 years to get me to Uni and developed a passion for programming during that course. Wanted to make games, applied to games course and am supposed to be moving down there in 2 days and enrolling on the 27th. This thread has shit me up something fierce and now I am panicking. Post grad job prospects and employability where always a big deal to me and I dunno why I didn't see specialised skill set > generalised degree sooner. I pray to Vishnu I can swap onto the SE course before enrolment, they share the same geography campus wise and I was over the requirements for the Games course anyways and Programming is what I want to do most. This thread may have just changed my life FP :frog:

One common misconception that I've always noticed with my peers is that being a game tester is so much fun. Most people think that's it's a job where "you get to play games before anyone else and get paid", when really that's FAR from the truth. In reality, you're playing broken up alpha/beta versions of games tediously scanning every single nook and cranny and every mechanic for bugs and glitches, writing out page by page reports on all of the faults in the gameplay and modelling. And by tedious, I mean TEDIOUS, as in, you're not just playing through the game a couple of times, you'll mostly find yourself staying in one particular area in the game for minutes on end. The job doesn't even pay that well, if you want to live a relaxed life and/or support a family. If you're planning on becoming a game testers, don't jump into it thinking you're going to have a blast getting a sneak preview to all the newest games. It's not as glamorous as most people say it is.

[QUOTE=JamesMay;24886762]Playing games =/= Making games. Remember this. It's really not as fun.[/QUOTE] Making games > Playing games It's all about the perspective. I think making something out of basically nothing is a much more satisfying experience than beating any game.

I felt the same when i was 12, when I was 14 i did some machinmia's and worked with some animating program, a little similar to game design but not much. I then decided i wanted to go to film school when i get out of high school. But in my freshmen year I got a internship at a local production company, they did media arts ect ect ect. I found out i didn't like it that much or it just seemed to die off.. The morale of my little story is, even if you have a dream or a idea, like being a game dev or me wanting to be a director, dosn't mean you can execute it in real life. Give it a try, go get a small job locally that would brush in the field a little. Go test the water first. Also i decided to become a EMT when i graduate instead of going to film school.

I'm currently in my 2nd year of my Games Development course at uni. It's really helpful for showing you what you need to see to push yourself to a professional level. Whether you get a job is entirely dependent on if you take the lectures and work you do and expand it in your own time to build a rich portfolio. Doing independent research and learning the ins and outs of many coding languages in your spare time is a MUST! Without practice, creativity AND self motivation to push your work to the standard the industry has set. You have no chance in hell. However, remain optomistic, do the work and do three times as much yourself for your portfolio. Then maybe you will have a career.

[QUOTE=TM Gmod;24890556]I'm currently in my 2nd year of my Games Development course at uni. It's really helpful for showing you what you need to see to push yourself to a professional level. Whether you get a job is entirely dependent on if you take the lectures and work you do and expand it in your own time to build a rich portfolio. Doing independent research and learning the ins and outs of many coding languages in your spare time is a MUST! Without practice, creativity AND self motivation to push your work to the standard the industry has set. You have no chance in hell. However, remain optomistic, do the work and do three times as much yourself for your portfolio. Then maybe you will have a career.[/QUOTE] That's right. With that "Game Design" degree and your artwork looking like this: [img]http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs11/i/2006/228/c/5/FRANK_by_GRiMTHEPUNCHDRUNK.png[/img] You are going to get [b]SO[/b] far in the industry.

If your about to graduate high school and you haven't taken programming in school or learned it on your own at home, then you are going to have a steep climb ahead of you of learning programming like C++ and C# in a year If you are in the Art, then dunno

If i want to start learning about programming now to see whether i like it, where can i actually start? I'm really enthusiastic about it and i have a bit of free time after my exams to play around with this kind of stuff. I'm asking this other one for a friend, where can he start learning about modelling and animation?

I'm trying to become a games developer. At the moment I'm doing a Cert III in screen media and games programming. And next year I've been accepted for the Cert IV in Screen media and games programming, then I can go on for an advanced diploma. Just ask your school which courses are available.

[QUOTE=Irishdef;24886617]Since its my final year in school, i was looking over career choices. I found Games Development, this seemed like a good choice as i do love playing games, and i was wondering if anybody has completed the course or completed a course similar to it (programming and such). Thanks[/QUOTE] It's not really a "career choice". Either you have passion for games or you don't belong in the games industry. If you don't have any programming background (and want to become a game programmer), expect to have the qualifications in about 5 years if not more. What you can make and achieve is far more important in this field than what schools you've been to. You can get a job at a big studio only with work experience and good portfolio (and usually via someone already working there) without any schooling background. I'd say this applies to most people in the industry. [editline]12:06PM[/editline] [QUOTE=JamesMay;24886762]Playing games =/= Making games. Remember this. It's really not as fun.[/QUOTE] It can be a really fun job and environment to work in. [editline]12:17PM[/editline] [QUOTE=The Aussie;24889147]I am looking for a career in games. I would like to start off coding in lua, then, when i get older 15 or 16 (i am 14 at the moment) i will try to start learning animation, and possibly produce a source engine mod with a few of my friends. With them doing art, graphics and other things. If i can produce a good portfolio with a source mod. I could apply at 2k Australia as an entry level animator and coder. Eventually i will have to move to The USA to work in a bigger games company, because,there is nothing in Australia. Oh yes, does anyone have good guides for learning to code lua?[/QUOTE] If you have friends who can do animation and you want to do programming full-time, don't waste your time learning it. In the real world you won't be working with animation as a programmer (unless the studio is very small). Specialize your skillset because there is no programmer-animator slot in studios. Although there is technical animator if you're into that kind of thing.

If you really want to work in the games industry, go for it. Don't just think "I need a career & I like playing games". There are definitely pros and cons for specific game development courses as opposed to computer science courses. The biggest advantage of some game development courses is the work placement, because getting a year's experience in the gaming industry is very useful, and most computer science degrees I've seen just offer placements in general IT firms. Look around at the courses available and find one which sounds like it appeals to you. The ones that are run by people who have actually worked in the industry are going to be a lot more useful than those who aren't, so get to know the people that are running the course, not just the course itself. At the end of the day, if you can't get a job in the industry, the skills you learn will still be useful outside of the gaming industry even though it may not seem it. But obviously, you have to be certain that this is the career for you, and if it isn't, then definitely go for a more general qualification.