Career insight of Game Developer. Gabe Newell involved - General

So for my Career paper, I have so far successfully identified the courses recommended and why you must take them to become a Game Developer, and I have also noted the solid fact that there are little to no formal courses that solely involve Game Developing, I did manage to contact Gabe Newell about these and he has answered them. The one issue I do not entirely understand is that he stated that there 'Are no regular days' as stated in his response. I am wondering what FP's can do to elaborate on what he meant by that. From what I can draw is that Game Developing does not follow a day-to-day regimen and that it requires constant checking, double-checking, and quadruple checking as they trudge along in creating a game. RE: An insight on what your career is like.‏ From: Gabe Newell (gaben@valvesoftware.com) Sent: Mon 5/31/10 1:13 AM To: 'Brandon' Game development is still a rapidly changing field. Most of the people at Valve did not come through any game development academic track (my school work was Applied Mathematics, Yahn was a chemistry major, Ken has an MFA). The best program that I am aware of is Digipen. For courses, all the math you can stand, computer programming, drawing, acting or other performance training, and animation. These are all useful regardless of how you specialize. I don’t have regular days. From: Brandon [] Sent: Sunday, May 30, 2010 9:06 PM To: Gabe Newell Subject: An insight on what your career is like. 5/30/10 Dear Gabe Newell, My name is Brandon and I am a student from -School name withheld- of Chino Hills. I do hope that you would not be working tomorrow for that it is Memorial Day. For my AP English class, my teacher has told me to write a career report. One of the careers that I had decided to work on is a Game Developer. Mr. Newell, you are one of the best Game Developers out there, your Half-Life series has been held close to the hearts of every die-hard PC Gamer out there and you have managed to keep Team Fortress 2 popular with free DLC Content and constant additions to the game (I am anxiously awaiting the Engineer Update). The Career Report that I must work on consists of the Colleges and Pre-Requisites required to be in your current position, or to build up to that position of Game Developer. I do hope it is not too much to ask you for the recommended courses and schools that I must undergo if I decide to follow in your footsteps. The Report also asks of the daily activities that you would do during your work; from the moment you get up and to the end of your day when you sleep. I do hope this E-Mail goes through to you and I will also hope that you will reply back to me in due time for that this report is due this Friday. Sincerely, Brandon -School Name withheld- Class of 2011 Insight?

IMO he made it relatively clear Also: [url]http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=620064[/url]

When he said there are no regular days, he was referring to you asking him to describe step by step what he does each day. He meant that everyday is something different so he can't just say what he does step by step since it changes every day. He does new things every day and doesn't really go by a strict schedule Hope that helps. [QUOTE=CabooseRvB;22359613]So my inserted statement in the report would be OK? I'm just really assuming since creating a game is very different from closing a deal with a company. I'm guessing that Gabe deals with different games so that he must apply different ideas and styles of work on them varying on priority?[/QUOTE] Yes. Also, I have something to say that may make you reconsider. Someone below said the truth about video game design, and that's what really goes on. However, that is not the only chance you have. You could find a career field that has similar classes to game design requirements. So, maybe an engineer. So as an engineer you could take all the maths, sciences, etc. and for your choice courses take stuff that is required for video game design. So this way, you have a pretty much guaranteed career path, and if you are still interested in game design, you would only need to do an extra few courses, and if you aren't interested in game design anymore, you didn't waste so many years of your life on something you don't want to do/can't succeed in. Or you could take video game design, and for your choice courses take courses that are similar to ones for a different field, i.e. engineering again. Take all the animation, math, etc. but in there sneak in some calculus and physics. So if you do go to game design, you'll have a tough road since you're taking tough courses but you'll know more and be more experienced in the end. And if you do game design and fail and don't get any work, then just go upgrade the few courses you need and get an eng. degree.

He doesn't have regular days is a response to your daily activities/work question. Each day is different.

So my inserted statement in the report would be OK? I'm just really assuming since creating a game is very different from closing a deal with a company. I'm guessing that Gabe deals with different games so that he must apply different ideas and styles of work on them varying on priority?

I found out when I was 12 that video game design is boring as hell for the most part and that playing the games was more than enough for me. With heavy concentration in mathematics and sciences you could go a lot further in a career than most game designers.

[QUOTE=POLOPOZOZO;22359626]I found out when I was 12 that video game design is boring as hell for the most part and that playing the games was more than enough for me. With heavy concentration in mathematics and sciences you could go a lot further in a career than most game designers.[/QUOTE] Unfortunately this is true for most. It's the idea of being a super cool game dev that pushes you, but when you find out what you really are going to do. It's not so great

My friend went to school for game design. Found it boring as fuck, didn't go to any classes and left the school. He said everyone had alienwares in the classes and there was a nice game lobby

I'm in a course right now and it seems pretty fun I just hate having to print screen all the time. Bit basic at points but it's only an introduction to games design.

[QUOTE=spekter;22360018]I'm in a course right now and it seems pretty fun I just hate having to print screen all the time. Bit basic at points but it's only an introduction to games design.[/QUOTE] While other kids in my class make a 2D car move, I'm working on a 2D Physics engine using trigonometry and vector data. Hooray Information Technology?

[QUOTE=POLOPOZOZO;22359626]I found out when I was 12 that video game design is boring as hell for the most part and that playing the games was more than enough for me. With heavy concentration in mathematics and sciences you could go a lot further in a career than most game designers.[/QUOTE] I find mapping more fun than gaming, I'd be more applicable for the position perhaps. Games as a computer science, though difficult, is very interesting. [editline]01:36AM[/editline] [QUOTE=Tukimoshi;22362505]While other kids in my class make a 2D car move, I'm working on a 2D Physics engine using trigonometry and vector data. Hooray Information Technology?[/QUOTE] As neat as it sounds, 2D design isn't going to get you far. Or anywhere. 3D in a 2D perspective is the in-thing now.

[QUOTE=Tukimoshi;22362505]While other kids in my class make a 2D car move, I'm working on a 2D Physics engine using trigonometry and vector data. Hooray Information Technology?[/QUOTE] The thing about college these days is that in the ever expanding world of information technology classes, even if you test out of them, you still have to take something else to compensate. Hell, for people like me with four plus years experience in "digital media" (meaning mastering just about every Adobe program fathomable), we should be able to pay seventy bucks and get our associates degree right there. I'm sick of showing up to classes, learning the same old shit and then tutoring my classmates because they have no idea what the instructor was going on about. College is a joke if you're too smart. It really is.

[QUOTE=69105;22362606]The thing about college these days is that in the ever expanding world of information technology classes, even if you test out of them, you still have to take something else to compensate. Hell, for people like me with four plus years experience in "digital media" (meaning mastering just about every Adobe program fathomable), we should be able to pay seventy bucks and get our associates degree right there. I'm sick of showing up to classes, learning the same old shit and then tutoring my classmates because they have no idea what the instructor was going on about. College is a joke if you're too smart. It really is.[/QUOTE] Then go to a better college/university, there's no way you're "too smart" for a top school.

All game design courses are bullshit, developers know this and so do publishers. The courses are far too linear and far too closed minded. Developers and publishers are always looking for people who show intuitive and original ideas. (Not necessarily through a game)

Never go for game design courses. Go for Computer Science with Software Development.

[QUOTE=|FlapJack|;22364743]Never go for game design courses. Go for Computer Science with Software Development.[/QUOTE] There are some good ones though. It's not like they are all shit.