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Looking at a possibility with Game Development...

C

CanonicalAbstract

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Mar 17, 2003
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As some/ most of you guys (and gals) know from previous threads, I would love to pursue a career in game development. Right now, I'm currently taking classes at Wentworth in the CompSci program to get my bachelor's. Although this will give me enough experience to get thru the door of most development companies, and since I would like to specialize on game development, I had these questions going thru my head tonight as I was watching TV:

-Is there anyone here on the forums that goes to Digipen out in Seattle?
-Would it be possible to go through a curriculum as they state on their website as a self-paced course to obtain a bachelor's in the Real Time Simulation program?

I have all the materials I need software-wise, and I can buy the books via Amazon, not to mention when I go back to school full-time, I will have the time to take on a double major. I also consider this to be more experience I can put on my resume, not only to show that I have specializations in the game development field, but to also show people that I am willing to work hard to achieve goals.

So how about it? Any advice for what I laid out?

Thanks in advance...
 
i dont really have any answers for you, but i wish you the best of luck. before i went to college i thought about applying to Digipen, but didn't think i would make it in, and it was a long ways from home. you are laying out a lot of work for yourself, but it sounds like you would be determined to get through it. good luck :)
 
i'm with you man, I'm doing a dual degree of Maths and IT here in Australia, and the IT degree has an elective of Games development, which I'll probably look into, as i'm very interested in games development too, mainly in the programming, not planning side. Naturally, you should choose a course that will give you heaps of skills and experience. If the course at Digipen looks like it has what you want/need, then go for it. Also, see if you can get some experience at a games company or something like that. Thats always more impressive on a resume, showing you got out and did something about your goals.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you choose. What you laid out looks good. Stick to it, and hopefully good things will happen for you!
 
Wow, thanks for the responses so far! Its giving me a hella lot of ambition to tackle this than I had before writing this. I'm hoping to achieve everything by the time I graduate, maybe give or take a year. I know how hard the curriculum is over at Digipen, I'm not too worried.

Again, thanks so far :) Keep the responses coming!
 
ScretHate said:
You need to start out by making a popular mod or something.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily, making a mod only introduces you to part of the game-making experience. College or university will teach you the whole package, from graphics, to sound, to game physics etc. And, when going to college/uni, you can get taught the best way to make games.
 
i visited digipen recently for a career day that my school had and well if u are a gamer its the place to go... i went and i realized it wasnt really my thing just because im nto very good at traditional art which i would need to get into the computer graphics part... anyways im also not wanting to get into the industry becasue i want to have a family and a babe for a wife and be able to support them all, and to me it didn't seem like game development was the way to go...

-warsaw
 
warsawtag said:
i visited digipen recently for a career day that my school had and well if u are a gamer its the place to go... i went and i realized it wasnt really my thing just because im nto very good at traditional art which i would need to get into the computer graphics part... anyways im also not wanting to get into the industry becasue i want to have a family and a babe for a wife and be able to support them all, and to me it didn't seem like game development was the way to go...

-warsaw
Click to expand...
I've been doing a ton of research, the pros and cons, and I feel for me the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to game development. Sure, I could do other things, like Security, Productivity development, etc., but I've always had a love for games, and when I started reading into the development side, I began to look at games in a totally different aspect. Not to mention my life is totally shot, so I might as well make the best of it. I don't see myself getting married or having kids, nor does it really bother me. You only live once, so make the best out of what you want.
 
ScretHate said:
You need to start out by making a popular mod or something.
Click to expand...
I agree.

In the computer field experience is almost always more influential when getting a job than your degree. Unless you're being hired by some dumbass HR rep. Then the paper may be important.

But I doubt in the gaming industry paper > experience.
 
I have seriously considered going to DigiPen for a while and still may, but I think after I visit it sometime Ill have a better Idea.
As of now Im about 1/2 way through my first year of Java, and Im loving it, and am told that I have a lot of promise if I try something in the industry of "Programming." The only downside I can see at DigiPen, and the only reason I am not sure of where to go, is that it is so specialized. With all the other "game" schools around, maybe going to DigiPen and doing well isnt going to get me the job that the guy who went to a "game" college like Fullsail and did well too.

Im still undecided, maybe you can help me as I help you.
 
peepeeface said:
I have seriously considered going to DigiPen for a while and still may, but I think after I visit it sometime Ill have a better Idea.
As of now Im about 1/2 way through my first year of Java, and Im loving it, and am told that I have a lot of promise if I try something in the industry of "Programming." The only downside I can see at DigiPen, and the only reason I am not sure of where to go, is that it is so specialized. With all the other "game" schools around, maybe going to DigiPen and doing well isnt going to get me the job that the guy who went to a "game" college like Fullsail and did well too.

Im still undecided, maybe you can help me as I help you.
Click to expand...
I also looked into other game dev schools, and I don't think they compare to the experience found at DigiPen. I have heard nothing but good outta that school. I have heard others around the US don't really train you, and I heard that FullSail is one of the worst schools. I also looked at the course layout for DigiPen, and its pretty hardcore. The way I like it :D

I say take a long, hard look. Is this something you are up for? Are you willing to put fourth the work needed and willing to maintain working during/after school?I had to come to the realization that I couldn't exactly attend Digipen for various reasons, but I'm still willing to give it a shot atop my regular courseload at Wentworth. Personally, I would most definitely look into Digipen if you have the means to attend there.

Also if you are looking into Game Dev, while in school, save ALL your work (coding, games, apps, etc.), and if you wish to specialize in something like sound production or graphic arts, save those as well. Most studios require a "demo reel", and those types of things would be good IMO.
 
I to am looking to that field. I have done a lot of research and expect this field to be FLOADED within the next 5 years or so.

If I lived anywhere other then southern California I wouldn't major in this field (my opinion of course). There are so many developers down here, if you had a degree in game art & design you wouldn't have a problem finding work. However, other parts of the country just aren't packed with game development companies, thus you will struggle to find work.

I would do some serious research of developers in your area before spending the thousands of dollars to get this degree. Good luck with school!
 
theNoid said:
I to am looking to that field. I have done a lot of research and expect this field to be FLOADED within the next 5 years or so.

If I lived anywhere other then southern California I wouldn't major in this field (my opinion of course). There are so many developers down here, if you had a degree in game art & design you wouldn't have a problem finding work. However, other parts of the country just aren't packed with game development companies, thus you will struggle to find work.

I would do some serious research of developers in your area before spending the thousands of dollars to get this degree. Good luck with school!
Click to expand...
Oh don't worry, I got my eyes set on moving out to Southern Cali... I'm saving up dough now while I'm in school...
 
Smart move. Just realize that ... ugh .. OC is now the most expensive county in the country to live in. I pay $1400 for a 2 bed/2 bath apartment. But the pay scale is huge out here, so it kind of evens out.

Maybe I'll see ya in school! good luck.
 
theNoid said:
Smart move. Just realize that ... ugh .. OC is now the most expensive county in the country to live in. I pay $1400 for a 2 bed/2 bath apartment. But the pay scale is huge out here, so it kind of evens out.

Maybe I'll see ya in school! good luck.
Click to expand...
Well, I'm already in school.. I go to Wentworth over here in Boston, MA. I would love to go t Digipen, but I don't have the money, but if I could do something of the equivalent and gain some sort of recognition for it, that would be cool. But afterwards I plan to move out towards Irvine. So I may see you around the OC :D
 
Send a PM to Torgo. He's got connections in the game development field. He might have some constructive things to say.
 
I'm currently going to Digipen right now. As hard as the school is, I say it is definitely worth it. I have never programmed before going to this school, and now going into my fourth semester I will already have programmed three games, my own 2D software rasterizer, and will be starting to write my own 3D rasterizer.

The course load, however, is rather insane. I'm signed up to take 7 courses next semester, (22-24 credit hours). On top of that, there isn't a time other than the first week of a semester that you won't be packed with work. I have pulled several all-nighters in the past couple of weeks trying to get projects done for school.

Alot of people drop out as they find it's not right for them or they can't handle the courseload, but it's really all about what you put into it. The more you work outside of class, the better off you will be. You can't learn much by reading about programming. You just have to do it.
 
Gimli said:
I'm currently going to Digipen right now. As hard as the school is, I say it is definitely worth it. I have never programmed before going to this school, and now going into my fourth semester I will already have programmed three games, my own 2D software rasterizer, and will be starting to write my own 3D rasterizer.

The course load, however, is rather insane. I'm signed up to take 7 courses next semester, (22-24 credit hours). On top of that, there isn't a time other than the first week of a semester that you won't be packed with work. I have pulled several all-nighters in the past couple of weeks trying to get projects done for school.

Alot of people drop out as they find it's not right for them or they can't handle the courseload, but it's really all about what you put into it. The more you work outside of class, the better off you will be. You can't learn much by reading about programming. You just have to do it.
Click to expand...
Yeah, from what I understand, its a wicked insane program. I'm probably going to drop a few e-mails in regards to how I should go about what I wish to do, and see if I can get somewhere. I so wish I had the money to move out to Seattle to attend DigiPen, but I just can't leave right now, whereas I have quite a bit of ties here.
 
Well, I've also looked into this a lot. Basically, if you are going to a 4 year university you will need to do a lot of work in your own free time. Game companies want demos of what you have done. You usually won't get that at most 4 year universities (well at least mine).
 
I have to agree with the poster that said the game development field is flooded. I really can't see anyone who hasn't done a ton of work in the mod community gettting a job in this field these days.
 
Everyone has had good advice so far. What I have to contribute is more about the culture and lifestyle in the game industry than anything. A lot of people fresh in the industry are naive about what it's really like. Hey, it's just fun and games right?

Start with going to the IGDA's website and reading the white paper about the quality of life situation in gaming. Next, start attending local meetings. There you can start forming relationships with established developers and building contacts. You can get direct answers to questions there.

Make a regular habit to visit Gamasutra and the myriad of developer groups at Yahoo! Groups. Some are private, but most are open to all. Don't be afraid to post either because that will get you noticed.

I've got some other tidbits that I'll post later (I'm a bit pressed for time). Really quick, don't just automatically settle for California. It's really volitile out there. Shop around and don't be afraid to relocate outside the west coast. The real hot spots for game development outside CA are Dallas, Austin, Boston, Seattle and the Golden Triangle area of North Carolina. The other lesser known areas are Salt Lake City, Portland, Chicago and Atlanta. They're starting to get a scene going.

Keep in mind, this is hard, hard, hard work. Compared to programmers in other industries, you work more and get paid less. You work in an exciting industry, but your job always depends on how good your last game was. It's the best job you'll ever have. It will be the worst job you'll ever have.

If you're looking in the Dallas area, I can always help out a bit more.
 
Well... Torgo stole my only two points, so I will just back him up on them...

Definitely spend a lot of time on Gamasutra, and remember that there is a REASON Digipen is in Seattle. There are a lot of developers up this way, Cally isn't your only option.
 
I'd be surprised if a CS degree was enough to get you a job working on games. Mostly CS majors are just taught database programming and most employeers know that. There is complicated math involved in game development.

And what are the math requirements over at Digipen? I would have gotten a CS degree around here (UT San Antonio) but the math requirements are just too high for my liking. I loved arithmetic, word logic/math problems and useful algebra but once we got to college algebra and calculus, I really started hatting math. I give 110% at anything I am good at and math that I see as practical I give my best at. Unfortunately, that ended in mid high school. Most of the crap past high school was totally useless and math went from being something I enjoyed to something I deeply hated. I am great at programming though, at least database and application work but I have never tried my hand at game development which may or may not require math that I think is useless.
 
Torgo said:
Everyone has had good advice so far. What I have to contribute is more about the culture and lifestyle in the game industry than anything. A lot of people fresh in the industry are naive about what it's really like. Hey, it's just fun and games right?

Start with going to the IGDA's website and reading the white paper about the quality of life situation in gaming. Next, start attending local meetings. There you can start forming relationships with established developers and building contacts. You can get direct answers to questions there.

Make a regular habit to visit Gamasutra and the myriad of developer groups at Yahoo! Groups. Some are private, but most are open to all. Don't be afraid to post either because that will get you noticed.

I've got some other tidbits that I'll post later (I'm a bit pressed for time). Really quick, don't just automatically settle for California. It's really volitile out there. Shop around and don't be afraid to relocate outside the west coast. The real hot spots for game development outside CA are Dallas, Austin, Boston, Seattle and the Golden Triangle area of North Carolina. The other lesser known areas are Salt Lake City, Portland, Chicago and Atlanta. They're starting to get a scene going.

Keep in mind, this is hard, hard, hard work. Compared to programmers in other industries, you work more and get paid less. You work in an exciting industry, but your job always depends on how good your last game was. It's the best job you'll ever have. It will be the worst job you'll ever have.

If you're looking in the Dallas area, I can always help out a bit more.
Click to expand...

Well, you know that I've been doing a ton of research. I've read quite a few links that outline the pros and cons to GameDev. I also live in the Boston area (20 minutes west), but at the same time, I'm looking for a change of scenery. I'm not totally pressed at going to California, I will try to do some research on other areas you listed. Cali seems so right for me, and so does Seattle. My only qualm with going to places like Dallas is the climate, where I don't tolerate extreme heat too well. I guess I could try it, but I have this itch that I may not like it, but how would I know?

Anyways, yeah, I've been busy studying for finals, sorry I never got back to this sooner. But all good stuff here, most definitely.
 
Thats cool. I graduate this May with a B.S. in Computer Science. I am currently trying to get into the FBI after I graduate. I have a contact that I will get to talk to come this January. Game development is cool but it isn't for everyone. Most people I know especially programers get washed out after 5 years. It is a lot of work and you must really enjoy it or you will hang yourself. It takes a very special person. Me on the other hand I like to do Networking and Computer Forensics.
 
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