Going to school to be a game developer

What would you need?

Is it hard?

Is it worth it?

I would recommend a general degree like computer science. I would also recommend against a degree that's specifically on something like "video game design" or something like that. A degree like that would leave you high and dry if you were having difficulty finding a job as a game developer, as it would have little applicability elsewhere.

2 things to keep in mind: 1. The game industry is VERY hard to break into. 2. The wages and work hours are FAR worse than similar jobs in other industries. A senior-level programmer in the financial industry averages 80k/yr working 50 hours a week, whereas a senior level programmer in the game industry averages 30k/yr working 80 hours a week. UT_Wrestler

LMAO. Nice joke you got there. The gaming industry pays programmers very competetive wages according to just about all statistics I have ever saw. Software Engineers even make more than video game designers.

I'm actually headed in the same direction, so keep pouring on the advice guys!

i wasnt really saying im going into it... but ive put off college for a year and a half now and i still dont know what i want to do... im from a japanese family so i got a lot of pressure on me about this lol so just looking at some possibilities

but it sounds like if im not the Einstien of gaming... dont do it?

what exactly is computer science?

Here are the average video game developer salries in the US.

They are DEFINATELY not low. There are long hours before a game's release but the industry itself pays very well.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=20564847

• Business/Marketing: US$131,000+
• Producers: $129,000
• Programmers: $90,000
• Sound Designers: $80,000
• Artists/Animators: $70,000
• Game Designers: $67,000
• Quality Assurance: $32,000

just take graphics in high school then take some thing more serious about technologies in college.

Here are the average video game developer salries in the US.

They are DEFINATELY not low. There are long hours before a game's release but the industry itself pays very well.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=20564847

• Business/Marketing: US$131,000+
• Producers: $129,000
• Programmers: $90,000
• Sound Designers: $80,000
• Artists/Animators: $70,000
• Game Designers: $67,000
• Quality Assurance: $32,000

argetlam00

i was thinking about doing something inBusiness/Marketing, but i heard its very small and hard to get into

and long hours are fine... im japanese haha :) my people were made to work!!!

but it sounds like its every hard to get into right?

and if i do the computer science thing.... what other job posibilities are there?

And i can get into Colorado University or Denver Unicersity just fine...

[QUOTE="argetlam00"]

Here are the average video game developer salries in the US.

They are DEFINATELY not low. There are long hours before a game's release but the industry itself pays very well.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=20564847

• Business/Marketing: US$131,000+
• Producers: $129,000
• Programmers: $90,000
• Sound Designers: $80,000
• Artists/Animators: $70,000
• Game Designers: $67,000
• Quality Assurance: $32,000

mejiseike

i was thinking about doing something inBusiness/Marketing, but i heard its very small and hard to get into

and long hours are fine... im japanese haha :) my people were made to work. but it sounds like its every hard to get into right?

I wouldn't say its all that hard to be honest. People seem to be overexagggerating especially if you are a programmer. Most jobs do require experience if you want a top company, but the big companies offer coop positions (paid internships) for students and if you get in that, you basically are guaranteed a job in the studio after you graduate. It will probably help to create a game or a mod in your spare time that you can show them as well.

It depends on how you want to get in the game industry. As mentioned before, you can either go to pure programming, graphics or business/marketing. I'm assuming you have no programming knowledge? If not then just take bunch of general courses in college first year and see how you like your first programming course. If it's something you definately like then keep going with a Computer Science/Software Engineering degree. IF nto then you can always switch to business and do marketing. Of course if you have a thing for graphics then go for it.

Look if you want money and a successful career in the video game industry, go get a computer science degree and specialize in 3d graphics programming or in Artificial Intelligence. The companies will bow down before you.

Look if you want money and a successful career in the video game industry, go get a computer science degree and specialize in 3d graphics programming or in Artificial Intelligence. The companies will bow down before you.

argetlam00

haha i like the way you said that

and i did some programing on my calculator for math class... it was easy just took a while. but ya ill try a couple things out my first year, talk to some counselors see whats best :)

some other things i was looking at were architectural design ro do a business major

anyone know anything about those and can compare it to computer science?

School isn't technically needed in the game development field. Also a degree won't get you a job either. So if your thinking "hey I'll go to this school, and get a diploma and then get a job in game industry" it's not going to happen. School can help you find direction though, but remember most schools are more conserned about tuition then getting you prepared for a career.

What is needed is experience. Which is kind of a catch 22 cause you can't get a job cause you don't have any experience, and you don't have any experience cause you can't get a job. There are plenty of upstart indie projects you can dip your hands into, but these can result in nothing but wasted time w/ nothing to show for it. A majority of indie developers never break into the business, but considering the sheer amount of indie developers that's not surprising. A good portfolio won't land a job, an awesome one will help, but more likely you'll be overlooked by anybody w/ experience, or more likely somebody that knows somebody.

The game industries is probably one of the hardest tech industries there is. Everybody is underpaid, and overworked. Pretty much anyone you work w/ can quit and find a job instantly that'll pay 25% more. You will make enough enough to survive in the game industry, but nobody sticks around for the pay. Game production is also one of the most complicated production industries. Artists programmers, and designers all making the most complicated software available on the market w/ crutial deadlines, and a load of unforseen problems that would give normal project managers heart attacks. If you're not 2 years ahead in the game industry you're behind. Nobody ever get's settled into the game industry. Everything a game developer knows now will probably be useless in 5 years. Every week is something new, and the information never seems to stop coming. FYI it's hard.

Is it worth it? Depending on your goals... probably not. Most people go into the game industry cause they want to see their game made. The thing is almost nobody ever gets to make their game. So many people have there hands in the pie it's nearly impossible to actually have control over enough of a project to see it done the way you want.

I can't really answer your questions, but I will say don't let anyone stop you. Lord knows I did back when I wanted to be a game developer. My mom gave me a speech about how I wouldn't really be a productive member of society if I did that, and I gave up on that dream fairly quickly.

you dont really go to school to be a game developer. I think there are a couple vocational schools that claim to do that, but most of those are ripoffs.

you go to school and get a degree in computer engineering or something. Most people in game development write code, lots and lots of code, for long hours and long days.

my advice is to find out what are some good schools that have 4-year degrees in computer science/engineering (its one of those, not sure), and just make any projects you do relevant to gaming. In your free time, design maps or make models in whatever the current program is for those things. Network with fellow students interested in game design as well; you'd be suprised what you could do with like-minded peers in an educational environment (I started homebrewing with friends/fellow students, and now I am a brewmaster).

from what I've read, getting your foot in the door for game development is incredibly challenging; if you go to a vocational school and get a "degree" in something that specific, and it doesnt pan out, youve just wasted tens of thousands of dollars.

Best thing you can do is get a degree that is relevant to your desired career. The rest is hard work, connections, and luck.

*I do not know where you are from, but Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has a good program. Its tough to get in to, though.

I can't really answer your questions, but I will say don't let anyone stop you. Lord knows I did back when I wanted to be a game developer. My mom gave me a speech about how I wouldn't really be a productive member of society if I did that, and I gave up on that dream fairly quickly.

Serraph105

I got the same speech, except I wanted to be a chef

I was for 7 years, and it was fun. Wasnt really goign anywhere, but it was fun.

[QUOTE="Serraph105"]

I can't really answer your questions, but I will say don't let anyone stop you. Lord knows I did back when I wanted to be a game developer. My mom gave me a speech about how I wouldn't really be a productive member of society if I did that, and I gave up on that dream fairly quickly.

mrbojangles25

I got the same speech, except I wanted to be a chef

I was for 7 years, and it was fun. Wasnt really goign anywhere, but it was fun.

[QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

[QUOTE="Serraph105"]

I can't really answer your questions, but I will say don't let anyone stop you. Lord knows I did back when I wanted to be a game developer. My mom gave me a speech about how I wouldn't really be a productive member of society if I did that, and I gave up on that dream fairly quickly.

Serraph105

I got the same speech, except I wanted to be a chef

I was for 7 years, and it was fun. Wasnt really goign anywhere, but it was fun.

i think that was something else

i still have my dream of owning my own brewery/brewpub though

[QUOTE="Serraph105"][QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

I got the same speech, except I wanted to be a chef

I was for 7 years, and it was fun. Wasnt really goign anywhere, but it was fun.

mrbojangles25

i think that was something else

i still have my dream of owning my own brewery/brewpub though

Im taking Physcology. Helps with game design, and a more mature and twisted story telling.

Im taking Physcology. Helps with game design, and a more mature and twisted story telling.

Wolfetan

took that in high school, was planning on taking it just for fun in college

and ill for sure have to look into computer science, and i said where i was before... denver

Is it hard?mejiseike

I often see a lot of people recommending Comp Sci degrees for people that want to get into the game field. I kinda recomend against this unless you really, really enjoy programming.

Here's why:

1. Game programmers tend to be the top in their field. Meaning you'll have to be better than 95% of your peers to compete.

2. Most of the development team does not consist of many programmers. Just look at the credits of any modern game very few people in the credits are actually programmers. There once was a time when the programmer basically did everything, and everybody in the industry was practically a programmer but that's back when teams were like 15 people, and budgets were $150k.

Programming skills can help in other areas, but not really enough to warrent focusing on a 4 year CompSci degree instead of that field.

Here are the average video game developer salries in the US.

They are DEFINATELY not low. There are long hours before a game's release but the industry itself pays very well.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=20564847

• Business/Marketing: US$131,000+
• Producers: $129,000
• Programmers: $90,000
• Sound Designers: $80,000
• Artists/Animators: $70,000
• Game Designers: $67,000
• Quality Assurance: $32,000

argetlam00

Recently, I found my motivation to create games, something I lost when I realized I'd have to deal with math and reading when I got out of HS once again. Out of the ones you posted, I would probably go with game designers and artist/animator. I know game design would be pretty scarce to find, but when it comes to Artists/Animators (Which Graphic design probably falls under...), I think they are on-demand now....

If you want to get into the gaming industry, you should major in something like computer science or information technology. This way, if you are unable to get a job related to game development (which is extremely probable), you will still have an exceptional degree for other opportunities.

I would not get a college degree in something like game development because it is too narrow.

Psychology is not a good major choice ... unless you are planning to attend graduate school.