games developer??

To get anywhere nowadays I think you need both, it used to be just having a semi-sucessful mod or mods as the main part of your portfolio would open just about every door*, nowadays they want to see proof of industry appropriate training in the design/programming software as well as a portfolio showing you can put that training into practical use in a structured and professional manner.


* how I got in in the first place was from a couple of levels I made for a quake 3 TC and they weren't even that good really (tho ahead of the curve at the time).
 
I had these thoughts when I embarked on a Computer Science degree years ago, but these changed once I graduated. You have to find out if programming is something you really love, for me it wasn't. I would prefer to get into the producing and game design areas as that's where you can be creative and go wild. Working with algorithms and maths isn't what I would class as fun.
 
Kraven said:
I had these thoughts when I embarked on a Computer Science degree years ago, but these changed once I graduated. You have to find out if programming is something you really love, for me it wasn't. I would prefer to get into the producing and game design areas as that's where you can be creative and go wild. Working with algorithms and maths isn't what I would class as fun.
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Theres a huge sense of achievement tho when you pull it off and code a really slick function/implementation, its both why I got into it in the first place and why I got out, used to love working on the bleeding edge pushing the boundaries nowadays tho most places like to play it commercially safe, tried and tested methods, off the shelf solutions, etc. this along with your comment is why I suggest getting into something like unrealed first as it exposes you to a basic grounding of most areas and you can see what works for you and what doesn't.
 
I have 3 years experience as an artist and 5 months as an designer.

I did a degree in Game Design and it was basically a waste of time, I spent more time learning from forums, tutorials etc. Tutors were clueless. As an artist employers did not care about qualifications, only my portfolio and character. It takes a tremendous amount of hard work, motivation and self promotion to break in unless your lucky.

I worked for 3 companies with only the recent being a job I want to stay at. Yes there is long hours and some weekends but being at a good company I am treated very well and entitled to a good bonus. Can't say that about Sony *cough*

I would avoid train2Game personally, from what I have read you will not get anything more than that is already free on the web. Discussions in the studio also reflect this opinion.

Email in trust if you want anymore info, I always try to be helpful :)
 
My guess would be do computer science or software engineering at a decent University.

I have heard several times from various people that the games design courses in the UK aren't the best. For a start, most Universities that offer games design are crap (either the likes of Derby or ones I just plain have never heard of).

FabienO said:
You can do a degree in Games Development at some universities.
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I have never heard of one from a University that is actually reputable though.

EDIT: I am not saying avoid taking games design as a career, I am saying choose very carefully the best route for it. I have never heard of anyone studying games design actually getting a job as a games developer.
 
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mglover070588 said:
I have never heard of anyone studying games design actually getting a job as a games developer.
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You have to watch the terminology here. "Game Design" is nebulous and likely mickey-mouse as a course. But Game Programming, I know a few dozen.

"Developer" also seems to cover everyone in games, where elsewhere it only covers programmers.
 
wow i didnt expect such a response thanks guys i think im going to a lot more research into each different role within the whole games bracket and see which appeals the most

thanks again guys
 
Wang Computer said:
Games design degrees aren't worth poo.
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I did Comp Sci. and a friend of mine at another Uni did some form of games design course (I'm not 100% sure mind).. he got a job for Funcom (Age of Conan people) doing AI in Norway and then moved to their new offices in Canada. I didn't :p.
 
Spyhop said:
You have to watch the terminology here. "Game Design" is nebulous and likely mickey-mouse as a course. But Game Programming, I know a few dozen.

"Developer" also seems to cover everyone in games, where elsewhere it only covers programmers.
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I understand your point, I get annoyed at cabbages with spanners calling themselves engineers :p.
 
Pho said:
I did Comp Sci. and a friend of mine at another Uni did some form of games design course (I'm not 100% sure mind).. he got a job for Funcom (Age of Conan people) doing AI in Norway and then moved to their new offices in Canada. I didn't :p.
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Indeed. People who make such assumptions don't know ****. Also, as part of improving their credibility, many provisioners of games tech degrees are working in partnership with local studios. It is true the number of actual jobs is significantly lower than the number of potential applicants, but the same is true of Occupational Therapists and Psychologists, such is the nature of the world.

A comp sci degree looks at an in-depth review of a broad syllabus of technologies relating to computing. A computer games degree provides a briefer analysis with more emphasis on implementation. I dont care why the painters algorithm works, i dont care about designing my own depth rendering algorithm, i can simply take what already exists and implement it. The focus is on techniques relevant to games, not revolutionising the world of computing/mathematics.

It is one of the reasons game development is so fascinating that it encompasses such a vast array of different technologies from memory management, to mathematical geometry, to neural networks to network packets. You can take ANY scientifically model-able theory and turn it into a game.

However, I believe the market of most interest to you should be the emerging smart phone market. Decades ago, computer games went the way of the movie industry. Game development costs millions upon millions of dollars with many years development time. The smart phone market allows for a return to 'the good old days' when world changing ideas came not from multinational corporations but from a couple of geeks sequestered away in their bedrooms getting some coding done. Learn how to code for iOS by making simple games, put those simple games up on the app store for 50p, or free with adds. Getting a degree to go work for a big company seems somewhat self defeatist to me. In 3 years, you could have a portfolio of 6 established games on the iTunes app store with sales and reviews to prove your competency to a potential employer.
 
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BunnyKillBot said:
A comp sci degree looks at an in-depth review of a broad syllabus of technologies relating to computing. A computer games degree provides a briefer analysis with more emphasis on implementation. I dont care why the painters algorithm works, i dont care about designing my own depth rendering algorithm, i can simply take what already exists and implement it. The focus is on techniques relevant to games, not revolutionising the world of computing/mathematics.
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While the specific example you used isn't of much practical use these days as its handled in the hardware renderer - and generally your unlikely to ever be involved in that kinda depth sorting except maybe on some mobile platforms that still use partial software rendering - if your expecting to get into the programming side having a good grounding in stuff like that is important.
 
I'm currently doing a games design course at uni (am finishing first year). Its really good and I'll highly reccommend it. You do everything computer science people do and way more. All the developers from software companies say they love programmers who've come from a games design course because they usualy turn out quite a bit better.

It can be hard work, you have to teach yourself a lot of stuff they don't teach the computer science people.

Wang Computer said:
It's not really a competitive industry in my experience. Despite the fact everyone seems to want to do it, very few are actually capable... Generally the hardcore nerd types that start writing code at a young age. I refer specifically to the technical roles of course. Design just isn't something you'll be able to walk in to unless you're luckier than lucky.

Anyway, you wouldn't want to work in the games industry as it's tantamount to slave labour. Long hours, weekends and difficult, difficult coding. I've worked with\known some ex-high profile games types and they all seem to say the same thing. However they may well be jaded to some extent!

Just to reiterate; computer science\maths\physics degree. It's the best (and arguably only) way. Games design degrees aren't worth poo.
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You know clearly know nothing about the course. Also the comment about the slave labour thing is the same with any software development job, not specific to games design.
 
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petemyster said:
I'm currently doing a games design course at uni (am finishing first year). Its really good and I'll highly reccommend it.
/.../
Its hard work, you have to teach yourself a lot of stuff they don't teach the computer science people.
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Yeah - them computer science people suck....

Good luck with your uni course mate.

My pension is secure within your hands no doubt.
 
_Gizka_ said:
What does 3D modelling for games actually entail? I assume you have to be a decent programmer and know something about maths and the like, or is it not explicitly required?
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No, you wouldn't need to be a decent programmer to do 3d modelling.

Maya. Max, Z-brush etc is what you'd need to know.


I've been in the games industry/CG animation ind for the past 14 years. Currently the Facial Animator for the company I'm at. Did thr facial for GoldenEye 007 on Wii :)
 
petemyster said:
I'm currently doing a games design course at uni (am finishing first year). Its really good and I'll highly reccommend it. You do everything computer science people do and way more. All the developers from software companies say they love programmers who've come from a games design course because they usualy turn out quite a bit better.
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Which uni out of interest? I've heard fairly positive things regarding people who've done the game dev courses around Dundee/Aberdeen from people in the industry and know a few who've done courses up there who have got into decent companies like firaxis, frontier, etc. however the impression is far far less positive about most of the other courses run around other parts the country.

floatindolphin said:
No, you wouldn't need to be a decent programmer to do 3d modelling.

Maya. Max, Z-brush etc is what you'd need to know.


I've been in the games industry/CG animation ind for the past 14 years. Currently the Facial Animator for the company I'm at. Did thr facial for GoldenEye 007 on Wii :)
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As above absolutely no programming experience required for most artistic roles, tho for level design(development) a basic grasp of scripting is probably a good idea - it doesn't hurt imo to have a little experience of the programming side tho as it gives you a better idea of what is and isn't feasible and how you can adapt your work to better suit that, however most studios now try and compartmentalize it more so that each dept works on one bit of the bigger picture without needing to know so much about the bigger picture.
 
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