Associate
- Joined
- 7 Feb 2008
- Posts
- 826
- Location
- Manchester
Not often you get both sides of the story, interesting stuff there.
Train2Game
- Thread starter OriginalJonty
- Start date
With the course being so new, it does seem like a bit of a gamble. I was considering doing it in my holidays at uni, but the cost put me off :s.
I was speaking to a few software companies at a careers fair the other day, and they have echoed what other people here have been saying. Portfolio is key, show lots of enthusiasm OUTSIDE your course, (modding, help out with open source etc..) and that will be far more useful than your qualifications.
With the surplus of graduates these days, how do you tell the difference between people with the same university grade?
Another thing to note, you don't necessarily have to do a games focused course. I'm doing maths and physics myself, and the companies I've spoke with seem to think that its a more than acceptable way into the industry...
I was speaking to a few software companies at a careers fair the other day, and they have echoed what other people here have been saying. Portfolio is key, show lots of enthusiasm OUTSIDE your course, (modding, help out with open source etc..) and that will be far more useful than your qualifications.
With the surplus of graduates these days, how do you tell the difference between people with the same university grade?
Another thing to note, you don't necessarily have to do a games focused course. I'm doing maths and physics myself, and the companies I've spoke with seem to think that its a more than acceptable way into the industry...
That's the problem right there; the industry doesn't want students who think they can design games because they can write some decent documentation. Most studios won't even look at a portfolio that contains pitches / design documents for legal reasons (that and it's not really a very good indication of someone's abilities).
Flash games, levels made using other engines.... things we can actually play are much preferred IMO.
That would come with the Game Designers working with others on projects and even help setting up studios - such as Horizion Studios and Adarakion Games - which is encoraged by Train2Game. This way, game designers can bring along not just their pitches and design documents but proof they have gone forward with at least one of their ideas.
Its not _that_ new - but I will concede that my experiences* relating to it aren't that recent either... so its possible they've learnt from the past mistakes and improved things.
* Online aquaintances who've been on the course and came to me for help.
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