Long-term career

#1 Where are you exactly? The Southeast is a pretty general description... You can try looking at this directory which has contact info for many companies. Even if they're not overtly looking for QA help, send them a nicely written e-mail with some info about yourself. The worst they'll do is say they don't need help.

As for 3D help, find a basic package and learn how to use it. On the free end, try Blender. Moving up in price, try trueSpace. Most game developers use 3D Studio. If you want animation, many like either that, Maya, or Lightwave. Unless you know you're gonna do 3d for a while and have money to burn don't get the high-end stuff just yet. The learning curves are huge and you probably won't need most of the features. For a professional career, though, knowing at least one of those progs is a necessity. When you get to college, you should be able to get a nice academic discount on one of those packages.

To learn a package, mess around with it lots, read all the docs it comes with a few times, and buy a third-party book if necessary. There are also plenty of 3d-oriented sites around that should have forums for asking questions. Good luck!

#2 If you want to get into 3d Art try MilkShape
It's pretty simple and you get a 30 day trial then it's only 20$ if you find that you like it but it's not powerful enough then try Blender or some of the other programs reccomended above.

#3 haha.Sorry bout that. i don't know why i just said the southeast. i live near atlanta goergia. so if there is anyone else with any more info about companies needing videogame testers or anything of the sort then please let me know. it will be greatly appreciated.

#4 ummm, damn.. Milkshape does look really nice... I think I need to purchase a copy of the Game Engine and get to town on my game idea before anyone has one like it :-B

#5 Ideas aren't going to be a problem, the problem is getting the idea finished and into a game!

The testers that "move up" aren't magically promoted to other jobs without other talents (well, unless you're Stevie Case!) because they'd have no reason to have you working on the project if all you could do is black box test (play the game, and watch it crash)

If you don't have boobs and want to date the boss, then you're going to need to have some skills before you move up. Milkshape is probably the only tool you can afford and is fairly easy to get started with.

Make some stuff, and practice! The industry is growing, but growing even faster is the talent-pool. You're going to need some sort of a portfolio if you're going into any art related aspect of game development, and having a few wimpy models won't do much but ensure you won't get an interview.

You've got the time, so go and practice to get some good modeling skills! I'm sure you can be pretty good after practicing for 3-4 years!

Testing is a way to get your foot in the door, but you're pretty much guaranteed to not be going anywhere if you don't have any discernable talent to carry that entry position to somewhere useful.

#6 You might be surprised but from talking to people who are in the film industry, doing things like CG cinematics, the best way to get in is not to have a lot of experience with a specific 3D modelling program but being able to draw 3D objects accurately and be able to animate them on paper. This is usually because they want to know that you have a foundation to work with. Pretty much anyone can pick up a 3D program once they have the foundation you can get through drawing objects, especially animation. Film studios will tend to have their own software that they will have to teach you anyway. In any case having some type of background with modelling on the computer will only help your cause.
The game industry is a little different in that they want to you to be well versed in a modelling program as well but your best bet is to draw a lot. A lot. It helps you big time when you model things. You'll also find that modelling helps you draw too so doing both all the time definately can't hurt.

Alc

#7 You can teach a good artist how to work in 3D. It is much harder to teach a 3D software pilot how to make art. Unfortunately, to get a job nowadays, you need to be a good artist as well as know the software. Most companies don't have the time or the money to train anyone unless they are really, really good.

If you are interested in art as a career, start drawing, start modeling. Practice. Then practice some more. It takes a long time. Seek out professionals to give you feedback on your work, and don't give up.

#8 Giving up is for quitters.

#9 damn see the thing is i suck REALLY badly at drawing, i mean i cant draw a friggin circle ya know? so how would i help getting around that little dilemma?

#10 Being able to draw helps, but it's not a career-ender if you can't. I mean I can barely draw to save myself and I work as a professional CG artist.

It's your artistic 'eye' that's the important thing; knowing how, why and when to use color, lighting, form and mass etc etc. A lot of that stuff can be learned, but to get in the door in the first place you need to show something that catches the hirer's eye, and that means practice practice practice. Absorb as much artwork as you can from everywhere you can, look at how and why different artists do things, ie; an artist depicting a menacing troll is going to use a different color pallete and lighting scheme than someone painting a fluffy bunny, things like that. Most of all just keep practicing, every day. Believe me there is no other way to do it other than, well, doing it.


edit: spelling - gah!

#11 @Matt: I thought rehab was for quitters.

Anyway, you might want to talk to someone at an art school that has a 3d curriculum. The best ones have you take foundational art classes for a few years before you so much as touch a polygon. Art is a trade and it can be learned, given enough dedication and direction from a teacher. Writers are people who write every day. They can't imagine going a day without practicing their trade. Artists are the same. If you want to be an artist, you have to start practicing, every day.

If you don't want to be an artist and just want to get into the game industry, there's other routes available to you. Try some programming and see if that's more your thing.

As a side note, I've read and heard very good things about a book by Betty Edwards called "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain." Look at the 30-day elapsed before and after photos. There was no change in the person's talent, only their technique. Art school will teach you technique. What you do with it is up to you.