Looking for Opinions, Advice etc....
by Ben Bateman · in General Discussion · 04/14/2005 (1:34 am) · 13 replies
Greetings all,
I have been an avid gamer for most of my life dating back to the Atari 2600, though at that time I was more interested in playing the games then seeing how they were created, I just recently graduated from a Tech school with an Associate's in Information Systems where I had my first experiences with programming.
We learned the bare basics of C++, Visual Basic, and XHTML. We spent about a week on flash but since the course wasn't really designed with flash we didn't do much with it.
My experience with the programming at the tech school sparked an intense interest in programming and it got me thinking back to my early gaming days and wondering what it would take to actually program games. Now I understand that no one can start off making Doom 3 or something, hell we made a Tic Tac Toe game in class and I was absolutely thrilled at what I had done 8). At this time I started researching game design & development on the internet and reading articles and magazine ads about schooling for game design. When I first started looking there was only a handful of schools that taught anything to do with games (Digipen, Full Sail and various art colleges, etc.)
So at present, I am enrolled at UAT (/ducks) to start classes next month in the Software Engineering curriculum. I have read articles about the various schools and such and of course I expected to see some dissatisfied people, but the amount begins to alarm me. I just recently saw the debacle about "the UAT pong ad" and it having been the first time that I had seen the ad I was severely distraught thinking that I might have made a mistake in choosing this school. I mean I move to Arizona from Louisiana, big change in not only lifestyle but climate and things as well.
Honestly I love working with computers at first it was just tech stuff like building them and fixing them and such. Then when I started to learn programming and thinking on what I actually wanted to do for a career, not that a PC Tech or Net Tech is bad but I think that I would much rather do something and work with a medium that I have loved since childhood.
From my experience you get what you give, meaning that the harder you work in school or in a job the better the outcome. I was a slacker in high school having a very low GPA mainly because I was bored with it all the time. But when I went to the tech school for something I was really interested in I graduated with a 3.87 GPA. I worked my (pardon the language) ass off while I was in school, holding down 2 jobs while going to school full time. I am not one of the spoiled rich kids going to school on their parent dime, I will be paying quite a bit in student loans when I am finished.
I just hope that I can carry this same determination with UAT, from seeing all the negative feedback and horrible ads and such it makes me worry alot about what kind of education I will get and whether or not I will get a job in the industry. I mean my dream would be to work for LucasArts, Blizzard, Bioware hell who wouldn't like to work for them. I realize that someone would never get a job at any of these companies fresh outta school unless they were veritable creative and design genius'. I just hope that I will be able to do something that I can make a career out of.
I know that most of you guys have projects you are working on and are very busy, but if you could give me some feedback, opinions, advice anything. I can see myself working in the industry down the road, I just need a little help getting out of the parking lot *)
If you read this whole post and have any advice please post it, and I thank you all for having a community that I can find something interesting to read and think about.
Ben
I have been an avid gamer for most of my life dating back to the Atari 2600, though at that time I was more interested in playing the games then seeing how they were created, I just recently graduated from a Tech school with an Associate's in Information Systems where I had my first experiences with programming.
We learned the bare basics of C++, Visual Basic, and XHTML. We spent about a week on flash but since the course wasn't really designed with flash we didn't do much with it.
My experience with the programming at the tech school sparked an intense interest in programming and it got me thinking back to my early gaming days and wondering what it would take to actually program games. Now I understand that no one can start off making Doom 3 or something, hell we made a Tic Tac Toe game in class and I was absolutely thrilled at what I had done 8). At this time I started researching game design & development on the internet and reading articles and magazine ads about schooling for game design. When I first started looking there was only a handful of schools that taught anything to do with games (Digipen, Full Sail and various art colleges, etc.)
So at present, I am enrolled at UAT (/ducks) to start classes next month in the Software Engineering curriculum. I have read articles about the various schools and such and of course I expected to see some dissatisfied people, but the amount begins to alarm me. I just recently saw the debacle about "the UAT pong ad" and it having been the first time that I had seen the ad I was severely distraught thinking that I might have made a mistake in choosing this school. I mean I move to Arizona from Louisiana, big change in not only lifestyle but climate and things as well.
Honestly I love working with computers at first it was just tech stuff like building them and fixing them and such. Then when I started to learn programming and thinking on what I actually wanted to do for a career, not that a PC Tech or Net Tech is bad but I think that I would much rather do something and work with a medium that I have loved since childhood.
From my experience you get what you give, meaning that the harder you work in school or in a job the better the outcome. I was a slacker in high school having a very low GPA mainly because I was bored with it all the time. But when I went to the tech school for something I was really interested in I graduated with a 3.87 GPA. I worked my (pardon the language) ass off while I was in school, holding down 2 jobs while going to school full time. I am not one of the spoiled rich kids going to school on their parent dime, I will be paying quite a bit in student loans when I am finished.
I just hope that I can carry this same determination with UAT, from seeing all the negative feedback and horrible ads and such it makes me worry alot about what kind of education I will get and whether or not I will get a job in the industry. I mean my dream would be to work for LucasArts, Blizzard, Bioware hell who wouldn't like to work for them. I realize that someone would never get a job at any of these companies fresh outta school unless they were veritable creative and design genius'. I just hope that I will be able to do something that I can make a career out of.
I know that most of you guys have projects you are working on and are very busy, but if you could give me some feedback, opinions, advice anything. I can see myself working in the industry down the road, I just need a little help getting out of the parking lot *)
If you read this whole post and have any advice please post it, and I thank you all for having a community that I can find something interesting to read and think about.
Ben
#2
You seem like an ambitious and intelligent person! From reading your post, I am fuly inclined to think you have everything it takes to be an indie :)
As for starting out, I'll add my total and complete %1000 recommendation for T2D if you're into making a 2D game to start. The TAP will be the biggest learning curve for you, no doubt, but with T2D, once you get past that initial bump, it's game development at light speed, baby!
Hey, that's a good product tagline -
T2D - Game development at light speed.
B)
04/15/2005 (2:31 am)
Heya! Sorry I'm a little late to the thread.You seem like an ambitious and intelligent person! From reading your post, I am fuly inclined to think you have everything it takes to be an indie :)
As for starting out, I'll add my total and complete %1000 recommendation for T2D if you're into making a 2D game to start. The TAP will be the biggest learning curve for you, no doubt, but with T2D, once you get past that initial bump, it's game development at light speed, baby!
Hey, that's a good product tagline -
T2D - Game development at light speed.
B)
#3
I understand your stress about choosing the right school completely. I have never attended or had any experience with UAT, but the best piece of advice I can give you is don't go if you have any reservations. You won't enjoy your experience there if you're constantly wondering whether you made the proper decision.
This is not to say "Don't ever go to UAT", but I would suggest you do more research. Get a list of alumni from UAT in the school you'll be attending (Engineering, I assume) and ask some people what they felt about their experience. Check the school ranking. Examine the neighborhood where you'll be "living", that sort of thing. Do everything you can to help answer your questions and alleviate your concerns before you take this big step. You certainly wouldn't want to waste money at school.
It is true, that you could try it out for a semester or a year, and then transfer somewhere. This might be an excellent option for you, if you can guarantee you'll retain the momentum to keep your grades high for that length of time - even if you *hate* the school. But you sound a bit like me. I ran all over creation, couldn't pick a degree program, had difficulty choosing a school, had low grades when I finally did - and as soon as I switched to another school I was able to focus, select my degree program and graduate with a 3.0 (including all the bad transfer grades from the other shool). If you think you can do it despite hating the school (if that happens), then the money won't be wasted if you go try it out for a semester or a year - but you'll still be moving twice. Keep these things in mind.
As for now, the guys are right. Get your fingers and feet wet. Dip into something else while you're learning. I'm in the middle of learning C++ and I intend to continue, but it has something like a 2-year learning curve to know it well enough for something like this. In the meantime, I went looking for an engine to take some of the heavier work off of my back and I found Torque. Torque 2D is what I'm currently using and I'm feeling successful with every small step I take. (With a lot of help my from my friends - lol. The people and the community here at GarageGames are an invaluable resource so use them! :) )
Take care, and good luck!
04/15/2005 (9:43 am)
Hi! Being one of the rare women on the forums, I thought I'd drop my 2c into the bucket. :)I understand your stress about choosing the right school completely. I have never attended or had any experience with UAT, but the best piece of advice I can give you is don't go if you have any reservations. You won't enjoy your experience there if you're constantly wondering whether you made the proper decision.
This is not to say "Don't ever go to UAT", but I would suggest you do more research. Get a list of alumni from UAT in the school you'll be attending (Engineering, I assume) and ask some people what they felt about their experience. Check the school ranking. Examine the neighborhood where you'll be "living", that sort of thing. Do everything you can to help answer your questions and alleviate your concerns before you take this big step. You certainly wouldn't want to waste money at school.
It is true, that you could try it out for a semester or a year, and then transfer somewhere. This might be an excellent option for you, if you can guarantee you'll retain the momentum to keep your grades high for that length of time - even if you *hate* the school. But you sound a bit like me. I ran all over creation, couldn't pick a degree program, had difficulty choosing a school, had low grades when I finally did - and as soon as I switched to another school I was able to focus, select my degree program and graduate with a 3.0 (including all the bad transfer grades from the other shool). If you think you can do it despite hating the school (if that happens), then the money won't be wasted if you go try it out for a semester or a year - but you'll still be moving twice. Keep these things in mind.
As for now, the guys are right. Get your fingers and feet wet. Dip into something else while you're learning. I'm in the middle of learning C++ and I intend to continue, but it has something like a 2-year learning curve to know it well enough for something like this. In the meantime, I went looking for an engine to take some of the heavier work off of my back and I found Torque. Torque 2D is what I'm currently using and I'm feeling successful with every small step I take. (With a lot of help my from my friends - lol. The people and the community here at GarageGames are an invaluable resource so use them! :) )
Take care, and good luck!
#4
Gina has some excellent recommendations, the primary among them being "know your department". Where you live can change greatly over the course of academia, and if you get to know your department, things can open up on that front. If you were looking rather than enrolled, I'd recommend going and talking to students who have been in the department for a while. That way you can gauge the effectiveness of the faculty. One of the major problems with using major industry bigwigs is that they often suck hard as teachers. They may make excellent mentors or team mates or individual workers of business people, but that doesn't mean that they can teach worth crap.
I just deleted a whole lot of stuff about choosing graduate/undergraduate programs because I realized that I had confused UAT with the University of Arizona, Tuscon with the University of Advancing Technology and it wasn't really relevant.
04/15/2005 (10:32 am)
My only real problem with UAT is that they can't make a web site that works in anything but IE.Gina has some excellent recommendations, the primary among them being "know your department". Where you live can change greatly over the course of academia, and if you get to know your department, things can open up on that front. If you were looking rather than enrolled, I'd recommend going and talking to students who have been in the department for a while. That way you can gauge the effectiveness of the faculty. One of the major problems with using major industry bigwigs is that they often suck hard as teachers. They may make excellent mentors or team mates or individual workers of business people, but that doesn't mean that they can teach worth crap.
I just deleted a whole lot of stuff about choosing graduate/undergraduate programs because I realized that I had confused UAT with the University of Arizona, Tuscon with the University of Advancing Technology and it wasn't really relevant.
#5
The math looks kinda rough for someone that has been out of high school for over 10 years though. I was really good in math until the put letters and stuff with it LOL. Anyway, I think my main problem with higher math is that either I never learned or was taught it in a way that I can understand. The math teacher that I am going to have from what some of the students said is a very good teacher as well as entertaining.
I think that I will see UAT through and learn everything that I can, I might consider going to another school however I think I read somewhere that UATs credits doesn't transfer very well to other schools. Though if I am confident enough with what I learn from UAT I think I will be in good shape, well that and trying to get my wife to agree to move again to go to another school will probably be nigh impossible LOL.
Anyway, I am downloading the T2D demo and I will see what I can do with it. Hopefully I can talk my wife into letting me order the engine hehe. I assume there are helpful tutorials and such to get a person started, so I will check those out as well. Again thanks for all the advice and I will keep you guys updated on how everything is going.
04/15/2005 (4:07 pm)
I just wanted to post a thank you to everyone that responded, yesterday I went to the school and just hung around for a few hours taking in the atmosphere and talking with some of the Engineering students that currently studying what I am going for. The end result is basically about 80% said they are having a really good experiencee with the school and that most of the teachers are great with a select few that are mediocre at best. Thankfully for my first 3 *game design* classes I have one of the best teachers there the first three classes teach history, theory and a socialogical look at games and society. I am also taking a dreamweaver course along with the required english and math for beginning students.The math looks kinda rough for someone that has been out of high school for over 10 years though. I was really good in math until the put letters and stuff with it LOL. Anyway, I think my main problem with higher math is that either I never learned or was taught it in a way that I can understand. The math teacher that I am going to have from what some of the students said is a very good teacher as well as entertaining.
I think that I will see UAT through and learn everything that I can, I might consider going to another school however I think I read somewhere that UATs credits doesn't transfer very well to other schools. Though if I am confident enough with what I learn from UAT I think I will be in good shape, well that and trying to get my wife to agree to move again to go to another school will probably be nigh impossible LOL.
Anyway, I am downloading the T2D demo and I will see what I can do with it. Hopefully I can talk my wife into letting me order the engine hehe. I assume there are helpful tutorials and such to get a person started, so I will check those out as well. Again thanks for all the advice and I will keep you guys updated on how everything is going.
#6
The math looks kinda rough for someone that has been out of high school for over 10 years though. I was really good in math until the put letters and stuff with it LOL. Anyway, I think my main problem with higher math is that either I never learned or was taught it in a way that I can understand. The math teacher that I am going to have from what some of the students said is a very good teacher as well as entertaining.
I think that I will see UAT through and learn everything that I can, I might consider going to another school however I think I read somewhere that UATs credits doesn't transfer very well to other schools. Though if I am confident enough with what I learn from UAT I think I will be in good shape, well that and trying to get my wife to agree to move again to go to another school will probably be nigh impossible LOL.
Anyway, I am downloading the T2D demo and I will see what I can do with it. Hopefully I can talk my wife into letting me order the engine hehe. I assume there are helpful tutorials and such to get a person started, so I will check those out as well. Again thanks for all the advice and I will keep you guys updated on how everything is going.
04/15/2005 (4:10 pm)
I just wanted to post a thank you to everyone that responded, yesterday I went to the school and just hung around for a few hours taking in the atmosphere and talking with some of the Engineering students that currently studying what I am going for. The end result is basically about 80% said they are having a really good experiencee with the school and that most of the teachers are great with a select few that are mediocre at best. Thankfully for my first 3 *game design* classes I have one of the best teachers there the first three classes teach history, theory and a socialogical look at games and society. I am also taking a dreamweaver course along with the required english and math for beginning students.The math looks kinda rough for someone that has been out of high school for over 10 years though. I was really good in math until the put letters and stuff with it LOL. Anyway, I think my main problem with higher math is that either I never learned or was taught it in a way that I can understand. The math teacher that I am going to have from what some of the students said is a very good teacher as well as entertaining.
I think that I will see UAT through and learn everything that I can, I might consider going to another school however I think I read somewhere that UATs credits doesn't transfer very well to other schools. Though if I am confident enough with what I learn from UAT I think I will be in good shape, well that and trying to get my wife to agree to move again to go to another school will probably be nigh impossible LOL.
Anyway, I am downloading the T2D demo and I will see what I can do with it. Hopefully I can talk my wife into letting me order the engine hehe. I assume there are helpful tutorials and such to get a person started, so I will check those out as well. Again thanks for all the advice and I will keep you guys updated on how everything is going.
#7
There's another thread on the Garage Games website titled IGC Dates 2005 . Its a meeting place where independent (beginning programmers, or programmers who are not working for a company like LucasArts) programmers can meet, demo some of their creations, and ?sell? to other interested parties.
Since you mention C++, and Visual Basic, a place where you can find a good free C++ IDE/Compiler is www.BloodShed.com. Its called Dev-C++ and is currently in its fitth version. it works just as good as Microsft Visual C++ product. A reason you never heard of it is that it is difficult to live on free, (attend college, buy food, pay a mortgage, go to a restaurant, take a female friend to dinner, and such) so business's hype up their product line so that they can do their stuff. So programmers don't mention the free stuff, even if they know about them. My preferred compiler of choice is Borland's C++ Builder (It has an IDE similiar to Visual Basic). You might be able to pick up a copy of that for about $100 to $150 bucks somewhere. The last version of that they made was version 6. The company plans to sell their latest C++ products in their Delphi line. Look for something called Delphi 2005 or Delphi 2006. It will include C++, C#, and Pascal (Borland's equivalent of the Visual Basic language) And of course, the reason why Visual C++ is so popular is because Microsoft makes it, and who wants to stand up to Microsoft.
You mention Doom3, and trying to find paying job at LucasArts. This reminds me of several things. A song Madonna wrote, the Columbine Massacre, and why beginning programmers are reluctant to show off their first games.
First off, several years ago, Madonna wrote a song called The Power of Goodbye, where she says Freedom happens when you learn to let go, Creativity comes when you learn to say NO . What this means is that when people learn that you're studying computer programming, and have an interest in video game design, they're going to think that you're rich, (because Bill Gates is rich), so they are going to be hitting you up for their products, expecting you to buy them. (And you can't buy every little product that comes out. You have to eat, sleep, clothe yourself, and every now and then, you may want to do soemthing else beside sitting at teh computer, like going to a movie, or concert, baseball game or such. All these things cost money) Not only that, but in their sales pitch, they promise that their product will help you in your career. And while some of that may be true, you won't be able to afford every little product that comes along. So you have to pick and choose. Pick the ones that are right for you, and reject those that you feel are wrong, and don't feel sorry for your choices.
That brings up the Columbine massacre. If you don't remember it, or never heard of it, breifly put, 4 or 5 Computer Gamers shot a classroom full of students and teachers. This shocked many an American, because situations like that wasn't supposed to happen at that school. They weren't dealing drugs, Columbine wasn't known for any racial trouble like other schools, they weren't smuggling arms to known terrorists, they didn't condone backtalking the president and other authoritative structures, so why did this happen. (They wanted to blame the game doom, and its influence of shooting things.) BTW, that's the game they were playing at the time when the situation happened.
(to be continued)
04/15/2005 (4:56 pm)
Hello Ben,There's another thread on the Garage Games website titled IGC Dates 2005 . Its a meeting place where independent (beginning programmers, or programmers who are not working for a company like LucasArts) programmers can meet, demo some of their creations, and ?sell? to other interested parties.
Since you mention C++, and Visual Basic, a place where you can find a good free C++ IDE/Compiler is www.BloodShed.com. Its called Dev-C++ and is currently in its fitth version. it works just as good as Microsft Visual C++ product. A reason you never heard of it is that it is difficult to live on free, (attend college, buy food, pay a mortgage, go to a restaurant, take a female friend to dinner, and such) so business's hype up their product line so that they can do their stuff. So programmers don't mention the free stuff, even if they know about them. My preferred compiler of choice is Borland's C++ Builder (It has an IDE similiar to Visual Basic). You might be able to pick up a copy of that for about $100 to $150 bucks somewhere. The last version of that they made was version 6. The company plans to sell their latest C++ products in their Delphi line. Look for something called Delphi 2005 or Delphi 2006. It will include C++, C#, and Pascal (Borland's equivalent of the Visual Basic language) And of course, the reason why Visual C++ is so popular is because Microsoft makes it, and who wants to stand up to Microsoft.
You mention Doom3, and trying to find paying job at LucasArts. This reminds me of several things. A song Madonna wrote, the Columbine Massacre, and why beginning programmers are reluctant to show off their first games.
First off, several years ago, Madonna wrote a song called The Power of Goodbye, where she says Freedom happens when you learn to let go, Creativity comes when you learn to say NO . What this means is that when people learn that you're studying computer programming, and have an interest in video game design, they're going to think that you're rich, (because Bill Gates is rich), so they are going to be hitting you up for their products, expecting you to buy them. (And you can't buy every little product that comes out. You have to eat, sleep, clothe yourself, and every now and then, you may want to do soemthing else beside sitting at teh computer, like going to a movie, or concert, baseball game or such. All these things cost money) Not only that, but in their sales pitch, they promise that their product will help you in your career. And while some of that may be true, you won't be able to afford every little product that comes along. So you have to pick and choose. Pick the ones that are right for you, and reject those that you feel are wrong, and don't feel sorry for your choices.
That brings up the Columbine massacre. If you don't remember it, or never heard of it, breifly put, 4 or 5 Computer Gamers shot a classroom full of students and teachers. This shocked many an American, because situations like that wasn't supposed to happen at that school. They weren't dealing drugs, Columbine wasn't known for any racial trouble like other schools, they weren't smuggling arms to known terrorists, they didn't condone backtalking the president and other authoritative structures, so why did this happen. (They wanted to blame the game doom, and its influence of shooting things.) BTW, that's the game they were playing at the time when the situation happened.
(to be continued)
#8
Which brings my third point. You claim that you were pround when you finished your Tic-Tac-Toe game, and well you should be. You accomplihed something. Now you say you want a job for LucasArts or other media related companies. After all, they money-paying contracts with the motion picture industries, and they have the power to say NO! I for one, would feel kind of reluctant to show off my creation (I'm working on two mobile games which pale in comparison to Doom3 or Half-Life2, both of which took the creators five years to write) of Pong to someone who could write Doom, expecting them to hire me. (Geez, Mr. Newell, your game of Half-Life really impressed me, I played it on many weekends, and while I wasn't playing it, I was at home writing this game of #####, what do you think! Is it good enough to work for Steam, yada, yada, yada)
(to be continued)
04/15/2005 (4:57 pm)
For my 2 cents, computers were still very new to many americans, and they were lead to believe that one day, many industries were to be controled by them, and those that study computers back then would be world leaders or at least wealthy enough to satisfy their basic needs in the future. The problem surfaces when this dream life didn't happen, and the CU's fell prey to their own human desires (hunger *yeah; every human has got to eat, fatigue *don't you get tired working/playing games 8, 12, 16 hours a day, loneliness, * we like to think that we could live alone, but sometimes even loners needs companionship even if only for two or three hours a day) and this is the reason they shot a classroom full of people, rather than playing a game called doom!Which brings my third point. You claim that you were pround when you finished your Tic-Tac-Toe game, and well you should be. You accomplihed something. Now you say you want a job for LucasArts or other media related companies. After all, they money-paying contracts with the motion picture industries, and they have the power to say NO! I for one, would feel kind of reluctant to show off my creation (I'm working on two mobile games which pale in comparison to Doom3 or Half-Life2, both of which took the creators five years to write) of Pong to someone who could write Doom, expecting them to hire me. (Geez, Mr. Newell, your game of Half-Life really impressed me, I played it on many weekends, and while I wasn't playing it, I was at home writing this game of #####, what do you think! Is it good enough to work for Steam, yada, yada, yada)
(to be continued)
#9
Don't cut them entirely out of the picture, they do worry about you, and when they confront you with how you're spending your time and money, confront them with the truth. They read news articles aobut how computer users are being targeted by law-enforcement types for criminal behavior, and they don't want their son to get caught up with the wrong crowd.
One last thing! If you haven't yet, invest in a good laptop. They're portable, and they're easy to carry to computer shows where you can demo your games (for example the IGC in October)
* Prepare to be assimelated. Resistance is futile!
04/15/2005 (4:58 pm)
You also mention that you don't go to school on your parents dime. This is good, as it will help you make tough decisions, whereas those other students who are going to school on their parents dime, will have a harder time later on, because they will always have some cushion to fall back on when things get rough!Don't cut them entirely out of the picture, they do worry about you, and when they confront you with how you're spending your time and money, confront them with the truth. They read news articles aobut how computer users are being targeted by law-enforcement types for criminal behavior, and they don't want their son to get caught up with the wrong crowd.
One last thing! If you haven't yet, invest in a good laptop. They're portable, and they're easy to carry to computer shows where you can demo your games (for example the IGC in October)
* Prepare to be assimelated. Resistance is futile!
#10
Amen! Senebty! etc, etc...
This is one of the hardest things to learn. In our society, as a rule, we're pushed into the product market at a young age - enticed with games and toys that our poor parents have to say "No" to for us. For the same reasons we eventually have to learn to say "no" ourselves. (Isn't it funny how that's also the motto for avoiding drug addiction?)
Ben, I hope that school is going well for you (if you've started); and I'm glad to see that you did some research and it served to put your mind at ease. :) Take care of yourself, and good luck!
05/21/2005 (8:02 am)
when people learn that youre studying computer programming, and have an interest in video game design, theyre going to think that youre rich, (because Bill Gates is rich), so they are going to be hitting you up for their products, expecting you to buy them. (And you cant buy every little product that comes out. You have to eat, sleep, clothe yourself, and every now and then, you may want to do soemthing else beside sitting at teh computer, like going to a movie, or concert, baseball game or such. All these things cost money) Not only that, but in their sales pitch, they promise that their product will help you in your career. And while some of that may be true, you wont be able to afford every little product that comes along. So you have to pick and choose. Pick the ones that are right for you, and reject those that you feel are wrong, and dont feel sorry for your choices.
Amen! Senebty! etc, etc...
This is one of the hardest things to learn. In our society, as a rule, we're pushed into the product market at a young age - enticed with games and toys that our poor parents have to say "No" to for us. For the same reasons we eventually have to learn to say "no" ourselves. (Isn't it funny how that's also the motto for avoiding drug addiction?)
Ben, I hope that school is going well for you (if you've started); and I'm glad to see that you did some research and it served to put your mind at ease. :) Take care of yourself, and good luck!
#11
What does Senebty mean?
05/21/2005 (8:11 pm)
Quote:[color = red] Amen! Senebty! etc, etc...[/red]
What does Senebty mean?
#12
What does Senebty mean?
05/21/2005 (8:13 pm)
Quote:[color = red] Amen! Senebty! etc, etc...[/red]
What does Senebty mean?
#13
...
As for advice ... If you want to work for yourself or a larger company as far as I know the deal is still settled by actually having created games. School is well and good but if have the skills to get into it right now I'd say make a game as soon as you can. This industry is only getting harder to establish yourself in.
# People with college educations > # People with game programming experience > # People with decent demos > # People with completed games > # People with completed games that are marketable
This is just from my experience but the Internet has provided me with a far greater education than college did. If you are capable of getting a job that can support yourself already ... but you WANT to make games then I'd get into the gamemaking ASAP.
05/21/2005 (8:24 pm)
Was wondering that myself As for advice ... If you want to work for yourself or a larger company as far as I know the deal is still settled by actually having created games. School is well and good but if have the skills to get into it right now I'd say make a game as soon as you can. This industry is only getting harder to establish yourself in.
# People with college educations > # People with game programming experience > # People with decent demos > # People with completed games > # People with completed games that are marketable
This is just from my experience but the Internet has provided me with a far greater education than college did. If you are capable of getting a job that can support yourself already ... but you WANT to make games then I'd get into the gamemaking ASAP.
Associate Matt Fairfax
PopCap
Couple of sites I have found useful to point new developers to:
www.gametutorials.com/tutorials.htm
nehe.gamedev.net/ check out the OpenGL Tutorials on the left
Once your begun to learn one of the fastest ways to get better is through Game in a Day.
Torque 2D gets my unequivocal vote for best thing you can buy to get started with game programming.
Most important advice I can give to anyone doing game development (new or old) is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Planning, reading, talking, and designing is cheap....the more you *do*, the better and faster you learn!