What is the education requirement for game developer job?
Author
It has been my dream since the day I have first heard of computers, to create games. I have been studying C++ out of large library books for a few years.
I am wondering how much education and in what courses I must have to become sucessful in game programming. My grades are not quite enough for university, and I have heard portfolios are a great way, how important are both of the above?
an undergraduate degree, preferably in a technical field such as computer science, math, engineering, but frankly from what i understand, the degree just gives you a chance to be looked at, mostly its your relevant work experience and\or proof of talent in the form of demos and whatnot.
EDIT: i'm currently doing night classes to raise grades for university, so thats an option, also i'm sure they'd give a good look at someone with college experience so thats an option.
EDIT: i'm currently doing night classes to raise grades for university, so thats an option, also i'm sure they'd give a good look at someone with college experience so thats an option.
I'm a Computer Science major (currently Freshman level). But it's a good idea to work on game projects in whatever spare time you have because, like godsenddeath said, the degree is just a way to get looked at. They have to like what they see.
I was in a similar situation grade wise. I went to a big name campus (Penn State) and got good grades in programming, but not much else. It was hard for me to get accepted into another campus until I hit age 24 and was considered an "adult learner", then campuses are more lenient on grades. I decided to change to online school just to get my grades up (DeVry, who has online and regular campuses) and now I love it and don't want to leave online school. Look at online school as an option. The reason I did bad at a regular university was because I worked 50 hours a week and went to school full time. I was so tired that I just couldn't do it anymore. With online classes I would just log in after work.
That being said online isn't for everyone. Even though I have learned a ton more online then I ever did at penn state, online school is extremely fast paced (at least devry is) and you will be doing lots and lots of work to earn your degree. I enjoy it though because their strict deadlines make me stay focused and keep me on my toes. Not to mention every professor I have had has been extremely knowledgeable.
Thats just my experience.
That being said online isn't for everyone. Even though I have learned a ton more online then I ever did at penn state, online school is extremely fast paced (at least devry is) and you will be doing lots and lots of work to earn your degree. I enjoy it though because their strict deadlines make me stay focused and keep me on my toes. Not to mention every professor I have had has been extremely knowledgeable.
Thats just my experience.
For the majority of game development studios, your portfolio of work is much more important that a degree. While a degree in Computer Science or something similar can give you an excellent foundation on which to build, if it doesn't come with a good portfolio of work (and I mean work done outside your University course), then your chances of finding work will be greatly reduced.
Do not take this to mean that you should only concentrate on your portfolio and miss out on additional education. The games industry is hard industry to get into, and once in, it's sometimes hard to not want to leave (especially after the initial honeymoon period). A degree (or similar) gives you more options outside of games, which is something you may come to appreciate in a few years.
Good luck
Spree
Do not take this to mean that you should only concentrate on your portfolio and miss out on additional education. The games industry is hard industry to get into, and once in, it's sometimes hard to not want to leave (especially after the initial honeymoon period). A degree (or similar) gives you more options outside of games, which is something you may come to appreciate in a few years.
Good luck
Spree
To be honest: if you can't succeed at high school enough to get into even a middling university...
But there are other ways to learn, and get to the point where you'd be a good employee. Must isn't really common in hiring situations if you know the right people or have impressive, demonstrable skill.
But there are other ways to learn, and get to the point where you'd be a good employee. Must isn't really common in hiring situations if you know the right people or have impressive, demonstrable skill.
Quote:Yurian wrote:
My grades are not quite enough for university
Quote:Telastyn replied:
To be honest: if you can't succeed at high school enough to get into ... university...
Yes. It's bizarre to ask "how much education should I get" if you're starting off saying you can't go beyond high school anyway.
So instead of asking a question whose only possible answer is bound to be useless to you, why not ask a different question.
Quote:Original post by Tom Sloper
Yes. It's bizarre to ask "how much education should I get" if you're starting off saying you can't go beyond high school anyway.
So instead of asking a question whose only possible answer is bound to be useless to you, why not ask a different question.
To be fair to the OP, he wasn't asking how much education he needed, rather how important education was when trying to enter the games industry, compared to other avenues. Two very different things.
Spree
Quote:Original post by SpreeTree
To be fair to the OP, he wasn't asking how much education he needed, rather how important education was when trying to enter the games industry, compared to other avenues.
Quote:Original post by original poster
Subject: What is the education requirement for game developer job?
I am wondering how much education and in what courses I must have to become sucessful in game programming.
Sure sounded to me like he was asking how much education he needed. But I concede the point.
But I still think it's odd to ask "What is the education requirement" and "I am wondering how much education... I must have" and then drop the little bomb, "My grades are not quite enough for university" thus basically saying, in a backhanded manner, "please don't tell me I need to go to university."
It's one of those cases of "if you have to ask..." (http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson30.htm) or maybe it's one of those cases of "you already know the answer, so why the heck are you bothering us?" He could've said this instead:
Quote:University is beyond my grasp. What can I do?
The straightforward statement of the situation, with the real question, is always better than the circuitous route that makes guys like you and me spend time engaging in little side discussions like this. (^_~)
Quote:Original post by yurian
I am wondering how much education and in what courses I must have to become sucessful in game programming. My grades are not quite enough for university...
I may be way off base here, so please don't take offence - but in my experience, 90% of getting good grades is doing work thoroughly, getting it done it on time, and spending a bunch of your 'spare time' catching up or preparing for the future. If you aren't able to do those things, what do you have to set your self ahead (in the eyes of an employer) of a candidate who went to university and proved they have the requisite motivation and stick-to-it?
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