Quote:> I've been teaching myself to program for the past 4 or so years, just as a hobby... I can ... get a degree ... but I'd rather not spend 4 years getting it while piling up debts if I can just get in on hard work alone.
You're probably going to spend a couple more years building up a portfolio of "enough" games and demos. And since you've been teaching yourself (as a hobby), there are bound to be gaps in your knowledge.
There are bound to be gaps in everyone's knowledge. I've seen some abysmal masters students and some amazing 'hobbyists'. University is not geared towards making someone an employable programmer in the games industry precisely. That requires personal motivation and a lot of personal projects beyond the scope of your school experience.
So it's important to understand that while you may attend university it is not the only path to competence... It is not even a guaranteed path to competence if some of the graduate students I know are any indication. It can be a valuable experience, but must be tempered with devotion to your craft beyond the requirements.
