Hi there! I recently finished my 2 years computer information systems college degree. And I want to transfer to a 4 years college/university for B.S in Business Computer Information System. I would like to get a B.S in computer sciences or computer game designed, but none of these two degrees are offered in this university. My question is: Does it matter what type of degree you have in the computers technology field for getting a job in the game industry? Or the potential employer only cares that you have an degree and know how to apply the knowledge learned? An reply is appreciated. Thanks

Quote:Original post by Tom Sloper
It is doesn't matter to them. Take whatever degree you WANT to take, go to whatever school you WANT to go to.

Seriously? It doesn't matter if I go to Digipen for a 4 year degree or a Community College for a 2 year degree? Are you currently working for a game company or is this your opinion based on your observations?

The type of degree very rarely matters, the reason for it is to show that you can work through and complete something over a long period of time. People that don't know enough computer science are easily weeded out through phone interviews thereafter. I know a few really good programmers (and a technical director of a major studio) that majored in English, which is probably the furthest subject you can get from computer science and engineering.

Quote:Original post by becoolnike
Hi there! I recently finished my 2 years computer information systems college degree. And I want to transfer to a 4 years college/university for B.S in Business Computer Information System. I would like to get a B.S in computer sciences or computer game designed, but none of these two degrees are offered in this university. My question is: Does it matter what type of degree you have in the computers technology field for getting a job in the game industry? Or the potential employer only cares that you have an degree and know how to apply the knowledge learned?

Hmm, well first of all, it would be good to keep your correspondence with developers (and everyone, in general) punctual. The following:

"Does the type of degree in the game industry is important for a potential employer?"

Isn't what I would call valid English. ;)

And secondly, stop simply dreaming of "getting a job in the game industry" - study the roles, single out a profession, and dream of becoming that. Your education path most closely matches that of a game programmer, so ask whether the course you're taking up will be conducive to getting into the industry as a game programmer. Your attitude right now suggests you have a passion for games, the gaming community, and whatever game ideas are swirling around your head - but no passion for the arduous mental labour involved in any of the roles specific to game development.

I suggest you start making small games, maybe a Tetris clone or a 2D platformer, from scratch - no outsourced physics libraries or game engines - learn the physics and graphics programming and the mathematics involved, etc, and start to have a passion for that merely for what it is, even if you don't finish a game in the process. It's a very interesting and challenging (read: mind-shatteringly difficult) field, but there is a very good chance that you won't find it interesting like the vast majority of other gamers - in which case, you should not become a game programmer.
Video game programming teams need people who are interested in advanced computer science, mathematics, physics, rendering, etc, not silly things like video games. ;)


On your degrees, I guess it depends on what they consist of - no dev company wants to employ a glorified systems administrator as a game programmer, for obvious reasons. The same problem pops up for other degrees (especially those nebulous "games" degrees), but with computer science there's at least an assumed list of aptitudes associated with such a qualification.
So, you might want to explain your qualifications in greater detail in your résumé; and, if you want us to give you some idea as to how directly the course you're planning on entering matches a role in the industry, you might want to give an overview of the units, etc, of which it is constituted.

On first impression, I'll be honest: business IT largely takes place on virtual machines (JVM, CLR et al), deals heavily with database management servers and "business classes/logic/solutions", may involve learning some sort of obtuse and backward 4GL at some point, etc - and it's more interesting, powerful and rewarding than most people give it credit for, but I wouldn't really call it game programming material.
Pending a deeper explanation of the course, I'm inclined to advise you to find a university that offers a computer science degree.

Quote:Original post by Tom Sloper
1. Possibly English isn't the OP's first language.

You're right, I didn't contemplate this one. I don't think scribbling random numbers into the location field buys the OP a lot of leeway here, though.

EDIT: is that string of numbers intended to be the zip code of El Centro, California? I'd expect some sort of prize for guessing that.

Quote:Original post by Tom Sloper
2. How do you figure the word "punctual" belongs in there?

Sorry, I had the term "punctuation" in mind (whereas "punctual" seems to directly relate to "punctuality"), and intended "grammatically accurate" or some variant anyway. Turns out I was way off-course.

Quote:Original post by Fenrisulvur

Quote:Original post by becoolnike
Hi there! I recently finished my 2 years computer information systems college degree. And I want to transfer to a 4 years college/university for B.S in Business Computer Information System. I would like to get a B.S in computer sciences or computer game designed, but none of these two degrees are offered in this university. My question is: Does it matter what type of degree you have in the computers technology field for getting a job in the game industry? Or the potential employer only cares that you have an degree and know how to apply the knowledge learned?

Hmm, well first of all, it would be good to keep your correspondence with developers (and everyone, in general) punctual. The following:

"Does the type of degree in the game industry is important for a potential employer?"

Isn't what I would call valid English. ;)

And secondly, stop simply dreaming of "getting a job in the game industry" - study the roles, single out a profession, and dream of becoming that. Your education path most closely matches that of a game programmer, so ask whether the course you're taking up will be conducive to getting into the industry as a game programmer. Your attitude right now suggests you have a passion for games, the gaming community, and whatever game ideas are swirling around your head - but no passion for the arduous mental labour involved in any of the roles specific to game development.

I suggest you start making small games, maybe a Tetris clone or a 2D platformer, from scratch - no outsourced physics libraries or game engines - learn the physics and graphics programming and the mathematics involved, etc, and start to have a passion for that merely for what it is, even if you don't finish a game in the process. It's a very interesting and challenging (read: mind-shatteringly difficult) field, but there is a very good chance that you won't find it interesting like the vast majority of other gamers - in which case, you should not become a game programmer.
Video game programming teams need people who are interested in advanced computer science, mathematics, physics, rendering, etc, not silly things like video games. ;)


On your degrees, I guess it depends on what they consist of - no dev company wants to employ a glorified systems administrator as a game programmer, for obvious reasons. The same problem pops up for other degrees (especially those nebulous "games" degrees), but with computer science there's at least an assumed list of aptitudes associated with such a qualification.
So, you might want to explain your qualifications in greater detail in your résumé; and, if you want us to give you some idea as to how directly the course you're planning on entering matches a role in the industry, you might want to give an overview of the units, etc, of which it is constituted.

On first impression, I'll be honest: business IT largely takes place on virtual machines (JVM, CLR et al), deals heavily with database management servers and "business classes/logic/solutions", may involve learning some sort of obtuse and backward 4GL at some point, etc - and it's more interesting, powerful and rewarding than most people give it credit for, but I wouldn't really call it game programming material.
Pending a deeper explanation of the course, I'm inclined to advise you to find a university that offers a computer science degree.

I have made some 2d games, and security software, but more security software than games. I even published some security software and sold. I even have some open source engine, and software. And have written several tutorials for the Spanish community.


I do have good skills already but not the enough education ( I think).

I know a 4 years college degree is better than a 2 years college degree. But i have heard about some good programmers that works for a company that have only a B.S in mathematics not a B.S in any computer field.

Correct me if I am wrong? Am I?

That is correct. Go look at some job postings for the position(s) you would potentially want upon obtaining your degree, this will give you a good indication as to what most companies want.