I wanna get into gaming, but I question if I should. I was always good with computers (I was around 2 or 3 when I remember using some kind of program that had to do with T-shirts and Ronald McDonald), I'm the only one in my family that really knows about computers (So no one could help me with my goal). I've always been interested in gaming, ever I could remember, but I never really paid attention to what went into making games and how they are built until 2 or 3 years ago. I got a group together to make games, but never knew what I was doing. I was just so excited I didn't plan ahead. So we disbanded. I knew about programming languages for awhile, but never thought of learning them, but right now, I'm learning C# (The only thing I can do right now is make it say something) for my first language. I know people say that this is a bad decision and I should learn Python, but I feel I can understand C# better then Python. Since I'm confused about C#, I think that I shouldn't do programming, but do Animation. I Tried Blender, but I was clueless on what to do. I tried tutorials, but never understood it. I tried learning GIMP. I made some logos for people and they liked it, but I feel that the techniques I did were Intermediate and should do harder things, so I can make them look better. Well after awhile, I bought a book for HTML coding. I bought a book and read and tried making a website (I did, but I wiped clean my hard drive, so it's gone). I haven't touched the book in months. I downloaded Unity Game Studio, I'm learning the tools and getting the hang of it, and I'm toying with it (making good progress, by the way ). I have a game I want to make, but can't make a team, since I really don't have that much internet access to make a group and manage (The only time I can really do anything on the internet is at my Grandparents house since they have Wi-Fi, and the Internet I have at my house is Mi-Fi from Verizon and it's only has 1 GB or 2). I really think I can make games, but I sometimes I get distracted and forget and stop making that project (I think I have ADD). I'm going into the 10th grade, I have 2 AP classes I'm going into, and that is only Social Studies and Science (I'm really an A,B,C student). I need some advice to help me choose what I should do and what path I need to take for getting into the gaming industries. Sorry I wrote so much, lol.

0. I've always been interested in gaming, but I never really paid attention to what went into making games and how they are built
1. I knew about programming languages for awhile, but never thought of learning them, but right now, I'm learning C#
2. I know people say that this is a bad decision and I should learn Python, but I feel I can understand C# better then Python.
3. I think that I shouldn't do programming, but do Animation.
4. I Tried Blender, ... I tried learning GIMP. ... I was clueless on what to do.
5. I bought a book for HTML coding. I bought a book and read and tried making a website (I did, but I wiped clean my hard drive, so it's gone). I haven't touched the book in months.
6. I downloaded Unity Game Studio, I'm learning the tools and getting the hang of it, and I'm toying with it .
7. I have a game I want to make, but can't make a team, since I really don't have that much internet access to make a group and manage.
8. I really think I can make games, but I sometimes I get distracted and forget and stop making that project (I think I have ADD).
9. I need some advice to help me choose what I should do and what path I need to take for getting into the gaming industries.

0. Making games is VERY different from playing games. Playing games is all about being entertained. It is about getting away from reality for a while, taking a break, and immersing yourself in a world outside your own. Writing games is all about software development. It is about working with a team developing a package of software, art, animations, audio, and other resources that entertain others.


This is akin to suggesting that because you like to drive fast cars you should be a mechanic. Or because you like to surf the web you should be a network engineer. Or because you like to eat steak you should become a rancher. While it certainly helps to be interested in the end results, creating a product and consuming a product are very different.

You get into the games industry because you enjoy creating games, not because you enjoy playing games. It certainly helps to enjoy playing games, but there are many people in the games industry who don't really care much about playing games.


1. The games industry needs programmers. Do you like to write code? Do you like to tinker with data structures and messages and functions and such? Are you reasonably good at math? If so, programming is certainly an option.

2. Learn whatever languages you want. Good programmers know multiple languages; they can read just about any code put in front of them regardless of the source language. If you want to learn C#, then learn C#. If you want to learn Python, then learn Python. If you want to learn Java or C++ or Ruby or any other language, then do so.

3. The games industry needs artists and animators. Do you like to draw and sketch? Are your notebook margins filled with doodles of swordfights and explosions and comics and sketches of beautiful women? If so, then the art path is certainly worth exploring.

4. So? You found a barrier. Overcome it. Better yourself. Work through the issues and come of as conqueror. Or quit, give up, and find a different career path.

5. Finish what you start. If you plan on making this into a career you can't really dabble in it. It's not a career where you can easily change when things start to get difficult. Either DO or DO NOT.

6. That's more along the producer or designer track. The games industry needs producers and designers. If that's what you want to do, then do it.

7. That's team management. The games industry needs managers. It doesn't really sound like that's what you want to do, but if you want to, then go for it.

8. That's listed in the forum FAQ, I believe it is filed under "stupid excuses". Everyone has issues with life. Those are yours to overcome.

9. Read the Forum FAQ, including the collections of FAQs that they link to.



At your age you should be focusing on developing your skills generally and learning in the areas you enjoy. Do what you enjoy and what you are passionate about. Don't stress about a job that is seven or eight or ten years away.

Imagine the horror of those who spend a decade or more fighting to get into a job they think they want, only to discover they hate doing it. Sadly this happens to many people, often as a "mid-life crisis". It is far better if you just follow your own personal bliss of doing what you enjoy and letting the jobs and career path follow.

I've had co-workers quit for this type of thing before. One left after just a few months, to return to school for a music education degree because he really enjoyed teaching and music, yet because he liked playing games he spent his teenage life and college years following a highly technical path he didn't really enjoy. Another person left to start a landscaping service, turns out he loved gardening and working outdoors in addition to playing (not creating) games.

Go to school for whatever you want to do. Want to program, go to school for it. Your attempts at learning C# without any kind of guidance aren't a good indicator for how well you'll do learning to program in school.

If instead you want to do animation, go to school for that. You should only do art if you feel like an artist, though. Don't do it just because it sounds easier than programming.

6. That's more along the producer or designer track. The games industry needs producers and designers. If that's what you want to do, then do it.

Eh? Being a producer has nothing to do with Unity. A producer works with Excel and sharepoint and takes notes and schedules meetings.