Making games and studying are not mutually exclusive.
In fact, you'll likely have more opportunity to make games while studying than while flipping burgers.
You'll be in an educational environment surrounded by other students with a similar goal.
That alone will teach you a ton you won't get from hacking away on your own.
You'll have people to review your work, you'll have people you can bounce ideas of and brainstorm with.
Finally, the content of a CS course is not as irrelevant as you think.
It'll prepare you a ton better for the industry than only slaving away using those free evenings.
If you want to make games right now, just do it. But keep studying.
You can do both and you'll be a better developer for it.
Do I need a degree to make mobile games?
Don't need anything other than a compiler to write mobile games (or games in general). I see you say "Apple and Android" - note there are other big platforms if you intend to cover mobile platforms (as opposed to only writing for whatever phone you happen to have).
Why is a degree a must?
Because you're not the only person applying for the job. Imagine an employer who wants 1 person, and 10 people apply for the job. He's probably not going to choose the one who doesn't have a degree, to put it that way.
Degree is a waste of time if you're a developer other than the chance to network with other developers. Spend your time actually making games. Open source your stuff on Github. Having a portfolio of great work will get you a gig much faster than a degree without the portfolio.
A portfolio that shows off some really top-notch programming can be just as strong on an application as a degree, especially if you're applying for something that isn't really taught very much in schools, like app development. That said, if you're an average programmer, it's much better to be an average programmer with a degree. You're always going to be up against someone else, and the degree gives you an edge.
Make sure you take as many classes with big many thousands of lines of code projects as you can. Learn design patterns. Learn optimization. Try to take a real-time simulation and modeling class if they don't have a specific game development program.
Make sure you take as many classes with big many thousands of lines of code projects as you can. Learn design patterns. Learn optimization. Try to take a real-time simulation and modeling class if they don't have a specific game development program.
Having a portfolio of great work will get you a gig much faster than a degree without the portfolio.
A portfolio that shows off some really top-notch programming can be just as strong on an application as a degree
Even if you have a portfolio of work, you are still behind people with a degree, as they will have a degree and a portfolio of the work they have completed as part of that degree.
When I finished my degree in Software Engineering, I had multiple systems which were fully specified and coded to degree standard in multiple languages. I highly doubt that a hobbyist would have a portfolio which matches that of a graduate, unless they are gifted or had some help along the way.
A degree is not just a piece of paper that says "I can do this and this", it is a sign that you have been educated and tested to degree level and passed the course.
Could part of the reason why the repliers (myself included) have different ideas of how much a degree matters, have something to do with where we live in the world? I'm thinking it does, I mean it makes perfect sense.
So depending on your location and opportunities, you may be given a bit of a break. In Norway, where I live, there are generally very few studios and I imagine they got a limited number of positions available throughout a year. So my chances are slim, thus a degree would likely be even more important.
But for the US, especially around Texas or whatever, the situation could be vastly different.
So depending on your location and opportunities, you may be given a bit of a break. In Norway, where I live, there are generally very few studios and I imagine they got a limited number of positions available throughout a year. So my chances are slim, thus a degree would likely be even more important.
But for the US, especially around Texas or whatever, the situation could be vastly different.
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]My overall take-away from reading this thread is that those arguing against having a degree may not be looking at the entire picture.
First off, I agree 100% that a “strong” portfolio could possibly beat out a degree and no portfolio – situation withstanding of course. That being said, the advantage of getting your degree cannot be overstated, and in the end will usually win out against those without one - eventually in most cases.
My opinion strong is that anyone who successfully navigates the waters of a college education and emerges with a degree is ready to function “professionally” day one on the job. A solid education primarily provides a student with the skills necessary to properly communicate both in oral form and written. The ability to determine what type of communication is required in a given situation is not only critical but also expected; if you are wondering what I mean, you may want to consider a higher education. A large majority of individuals who lack degrees are devoid of basic communication skills, never having been exposed to fullfilling the requirements in areas such as technical writing, proposals, formal and semi-formal reports, etc. In the professional realm, these skills are what jobs consider “communication skills,” of which are paramount and expected. Furthermore, developing an understanding of language culture and how it affects the way we communicate is crucial in a global society. Your average indie developer without a degree is not going take the time to develop these skills on his/her own.
Consequently, this is just a small sampling of an argument that I could make for striving to get your degree, or expanding on the understanding of why having a degree is important. In addition to communication skills, subjects such as ethics, psychology, and a host of humanities topics could have easily been substituted above, highlighting the importance and benefits of an education. If you noticed, I left out “degree” specific topics and touched solely on general education.
Bottom line: a degree lays the foundation and places a person on the path to becoming a highly effective communicator and contributor to any professional workforce. Sure, learning how to code, write algorithms, developing patterns [computer science] and whatever else is important, but without a well-rounded and solid educational core, your chance of beating out that guy/gal with a solid degree and “A Strong Portfolio”...well it just swirled around the porcelain bowl and disappeared.[/font]
That’s my 2-cents spent….
[quote name='buttear' timestamp='1333858949' post='4929222']Why is a degree a must?
Because you're not the only person applying for the job. Imagine an employer who wants 1 person, and 10 people apply for the job. He's probably not going to choose the one who doesn't have a degree, to put it that way.
[/quote]
If the employer is a good one, they will choose the person with the best portfolio and potential.
John Carmack never had a degree, in fact he dropped out to work freelance.
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@buttear
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The only person who can decide if its worth it, is you. You don't necessarily need a CS degree but in this day, a degree is a bonus for you, anyway, why
rush to get to the world of work? Continue your studies and have some fun before being part of the corporate jungle!
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