Like a guy who gave us a talk about entering the software development industry "Languages can be learnt easily but programming concepts, that's a different story...".

Point is, programming language is a tool, like Photoshop for a graphic designer or AutoCAD for an architect. But you don't see any architect saying "Oh man, in uni they teach us all these weird math but no AutoCAD at all!" (and if you do, I wouldn't trust him a building if I was you).

Programming concepts like algorithms, paradigms, structures, design patterns, etc are (almost) the same for all languages. In uni (well, in some of them at least), the point is not to learn Java, C# or 8086 assembly, the point is learn to be a programmer. You'll have sometimes to play different roles like web designer, project manager or micro-controller programmer, and learn the kind of things that those people deal with. Maybe low-level coding for ARM architectures is your thing and you just don't know it yet!

The idea behind a guy who gets a degree is not that he knows the most used languages but that he knows what developing a piece of software is about. He knows about design, about structure, about how to tackle the problem. So when that dude sits in front of a computer and someone says to him "Code this and that, in C++ please" he, even if he doesn't knows the language perfectly, will write good quality code nevertheless.

Besides, you will learn what "programming" is about in all sort of things, from low level CPU stuff (registers, memory addresses, etc) and operative systems, to high level languages, visual design, web development, data bases and more project management oriented stuff like design patterns or how to handle different people working on the same project.

Some of that will interest you, some of it won't, but that's the price of broadening your knowledge. But I mean, I wouldn't recommend you to go to university if you keep your "I want to learn C++ because that's how games are coded" mindset because you will be frustrated about it, it will seem to you that you're learning nothing useful and you'll be just yearning for a degree and to get the hell out of there. Now, if you go to university for the sake of having knowledge, if you stop measuring things in "how useful they are" categories, you'll learn a lot and you will appreciate things differently.

To me, knowledge for knowledge's sake is fun. I'll never find an use for Intel's 8086 architecture probably, but I enjoyed learning it. Now I'm learning OOP through Java, both things are widely used in the software industry right know and I'm enjoying it too. Even DB programming is fun, though I hope to stay very, very far from a data base in my career.

One more piece of advice regarding getting a formal education.

The idea behind a guy who gets a degree is not that he knows the most used languages but that he knows what developing a piece of software is about. He knows about design, about structure, about how to tackle the problem. So when that dude sits in front of a computer and someone says to him "Code this and that, in C++ please" he, even if he doesn't knows the language perfectly, will write good quality code nevertheless.

Yes, to which I would like to add:
The guy who gets a degree shows he can stick to and complete a multi-year task full of things that aren't immediately gratifying.

id like to start by saying i really have no or little knowledge in making games or programs. But at this point i personally feel a greater amount of respect for the " learn at home" people out there. i feel its saying hey i dont have the money to go to a collage but im going to stick with this and learn it any way i can. When i put my game or program out there for the world to see they will know that i have the knowledge and desire.They will also know the path wasnt laid out for me i chose every direction good or bad that has brought me to the completion of it.
my personal goal is to learn how to make a quality game and programs. Not to be able to go to work for someone, but for others to go to work for me. To help me bring my dreams and ideas to reality becouse they have the same ones or similar ones. I would hire no one who did not feel a immediate personal gratification from helping me bring them to life.
sure someone who is not interested in them can bring ideas but one who is will bring better ones. The better ones i beleave will bring more money in the long run for everyone. I want money dreams and ideas. Not robots.
just my thoughts

going to college/university is free(or payed by the taxpayers really) in a large part of the world though so for most people money isn't an excuse.

Edit: The OP lives in such a country, The danish government covers tuition for all EU/EEA/Swiz citizens(or people who have parents working in denmark or who hold a permanent residence permit) (The same goes for quite a few other EU countries if he thinks that danish universities are bad).

If he lives with his parents he also gets a 2800DKK/month grant to cover living expenses while he studies, if he lives alone the grant is 5600DKK (So danish people are basically getting paid to get a degree).

Damn... still dunno what to do... so many pros and cons

But thanks everyone for your help!!! i Appreciate it!!!

Hi,


No! No! No! Take another look! Research is the common denominator in this thread! Make no mistake, you have chosen a path of extensive research, no matter the actual path. It is not a thread of pros and cons - all the information is useful! None of it is "cons" because your effective use of the information is always "pro" for you.


Looking on the bright side, you are taking the time to consider one of the most important plans of your whole life. It is good that you did not make a hasty decision.

Let me make it simple to help you.


Given: Most of the professional game developers of the top computer and console cross-platform games have degrees in computer science or game development. They are the gross sales and technical leaders in the industry. Why am I using this example? Extending the perspective to the extreme is a good comparison technique, as in engineering or architecture. At this point, no student will know what they will and will not need specifically in 10 or 20 years, but you can be sure that you will need many skills.

Given: There are indy game developers who are successful. They should love what they do and work very hard to succeed, maintain, and progress.

Given: If you do not want to get extensive formal education in computer graphics, then you must rely more heavily on relationships and trailblazing.

Given: No matter what career course you plan, you will learn many things in your research that you might never or seldom need. Thousands of hours of research are ahead of you in any case.


Conclusion: Take a long, hard look at yourself and your life. Do you enjoy playing games? Do you feel passionately to make quality games that people enjoy? Do you feel strong enough to endure whatever it takes to become a professional game developer? Are you prepared to learn things which you might never or at least seldom need? Can you face frequent criticism and correction by other people?

In light of the last several questions, you must decide if you want to create games with a strong enough desire to chart your course in this journey, likely making you work harder than anything else in your whole life.




Clinton

1. I just want to know if it is kinda possible to become a professional gamedeveloper learning at home.
2. I live in Denmark, so there are not that many opportunities.
3. The reason why i dont wanna choose to go learn game programming through the school (which is much more safe way), is because then i have to go to college first which takes 2 years. And in those 2 years i will get tortured with homework and ... after the college i can go to a university in computer science... but i dont even know if they are teaching c++ ... Also i dont know if they will teach directx because thats what i aimed ... (and if i find out in my future university that they teach c# or java... then... thats like losing $1 million in poker)

1. Anything is possible. But are you talking about being an independent developer working by yourself at home professionally, or getting a job as a professional developer? Because it's "more possible" for the former than for the latter.
2. What are you talking about? gamedevmap lists 17 game companies in Denmark.
3. Self-teaching is going to take longer than all that, and does not come with guarantees that you won't miss something else that's like losing $1 million in poker.

I'm thinking maybe this thread belongs in Breaking In.

Damn... still dunno what to do... so many pros and cons

Right. That's what the Decision Grid is for. http://sloperama.com/advice/m70.htm

The idea behind a guy who gets a degree is not that he knows the most used languages but that he knows what developing a piece of software is about. He knows about design, about structure, about how to tackle the problem. So when that dude sits in front of a computer and someone says to him "Code this and that, in C++ please" he, even if he doesn't knows the language perfectly, will write good quality code nevertheless.

nice speech but no, this isn't true in real life.
"Good quality code" is only achieved though experience and mistakes. Every new guy, with or without a degree, will write terrible code if he doesn't have the necessary coding experience.
I think the main difference is that, having a degree you show you have the potential to get better at what the company needs from you.. you are able to work on a schedule and learn what's needed. Without a degree you just show you haven't been able to commit to finish your studies, and that, is not a very good start.

I think, as a self learner, you'll never have the chance to be given time to learn on the job, you'll need to put yourself into the position of being productive from day 1... without leaving any doubts... it's doable, but it requires lots of time investments and has a lower possibility of success compared to the "normal" route through uni.