So I'm 20 years old and am looking at going back to TAFE to study a new course in July. I have previously studied a Diploma of Information Technoloy and am really interested in getting into Game Development. What I'm curious about is where is the correct place to begin? Is it better for me to do some specialised Game Dev course at a college, or is it better to do something like a diploma in Software Development? I'm really lost in trying to find where to start, any advice would be appreciated.

With the background you've provided I find a bit difficult to understand your situation and your interests. For instance, I'm not sure if you know to program (I guess so because you have that diploma in IT, but again I'm not sure what knowledge is supposed to provide a diploma in IT) or in which field of game development you are interested.

By the way, if you already have a universitary degree I wouldn't spend much money in anything I could learn with a computer and internet connection (I mean I would search for some simple game tutorials and try to go forward on my own before thinking of doing any game dev course). But that's only my opinion, after all, I'm just the new guy here.

Hi Arsoul, I think I know where you're coming from. Before doing a Computer Game related degree at a well known university I studied Computing & IT. The Computer Game related degree had more complex programming as well as learning other new skills. Going to do a Computer Game related qualification is good because you get to study with like minded individuals in a focused environment but it all depends if you can afford it or not. After university there are Student Loans and such to worry about.

Like Avalander says you can teach yourself from the internet; either that or books. Sometimes it may be best to work with what you've got and develop a portfolio in your own time if possible.

All that aside a Computer Game related course can help you get on your way to learning what you need but making some demo programs and putting them on a site is a good way to get noticed. There are also various expos and such you can showcase work if you feel confident enough to show off your work when ready.

Most importantly you should get a grasp on the programming/scripting language(s) you wish to develop games in.

Hope that helps.

I would decide what language you want to use and just make a game in your free time. Starting with something simple like Pong, then moving onto more complex games.

It will give you a chance to decide whether or not you enjoy game development (which you probably will).

Have you tried Googling this question? I mean, not like it's already been asked and answered a million times or anything...

Actually scratch that. Don't go into game development. If you can't be bothered to research issues yourself and instead expect everyone else to do the work for you, you're not going to make a good programmer.

Have you tried Googling this question? I mean, not like it's already been asked and answered a million times or anything...

Actually scratch that. Don't go into game development. If you can't be bothered to research issues yourself and instead expect everyone else to do the work for you, you're not going to make a good programmer.

I think you misunderstood the topic here. The OP was asking whether he should go with a regular CS course or a specialized game development one. Please read the question first.

I believe the conventional wisdom passed around here is to get a CS degree as it's likely to keep you open to a broader range of industries.

However, "Getting into Game Development," can mean different things though. There's differences in what you'll want to look into if you want to just make a game, get hired by a AAA studio, or go the indie route with your own studio (hopefully a profitable one).

What is it exactly that you want to do?