Game Development College. Questions!?
Hey community, i need help on a decision. But before i make that decision, i'd like to know Exactly what i am getting my self into. Whats a good game development college? i don't care about being a game designer. i'd prefer to actually code and create video games and create character models. Yes you heard me, the hard stuff. But i think the tution colleges charge are outragous. I Mean come on, Fullsail.com Has a list of all of the things your going to learn. But most of that stuff can be learned at my Computer Screen! i just wanted a Degree of some sort. i'd like to have some college credentials to back me up. Thats the reason i ask. By the way, theres a community college not far from here and someone has more insight on this. Is computer science or Engineering Science considered anything even relevant to what i want to accomplish?
Thanks!
Edit: I Wouldn't consider going to fullsail, it just had a decent idea i guess. Tution is far to expensive considering you don't even get to stay in a dorm room of some kind.
If a college has national advertisements, it's not a good college. Start out at a community college and take all your standard classes along with your basic computer classes, it's cheaper that way. Then get into a good college for part-time (regardless of your major, just take all computer classes - be versatile - see a counselor) and try to find an internship at your nearest game developer.
Then just fucking COAST
First of all, you have to nail down what you want to do, programming or game design. The two are completely different. If you want to design, you will get software from the school like Maya, 3Ds Max, Photoshop, and more. Programming is the other software like you mentioned - Java, C++. But remember something, if you choose programming, you don't get to choose what you want to program, they tell you what to program, all the game art and design will be done already. The school is up to you, really, on what kind of software experience you want. In the end, it is all up on your experience and how well you use it. For design, you need an excellent portfolio or you will be overlooked. School is expensive no matter what career you want to do, and courses for game development is more because all of the software you will be acquiring. Oh, and computer science is writing code.
Thanks for the differences in game design and game development. like i stated in my above post, i think i would do game development. And i understand i would be told what to code. afterall, it wouldn't be my studio or company. School may be expensive, But its not like i'm going to be a doctor or something. 70,000 for tution at fullsail is Silly if you ask me. i don't think something that can be learned from a set of books cost so much at a college when the only equipment you would really require was a high powered rig. Unless you were given the chance to access dev kit's for Console gaming. i just think some colleges are milking people for money.
You are absolutely right that colleges milk people for money, but if you want a degree, there's little you can do to get around it.
Pick the thing you like to do, say... programming, find a good school that has an excellent programming program. Sadly school is expensive no matter what really. But concentrate on finding that, a good school for whatever you want to do, then if it also happens to be one of those "game" schools, then investigate some more.
I recommend you soak up as much information from these sites, they have valuable information regarding the whole getting in the industry mystery:
http://www.sloperama.com/advice.html
http://www.gamecareerguide.com/
Creating character models would fall under programming?
I mean... creating AI for those character models would be but creating them would be programming?'
The modeler usually doesn't program the AI, because he's the modeler, not the programmer.
I was just wondering if creating character models would be programming because it doesn't sound like it should be.
I think you're asking the wrong forum. GiantBomb is for people who play games; Go to somewhere that MAKES games, like TIGsource or something.
Also, decide what the hell you want to do within games, then take a course on THAT specifically.
Also, if you want to work in games, start makin em. Not in the future, like RIGHT NOW. Start making games. Today. Do that.
Oh and a very simple thing to point out: Who's gonna hire a DESIGNER with zero years work experience? Be an artist or coder or something.
HI deusdigit,
It sounds like you want to either go into programming or character art. If you want a good art college try Gnomon School of Art in Los Angeles. It is a technical school so it is less expensive than a traditional college and you don't have to waste time taking core classes like math and writing.
If you want to be a programmer, any computer science degree will do, just try and work on game-related projects. You could also team up with people at game design schools on a mod project.
If you want to know more about colleges and the cheapest and best way to get prepared for a job in video game development, read this book (I learned a lot from it): http://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Job-Video-Games/dp/0985377801
Peace!
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