Video Game Programming/Developing Courses

Thanks for the info guys, sorry its taken me a while to reply.
Anyway, the info is much appreciated

Some of them look quite good (http://www.derby.ac.uk/computing/gamesprogramming). I was wondering if anyone has any advice for courses to do or any information to look at.

Games design courses tend to be pretty poorly taught, and it's mostly teaching the skill, and usage of programs, rather than the principles behind it.

I would see if you can take it for AS level next year

He never said he wanted to do a "Games Design" course. Furthermore, anyone I know who has done a Games Programming course said the teaching was brilliant. One of these people did first year Computer Science before transfering to a differnt University to do Games Programming as they realised that they would not get the skills required by continuing on with the course.

Terrible advice. To anyone reading, please do not waste your time doing this.

He was talking about video game development courses. Games design tends to be the course that is appropriate for this. And the teaching is not great, let's be honest. You would learn more by doing a CS degree, specialising in graphical areas, and then doing an internship with a games company. And you'll be able to put your skills to other uses, which is something you should always have.

My friend was accepted into an economics degree at a BBB university on the condition he got at least an A in maths AS. This might not happen at the top unis, but we're talking middle to top. I said he see if it is possible; If so, he can then go on to contact the unis and see if it would be appropriate, but doing nothing would obviously be a worse idea.

No need to double triple post, by the way...

The course he linked to was not a Games Design course, it was a Games Programming course which went from C# to C++ to graphics programming etc. Sounds pretty appropriate to me!

You would have trouble getting an intership in a games company without any kind of portfolio which you are unlikely to have if you didnt do a games programming course!

Economics is not Computers, these is no reason to go back and do AS A Level Maths before computers in the A Level year. Maths is important in Computers but it can be learnt later when required, the stuff learnt in ALevel will only help speed up the first hour of this later learning anyway. Obviously it would be best to have actually done the full A Level but unless a University actually asks them to then there is no reason why someone should take on the extra work in their A Level year when they should be concentrating on the subjects they already have.

Will post as the thought strikes me .

What university did you go to???
Computer Science is one of the most math based subjects around, of course it's imperitive you demonstrate your mathematical ability to the university! I was giving you a situational example, but if you don't have any A level maths qualifications, you're going to struggle to find a place on a CS course. And the first hour?
I'm sorry, this is just ridiculous. Are you honestly being serious?

EA don't even hire from games design courses. It's like doing media studies, and expecting to get a job directing, acting in, or even producing films.

Bull. Especially if you're a programmer. Games companies want people who have precisely the skillset of a CS graduate.

Sounds good, but it's more likely that they teach you the semantics of the languages rather than the principles of programming. Look at the page, they're advertising that they teach you all the 'cutting edge technologies,' which will simply be defunct by the end of your 4 year course. This is precisely what a good IT course of any kind should avoid.

Obviously it is always better to have done the A Level but this guy hasn't and there is little point in him doing the AS at this stage.

For the last bloody time, no one is talking about Games Design apart from you.

When hiring from people at internship/graduate level the games industry basicly has its choice of brilliant programmers. How are they meant to differentiate without a portfolio? Portfolios are essential and **** load of extra work if you are on a CS course which does not allow for you to get University credit for working on games.

Bill Gates said something along the lines of - the way to actually get better at programming is to read and write code. Its a practical skill, the theory must be learnt but just using design patterns and algorithms is the very basics of coding. Of course they teach the current techonology, it must be learnt for use in the workplacethen once the technology moves on then the new technology must be learnt.

How are they meant to differentiate without a portfolio?

Seems to me you didn't gain what you should have from your degree. You also claimed that CS is badly paid in another thread, which is not true given a decent course, uni and internship/research project. Where did you go to uni?

"EA UK has only taken on two entry level game deisgners and they did not have game degrees."
It's global to all of them, stop arguing semantics.

Games companies aren't idiots, if you've done an incredible face recognition/procedural manipulation research project, you're going to get snapped up.

You also didn't address the actual differences between the teaching of the degrees, or how they are valued coming out of uni, which is pretty essential.

As for practicing code, that's simply not true. The best way to become a programmer is not to learn all the functions of Java. It is to understand the principles behind it.

They look at the degree you have. And Computer Science > Games Programming in their eyes.

general fatigue from the constant moving technology and redundancys caused by the ephemeral nature of small-mid size companys, anger at unpaid overtime

Yea it says entry level "game designers"! Games designers don't usually have a degree at all, for example a typical route to games design is being a games journalist and then going into it as they can comunicate what they want well via writing! Games programming courses are for the programmers

Of course if you are brilliant they will snap you up but what if you, like most people, arn't brilliant? Then its all about the portfolio and showing your interest in the games industry, its the less than brilliant route.

I know a guy who finished a games progamming course at minor university in Ireland a couple of years ago, he didn't want to go into games and instead managed to bag the best finance sector graduate job i've heard of to date! (I was shocked at that too, Lucky bugger!)

I wish this was true, I learnt theory in my degree, all my best marks were in heavy theory modules, did my final year reasearch project and got 79% in it. I would not and do not claim for a second that I have the skills to work as a programmer.

Good portfolio + games programming > computer science any day. If you get a first they will without a doubt respect it.

Ok, I see. Bear in mind CS at an ABB+ uni will be highly theoretical, with typical pay for internships at £27,000, and it's vital to have maths A Level for those. Warwick is even worse, it's almost a maths degree there. Honestly, the difference I saw between even Birmingham, ABB, and Bath, AAB, was striking. Half the stuff they did at Birmingham seemed less advanced than the stuff our A Level teacher has been doing with us (Though, he does have a PHD in CS, and literally wrote the textbook. He's on the exam board).

If you show something that is above average for a given post, you will get hired for said post. It doesn't matter if it's a game mod, engine, or a research project, the credit will be given for the complexity of it. And games companies specifically scout high achievers based on their research projects/references.

Let's face it, this is an anomoly. I bet he had other things going for him. Had he been investing in the stock market or running a business?

Code monkey =/= Programmer, in this context.

devise algorithms, debug, software engineer

It's safe to assume that coming out of uni, you are a blank slate which companies can work with, they really don't care about your minor achievements. They want to see your ability, NOT your experience.

Oh, and firsts are relative, and awarded by the uni. The company doesn't care if you have a first from, say, University of Herts, if they've got a 2:2 from Southampton standing in front of them. It's also relative to the course, so you really can't assume this.

Actually the course requirements were exactly ABB when I applied but as I stated before I got in due to the low number of applicants that year. My internship was something like 25 grand, pay was good enough, it was just **** boring. Having done a final year maths module I don't think much of Maths degrees tbh, alot of it is proofs which can just be memorised or exam questions which are the same year in year out, Computer Science is a much harder degree.

My friend did a games type research project and it got the top score in the year. He got an interview in Iceland to work for CCP doing graphics programming and didn't get hired ultimately due to lack of experience during university.

Nope, he knew nothing about finance at all.

I know its not, but having seen the work that my Fiance who is a Programmer has turned out I can say for sure I could not do the same.

These things will all be taught on a Games Programming course and more.

Actually thats not safe to assume at all cause I know for a fact if its a great job then one of those other graduates will not be a blank slate and he will be hired.

Actually thats total bollax a first from anywhere is respected.

As a final note, in my University as they struggle to get the numbers over here they don't require Maths for CS but they do for the recently added Games Programming course (Damn I wish they had that course in my day) for which they only take 20 applicants. Not only that but at the end of the first year if you wish to continue on it then you must take an extra Maths exam to prove you can cope.