[paradoxapple]

Hi, I'm a 25 yr old Male from London who's been working since I left college.
I'm trying to decide what to do with my life!

I am a complete child at heart and have a massive passion for computer games. I am also quite a geek and have always favoured Computer studies over other subjects. I have a short attention span however and can get bored easily, making academic study hard.

I got mainly C's at GCSE and a C/D for my two year advanced ICT course. This is not a reflection of my intelligence, more my apathetic attitude during my teens. I have since discovered a passion for knowledge and am a highly motivated and hard working person. I am ambitious and driven, and feel frustrated with my lack of qulaifications. Experience will not get me as far as I want to go in life. I am starting to think that a degree and the relevant knowledge is what is needed to get me where I want to be.

So what to study? After a lot of thought, it almost seems obvious to me that Computer Science with Games Technology, as is offered my many Uni's nowadays, be the perfect choice.

But is it? I know that if I went to Uni now I would work hard and apply myself to studies. But I would have to be studying something that interests me. I want to work in the Games Industry. I can think of nothing that would excite me more. To be part of the creation of a game, from design to production, is where I want to be. Would I enjoy the programming side of the course? I taught myself HTML at 13, I love to design and code, but find it frustrating to teach myself. I struggle with Visual Basic and Microsoft Access modules. But that's not to say I wouldn't understand them if taught and studied properly.

My issue is not only which area to study, but also in how to get into a Uni. With my qualifications, would I need to first increase my level of understanding of Maths to a higher level in order to meet the entry requirements?

Thank you for reading this, I would be very grateful of any opinions you may wish to share.

[-WhySoSerious?]

I'd delete this copy of the thread

[NoHands]

do an open uni course or something for your qualifications first if you want to get into a reasonable uni. then apply. only you can really tell if the course is right for you tbh..

[paradoxapple]

Originally Posted by -WhySoSerious?

I'd delete this copy of the thread

It seems the other copy of my thread has already been removed.

[paradoxapple]

Originally Posted by NoHands

do an open uni course or something for your qualifications first if you want to get into a reasonable uni. then apply. only you can really tell if the course is right for you tbh..

Thanks for your advice

If anyone else has any opinions they are most welcome

[ethnn1]

I suggest that if possible, you opt to do a foundation year - as you're going back into education after such a long period of time; a foundation year will allow you to apply to better universities rather than doing a degree at lower institutions. Though on the other hand, you may get into a good university due to relevant industry experience.

Good Luck, whatever you do!

[MarkL1]

It depends if you're dedicated and really want it, or if you just think it might be "fun" to write games because you enjoy playing them.

I'm working as a junior game developer alongside doing a BSc in Computer Science (I got recommended by various game developers to do straight Computer Science instead of "* With Games Technology&quot, it's HARD work, the pay is average, you work late, you work weekends, usually without overtime pay. I have A Levels in Maths, Further Maths & Physics, and did a few modules of Maths in University and I still find it difficult to grasp some of the mathematical concepts in game programming. So yes, Maths is essential, some game development companies prefer you to have a BSc in Mathematics instead of Computer Science, having knowledge of College level physics (or higher) is also a big plus.

Also, the games industry is very full at the moment, I only managed to get a position from knowing people in the industry - otherwise you need to be very good at what you do to get in, and stand out from the massive amount of people who are applying every day.

[Creepy]

Originally Posted by paradoxapple

Thanks for your advice

If anyone else has any opinions they are most welcome

You say you have a short attention span and get bored easily?

If you go to uni you'll be wasting your time and more importantly your money.

[paradoxapple]

Originally Posted by Creepy

You say you have a short attention span and get bored easily?

If you go to uni you'll be wasting your time and more importantly your money.

Can you please explain why exactly? I would have thought that the majority of students find studying hard, and I am no exception. But I am also a person who can commit to a goal, no matter how hard the road is, if it is what I really want. Surely my short attention span does not mean that studying is out of the question for me?

[Creepy]

Originally Posted by paradoxapple

Can you please explain why exactly? I would have thought that the majority of students find studying hard, and I am no exception. But I am also a person who can commit to a goal, no matter how hard the road is, if it is what I really want. Surely my short attention span does not mean that studying is out of the question for me?

Well you need to pay attention in lectures, which a short attention span wouldn't allow. Also when you're on essays and you have to knuckle down for a good few hours you'll be easily distracted.

You only know yourself though, if you think you're dedicated and will get the work done then go for it!

However Computer Science will probably require A-Level or equivalent maths.

[ethnn1]

Originally Posted by Creepy

However Computer Science will probably require A-Level or equivalent maths.

I think you'll find not many do; though it depends on the modules of the course the university provides.

[paradoxapple]

Originally Posted by MarkL1

It depends if dedicated and really want it, or if you just think it might be "fun" to write games because you enjoy playing them.

... the games industry is very full at the moment, I only managed to get a position from knowing people in the industry - otherwise you need to be very good at what you do to get in, and stand out from the massive amount of people who are applying every day.

Thanks Mark, it's good to get an insight from someone inside the industry. The Game Developer websites are misleading as the common statement is that the industry is crying out for programmers. I think I would find the Maths side of things hard, and I may need to take a course or two before applying for a degree course, but I know that I would enjoy creating the games. Yes I enjoy playing them, but to create is what I want.

But the question is which is the best area for me? Is it programming? Or is it design? Or what about production?

I'm not much of an Artist. I think I would be a fantastic producer, having researched the job role thoroughly. But wouldn't it be a much harder role to get into?

Thank you to all who have responded, any further comments are welcome.

[MarkL1]

Originally Posted by paradoxapple

Thanks Mark, it's good to get an insight from someone inside the industry. The Game Developer websites are misleading as the common statement is that the industry is crying out for programmers. I think I would find the Maths side of things hard, and I may need to take a course or two before applying for a degree course, but I know that I would enjoy creating the games. Yes I enjoy playing them, but to create is what I want.

But the question is which is the best area for me? Is it programming? Or is it design? Or what about production?

I'm not much of an Artist. I think I would be a fantastic producer, having researched the job role thoroughly. But wouldn't it be a much harder role to get into?

Thank you to all who have responded, any further comments are welcome.

There's always openings for exceptional programmers (and other people who excel in their area of expertise) but put it this way, in the year I've worked here we've had hundreds of people apply for jobs, tens of people got through for interviews, and only 2 got hired (the company has over 250 employees). One of the two guys didn't have any official education, he just sent in an amazing example of his work and was hired almost instantly.

The "Computer Science with Games Technology" degree would only really cover you as a programmer, those types of degrees touch on 3d design too, but not in enough detail. If you don't really enjoy maths though I wouldn't say a game programmer would be the best role for you.

For a designer, you would ideally need to be good at 2D art and then learn the popular 3D modelling packages 3Ds Max, Maya & XSI ('learn' all 3, specialize in 1) - I think only one of our designers doesn't draw as well as do the 3D design.

Being a producer would be an option, but a more suitable degree for that would be a business one, and then learning the fundamentals of programming and 3D design on the side. You don't need anywhere near as much programming/design experience to be a producer though - just enough so you can oversee what's going on. As you say though, this is a hard role to get in to because there's usually only 1-2 producers compared to 20-25 programmers, and 30-35 designers working on a game.

I'm sure if you're passionate about really wanting to get into the industry you would be able to do fine in any one of those roles with the suitable learning. It's very hard work, but nothing beats the feeling of finally seeing a game you've worked on every day for the last year out on the shelf in shops, so good luck whatever area you choose.

[TheQueenOfComputerScience]

The easyest way in is to get good at 3D graphics. My boyfriend, John, has a start up games company and he spent the first few months just looking for a decent artist.

You don't actually need to have good GCSE's or A Levels to get in to be a games programmer, John has several years experiance in the industry and he got a DEN at ALevel! However he then went on to get a first in his degree and had a couple of completed games to demo when it came to applying for jobs.

With regards to getting into the course, at 25 you are concidered a mature student and therefore it is often easier than the requirements placed on students straight out school, however it will also be extremely application dependant so first port of call is to start phoning round all the Universitys you are interested in and seeing what they advise. I would actually suggest you getting in contact with Queens University Belfast, as inspite of being one of the oldest Universitys in the country and part of the russell group it is often quite easy to get in here as not that many people from the mainland apply. Plus I can assure you from just completing studying Computer Science here, if you are a hardworking enthusiastic student you will get alot of help and support and a good grounding in the maths you will need.

Just do your degree and get a first plus get a couple of games completed in your own time. Don't listen to these people trying to pop your bubble, at 25 years old you know yourself enough to judge if you have the enthusiasm and drive to put the work in. If you do decide its for you then go for it and work hard and i wish you all the best.

[codemonkey]

Originally Posted by TheQueenOfComputerScience

Just do your degree and get a first plus get a couple of games completed in your own time. Don't listen to these people trying to pop your bubble, at 25 years old you know yourself enough to judge if you have the enthusiasm and drive to put the work in. If you do decide its for you then go for it and work hard and i wish you all the best.

I couldnt agree more, game companies look at your degree more than your a-levels. I have a friend who designs and implements the physics engines which are used in various games. His job is highly mathematical, but actually using 3D tools or various frameworks are not too difficult as long as you have a basic understanding of how everything works.

[INTit]

You realy do need persistance though. Even if you truly love programming when your working on a RSS reader, IRC Client, an animatedl visualisation of hardware,a portfolio of a.i & graphics algorithms and a group project all at once. You tend to loose your enthusiasm for coding

Interested in the game dev side ? Prepare to sit through long and boring lectures on matrix transformations and vectors. Only to find that the game engine takes care of most this stuff for you.

[TheQueenOfComputerScience]

Originally Posted by INTit

Interested in the game dev side ? Prepare to sit through long and boring lectures on matrix transformations and vectors. Only to find that the game engine takes care of most this stuff for you.

You need to know what the engine is doing, plus some people in your class will be going on to write future game engines! There is alot of that kind of stuff in my field and I find it quite cool and interesting tbh!

[INTit]

Suppose it was quite cool coding a matrix and then multiplying it in in Opengl to see the theory in action. Whatever floats your boat :P

[Psyk]

Originally Posted by INTit

Interested in the game dev side ? Prepare to sit through long and boring lectures on matrix transformations and vectors. Only to find that the game engine takes care of most this stuff for you.

Who writes the engine? Game programmers.

That stuff is incredibly important for developing games whether you're using a fancy engine or not.

[ylcgj5155]

game industry in my country is really hot