Plan for Grant McNeil
by Grant McNeil · 10/21/2005 (10:41 am) · 4 comments
It's interesting.
I decided at a young age that I wanted to make computer games. I decided, I think, before I even ever played computer games.
I, unlike the industry professionals, was brought up in an atmosphere where 3D games like Quake II and Doom were all over the place. I can't laugh and reminisce when someone mentions the Atari 2600; I just wasn't old enough, or even born yet.
I'm 18 now; turning 19 next year. I'm in university, switching from the faculty of social sciences to the faculty of engineering, in order to take software engineering.
Through my early teens, I was hit the same way every teenager who wants to make games is hit. Actually, that's not true; if you're a modeler, artist, or designer; you can be good at what you do at any age. I was hit the same way every teenage programmer was hit. You don't learn what a cross product is until Geometry and Discreet Mathematics in grade 12. You don't learn what the parametric equations of a line are in 3-space are until grade 12. You don't really learn what you need to know to be programming in a 3D environment until your at least done high school. This meant that once I started playing with OpenGL and 3D Graphics theory, and all of a sudden I had to test the intersection of a line and a plane, I was in a hole.
I'm now out of that hole. I have the math, I'm taking the university courses, and I have what I need to actually be of some use. I can now skip the part of the 3D programming book that goes over matrices, rather than be confused by it entirely.
I've registered http://www.grantmcneil.com. I'm hoping I'll get a chance to flex my new found usefulness.
--Grant
I decided at a young age that I wanted to make computer games. I decided, I think, before I even ever played computer games.
I, unlike the industry professionals, was brought up in an atmosphere where 3D games like Quake II and Doom were all over the place. I can't laugh and reminisce when someone mentions the Atari 2600; I just wasn't old enough, or even born yet.
I'm 18 now; turning 19 next year. I'm in university, switching from the faculty of social sciences to the faculty of engineering, in order to take software engineering.
Through my early teens, I was hit the same way every teenager who wants to make games is hit. Actually, that's not true; if you're a modeler, artist, or designer; you can be good at what you do at any age. I was hit the same way every teenage programmer was hit. You don't learn what a cross product is until Geometry and Discreet Mathematics in grade 12. You don't learn what the parametric equations of a line are in 3-space are until grade 12. You don't really learn what you need to know to be programming in a 3D environment until your at least done high school. This meant that once I started playing with OpenGL and 3D Graphics theory, and all of a sudden I had to test the intersection of a line and a plane, I was in a hole.
I'm now out of that hole. I have the math, I'm taking the university courses, and I have what I need to actually be of some use. I can now skip the part of the 3D programming book that goes over matrices, rather than be confused by it entirely.
I've registered http://www.grantmcneil.com. I'm hoping I'll get a chance to flex my new found usefulness.
--Grant
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#2
back in the days of the 2600 we only had addition and did not believe in sets. all numbers were in the same universe: this one. and we liked it.
10/21/2005 (2:26 pm)
discreet math in 12th grade? sounds like a good high school. count yourself lucky and keep on the math...it will pay back many times over.back in the days of the 2600 we only had addition and did not believe in sets. all numbers were in the same universe: this one. and we liked it.
#3
10/21/2005 (4:08 pm)
I think you can make fun games at any age, regardless of your prowess in Math. Personally, when I hit a wall, I either learn whatever math I need to solve that problem, or change the problem so I don't need the math. It can be another constraint that encourages creative solutions. 
#4
10/22/2005 (7:38 am)
I was pretty much in the same boat as you. I was into programming at a very early age and had to wait for school to catch up to me also. In the mean time I learned about other things like level design, team organization, and girls. 
Torque Owner Vashner
I was flashing back the other day.. one time we where trying to play this spider 2d shooter game on Commodore 64.
It was like 4 180k floppies... and took about 30 minutes to load...