Formal Education?
by Devon Ly · in General Discussion · 11/20/2003 (3:15 am) · 6 replies
Just wondering what people's view were on the formal "games dev" courses out there.
Do you think they are worth the money and effort?
or
is it better to just do things on your own for a while and hope to break into the industry that way?
Do you think they are worth the money and effort?
or
is it better to just do things on your own for a while and hope to break into the industry that way?
#2
It could also be good to find like minded people who you could work with on a game.
Yeah, I think CS sucks as well ;) Just finished first year and was not impressed, luckily im doing maths as well :D I did learn some useful stuff though.
11/20/2003 (5:36 am)
I figure that you could spend the time making games instead of learning how to make games.. It might be good if you just cant get it figured out, and no matter how hard you try, cant seem to finish (or start) a game.It could also be good to find like minded people who you could work with on a game.
Yeah, I think CS sucks as well ;) Just finished first year and was not impressed, luckily im doing maths as well :D I did learn some useful stuff though.
#3
I have looked into a few of those schools, and the crap they produced just made me laugh. I would have expected that Digipen could have produced something halfway decent considering the amount of time and money they soak from the students. And the courses are... lame.
Hopefully I haven't hurt anyone's feelings, if they were (or are currently) enrolled in a program. I just don't see the value in any of this, so maybe they can smack me down and tell me whats up.
11/20/2003 (5:54 am)
I personally think those courses are a joke. But thats just me.I have looked into a few of those schools, and the crap they produced just made me laugh. I would have expected that Digipen could have produced something halfway decent considering the amount of time and money they soak from the students. And the courses are... lame.
Hopefully I haven't hurt anyone's feelings, if they were (or are currently) enrolled in a program. I just don't see the value in any of this, so maybe they can smack me down and tell me whats up.
#4
If you've already got one of those, your time would be better spent on a Masters in Comp Sci or even an MBA, if you still feel you need more education.
Honestly? Just take the cash and stuff it in the bank. If you want to be a game developer, you'll be needing it for groceries soon enough. ;)
11/20/2003 (6:57 am)
You'd be much better off with the usual Computer Science bachelor's from a reputable university.If you've already got one of those, your time would be better spent on a Masters in Comp Sci or even an MBA, if you still feel you need more education.
Honestly? Just take the cash and stuff it in the bank. If you want to be a game developer, you'll be needing it for groceries soon enough. ;)
#5
I realize that software development is an immature field, but game development often seems stuck with the lower end of the field's maturity.
I think it's possible to make a fun game that is also a high quality piece of software, but it seems that all too often game devs skip all semblance of quality in favor of "getting it out the door".
In time, this will probably even out, as the field matures, but for the moment, it's a huge problem. The best thing I can suggest to fix it is to get a bachelor's or even a master's at a reputable CS degree program, meanwhile going out and coding as much as possible in as many situations as possible - embedded development, large-scale software projects, personal projects, porting, everything.
11/20/2003 (9:20 am)
I think that one of the biggest problems in game development today is that most of the coders are very immature in terms of development style. They can't seem to get things done on time, they often make very stupid design and implementation choices, and they don't like to put the time in to make their game a quality product.I realize that software development is an immature field, but game development often seems stuck with the lower end of the field's maturity.
I think it's possible to make a fun game that is also a high quality piece of software, but it seems that all too often game devs skip all semblance of quality in favor of "getting it out the door".
In time, this will probably even out, as the field matures, but for the moment, it's a huge problem. The best thing I can suggest to fix it is to get a bachelor's or even a master's at a reputable CS degree program, meanwhile going out and coding as much as possible in as many situations as possible - embedded development, large-scale software projects, personal projects, porting, everything.
#6
Maybe i'll just keep plugging away at Torque and see what I can do
11/20/2003 (11:12 pm)
Don't get me wrong I already have a Bachelor of Science in computer tech (quasi computer sci & comp eng course). But I just wonder if it would be easier to break into the industry through these games course cause most of them are directly run by large development companies or have links to the industry. and my friends and people I know don't really have a burning PASSION to make games.Maybe i'll just keep plugging away at Torque and see what I can do
Associate Kyle Carter