A 12 year game designer!?

#21 Have a look here http://partners.nvidia.com/marketing/developer/devrel.nsf

#22 Try www.opengl.org for any and all OpenGL information :-).

Ryan J. Parker
rjp@awingsoftware.com

#23 thanks a bunch guys :D

#24 "college graduates have woefully inadequate knowledge of the low level things that really makes computers tick. "

times surely has changed. principles of operating systems was one of my hardest classes last semester.

#25 I'm 13 and have made 3 games already.

#26 guys - live your lives - learn a little about the world - dont get too stuck in at such an early age, youl be heading for burnout by your mid 20s.

#27 I don't understand what you mean, please explain

#28 I think what Etienne Jabbour is saying is for all you aspiring game designers to get outside and away from your computers for a bit more than you are now... Basicly if you push too hard now, you wont have any energy to work later in life. (Was I correct Etienne?)

#29 I mostly agree with Etienne on getting out and experiencing reality. Not completely, mostly. Being young is something you have for a while and then you never have it again for the rest of your life. Until you are 18 or so, everyone officially considers you a kid, so while you don't have some of the freedoms adults do, you don't have many responsibilities either. No bills to pay, no checkbooks to balance, hell, even your education is already paid for by your parents and your neighbors. Enjoy it while it lasts.

On the other hand, you might also have that deep down gut feeling you want to be the next game god. If you honestly can't put down that controller for the life of you, you just may fit into this category. A couple of my friends and I were like that when we were young. Two of them are now attending Digipen and I'm continuing my path of self-learning as I have been since I was oh about... geez I can't even remember exactly when I started... Are we going to be successful? I honestly don't know. I'm gathering that the two going to Digipen won't have much trouble finding work in the game industry, maybe I won't if I keep at things like I am now. The point is, if you really know you want to do something, you should do it.

#30 the thing is, there isn't anything to do outside in my eyes. I go to the mall, and in 15 minutes, I am bored to death, I can't stand it, I can't stand people either, their annoyance is hell for me. You don't understand, society today in teen agers sucks, all the "gay" jokes, and the name calling, maybe I grew up too fast, but I just can't stand it, and that's all I hear and see when I do go "outside"

#31 Matias Pecile: I understand more than you think :) Probably more than one of us on here understand you very well indeed. I know being a teen can really suck... and I know people say its the best years of your life. I actually say its not. After 20 is better :) But, dont just stay inside on the computer. You really are missing a lot more than you think. I totaly agree that walking around in the mall is not fun. I never understood doing that. Anyway, try finding a club that might interest you. Trust me, if you like doing something (other than computer stuff!) someone else likes it. I started into radio controlled aircraft as a way to get off the computer. Best thing I ever did!

#32 I suppose I can't blame you Matias for not liking the immature kids that are your age. I wish there was
some way for me to tell you to "just be cool" and actually have you really understand what I'm saying, but
that's something wholly off the topic of this entire site. You should have at least one good friend you can
talk about pretty much anything to in real life or else you risk getting pretty messed up in the head.

i dunno. I was actually kinda the same way when I was about that age and I pretty much just threw
myself into making games. and while some good has come of it - I can now learn just about anything
computer-related without a whole lot of difficulty, I kinda wish I could go back and do things differently,
but I know that I can't because that would be physically impossible until somebody invents time travel
(anybody who knows of a way please e-mail me B-)> ).

just remember, it's only a matter of time before those annoying immature teenagers become mature
people you might not mind hanging out with. if anyone messes with you, just be cool.

#33 Exactly..I have to say that my teenage years where spent being immature - going out and 'partying' -getting in 'trouble' - chasing (and sometimes even catching) women - in fact I was probably one of the people you guys hate - but the short of it is I was only as immature and innexperianced in what I was doing as you are in what you are now doing.

As 'mature' for your age as you may be - you just do not know the things you will know in 10 years - or 20 years - or whatever.

My point? - Keep your mind open - if you KNOW you want to be in games when you 'grow up' then you better experiance a little before then - because believe me, once your 'careers' start its gonna be allot harder to get out there and experaince another side to life.

ANd as for the people that get on your back now - like the last post sais 'stay cool' - believe it or not as you get older the differences narrow - and youl find yourself working amongst (even befriending) people like that - for now - just accept that they are only doing what they can to get through the confusion that is adolescence.

On behalf of teenagers the world over that are due to grow up and realise they have been a**holes - Im sorry - but dont let these people ruin your life :)

#34 don't worry ;) I don't let them get on my back, and thing is, you don't have to apologize, people who have not been nice are bound to learn their lesson sometime, so I just try and get along as much as I can, weird thing is a lot more people like me than I thought. I mean, with a month left of vacation I am doing so much more that I run out of time in the day and only find myself using the computer once every three days.

I apreciate the help guys, thanks :D

#35 This is going to sound like it's coming from an ol' fart (because maybe it is? heheh).

"When I was your age", I was programming games left and right--text games, as even CGA (a predecessor to SVGA) was unheard of. I learned alot and being the oldest brother, it trickled down to two younger bros. I did still have alot of fun as a teen, but Etienne is right--I burned out at college and went from being an excellent programmer to not even wanting to touch a computer. So, as they've said... enjoy your youth. It lays the foundation of the rest of your life.

Oh, and I'm 33. :-)

#36 That nearly happened to me too (not wanting to touch a computer at all). I got sick of just programming for kicks. Luckily, if you want to call it luck, I found out that focusing myself on pretty much anything but a computer-related life would be a waste of a lot of time and effort I had given in earlier years. In other words, I came to the conclusion that I didn't have much of a choice - either program for a living, or have to spend a lot of time figuring something else out.

#37 Hey guys-

All this learning C and C++ in highschool is fantastic... BUT I suggest you also take some time and learn about software design. Even if you can shoot C syntax out of your arse, it's all bunk if you cant design. Not that I'm saying any of you can't, but it will definitly, make for better faster programming.

Hopefully they will start teaching that in HS too.

Troy

#38 i have been programming vb since i was 9. i did alot of basic stuff, i tried to make pretty much everything, but game design was what i liked most. so i spent (and still do) all my time in learning stuff like "alpha channels in dx7 for vb". then i made the switch from vb to c++. i am currently learning advanced openGL techniques and im working on my 3d engine with someone i know from the internet.

this must sound like i sit around my computer all day long, but i dont. i use my computer more than 3 hours a day (that is a minimum :-)) but i also do other stuff, and i think that that is important too (i sound like ophra lol), sitting around your computer all day isn't good, that is why i do other stuff like skateboarding and hanging out with friends.

i am 13 now and i will continue programming for as long as i can probably

#39 I've been reading the all the above posts, and I want to thank everbody who posted. You see, I just signed up at garagegames, but I wasn't sure what the community was like. I am 17 and just now getting into game development and it's a relief to know that there are people like you to give and get help and support from. Thank you.

#40 LOL! The highest computer course in my high school is keyboarding 2. You all suck!