Let me be your guinea pig. I've been playing games for over 20 years now and finally decided that I'm going to join the industry. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, fully naive to the challenges that await. I couldn't stand living a life of complete and udder insanity working jobs that provide only enough to cash to live while chopping away at my pride.
So after this revelation I went to school. I'm in my second year at DeVry earning my degree in game/simulation programming. I've taken classes in C++, though I wouldn't say I was anything more than a novice. I couldn't draw to save my life. I do however have an imagination the size of imagination land itself. Whether that will be worth anything or not I have yet to find out. So here I am, attempting to get into an industry that's tighter than a prom date and just as ill-tempered. ( I fear mine was more of the latter ).
So I either have huge balls for attempting such a feat or a brain the size of my actual balls.
Right now I'm creating games using gamemaker 7 so I can get the feel for what concepts and methods are used in creating basic games. I'm not ready yet to start writing code. I'm learning, on my own, some basic design techniques so that I can be more adept at the actual drawing of games, though I don't actually want to be an character designer or have anything to do with the drawing side of games, I know that it will benefit me to know at least how to draw some simple sprites for my own games. Nah, or maybe I'll just use SpriteLib.
So if their are any of you out there wanting to get into the game industry and don't know jack, I'll keep you updated on my own progress and what classes are like that teach for this type of degree that I'm probably just throwing a ridiculous amount of dough at for what only will be a small chance at getting into the industry. And if their is anyone out there actually in the game industry, you have my thanks for keeping me entertained between working at a coffee house and sleeping. Also any advice or criticisms are appreciated.
If you are seriously going for the C++/C#, I'd say obtain a copy of XNA. Although there's no date for the downloadable user-created content through LIVE when it does come the few at the front will quickly make a name for themselves.
Myself and a few friend's are meant to be working on an RTS through it - but it's not going very well.
yeah devry gives you a full sub to xna so I got that. also got visual studio free and a couple other programs. not familiar with c# but i heard its only i little more complex than c++
Awesome, well written as well. Hope to hear more stories from you. There has been so many Fail blogs lately it's great to see something written well and meant well. Thanks.
c# is supposed to be easier than c++, from what ive heard. Its like c++ and java had a bastard offspring, which has good aspects of both. Although java is still safer and c++ is more efficient to run, or something like that. Either way, it shouldnt be too hard to move between them, if you already know some c++ or java.
Honestly, if you REALLY want to get in here's the way to go:
- Get a real programming job at a software house. You'll start as a "Junior"-level programmer and be in charge of incredibly simple tasks while slowly building your programming skills. After about 10 years (depending on how good you are) you may be given "Senior" status. In this time you'll have shipped maybe 10-20 products, 30-40 point releases, and about 100 patches. If you can't survive at a real company, you'll never make it in the fast paced game industry.
- Build your game portfolio on the side (after you learn how to REALLY code at your real job) by starting or participating open source projects.
- After you've built an adequate resume with your open source projects and have experience shipping a real product at your real job you'll be ready.
Of course, if you're looking to get into the artsy-fartsy side of game development and not the programming side, my advice is null and void.
@jamn
yeah that's my plan. The course goes into a lot of other aspects of programming, not just gaming. So I plan on getting my chops elsewhere or trying to get into QA. Neither of which is easy.
@zserv
I haven't experienced GM until now some i don't know what other versions were like. The course I'm taking now requires I use it to create some basic stuff so I don't really have another choice.
Wanna get into the industry? Eaaaasy! You just need to know someone in the company of your choice (who needs to be high ranked) and make him push your CV forward in the HR department. I sometimes hear stuff like "You know nothing about games? Welcome aboard! I know also nothing and look at my title!". You just need to be a good bullshitter.
Awesome. I'm actually looking at getting my foot in the door somehow. My programming experience is roughly "Hello world" in five different languages, but I read what I can. I just got XNA without a subscription cause I'm broke, but I figure at least now I have something to work with and learn before making the plunge into the Creator's club. Keep us posted and good luck!
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about me
I am attending DeVry with a major in game and simulation programming. I've been a gamer since I first played PitFall for the Intelavision when I was 5 years old. That's where my gaming obsession began and 19 years later I still feel like I'm a 5 year old with a rectangular controller in my sweaty palms.
Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press living the dream since March 16, 2006
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If you are seriously going for the C++/C#, I'd say obtain a copy of XNA. Although there's no date for the downloadable user-created content through LIVE when it does come the few at the front will quickly make a name for themselves.
Myself and a few friend's are meant to be working on an RTS through it - but it's not going very well.
yeah devry gives you a full sub to xna so I got that. also got visual studio free and a couple other programs. not familiar with c# but i heard its only i little more complex than c++
Good luck :)
Awesome, well written as well. Hope to hear more stories from you. There has been so many Fail blogs lately it's great to see something written well and meant well. Thanks.
Good luck man, from what I've heard if you wanna get into the industry making a game as an example is a really good way to make people take notice.
c# is supposed to be easier than c++, from what ive heard. Its like c++ and java had a bastard offspring, which has good aspects of both. Although java is still safer and c++ is more efficient to run, or something like that. Either way, it shouldnt be too hard to move between them, if you already know some c++ or java.
Dude, GM sucks after 5.3a.
Honestly, if you REALLY want to get in here's the way to go:
- Get a real programming job at a software house. You'll start as a "Junior"-level programmer and be in charge of incredibly simple tasks while slowly building your programming skills. After about 10 years (depending on how good you are) you may be given "Senior" status. In this time you'll have shipped maybe 10-20 products, 30-40 point releases, and about 100 patches. If you can't survive at a real company, you'll never make it in the fast paced game industry.
- Build your game portfolio on the side (after you learn how to REALLY code at your real job) by starting or participating open source projects.
- After you've built an adequate resume with your open source projects and have experience shipping a real product at your real job you'll be ready.
Of course, if you're looking to get into the artsy-fartsy side of game development and not the programming side, my advice is null and void.
I'm interested where this goes. Good luck
@jamn
yeah that's my plan. The course goes into a lot of other aspects of programming, not just gaming. So I plan on getting my chops elsewhere or trying to get into QA. Neither of which is easy.
@zserv
I haven't experienced GM until now some i don't know what other versions were like. The course I'm taking now requires I use it to create some basic stuff so I don't really have another choice.
Wanna get into the industry? Eaaaasy! You just need to know someone in the company of your choice (who needs to be high ranked) and make him push your CV forward in the HR department. I sometimes hear stuff like "You know nothing about games? Welcome aboard! I know also nothing and look at my title!". You just need to be a good bullshitter.
Seriously
Basically, 5.3a was the best. Afterwards they just changed code, without newer features. For 2d games, 5.3a is superior.
Awesome. I'm actually looking at getting my foot in the door somehow. My programming experience is roughly "Hello world" in five different languages, but I read what I can. I just got XNA without a subscription cause I'm broke, but I figure at least now I have something to work with and learn before making the plunge into the Creator's club. Keep us posted and good luck!