Help Gio's future thread!

[Giovanni]

Alright it's a longshot but I might as well try it...

I'm so-so in drawing and I'm not so bad at writing, etc. I have a huge imagination too but...

I was thinking of trying to become a video game designer... but I can't find shit to help my quest for a better future.

Thing is, as days go by I'm beginning to doubt going into the army is the right thing for me... I just can't see myself so far away from everyone I know and love, being always on the move.

Since games have always played a big part in my life, I'm thinking of going into the industry but I can't find good and clear ressources to help me. What I'm trying to say, is that if anyone of you could help me I'd really appreciate it.

:love:






I kinda didn't sleep in the past few days... so... pardon my rambling.

[Mag-Mower]

Go for it, and hell, I will help you find a college near home :p. Algonquin seems to offer a rather robbust Game Deisgn course, I was going to take it, then I decided to go the civil engineering way. By far though, this does seem like the best place to get an education in game design. http://extraweb.algonquincollege.com/fulltime_programs/programOfStudy.aspx?id=3013X1FWO&

[Giovanni]

Holy fuck Mag I think you made my day... I checked out the list of campus' and I think there's one in freaking Ottawa!

[Setari]

BTW, when you say game designer, exactly what part of the design process would you want to be a part of? It helps to have a focus on what part you want to do because there's an assload of positions on the average team. And then, you want to have some kind of idea about which company you want to work for. (And don't say Blizzard, those guys are probably the highest tier company in the business.)

[Giovanni]

Nah don't worry I know I can't start at the top. I'll go work for SOE first :lol:!

Seriously thought I want to probably focus on the whole concept thing. Like I said I'm so-so with drawing and as much as I'd want to do 3d artist or something like that I doubt I'd be able to do so.

[Mag-Mower]

Note: You need to submit a portfolio of either 6 pieces of art, or 3 porgram examples. I would suggest signing up for a few week course in maya or something just to put a portfolio together.

When I wanted to do game design, I was looking at Design too, but more of a Gameplay design way, level design, and story stuff, I thought that would be neat, simply because I cannot draw for the life of me.

[Hamma]

Holy fuck Mag I think you made my day... I checked out the list of campus' and I think there's one in freaking Ottawa!
mm been to that college :brow:

/stalk

[Giovanni]

I don't have any trouble drawing as is... I just don't do it enough to actually get anywhere... I've been drawing since I was a kid and I do nice pieces from time to time but I don't get enough free time...

Also, if I'm not mistaken, it states that you need to have physics right? I mean I'm doing my maths now but will I have to also finish chemistry and adv. phys? (aka Phys 536 here) I have physics 436 wich is a stage below it really... (gotta love not having the same grading thing as fucking ontario...)

[OneManArmy]

[insert standard slit wrist pic here] ;)

[Mag-Mower]

I don't have any trouble drawing as is... I just don't do it enough to actually get anywhere... I've been drawing since I was a kid and I do nice pieces from time to time but I don't get enough free time...

Also, if I'm not mistaken, it states that you need to have physics right? I mean I'm doing my maths now but will I have to also finish chemistry and adv. phys? (aka Phys 536 here) I have physics 436 wich is a stage below it really... (gotta love not having the same grading thing as fucking ontario...)

Im confused by your grades... Basically, it just recomends the equvelent of a SPH4C Course, but that is recomeneded, not recquired.

[Giovanni]

Yeah eh, don't worry... Quebec is screwed up big time. The class I was speaking of was indeed the equivlent of SPH4C. Since it's recommended I should probably get it, but I'm hesitant. Frankly... staying at home for another 3-4 years (to save up, finish math and science and finish the course itself) is kind of pathetic :lol:.


Erggg dillemas!

[snowwolfe]

http://www.fullsail.com

Good school for gaming and all types of multimedia, its in Orlando, FL though.

[Setari]

According to a thread on CGTalk, Full Sail is a terribly expensive school, I'll see if I can find the thread later.


EDIT: My bad, they didn't say terrible, just really expensive.

[Mag-Mower]

According to a thread on CGTalk, Full Sail is a terribly expensive school, I'll see if I can find the thread later.


EDIT: My bad, they didn't say terrible, just really expensive.


Indeed it is, I was looking at it a while back, and it was ridicously expensive, just tuition, then books, residence, and other random things.

[Setari]

Also, according to the thread I found, it's a terrible rush, and you can expect to fail at least one class during your stay there due to the pace. Doesn't sound very appealing to me, maybe if you need a real jump start to your career.

[Squeeky]

Oh Spider :lol:

[Electrofreak]

I don't mean to rain on your parade but let me just clue you in on one thing I've learned in my years of college in Computer Science thus far:

Everyone wants to be a game developer. Thus, you have a LOT of competition. Either you're extraordinarily good, or you fail. So before you start down that road, realize what you're up against. The average software design company doesn't just hire people who got a degree with a series of B's right after they get it. Your best bet is to get an associates, focus on a very specific aspect of game design, get a job in a field as close to that as possible, and do something that will make yourself get noticed. It also helps to have a fair amount of experience modding games.

I've always aspired to be a game developer and I still do, but over the years I've come to the realization that it's easy to dream about it, much harder to achieve it. I'm a great programmer, but I've hit a wall in mathematics which could cripple my chances. I'm great at design but I'm too much of a perfectionist and I don't handle compromise well (which you invetably have to do in software design). There are plenty of aspiring game devs out there that don't have those weaknesses and thus they have a head start on me.

I'm not telling you not to go ahead and try being a game dev, but seriously, don't kid yourself. If you're not willing to put some SERIOUS effort into it, you won't likely make it. Theres too many people who want that job, and many of them have a hell of a head start on you, and the determination to stay that way.

[Hamma]

Yea remember everyone and their mom who has been playing games since they could wants to be a game developer now.

[Giovanni]

Well, one of my ex's just graduated with 95% average from 3d animation at "cit***233; coll***233;giale". So... I'm pretty sure I can get a couple of pointers from her. (She's already been hired for ubisoft and meteor studio is asking her to come with them)

As far as 3d animation and the such goes I'm sure I'll learn quickly... remember the whole bunch of sigs I did? Well... that was my first try at photoshop and I didn't use any tutorials so I'm not that bad with drawing softwares. I just need to get back into the whole drawing thing.

But really I wanna go for concept designer. The one who puts down ideas, storyboards, scripts the whole concept of the game really.

[neon]

I'm also wanting to get into the games industry. Though definitely not a programmer because I am not that bright when it comes to math and I don't have the mindset you need to become a good programmer. I took an ap comp sci course this year but dropped it within a few weeks because I could not see myself becoming a good programmer.
Instead I'm more interested in the cinematic/film aspect of games, and I've seen that companies are hiring these sort of people. I'm just not sure what sort of things I would have to learn to be able to go into college with a head start on this stuff. I'm only a sophmore in high school and I've already gotten into some filming/editing stuff. What I'm trying to find out is what companies are wanting in the film/cinematic category.

[Setari]

Well, with cinematics, you'd probably want to know someting about 3D modelling, rigging, animation, and then composition and all those fun film-related categories. It really depends on what part of the cinematics you want to work on. If, say, you just wanted to make everything look cooler once all the models are rigged, you'd probably want to aim for a position as VFX artist/designer/whatever they are.

[neon]

Yeah I was browsing the CG forums, and the people on there are really talented. So its pretty intimidating.

If only I could get my hands on maya, then I could atleast dabble with it. But I do have 3dsmax 6 and Bryce 5 so thats a start.

[Mag-Mower]

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=6902573

Thats Maya 7 PLE. I have played arround with it, and I do like using it, though I have never really created anything good :p

[Giovanni]

Well... I'm getting Maya as I speak...

Any other programs I should be getting to complement the thing or is it pretty much a one software need thing?

Edit: Nevermind, looks like I won't be installing Maya since I can't get a "valid lisence"... aka crack won't work. Stupid thing. (Aka my brain).

[Setari]

I can't recommend any specific tools, but I would recommend that you at least start lurking on CGTalk (http://forums.cgsociety.org/). It's how I picked up most of that random information.