What college courses should I take for video games?

2000-11-13

What's up Greggman? My name is Justin. I'm planning on starting college next fall, and would like a few ideas from you if you don't mind. I've always been interested in computers, technology, video games and such, and think I would like to pursue a career in one of those fields, or a combination of the three, but I don't know where to start. I know that that is what the schools advisors are for, but I wanna have some ideas goin in. I would like to know where to start in the following fields. Video Game design, programming, and also what are some of the high paying, always in demand jobs in the computer industry? If you could give me some ideas on fields and where to start in those fields, I would really appreciate it. Thank You.

The high paying jobs in the game industry are basically programmer and producer and sometimes artist. Of course it all depends on your talent. If you love computers and program them as a hobby you'll probably be a good programmer. If you draw and doodle all the time and you're pretty good at it you'll probably make a good artist. Producers follow a different path that I'm not sure what it is. Some would say they are good "suck ups".

Excellent programmers and awesome artists are always in demand because really there are so very few of them. There are lots of people that claim to be good but aren't. That's why there will always be a demand.

Design is something you pretty much have to do on your own. It helps if you can program because you can try out your designs. You don't have to be an expert programmer. You can use things like flash or director to test our your ideas (sometimes) or you can use engines like Quake 3 for example, sometimes.

You should go to school to learn things that you probably don't know you need to know but otherwise if you're already creating things on your own that's really the best thing to do.

-gregg

Comments
How much does it cost to make a game?
I would like to become a designer