I want to learn how to program video games and I have a question. Is it okay if I took classes in C++ and Assembly rather than getting a B.S. degree in Computer Science? Will that be enough to get me a job in the video game industry? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Well it all depends on experience I want madly to get in the industry and I plan to go to digipen but I still won''t have much commercial experience! So it all depends I''m assuming you are going to some type of school (Vocational or otherwise) after high school right? I don''t even have courses in programming at my school ( The people are so stupid at my school they can''t shut down windows without teacher help LOL) So I''m self tought until I graduate but I hope to have some little games written by then so it all depends!

Matthew Fitzgerald (Maketty),
Knightvision Games

Well, if this is of any consolation, Blizzard Entertainment for instance says "BS in Computer Science or equivalent experience" (http://www.blizzard.com/jobopp/prog-game.shtml). A BS in CIS is a LOT though, so you''d have to have an extensive amount of experience to compensate for not having a BS.

I feel that I''m qualified to say the above because I''m currently majoring in Computer Science as a second year student at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. There''s lots and lots of classes involved in this degree, not just programming. I was finished with my C++ classes after my first year.

Not to say that you can''t get a job in the industry without a BS though, just don''t expect to get a job at a company like Blizzard, and also don''t expect your salary to be very competitive.

taking classes in C++ and assembly language programming has nearly nothing to do with the computer science degree. It certainly not a substitute for the degree either. Only knowing the structure of c++ and x86 assembly is not enough to get you a job anywhere, let alone the game industry.