Hello, I have used the "search" on these froums for the info i am looking for but i could not find anything looking for. Here goes, I am going to be in the 12th grade and going to be finshing school this year. And i am still trying to find out what i want to goto school for. I know alot of people do not know what there going for when they are even in college. I was woundering about Game Design I been playing game all my life thats all i do. I been wanting to do something with the Gaming process. I have been doing some searching on this topic and it looks like people had experience befor moving onto college. Can you go into this with knowing much about it? The other thing is. How much differnt is Game design vs. other Design. But my brother finshed college with a magor of mechanical design or something like that and what he did looked like some fun. And he is living in Denver, Which i was looking at a school out there called Westwood i have seen it around the forums and heard some good stuff about it and i can have a place to stay out there:) or is there better schools than that. I know i am asking a lot but if you could help you by saying what ever it would be great. Thanks, astokes

I would recommend getting a degree in computer science or computer engineering or software engineering or whatever this or that college chooses to call it. In some cases, those might might somewhat different things, though. But the general idea is to take a more generalized path. Computer science and software engineering will without a doubt go a very long way towards making you a good game programmer and designer (depending on precisely what part of design you're talking about). Taking a general art degree will help with being an artist for a game. Taking general literature/writing courses will help with being a story writer. Etcetera. And in many cases, taking the general courses/degrees will make a person better at something specifically related to games than getting the highly specialized degrees. Plus, if you can't find a game-related job immediately, you'll still have the credentials to at least squeeze yourself into the general software industry until you can find a game job.

You can always learn programming skills, you ought to get an education to become a professional (doctor, lawyer, pharmacist, etc.)

I wish I had done things a little differently, as I look back now... hindsight is 20/20

Write a letter to a team that you think you might like to be a part of. Describe what it is you want to do, and ask them what they would look for in somebody applying for that position. They might be able to help you.

Game design is something of a niche. You can surely benefit from a well-rounded education. If you want to learn computers, then learn that. If it's writing your'e into, then do that. Focus on a skillset that you think might translate well into game design, and it'll leave your horizons open. If you groom yourself such that game design is all you're good for, then you'll either get a job designing games or get a job bagging groceries. Your "fallback job" should bolster your resume for when you go for the gusto on game design.