This has probably been answered generally, but I am looking for a better explanation. Firstly, I'm 17. I'll be taking honors Computer Science next year, we code in Java(is that a good gaming language?). I'm going to work w/ Unreal Ed till mastery. But my main problem is that I want to attend a video game design school, however, most of these schools teach you the broad range of skills you will need. I am more interested in the level design field of game design, and maybe the programming side also, and I'd like to go to a school that allows me to specialize in such a field, but can't find one that allows you to study a certain area like this... I'm sure there is one out there... Also, do you think I have waht it takes? Can anybody be a game designer if they go to the school and try hardest? Or do you have to go in knowing a great deal about waht they are going to teach? Any help would really help me in my search, thanks.

Quote: Original post by WildShoe
But my main problem is that I want to attend a video game design school, however, most of these schools teach you the broad range of skills you will need.

So the problem is that you don't want to learn the skills you will need? Doesn't sound as if you are going to be very successful in the games business. An understanding of the whole development process is helpful (some might argue essential) if you want to be a designer.

Not at all, I am eager to learn what I will need, that's my question.... Do they teach you programming, level design, 3d modelling at these places? Or are you allowed to specialize in one area at certain places? Do they expect you to have an extensive knowledge coming in? Maybe these are stupid questions but I'm very curious.

I am a student at DigiPen Institute of Technology (www.digipen.edu). If you are serious about the programming aspect you should definitely check it out, it's basically a rigorous 4 year computer science/math degree with required game projects every year. Please keep in mind that it is not really a game design degree, it is a computer science (programming) degree for games. So any level design you would learn would be on your own time.

To be quite honest, I'm not sure that good game design is something that can really be taught. Game design schools probably help people to design games, but more important is your own creativity and practice.

I have a love/hate relationship with topics about schools.

Quote:
most of these schools teach you the broad range of skills you will need...and I'd like to go to a school that allows me to specialize

I'm gonna agree with Obscure on this one. It sounds like you don't want to learn the skills you need, because they are "general," or perhaps because they "aren't interesting enough." This, my friend, is entirely the wrong attitude.

Specializing without first at least experiencing the generalized aspects of a field is more like shortsightedness.

My advice, as I've repeated countless times, is to go get yourself a traditional computer science degree if you are interested in becoming a game programmer. Afterwards, then you can get a degree from a place like DigiPen or Full Sail if you want. A traditional degree offers you more career options. You may decide later in life that you don't like the games industry; you can't say for sure now if you will ever change your mind. A traditional degree offers a more solid grounding in the "general," foundational topics of computer science which are very, very important to becoming a good programmer. If you poo-poo an algorithms and data structures class because it sounds dull, or is too general, well, you're in trouble. You will need that information sooner or later, unless you want to write games that are amazingly slow because you were constantly designing poor algorithms, or choosing improper data structures for a task.

Programming -- game programming especially -- is not all flash and pizzazz, only the end result is. For some, its an unfortunate thing to them that they have to slog through classes on set theory, linear algebra, et cetera. Many of those kinds of people don't have what it takes, and are just too stubborn to realize it.

You don't need a traditional degree, of course. Heck, you don't even need a degree, period, I know people who are very successful in the industry without (though that is becoming harder and harder these days).

If you want to be a designer, I have less advice for you. I'm not a designer myself, but I know its rather hard to break into the industry as one. What I've heard about "game design schools" (verus "game development schools", like DigiPen or Full Sail) is not encouraging as far as the value of those programs goes.

Get a B.S. (or higher) in Computer Science. Seriously.

Quote: Original post by WildShoe
I'll be taking honors Computer Science next year

That's really nothing. Getting a passing grade in AP Computer Science can count as about 4 credit hours of first-year college classes. Many BS degrees require 120+ credit hours (or 90+ if on a semester system). It's a tiny drop in the bucket.

Quote: Original post by WildShoe
we code in Java(is that a good gaming language?).

It can be. Lots of web games are written in Java.

Quote: Original post by WildShoe
But my main problem is that I want to attend a video game design school, however, most of these schools teach you the broad range of skills you will need.

How is it a problem to learn the skills that you need?

Quote: Original post by WildShoe
I am more interested in the level design field of game design, and maybe the programming side also, and I'd like to go to a school that allows me to specialize in such a field<

You don't seem to understand how education works.

First you get your primary education (up to about sixth grade) that contains fundamentals for modern life. Then you specialize a little bit in secondary education. That's normally enough to pick a job that will pay the bills for life. Next, if you choose to, you specialize a little more into a specific field through 2-5 years of college. That gives you specfic knowledge for professional work. Finally, you specialize into a specific topic in a graduate school program. Grad school is where you master several topics in the field and become expert on a single topic. The best grad school candidates have a few years of real-world experience.

Quote: Original post by WildShoe
but can't find one that allows you to study a certain area like this... I'm sure there is one out there...

Yes. You study them as a subset of your education, or specialize on it in graduate school.

Quote: Original post by WildShoe
Also, do you think I have waht it takes?

Not right now. You need to dramatically improve your critical thinking skills. You need to develop language and communication skills. Both of those are clearly lacking based on the content of this post.

Quote: Original post by WildShoe
Can anybody be a game designer if they go to the school and try hardest? Or do you have to go in knowing a great deal about waht they are going to teach? Any help would really help me in my search, thanks.

If you knew what they are going to teach before they teach it, then obviously you didn't need the class.

Anybody can be a game designer. Just start writing and design a game. PROFESSIONAL game design is much harder, and requires both experience and training. You might be able to survive with on-the-job training, but it is not recommended.

If this is what you want to do, then you'll have to do the work to get there. The choice in life is to work hard, work smart, or both. Or live on subsidies and be a bum.

Which choice are you going to make?

The way you say it, that bum thing dosen't sound all that bad.

Quote: Original post by Torvald
The way you say it, that bum thing dosen't sound all that bad.

It's true enough. It's actually very hard to die of poverty in this country or most of Europe.

If nothing else, you can rob banks. There is no physical risk: you walk in, give the teller a note, take some money, wave at the camera, and leave. Don't bother doing anything to avoid capture. Tell the judge you did it so that you could get room, board, and medical care for the next five years. Just repeat it until you have the money you need or are in jail. The judges might just take the money, try to fine you, and release you again, but eventually you'll end up with a somewhat comfortable life. You'll be a complete leach on society, but you don't have to do anything signficant.

Working smart means using your brain. If you are on here that probably means something to do with software development. The downside is that you sit in a chair and twiddle your fingers all day. [grin]

Working hard can mean working for tips as a server; if you are very good and work at an expensive place you can earn over $1000 on a busy evening. The downside is that you will be exhausted and get sore feet.

Working both smart and hard can go a long way to being rich.