Hey guys, I was wondering if any of you could help me in deciding which university course would best suite a game programmer. I''ve basically set my Year 11 & 12 to fit the requirements of ''Bachelor of Software Engineering''. I was wondering I''ve read all the info about this course and it suites me pretty well. Including AI programming and Large Team Software Development etc. I was wondering if any of you know what would be the best course for a programmer.. I''m just worried because this course seems a bit too much on the side of Application programming... and its pushing me away from game programming (my dream ambition). Do any of you also know what most game companys are looking for when hiring new programmers? Should I just go for a Computer Programming Course or maybe a 2 year C++ Programming Diploma? I''m trying to get on this fast because I will have to choose my Year 12 subjects soon and I really don''t wanna be stuck. So I thought this place would pretty much be a real insightful help to me and what I should head for.. So any helps on what Course at Uni I should do would help extremely. Sincerest Thanks. - ]Reaper[

First off, what the heck is a 2 year C++ diploma? Get you bachelors, you''ll thank yourself in the long run. Your dream should come second to the pragmatics, such as feeding yourself, clothing yourself, health, etc. You will need a job for those, regardless of what you do. To get a job, hopefully in the realm of what you want to do, its easier to have a bachelor degree. You get more respect because a bachelors in engineering is one hell of an accomplishment for anyone, and that in itself shows initiative. Second, if you can feed yourself, then you can fan out and attempt a go at your "dream". That is of course if you havent landed a job at a game shop yet.

Another thing, what is this stuff about "application" programming. You dont go college to learn how to use microsofts standard API''s, or windows development, that has nothing to do with computer science, thats just a product of it. You go to learn how to build software from the ground up. This includes algorithm development, heavy understanding of data handling and structures, how to mathmatically prove that programs work properly, how to make them more efficient, etc. Math is an extremely important part of it all, much of the work in computer science is mathmatically based. Just take "discrete math" and you will see that. Or linear algebra, for handling operations on matricies of points that make up polygons in a 3d scene. Calculus, for later courses in physics, which goes a long way in helping you with physics modeling in any game you might want to do. There are many reasons to go to through and getting your bachelors. Software development is more than just "c++", c++ is only a tool. Wouldnt you wrather know how to develop any piece of software (including c++) than to just know how to use a tool that will be out of favor in years to come anyway? Software will continue to be built on mathmatical principles that have been around for centuries, but everything else will come and go. So learn the fundamentals, and then worry about the other crap that will come and go during your working lifetime.

Advice, get your 4 year degree, the courses in that degree should be sufficient to enable you to advance into game development. As well as many other things.

Yeah thanks a heap
I was just getting more and more confused about everything.... cause alot of factors were going into it. But now I will goto Uni.. I was just thinking I could do a short course and then learn from that just bascially so I could get into game programming early so that I wouldn''t be at uni for 4 years... and sortof waste it.... but I just havn''t relised yet theres many years of life Some people get there dream when there 50 so I shouldn''t worry
Thanks again for your help.
I will goto Uni

- ]Reaper[