Hello!
I am hoping this is the right place to write what I am about to write.

So. I want to make games for a living. Though, I don't feel I worked hard enough for it so far. But I am 21 years old and I want to make it happen.

I'll be completing my undergraduate studies this year in Computer Science and Engineering. I know the best way to get into making games is to get a job where I'll be remotely related to making games. Also that, my subject is relevant enough for me start applying for jobs in the gaming industry.

But there are two problems:
1) I come from a more or less non-game country - India. (Yes, I have read all the FAQs)
2) My skills are not good enough. I have a clear idea about Object Oriented Programming. I know my C and my CPP. But no substantial game development experience as such.

So after a lot of thought. I thought perhaps I should look for a gaming job in a game country. But the chances of that working out are.. well pretty much impossible. So, I decided maybe I should go for further education in a country which does have a gaming scenario and further studies will also give me the time to catch up with what I missed during my undergrads.

Calculating many constraints (financial and relevance to games), I considered MSc Computer Games Programming in Teesside University (UK). I even got a conditional offer from them. This is the link to the course: http://bit.ly/9DNEB8

So, the questions:
1) Will this course help me enough to achieve what I want to? (Considering I do put in the effort required)
2) There are some game jobs in my country (the ones which I am aware of) and most of them make flash games or mobile games. Should I try for one of these jobs in my country instead? Would this experience be of any value if I seek a job amongst the "known" game development companies?
3) I know Codemasters and many others are from UK. But is UK a good choice to seek employment in gaming as a fresher?
4) Maybe this question is just redundant, but I still want to put it here. Considering my situation and where I stand right now and the country I come from, is it wise for me to invest in this course and relocate myself to United Kingdom? The money spent on this course, would it be worth it? (Again considering that I do put in the required effort in the coursework)

That's about it. I apologize if I have been vague, unnecessary or stupid anywhere.

Ashin

Irrelevant Statement - I am experimenting with Unity 3D presently.

[Edited by - ashinmandal on June 1, 2010 7:53:21 PM]

From a few of my friends who are on the course you mention, I wouldn't recomend the Teesside masters. Sure you'll have no problems actually achieving a decent grade in it, but the subjects taught seem odd to say the least and the feedback the students have been giving aren't spectacular.

Having said that the University itself is mostly pretty good at listening to feedback and has staff with industry experience (most of which actually seem to be up to date with current goings on, which from what I've read of other places is a rarity) so it could be better in the coming year.

As for your actual questions, I can only really answer this one.

Quote:
3) I know Codemasters and many others are from UK. But is UK a good choice to seek employment in gaming as a fresher?

Ubisoft has a studio in Newcastle (about an hour from Middlesbrough), Lionhead is in the UK, Rockstar have a few, Rare is also in the UK. Plenty of Indie places too, Eutechnyx is in Gateshead (again, about an hour from Middlesbrough), IguanaSoft just started up again. Middlesbrough itself is crawling with startup games companies who got lucky with the mobile market (and who laregely use Unity).

So yes, the UK (particularly the North East, I'm not as up to date with the rest of country) is a good choice for a games related job. Codeworks is a company dedicated to getting graduates into the industry also, they offer paid placement schemes at many of the companies I just listed. Once your foot is in the door on one of those placements you just have to prove you're worth giving a full time job to.

I don't know how good the course itself is but I do know that Teeside Uni has a good digital incubator scheme called Digital City. It provides space and support for grads looking to start-up companies after graduation. The support includes mentoring from people already working in the games industry.

@diablos_blade: Thanks! Considering the drawbacks that you did mention about the course, I guess it'd still be a good gamble for me as long as my primary aim of getting a full time job in one of the companies you mentioned is achieved.

@Obscure: I did not know about this scheme. Thanks for the information!

You might also consider just taking their Applied Computing Masters, developing an indie game/working on your portfolio while there, and spending time networking with the developers in the area.

While the game program might be best, you could probably get a lot from their other program and still get a lot of the benefits of just being in the area.

@way2lazy2care: I did apply to that course first. But, then I figured since I am going for further studies I'd rather choose the one which has maximum relevance to what I want to do and also because I did my undergraduate studies in Computer Science.

"3) I know Codemasters and many others are from UK. But is UK a good choice to seek employment in gaming as a fresher?"

There are lots of games companies here.

Apart from the midlands cluster around Codemasters/Blitz (and various smaller studios) and the slightly more distant Rare, there's a cluster here in Cambridge, a cluster in Leeds, a bunch in the North East, several in central London and a vast orbiting swarm in the Guildford area.

Lots of companies.

You have several problems to overcome.

They're oversubscribed with Brits who already live next door. You, by contrast, aren't a native English speaker, don't have right-to-work and can't simply run into people down the pub and wangle a route past HR.

The language you seem to have already covered (your written English is better than most Brits can manage). The pub thing is only one route in, and you can certainly do it other ways.

The work permit thing is going to be a drag for you. Sorry. Despite the fact that hiring good developers is like having teeth pulled, it's a stabbing pain hiring people who aren't from the EU -- basically every couple of weeks the government makes it harder work. Small studios simply don't have the management capacity to cope, which limits you to the bigger studios. One the plus side they're also the ones able to do straight graduate intake.

Do you need the games degree? No. You don't need a degree in games. You don't need a degree in compsci... as long as you have a numerate degree and you're competent then you've got a good shot.


Write a demo. Really. Demo or experience and since you don't have the latter, have the former.

@Katie: I know degrees are not really necessary. But then I thought a degree in a British University might act as a portal into the gaming industries in UK. Also, I get a 2 year work permit after completion of the degree and hopefully I'll meet developers who share a common interest with me.

However, the fees for all the Universities in UK is much higher for international students than UK/EU students. I tried to do the math in my head - the money spent on a degree versus the money not spent. It'd most certainly be a better option for me financially if I come up with a good and strong prototype here and then send it to the companies there rather than further education.

But even with the best demo that I can come up with right now, do I stand a chance with any of the companies that you mentioned or that has been mentioned in this thread? Like you said, wouldn't the companies still prefer the British? Even if I am competent, how far will my competency (which can only be reflected in the work that I send them) take me?

And yes. Thanks for your reply. :)

Without prior industry experience, it is highly unlikely you would be considered for a job abroad. Your chances are much higher if you are already in the UK for whatever reason and have a working permit. I have a friend who did a MSc in the UK and the company that hired him sorted out his working permits.

"Also, I get a 2 year work permit after completion of the degree"

Ahhhh... now THAT is an extremely useful thing to have. That would vastly widen the number of people who would be interested in applications. Many companies here do say things like "unfortunately we are unable to sponsor work permits", but if you already have one the hard part is done. By the time it comes up for renewal you'd have your feet under the table.

It would also make it easier to get hired if you're here; it's an awful lot easier to catch a train across the country for an interview than a plane from another continent.



"the fees for all the Universities in UK is much higher for international students than UK/EU student"

Yeah. Sorry about that -- it's the way the universities make their money. The fees they can charge UK and EU students are restricted and their central government funding has been falling.... They kind of see non-EU people as their income source and currently almost all of them (with the exception of a couple old enough to have property empires) are desperate for funds.


It's funny really -- people keep saying the UK needs to export more and one of our huge markets for earning foreign cash is our university system, but no-one ever seems to think of it as a massive export success story...


"Like you said, wouldn't the companies still prefer the British?"

Only the smaller ones. The larger ones have enough HR people to handle the paperwork for non-EU people; and almost certainly already have non-EU people working for them so it won't be a surprise to them.

Please don't get me wrong about preferring British staff; it's really EU staff that people have a preference for and it's only because the government makes it really a pain to hire people from outside the EU.