Hi everyone, I'm new here

I'd like to get a degree that would help me break into the games industry. There's a lot of choice for me, however I can't separate the good courses from the bad. I can't do a computer science degree because I didn't do maths a level :/.

I've been looking at a lot of the computer games development/technology courses - but honestly I'm not sure that they would teach me what I'd really need to know. I could learn the languages I want to at home (c++, openGL) mainly but a degree presumably makes you more employable. The best course I've found so far is computer science with computer games technology bsc at city university which doesn't require maths a level.

http://www.city.ac.u...ames-technology

Course Details

Specialist topics covered include:

• 2D and 3D graphics
• Game engine architectures
• Game physics and sound
• NPCs and game AI
• Programming in C++
• Scripting
• The games development processhere's a video of the students work. Honestly I'm not impressed if that's their work after 3 years:
  http://www.youtube.c...h?v=xuVG_91Rekw
  
  I'm really not sure if this would teach me all I need to know, or if it is the best choice for me.
  
  Has anyone taken a similar course and had a good experience, learned alot? and if so, where?
  
  I'm looking at just learning a lot of programming at home right now because I'm just really unsure about the courses, but this might not help my employability...
  
  Any advice would be much appreciated
  and yes I did read the faqs

I'm really not sure if this would teach me all I need to know, or if it is the best choice for me.
and yes I did read the faqs

Then you know from reading the FAQs:
- That no choice you make will be perfect, will teach you everything
- That you have to make your own decision
- That there is a technique you can use to make that decision yourself

I shall shut up now and we shall see what feedback others may have for you. Just had to say that.

[quote name='El54' timestamp='1310578020' post='4834911']
I'm really not sure if this would teach me all I need to know, or if it is the best choice for me.
and yes I did read the faqs

Then you know from reading the FAQs:
- That no choice you make will be perfect, will teach you everything
- That you have to make your own decision
- That there is a technique you can use to make that decision yourself

I shall shut up now and we shall see what feedback others may have for you. Just had to say that.
[/quote]

Thanks for the response, I'm aware that I have to make my own decision ultimately, but other member's experience of games development education/no education could be helpful. I honestly don't know enough about the courses to make a decision myself despite reading the course descriptions :/

I honestly don't know enough about the courses to make a decision myself despite reading the course descriptions :/

You should proceed to learn more than just the course descriptions by other means, just in case nobody here is able to educate you about them to your satisfaction. And you should also look at other schools, and consult your school counselor, and contact the target school and ask them questions, and other stuff besides just asking here. The responses you're likely to get here are no substitute for the in-depth research YOU need to do.

Shutting up again...

I noticed you're in the UK, so I can't suggest a college to you.

My first suggestion is that if you don't have a largely required math course already, take the course! Clearly, it will open up your options. If you simply aren't good at Math, you may not enjoy more difficult programming. My college (igm.rit.edu) recommends calculus as a part of the curriculum.

As far as degree or no degree, I think Tom's FAQs covered that pretty well. Essentially, a completed degree makes you more employable. A completed portfolio makes you more employable in the games industry. Get what you can, and give it your best shot.