At such a young age, and already on the Degree program, I would see it through to the end.

I saw reason at the age of 26 to get a degree, and now at the age of 32 I have just received confirmation of my BSC two days ago. If I could have my time again you bet your arse I would do the degree at 18 years old! Someone is giving you the chance to obtain your first achievement in the field of computing, so don't waste it.

If the games thing doesn't work out, then a computing degree is still something to fall back on in hard times. There might come a time when you desperately need to get any job just to put food on the table. One of the reasons I have my current job is because I was studying at the time for a Degree - my boss told me that it suggested I wasn't as stupid as I looked and took pity on me! o_O

LOL, one of the best moments in my job was when someone noticed me using a computer and asked "who was stupid enough to let you loose on our computers?", and I replied with "for your information - you fucking ignoramus - I have a University Diploma in Computing! So do put that in your pipe and smoke it! Now if you'll excuse me, I will get back to hacking into the Ministry of Defense's mainframe...". Trust me, those moments are priceless...not to mention bloody hilarious for everyone watching.

But anyway, go get your degree.

Let me put it this way as a game programmer who recently returned to University to get my degree. You DO NEED the degree to do anything remotely useful in game development.


Topics that you will need to know that only Univeristy can teach you are:
- Physics
- Animation
- 3D graphics (not how to use OpenGL or DX but the actual algorithms used)
- Multivariable calculus and differential equations (required for graphics and animation)
- Linear Algebra (required for graphics and animation)
- Data Structures (required in all programming)

I know the saying that you can learn anything on your own but in reality, it's not true unless you're Isaac Newton. The programming language the school uses to teach you is irrelevant as your concern should be the algorithms and how to implement them. So stay in school, study hard and apply what you learned a little at a time.

I voted you down here. Not because what you wrote was really wrong. But to claim that ONLY a university can teach you the knowledge you point out to be important for a game developer, which is utterly wrong. All the mention classes above can be learned by one self by reading the relevant books on the topic. Do a google search or a search on Amazon.com and the knowledge will be there for you to grab.

I DO agree that all the classes you mention are necessary for a game developer, but do not claim that these topics only exist at the university. We live in the age of the free internet(for now at least).

To the OP I would say if possible then by all means hang on there and endure to you graduate. If that is not possible then follow your heart

[quote name='mikeishere' timestamp='1354657428' post='5007199']
No "insurance" (i.e. a degree) if game programming doesn't work out for me.
[/quote]

A degree doesn't guarantee anything, so it's not "insurance".

I mean, it's not like you can just go to any given software company, and automatically get a job because you have a degree; You need to be really, really good at what you do, even for "entry level" positions.

Be really, really good, and make stuff that shows it - everything else is secondary.

Relevant video:

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#t=3m40s