Hello, I've some questions. I want to get into industry (I'm 16, but I'm pre-planning everything for my future.) but from where I'll get professional experience? I mean should I go to some game institues for getting experience? Or I'll get experience about it when I'm studying computer science? I know intermediate level c++ and directx 11, but I work on hobby project i.e it is not professional.

Get a Computer Science degree from your local college.

"Game" institutes can be expensive. I was with a "Game institute" for a few months and didn't enjoy it, especially given the cost.

Get a Computer Science degree from your local college.

"Game" institutes can be expensive. I was with a "Game institute" for a few months and didn't enjoy it, especially given the cost.

But then will I learn to write professional code? I mean when I'll enter into industry and if I would be writing same quality code which I'm wring at the moment then wouldn't they kick me out? From where should I get that? What is the experience necessary to enter industry?

Get a Computer Science degree from your local college.

"Game" institutes can be expensive. I was with a "Game institute" for a few months and didn't enjoy it, especially given the cost.

But then will I learn to write professional code? I mean when I'll enter into industry and if I would be writing same quality code at that moment then wouldn't they kick me out? From where should I get that?

You'll learn to code in general with a college Computer Science degree, which is better. Your degree will be good enough for most when it comes to general programming and game programming.

With the "Game institute" I went to, many of the teachers never even worked in the Game Industry, I hear. They just graduated college and became teachers. So where I'm going with this, is you don't necessarily "need" a game-specific degree.

However, you should still learn game programming now. Besides having a degree, to get in the industry you also generally need a "portfolio", I hear.

To get into the games industry as a programmer yo need to do two things:

1. Get a computing related a degree. This can be comp sci, software engineering, games programming. Anything as long as the degree involves a considerable amount of programming.

2. Make games. Hone your craft. It doesn't matter if you have a million half baked mini games in your portfolio, a AAA beater or the next indie masterpiece just so long as you can prove you love making games.

2. Make games.

Agreed.

It's not "pro" experience, but it is proof enough you can be crafty. Shows them your ability to problem solve and your eagerness to develop.

The degree itself informs them that you have a base set of skills too.

Ideally, you want to also convince them you're a good team player and are able to communicate. If you can add items such as:

- Captain for my garage soccer team for the last 5 years

and

- Guest speaker / Host at X event

All the better.

I'm 16 as well, so I'm in the same boat as you, I guess. What I'm doing in the mean time, until I get into a university (next year is my last year of high school), is I'm starting to get a base in Computer Science as well as several artistic elements used in games, so luckily I go to a school with both a 3d design course and an AP Comp Sci course as well. If you have those, I suggest taking them, as they'll give you a bit of a base in programming and design.

Now, I don't know about your case, but where I live, colleges and universities are pretty competitive (or at least the one's I am aiming for), and in those cases, I've consistently been told that it's better to take classes related to the major you're applying for (if you know that far ahead of time), so taking a computer science class would look good to the admissions office, and a good grade and a 4/5 on the AP test would look even better.

I've also been told to approach college professors who research a field related to a specific facet of games, and email them in hopes of pursuing some sort of mentor/student system over the summer so you can get some sort of basis in the field I want to go into (Surprise, surprise. It turns out people still do that). If anything, working with a professor related to what you want to pursue not only gives you experience (not that that would substitute work experience, that has to come on it's own as a job or an internship) but it'll also look good on your college application, which, if you plan to go to a competitive school, could make all the difference.