Ok, so im starting my second year of university next week studying games design and production and have been dumped with a load of information today which is running around in my head causing chaos.

I need to start thinking about what i want to do in my career in the industry and what type of portfolio i want to build. My course coveres mainly designing games, game writing and business/research QA related topics and as such (all depending on the modules you pick), we have been advised to; attend industry events to network, host gaming events in the local area, design games in game jams and pretty much do as much as we can.

The problem im having is that im very accustomed to the "do x, y and z as best as you can to achieve success" way of doing things that this "do what you enjoy as the industry is vast and moving fast" is rather intimmidating for me and was wandering if anyone had any advice on what i can do to build a great portfollio, improve my skills and what employers are looking for in a graduate.

I'm really interested in going into the indie game, writer, business field of games design as i want to excersize both my creativity and business mind set, but is that a viable path, should i maybe focus on one thing or a variety, what do employers expect from graduates?

One of my main weaknesses is my lack of confidence, which holds me back in the networking side of things...

Any information is appreciated as i start next week and want to go in with a bang and a straight mindset!

I'm really interested in going into the indie game, writer, business field of games design as i want to excersize both my creativity and business mind set, but is that a viable path, should i maybe focus on one thing or a variety, what do employers expect from graduates?

This seems to be the crux of the issue as you are not sure how the areas that you want to focus in can apply to creating a portfolio or how you can start working in the industry.

This is a bit of an over generalisation, the larger companies will want someone that is specialised in one area. E.g. Design, Art, Audio, Development. Whereas smaller companies or if you want to create your own games/company, would want more all rounders or people who can go cross discipline.

Becoming a write in games is very hard as there are fewer roles for full time writers at studios. A lot of writers I know that work in the games industry also work in other industries on a freelance basis.

For the business side, I can see there being a bit more of a market for indie game developers if you can do that well. Many independent developers have trouble marketing their game and getting noticed by users that a freelance business manager that has very good network contacts (e.g With Stream, Apple, Amazon, developers etc) on both sides could work out really well.

If you are planning to go more into games design, then I strongly recommend learning how to script or code. A company is more likely to take on a games designer who can implement the game/level logic themselves. My first job was a Level Scripter and all the other hires for the role either had to learn how to code or already knew how to to begin with. Those that were kept on after the contract were more those of the latter.

1. The problem im having is that im very accustomed to the "do x, y and z as best as you can to achieve success" way of doing things that this "do what you enjoy as the industry is vast and moving fast" is rather intimmidating for me
2. and was wandering if anyone had any advice on what i can do to build a great portfollio, improve my skills
3. and what employers are looking for in a graduate.
4. I'm really interested in going into the indie game, writer, business field of games design as i want to excersize both my creativity and business mind set, but is that a viable path, should i maybe focus on one thing or a variety, what do employers expect from graduates?
5. One of my main weaknesses is my lack of confidence, which holds me back in the networking side of things...

1. The world has been gentle for you throughout your childhood, but your childhood is ending (it's probably been over for a while but you didn't know it yet). The adult world doesn't come with instructions, and there are no guaranteed clearcut steps to success.
On a deeper level, you seem to be saying you've been good at following but not good at pioneering, experimenting, or leading. I think you found comfort in being given clearcut instructions up to now, but you need to move beyond that.

2. Practice. Keep on making stuff. Put only your best stuff in your portfolio. And realize that nobody wants to see your early drafts or developmental processes.

3. I think Yaustar answered that pretty well.

4. This is really unclear. There is no "business field of games design," for one thing. That phrase makes no sense whatsoever. The term "game design" has a very specific meaning in the game industry; it's not a catch-all or umbrella term for game development. And if you want somebody to tell you clearcut guaranteed steps to success in the business end of games, you're going to be disappointed. The business of games is a wild wild west, a wilderness where you need to explore, experiment, pioneer, lead. And you already said you're intimidated by those things. So your fears are in conflict with your goals. Your greatest enemy is yourself. You need to conquer your fears. You still have time. Over the next two years as you finish your degree, you can try things and build things and make contacts and build relationships with the other students, your professors, and even guest speakers.

Thanks for the advice, having a much better idea of what im doing now and what to invest my time into :D