Hi Everyone!

Quick backstory to answer the possible comments relating to the tittle and “why not just change your degree?" This is my 3rd and possibly final attempt I will ever have at completing college and earning my degree. I have a list of health issues that, in the past, have stopped me from achieving my goals at that point in time but I am determined to get them done. As a result of this I am attending an online college and the only two programs that it has that relate to what I want to do are Software Development and Computer Science. Currently I am in the Software Development program with a focus in C# but will be transferring to Computer Science in the coming months.

The school is not know for its programming degrees, or anything for that matter. This will quite literally just be a piece of paper that says I have a degree at the end of things. I am already going to have to do tons of outside research to actually prepare myself to work on the Programming industry but for game dev specifically I don't know what to do.

What should I be doing while in school to give myself the skills to enter the game dev industry with a computer science degree? My goal is to try and make my own games at home since I enjoy every aspect of game design. I figure that this will help me out to have some things to show on my resume but how much of an impact do indie games really have on getting a job somewhere?

It might be confusing what I am asking to get out of this post lol so simply put…I am expecting my degree to not prepare me for any type of real world application and I want to know what everyone would recommend I do in order to learn game dev without a game dev specific degree and how should I practice and beef up my resume/portfolio while in school to help?

Thanks in advance,

Rain

Raiindead said:
What should I be doing while in school to give myself the skills to enter the game dev industry with a computer science degree? My goal is to try and make my own games at home

First priority: finish the degree. As time permits in the meantime, yes - make your own games.

Raiindead said:
how should I practice and beef up my resume/portfolio while in school

By making games. Make games by yourself. Make games with others.

Raiindead said:
The school is not know for its programming degrees, or anything for that matter. This will quite literally just be a piece of paper that says I have a degree at the end of things.

Yes and no. It shows you can see a multi-year project through to completion, and are able to stick with it. It shows you've studied at least a minimal depth and breadth. A completed degree from an unknown school is better than no degree.

Raiindead said:
What should I be doing while in school to give myself the skills to enter the game dev industry with a computer science degree?

Focus first on your degree. If you have choices in your projects try to incorporate small elements of games in them, but don't make the games your focus. If you can add it as a bonus feature, great, if you can't then focus on what is needed for the degree.

Side projects can help you once you're out, you don't compete in a vacuum, but plenty of entry level game programmers get their first industry jobs without having completed them. They instead express an interest in the topics, and apply for jobs, the company is looking for interest and aptitude even if you don't have a portfolio of game projects.

Raiindead said:
This is my 3rd and possibly final attempt I will ever have at completing college and earning my degree.

All the more reason to focus on getting the official program completed. Focus on it primarily.

@undefined thanks for the response, I 100% plan to make my degree the main focus. Without the degree things would be significantly harder.

My current plan is to get the degree done ASAP since it's a “at your own pace” type of program. I also have a Udemy subscription that comes with my school Program which I plan to utilize heavily. I am taking several courses in C# and game dev in unity. I also have several research paper type projects in which I'm making the subject about different elements of game dev.

Thanks again for the response, makes me feel like I'm making all the correct choices at the moment which is what I was worrying on.

@Raiindead I stumbled across this site by an assignment that I have to complete this week. And I believe that most things happen for a reason, not all since I have had my fair share of being knocked down. In fact, I had a very profitable year last year, got paid out $15k on a settlement from a wreck that I was in about 2 years prior, just to turn around and loose everything that I had gotten to try and set myself up for a better future earlier this year and ended up homeless for a couple months and now staying with my mom and her boyfriend in their small 2 bed, 1 bath apartment, with just my clothes and my laptop. To be completely honest, I don't even have a car or an active phone number right now, and no income of my own. But back to the origins of why I am replying to your post, I am in school to get my Bachelors in Game Design/Development at Full Sail University and will be taught hands on with Unreal Engine, as well as getting an MSI Radeon laptop in the next couple months. Classes start every month and there is dedicated online classes, dedicated campus classes, and an option to start online and eventually end up on campus. I hope this info helps you out some, and if you want more info feel free to message me or reply (not really sure how this platform works yet, literally just made my account about an hour ago). Don't loose hope and stay true to your dreams. It took me 10+ years to finally start my journey in the field thanks to many set backs but I am here and I'm not going to let it slip.

@crazyc5127 Thanks for taking the time to reply, I will do some digging in to that so thanks a lot for the info. As for everything else, I truly hope things get better for you and you are able to achieve everything you want in life. Safe travels ?

@Raiindead Same for you, Rain. I may not know your struggles, but I do know how it feels to struggle, no fun at all. Best wishes in and for your dreams.