Please Mr. Sloper at least

Quote: Original post by Designer2Be
I would like to do a small project of my own. Is there any freeware available that I could learn and do some basic programming?

Also, I just remembered about a book I have, "Java in easy steps". Would you recommend this book as a basis to start learning from? Or would it be best to learn C++?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Java-Easy-Steps-Mike-McGrath/dp/1840782595/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278333152&sr=1-1

Ywa, Desi there's tonnes of freeware for you out there, but the important part is the language, which has been thoroughly discussed on this forum.

I cannot recommend that book, and I haven't read it. Back when I took the Introductory programming course, we used this book.

I never opened that book. But it might not be a total waste of money for somebody who's new to programming. On the other hand, I thought this book
was meant as a reference. I may never know. :P

Java is more forgiving, but if you want to use C++ later,
which is more critical, you need to adapt to that anyway.
Personally I think Java is a good place to start.
Although there's probably more tutorials on C and C++ online,
there's still many on Java.

But syntactically, the languages are very similar.

Just get yourself a simple IDE (and eventually a compiler)

For Java, I suggest NetBeans.
For C++ i recommend Code::Blocks or Dev-Cpp, and the free C++ compiler g++, found in MinGW (Included in a Code::Blocks and Dev-Cpp release).

Get one of those three, find "New Project" and choose the "Hello World" template.
Should be straight forward. There is a play arrow in the topmost part
of the IDE's that runs the compiler and executes the program.
When you're that far, you should check out the forums for a first project,
and mess with some sample code! Happy Coding! ;D

You seem to want to get into the industry without really knowing what that actually involves. Generally you don't walk into a design job, you start in another and naturally progress into that area if you have a passion for game design. Also if you're no good at art or composing then why force yourself into those areas?

If you want to go into programming, do vanilla Computer Science. The problem with games specific degrees is they are fairly specific and therefore relatively useless outside of the games industry. Having said that a degree is a degree nowadays, they are all pretty useless :p.

As far as actual University goes, any red brick Uni is fine the degree classification outweighs the University from my experience.

Just my two cents, I wanted to go into games development (as a programmer). I chose to do vanilla Comp Sci and I'm glad I did now, cause I ended up working for a bank and I wouldn't have done that with a specific games degree ;).

Quote: Original post by yaustar

Quote: Original post by Jonny_S
I chose to do vanilla Comp Sci and I'm glad I did now, cause I ended up working for a bank and I wouldn't have done that with a specific games degree ;).

Why not?

Because game schools still really aren't viewed as 'real' schools to companies outside of games. The resume would probably be tossed if a bank saw you graduated from Full Sail (or whatever) with a degree listed as 'game design' or whatever it is they call it.

Quote: Original post by stupid_programmer

Quote: Original post by yaustar

Quote: Original post by Jonny_S
I chose to do vanilla Comp Sci and I'm glad I did now, cause I ended up working for a bank and I wouldn't have done that with a specific games degree ;).

Why not?

Because game schools still really aren't viewed as 'real' schools to companies outside of games. The resume would probably be tossed if a bank saw you graduated from Full Sail (or whatever) with a degree listed as 'game design' or whatever it is they call it.

To re-iterate Jonny S's point, I would invest in a true Bachelor's degree for two reasons: you can build on a Bachelor's degree with more education that can take you into very different places (MBA, etc), or you might hate the game industry.

Ironically, game schools can often leave your resume in a pile of 'maybe later' as well. I have had a lot more luck with hires that did a comp sci/comp eng degree compared to a game school. In fact, we've had more luck with 20 year old kids who programmer all through their teens than some of the guys coming out of game schools.

My impression is that the game schools are kind of like buying a really expensive ticket to a job interview that often the candidate is not ready for. Of course there are exceptions, but I believe those candidates would be exceptional even if they graduated with a BA in English history.

I would suggest contacting local studios and asking if you can do information interviews. Get as much information from them as you can about the business, and what it involves. First off, you'll get tangible information about the industry, but also you'll start building a network of potential employers once you are ready to enter the job force.

Best of luck with your career!
S

But your problem, as a CV author, isn't convincing people you're a "good programmer".

It's avoiding being binned. Some places have a 100-to-1 ratio on CVs vs people they actually interview. They need fast ways to cull down the CVs.

Easy way to do it is to mandate a decent degree in a proper subject from a decent uni. A first in maths counts. A 2.1 in compsci counts. A first in film studies doesn't. Neither does a first in interactive media development.

This is also why places demand 5 years experience in X. They don't really actually want 5 years experience in X. They want someone who hasn't decided that this week they'll be an X developer and in three days time will decide to be a Y developer.

It's an easy way to ditch a shedload of CVs from wannabes and cut it down to a level where you can at least spare the time to read the second page of the CV.

Sorry, but **these are the rules**. Don't ask how to change them -- I can't do that. I certainly didn't write them. Don't try and convince people here that they're wrong -- we've all got experience. We KNOW the hiring schemes are all crap. And still the rules are the same. Maybe when billg dies and you get his job, you can change them. But until then probably not.

These are the rules. Learn the rules. Play the rules.

Or just spend a lifetime failing to get good jobs but havin' yourself a whale of a time bitchin' like hell about the evil rules.

Quote: Good programmers are still good programmers and I have seen many do a games programming degree and go into work outside the industry (at least in the UK) or do further education into non-games specific areas.

Game Design degrees and courses are a different matter as I don't see them being as useful or transferable as a Games Programming or Games Art degrees can be

CV's don't convey how good a programmer you are, to re-enforce my point I have been turned down interviews solely because I did not do Maths at A-Level, despite my first class degree and 1 1/2 years experience working for a known company and doing very well for myself while I was there. It's stupid but it's true, all a degree does is get you in the door, the wrong choice can just make it harder to even get your foot in, especially in today's climate (trust me, I'm currently jobless and looking!).

It's well known that games specific degrees are not looked upon as favouerably outside the industry, however a comp sci degree works both in and outside the industry.

If you pick a comp sci programme with a sandwich year you can pick a games development placement to further increase job opportunities in the industry, or as another poster said do other courses to enhance your "games developer" CV.

Can someone clear this up for me please. :)


If you want to become a games designer, you have to of worked in the industry in a different role for a while, then you can step up to a designer if the opportunity arises?