I read the sticky about the designer wanting to break into the industry, but I feel that it didn't answer my own question regarding it. I am currently a Freshman in College in Vermont attending Champlain College and majoring in Game Design. However, I am beginning to have mixed feelings about it, especially as I read more and more about the lack of credibility for this type of degree. I am also planning to move back to my home state, Washington, and I'm looking at other choices there.

What would be a good option to major in if I want to enter the industry as a Game Designer? I know that I will probably have to do 1-2 years as a QA for a company before I even begin working on a project (though I plan to make games along the way, and I'm currently in the process of working on one for a competition, and another small one in my spare time), and that it is VERY unlikely I'll be thrust into the role of a designer from day one, but I was curious as to what major would benefit me in becoming one.

I am set on the idea that I want to become a lead designer, and not a level designer or a writer, and I feel that with the right studies, I will no doubt be qualified for the role.

I have looked at schools in Washington, but I can only really see Digipen as a viable option for me. However, it contains the same majors that I fear will not be beneficial in the work place.

So, after my really repetitive post, I would like to sum it up by asking what I should major in to become a game designer, and if a school like Digipen is a good idea, or if I should go to a more traditional school?

It is more or less impossible to become a Lead Designer without having had around 5+ years of experience as a Level Designer or Systems Designer. Typically Systems Designer also has the pre-requisite of Level Designer experience.

Basically, if you want to be any type of senior designer you need to have a successful career as a Level Designer first. Perhaps at a startup studio composed of your friends you could leapfrog into a Lead position, but that's really the only exception I can think of.

I don't know of any Lead Designer that hasn't followed the above path.

You are only qualified to be a Lead Designer on a AAA title if you have shipped a bunch of professional AAA games in more junior roles. Education will not prepare you for a lead role, only experience will qualify you.

-me

I guess I did not read the stickys as clearly as I had previously believed, and I sincerely apologize for that.

And I understand now that a lead designer is not a position that one can simply educate one's self to become.

As I look at the options, it appears that I would be most interested in Level Design out of the possible candidates.

I thank you for guiding me to some of the FAQs, and giving me links regarding what I can do, and what I should be looking at.

I am under a lot of personal emotional and psychological tension right now, and I appreciate that you guys were respective to my post, even if it was a little convoluted and didn't make any sense.

Again, I apologize for not reading the other threads very clearly, and I thank you all.

Wait, so you're majoring in game design, want to be a lead designer and don't think it's right for you? I guess I'm a little confused, wouldn't that type of degree be quite good for future designer positions?

Maybe you're talking about you'd rather do more art related things and the program is more technical.

This is just the route I'm taking, but I'm taking technical classes and pursuing design outside on my own more or less. Basically, I want to develop a portfolio on my own in addition to obtaining my degree in programming or something like that.