You missed the whole point. Have you watched the video I mentioned? Don't put Valve as an example because it's not how they work.
I wont comment on Valve since im not sure how they work, It Just seems highly unrealistic.
Perhaps watching the video, and reading the handbook also linked above, would dispel any misgivings. I haven't yet watched the video, and I dislike reading handbooks, but I've bookmarked the information as being informative and potentially educational.
Also, there are no such things as "indie" game studios. Being indie means that you sell something without a publisher - no actual company does that. It's usually individuals working for their own money in their spare time. Unless of course, you consider a group of 2-3 people to be a studio.
Once again what on earth are you talking about? We live in the now, not ten years ago. In my area alone there are over 50 independent game development studios (Boston, MA). Not 3 people teams, legitamate studios. More companies are independent than publisher controlled in the current market.
Now we are getting into a semantics discussion. I do not believe you two are using the same definition of "indie," and I do not believe there is or can be a universally applicable definition that will fit all usages of the term. Let's stop the discussion of the term "indie" right here, because that is outside the topic of the Breaking In forum. Have that discussion elsewhere - in either Business or The Lounge.
But we are going way off topic, so I will recommend you get back on track or we can just end this little discussion.
And I might close it. I probably should have before this. Anyone want to add any closing words that bring it back to "getting into the industry without a degree"?
Remember, what we're talking about in this forum is entry-level jobs.
For an entry-level job, you have to get noticed among the hundred or so other applicants.
Absence of degree means your portfolio might not get looked at.
It depends on the company, their desperation level, their location in the physical world, their pool of applicants.
If you're in North America, if you are not applying for a non-degree position like QA, a degree is fairly essential, unless you can explain in your cover letter why your portfolio deserves consideration without it. And you can pretty much forget AAA companies, where they are even more choosy.
In other countries, the degree might not be so essential.