Which college should I go for?

[iuli4n]

Hello everyone. My name is Julian and I have come to a crossroad in my life where I need to choose my career path. This summer I am finishing college and I have to choose between 2 colleges. First would be studying in the UK the Interactive system and Video Game Design, but problem would be that I don't know if I would have enough money to finish the program. The second choice is studying Sailing and finish as a naval officer 1st class followed by a career as a captain (since my dad,uncles and brother are sailors finding a job would be easy). What would you guys suggest? Should I go for the sure thing (2nd option) and maybe work as a indy developer in my spare time or try and finish the UK college which doesnt really mean will get me a job? I hope it's not in the wrong section.

[TheBuilder]

You should do what you enjoy doing. If you have fun studying game design and enough money to stay alive, it's not wasted time even if you don't get a directly related job. I suggest you study game design first and then sailing if you can't find a job.

[MikeClarke]

Not meaning to hijack the thread but have you considered both? Sailing at Uni & an open gaming course.

I've only game across Train2Game at the minute but I'm looking for alternatives as im finishing my first year at open uni next week but since I dont just want generic computing im on the look out for some Game Dev courses, either in 3d modelling or programming. Might be worth a look, just means twice the work but dedication can see to that.

[Baructt]

Keep in mind that your choice will be the one you'll be stuck with for the rest of your life. (Was that dramatic enough?) My point is that after you have spent a few years doing something you're just not passionate about, you start to think really hard about how you spend the rest of life. It may sound cheesy, but the old saying is true that your passions are what you should chase. Besides, you can always sell directly to the public. Many people are doing it these days out of frustration with companies. Many people drop out of their careers to do something that pays far less just because they like it more.

[iuli4n]

Keep in mind that your choice will be the one you'll be stuck with for the rest of your life. (Was that dramatic enough?) My point is that after you have spent a few years doing something you're just not passionate about, you start to think really hard about how you spend the rest of life. It may sound cheesy, but the old saying is true that your passions are what you should chase. Besides, you can always sell directly to the public. Many people are doing it these days out of frustration with companies. Many people drop out of their careers to do something that pays far less just because they like it more.

thing is if I end up being a naval officer I get to travel a lot which I would really like (since I am 19 years old and never even left the country) and I think having a really nice salary could help me fuel my indie game dev career. also problem with the game designer college is that I might not have enough money to finish the full 3 years so it would suck if I would have to drop out.

[MikeClarke]

Want to just put some perspective out there. Until recently I was working full time and ran my own company outside of that. I made a pretty good living - not pulling early retirement but managed to handle a wife, 3kids and a house in the middle of no-where (im 24). I decided a few months ago I hated who I was. I used to do levels for call of duty when I was 18/19 and I loved it, but I hated what I do now, I made cash I could afford to do things I enjoy but the bulk of my time was doing something I just didn't like. I was doing a degree with the open uni in the little bit of spare time I had left and I just hated it all. I dont want to work as a computer analyst.

So I spoke with my wife, told her how I felt and we decided together it was best for me to walk away from it all. I will be finishing my first year with the ou on the 24th and I haven't signed up for a second year. I walked away from my full time job, I dissolved my Ltd company and setup as a Soletrader (I refuse to claim benefits). I now pick up the occasional bit of work for £400-500 a pop as and when im stretched for cash but otherwise my time goes into family and planning my games, goals and learning things I love.

Since I made that decision I have been a damn site happier, my kids seem to enjoy having my around alot more and my wife enjoys the break from dealing with everything. Yes theres no-way near as much money coming in the house and we gave up on alot of luxuries but we are happier for it.

A skill/trade will always be helpful, but don't be doomed to a life you don't enjoy.

On that note if anyone knows of any Open courses (free, or otherwise) on 3d modelling, creative artwork or game design please let me know looking to stock up on an education I would value. Im never returning to an employer so it's not for CV. Just great courses that'll teach me not just give me a piece of paper.

[Saishy]

Also I would just like to point that Game Design is not something you can learn at a school.
No company will ever hire you because you have a game designer degree.

You learn design by living and doing it.

[JessieG]

Also I would just like to point that Game Design is not something you can learn at a school.
No company will ever hire you because you have a game designer degree.

You learn design by living and doing it.

Who's to say you can't do that at a school? I'm going into my senior year this spring and I've learned a TON from my time in class. Our final year will consist of making a collaborative game with industry standard pipelines. School may not be for everyone, but don't tell someone they can't learn anything at school just because you've picked up stuff on your own.

[Baructt]

I'd like to add that a lot can be learned online. The OP might be able to make the naval thing temporary while learning game design over the internet for free. You actually don't need a college because of all of the free learning that's available. You might be able to have the best of both worlds with little risk.

[iuli4n]

I'd like to add that a lot can be learned online. The OP might be able to make the naval thing temporary while learning game design over the internet for free. You actually don't need a college because of all of the free learning that's available. You might be able to have the best of both worlds with little risk.

thats what I was thinking. and I think this might be the best solution for me.

[Saishy]

Who's to say you can't do that at a school? I'm going into my senior year this spring and I've learned a TON from my time in class. Our final year will consist of making a collaborative game with industry standard pipelines. School may not be for everyone, but don't tell someone they can't learn anything at school just because you've picked up stuff on your own.

You are probably mistaken at what a Game Designer is.

All of the schools of "Game Design" I see teach many things about game development, programming, arts, project management.
But Design is something you do not learn at school.

You can learn what it is, you can see the basis and some tips, but it is something no one can teach you.

[TheBuilder]

You are probably mistaken at what a Game Designer is.

All of the schools of "Game Design" I see teach many things about game development, programming, arts, project management.
But Design is something you do not learn at school.

You can learn what it is, you can see the basis and some tips, but it is something no one can teach you.

That is true. I do have a bachelor in game design myself, and you do not learn design. You learn how to write your design (rules that we don't follow in our own project anyway).
However, I do not regret taking the grade. It triggered my motivation and I met other people with the same passion.

[JessieG]

That is true. I do have a bachelor in game design myself, and you do not learn design. You learn how to write your design (rules that we don't follow in our own project anyway).
However, I do not regret taking the grade. It triggered my motivation and I met other people with the same passion.

Exactly. The atmosphere, the ability to meet like minded people and get together to work on something, it all helps. Saying school is useless because it doesn't teach you is like saying you don't need to go to law school in order to win a case as a lawyer you just need to do it. School helps immensely if you take what you learn and incorporate that into what you do. I've seen so many people say it's a bad idea to get a degree for game stuff, when in reality it's not. Is it needed? Not if you can learn the stuff on your own. Is it a bad idea? definitely not.

[CreateNPlay]

Train2Game has gotten me to a point from being at secondary school to being in a soon-to-be published iOS Studio We have won Make Something Unreal Live, and my life is completely changed...

www.train2game.com You wont regret it. And if you do go for it, put me as a referrer "Aaron Reeve" :P

[MikeClarke]

Which of the T2G courses did you take?

[CreateNPlay]

I took Art&Animation

[MikeClarke]

Thats one of the two I was heavily considering. I don't have much of a history with 3ds max etc though, I've used them but only really doing some very basic shapes, renders etc Did you have experience before you started the course or is it really enough to take a newbie through the process. I'm just wondered about spending £4,000 to take a course that would be beyond me so to speak

[Baructt]

There's also Game Institute: http://www.gameinstitute.com/. I don't know much about it, but it looks like a nice option.

[>I Am Legend<]

If you can afford it just do the one that will benefit you, whichever one that does benefit you in the future just do thst. Mainly look at the best one on paper. Again, IF you can afford it my son.

[CreateNPlay]

You need absolutely no skill in 3DS Max to take the course, but by the end of it you will be among the pro's

[Graylord]

Wouldn't hurt to be prepared and ahead though.

[CreateNPlay]

Yeah, you can always get the max trial and get learnin.

[Saishy]

Exactly. The atmosphere, the ability to meet like minded people and get together to work on something, it all helps. Saying school is useless because it doesn't teach you is like saying you don't need to go to law school in order to win a case as a lawyer you just need to do it. School helps immensely if you take what you learn and incorporate that into what you do. I've seen so many people say it's a bad idea to get a degree for game stuff, when in reality it's not. Is it needed? Not if you can learn the stuff on your own. Is it a bad idea? definitely not.

Read my post again and you will notice that I only mentioned that you do not learn game design at game design schools.
There is no mention to being useless, not helping or anything like that.

I'm just warning someone that wants to buy a red car that the car is not red. If you actually want the car and not the red color specific then go for it.

[TheAgent]

Ill be graduating from a "Game Design" school and that's the last thing I learned, we learned Game Development, and programming. Game design is theory and is something that only happens when you and a bunch of friends put your heads together and design a game. So like what Saishy said, its learned through experience.

[iuli4n]

I will go with naval institute and some self-taught work in UDK in my spare time. thank you everyone for your opinions they have been of great use to me. if you guys want to keep discussing feel free, unless a mod wants to close this .

[nekha123]

Hello everyone. My name is Julian and I have come to a crossroad in my life where I need to choose my career path. This summer I am finishing college and I have to choose between 2 colleges. First would be studying in the UK the Interactive system and Video Game Design, but problem would be that I don't know if I would have enough money to finish the program. The second choice is studying Sailing and finish as a naval officer 1st class followed by a career as a captain (since my dad,uncles and brother are sailors finding a job would be easy). What would you guys suggest? Should I go for the sure thing (2nd option) and maybe work as a indy developer in my spare time or try and finish the UK college which doesnt really mean will get me a job? I hope it's not in the wrong section.

You are in a phase where it's tough to understand whether you are really passionate about something or it's just a short time liking. So first decide whether you are really passionate about video game designing.

Ask yourself the following questions:
1.Are you good at designing?
2.Are you good at maths and stats?
3.Would you stick to playing games for long hours?
4.Will you able to sit in a same room for long long hours and keep working in front of computer?
5.How would you feel if you never have the option of game designing? you feel of lost something or you'll casually look for other jobs?

Answering these questions will help you to find the answer from your sub conscious. If answer for all these questions are positive, you should goto game designing else choose the sailor job as you've a guaranteed job there.

Important point, be aware that game designing sounds interesting for most people in your age.