Below is a list of colleges which support Game Design Courses. I am hoping some of you might have knowledge of which is best, and if so, which did you choose and why?

http://www.adigitaldreamer.com/game-design-schools.htm

***I am personally looking for a college/university in CT, America.

Top names included in the list which you might have heard are schools like DeVry and ITT Tech, which I have been looking at.

Thanks guys.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Guys. After reading everyones responses, which i am very glad you all gave me sopisticated and logical answers, I decided I will go for the Computer Science major with possibly a engineering or art minor.

I live in Connecticut and I have to go instate i just learned. So I will browse around for schooling.

When I mean I want to become a game designer I mean I want to be the guy that starts with the idea and gets a team to work from that idea to turn into a game. To start my career, I was hoping that I would go for some modeler or graphic designer. However I heard someone say the market is flooded with them, and programming isn't for me either.

Can anyone tell me which are the highest payed jobs in the industry? I know game designers make like 65k+ a year, how about other stuff like graphic designer or level/character modeler?

***I read up that engineeers make mad dough too. Is it possible for software engineers to get into the game industry? I imagine there is right?
 

it's been my experience at the 3 game companies I worked at, and the one I ran, that people who go to "Game Design Schools" such as Full Sail are sub-par and often think they're entitled to more.  It's because of this that only one of the companies hired such a person and kept them on for any length of time.

I'd suggest a real University and major in the degree of your chosing.  After all "Your 'Game Degree' isn't worth the paper it's printed on.  It's not even worth the ashes should you burn it."

Originally posted by CaesarsGhost

it's been my experience at the 3 game companies I worked at, and the one I ran, that people who go to "Game Design Schools" such as Full Sail are sub-par and often think they're entitled to more.  It's because of this that only one of the companies hired such a person and kept them on for any length of time.

I'd suggest a real University and major in the degree of your chosing.  After all "Your 'Game Degree' isn't worth the paper it's printed on.  It's not even worth the ashes should you burn it."

So your telling me that if i want to become a game designer, i should go to a regular university and major in american history and civics? I do not understand?

Hardknocks U.

Originally posted by rawRzorz

Originally posted by CaesarsGhost

it's been my experience at the 3 game companies I worked at, and the one I ran, that people who go to "Game Design Schools" such as Full Sail are sub-par and often think they're entitled to more.  It's because of this that only one of the companies hired such a person and kept them on for any length of time.

I'd suggest a real University and major in the degree of your chosing.  After all "Your 'Game Degree' isn't worth the paper it's printed on.  It's not even worth the ashes should you burn it."

So your telling me that if i want to become a game designer, i should go to a regular university and major in american history and civics? I do not understand?

Computer Science would be a good start.  If you can't get a job at a game company, you could always write firmware code for a fabless IC design company.....fun, fun, fun!

Originally posted by rikilii

Originally posted by rawRzorz

Originally posted by CaesarsGhost

it's been my experience at the 3 game companies I worked at, and the one I ran, that people who go to "Game Design Schools" such as Full Sail are sub-par and often think they're entitled to more.  It's because of this that only one of the companies hired such a person and kept them on for any length of time.

I'd suggest a real University and major in the degree of your chosing.  After all "Your 'Game Degree' isn't worth the paper it's printed on.  It's not even worth the ashes should you burn it."

So your telling me that if i want to become a game designer, i should go to a regular university and major in american history and civics? I do not understand?

 

Computer Science would be a good start.  If you can't get a job at a game company, you could always write firmware code for a fabless IC design company.....fun, fun, fun!

Is it really?

Originally posted by rawRzorz

Originally posted by rikilii

Originally posted by rawRzorz

Originally posted by CaesarsGhost

it's been my experience at the 3 game companies I worked at, and the one I ran, that people who go to "Game Design Schools" such as Full Sail are sub-par and often think they're entitled to more.  It's because of this that only one of the companies hired such a person and kept them on for any length of time.

I'd suggest a real University and major in the degree of your chosing.  After all "Your 'Game Degree' isn't worth the paper it's printed on.  It's not even worth the ashes should you burn it."

So your telling me that if i want to become a game designer, i should go to a regular university and major in american history and civics? I do not understand?

 

Computer Science would be a good start.  If you can't get a job at a game company, you could always write firmware code for a fabless IC design company.....fun, fun, fun!

 

Is it really?

lol why would you wanna design games? what a thankless job that is. :-D Just ask the guys at SOE.

Computer science degree is your best bet.  Not an easy degree however.

This is very accurate advice.  If you wish a future in game design do NOT go to a college for game design.  Go to a university and pick up Computer science.  From there pick up associated skills and classes.  You can pick up some "Game design" courses in your spare time.  Considering most "Game design" colleges will offer courses that offer beginning degrees in only a few months, if you have serious interest in gaming industry, pick up a Computer science degree.  When you enter "Game design" colleges, they teach you very specifically how to use the programs and technology of today.  If you want a solid FUTURE, you need to kno how to develop with the times and use the technology as it progresses.  Comp Science and the courses that accompany and compliment that are what give you a job tomorrow.  Simple enough.

I also wish to note not to use community colleges to an extent. Pending the position you're looking for, it can show a lack of drive, not to mention master's > bachelor's > AA. Check out your local state universities if you can't afford the $20,000 a quarter + (average here for private universities), usually state universities are only two to three times the cost of community colleges ($2500ish vrs $1000ish here quarterly).

Also, you can usually transfer basic courses such as math, english, science, etc. from a community college to a state university at full credits. Saving you some cahs, and hopefully some time.

This of couse varies per area, but worked for me.

Originally posted by SundersGhost

This is very accurate advice.  If you wish a future in game design do NOT go to a college for game design.  Go to a university and pick up Computer science.  From there pick up associated skills and classes.  You can pick up some "Game design" courses in your spare time.  Considering most "Game design" colleges will offer courses that offer beginning degrees in only a few months, if you have serious interest in gaming industry, pick up a Computer science degree.  When you enter "Game design" colleges, they teach you very specifically how to use the programs and technology of today.  If you want a solid FUTURE, you need to kno how to develop with the times and use the technology as it progresses.  Comp Science and the courses that accompany and compliment that are what give you a job tomorrow.  Simple enough.

 

And, if you really want to get into the creative/design aspects of game design (rather than just being 1 of a 100 code monkeys on an EA project), get started doing independent projects.

Work on some game mods etc. and keep a portfolio of your work.

Computer Science works, but there's definitely other majors that can get you into the game industry such as graphics artist, writing, etc... However, if you want to actually be able to write your game in code then Computer Science is the major to pick, assuming you like programming.

And I agree with the others. Regular universities are the way to go. Awhile back,I read on Capcom's website in a Q&A thing they had, and they apparently said that the regular 4 years universities was the best when someone asked them the question at their booth.

DeVry, ITT - MUAHAHAHA I almost feel sorry for anyone who gets suckered into those schools.

I work with a guy that graduated from DeVry. His sense of entitlement far exceeds the weight his toilet paper degree carries.

Seriously go to a real university. Study Computer Science and Graphic Design. It's pretty obvious what you need to focus on if you want to code and create mmo's. You might also want to seek an internship at a company that makes mmo's. Take that into consideration when deciding on which school to go to. The internship will be just as valuable to your future as your degree. I see free labor and lots of studying in your future :P

Originally posted by Copeland

DeVry, ITT - MUAHAHAHA I almost feel sorry for anyone who gets suckered into those schools.

I work with a guy that graduated from DeVry. His sense of entitlement far exceeds the weight his toilet paper degree carries.

Seriously go to a real university. Study Computer Science and Graphic Design. It's pretty obvious what you need to focus on if you want to code and create mmo's. You might also want to seek an internship at a company that makes mmo's. Take that into consideration when deciding on which school to go to. The internship will be just as valuable to your future as your degree. I see free labor and lots of studying in your future :P

Quick off topic question. You name yourself Copeland after the band?

Originally posted by rawRzorz

Below is a list of colleges which support Game Design Courses. I am hoping some of you might have knowledge of which is best, and if so, which did you choose and why?

http://www.adigitaldreamer.com/game-design-schools.htm

 

Top names included in the list which you might have heard are schools like DeVry and ITT Tech, which I have been looking at.

 

Thanks guys.

 

 

Go for a college for website design, graphics, and php coding...to simplify it, lol. ECPI In North Carolina where I live, is a good small college to take such courses.

LOL at game design/programming schools. In these degrees the entire class is literally footing the bill for the best 3 or 4 of the class who will actually get hired(out of a class of 40 at the start of the program and 9 at the end of it).

Then after those people do get hired they go LOL when they realize they could have joined a business corporation and work on data management design/programming, basically getting paid more(or atleast the same) for less work and stress(in the business corp).

The game industry is so messed up that EA programmers were literally thinking about unionizing...  Do you have any idea how much that goes against the core beliefs of most programmers(I'll give you a hint a lot, much more so when they're the ones thinking about setting it up).
 

Originally posted by paulscott

LOL at game design/programming schools. In these degrees the entire class is literally footing the bill for the best 3 or 4 of the class who will actually get hired(out of a class of 40 at the start of the program and 9 at the end of it).

Then after those people do get hired they go LOL when they realize they could have joined a business corporation and work on data management design/programming, basically getting paid more(or atleast the same) for less work and stress(in the business corp).

 

The game industry is so messed up that EA programmers were literally thinking about unionizing...  Do you have any idea how much that goes against the core beliefs of most programmers(I'll give you a hint a lot, much more so when they're the ones thinking about setting it up).
 

Yar, and free thinkers need not apply, you wont last long, because big ideas = big money to the investors. No point in going in thinking you're gonna change the world. They only want robots.

I'd say the best university is DigiPen Institute of Technology (and incidentally also the most challenging), they share a building with Nintendo of America and you could probably get an internship with them. If only I lived closer to Washington. :(

Originally posted by paulscott

LOL at game design/programming schools. In these degrees the entire class is literally footing the bill for the best 3 or 4 of the class who will actually get hired(out of a class of 40 at the start of the program and 9 at the end of it).

Then after those people do get hired they go LOL when they realize they could have joined a business corporation and work on data management design/programming, basically getting paid more(or atleast the same) for less work and stress(in the business corp).

 

The game industry is so messed up that EA programmers were literally thinking about unionizing...  Do you have any idea how much that goes against the core beliefs of most programmers(I'll give you a hint a lot, much more so when they're the ones thinking about setting it up).
 

Much truth in these words.  My experience is between the Art Institute and Academy of Art.  Both schools offer their gaming degrees as computer science.  Therefore when you graduate, you can choose to put computer science, or game design as your degree on your resume.

Between the two, the Academy has superior equipment and resources.  they go by a semester system. 

The Art Institute has better teachers, (because most of them are pulled right of the gaming market), but they don't have very good resources for students to use. 

Also the Art Institute wll brag about landing you a job in the industry.  DO NOT BELIEVE THEM.  When it comes to multimedia, fashion, interior design, they are very capable of helping you land the first job.  When it comes to the game market, well lets say they are learning a hard lesson right now.

Take your general education courses at a junior college.  Be warned if you go to a private gaming school, they may play a little game and try to say your classes wont transfer.  So before you sign up with these colleges, make sure that your credits from your junior college will transfer.

The game market is absolutely saturated with competition.  It's been a year after my graduation, and all I got were a couple of contract game test and graphic design positions.  Many of my teachers in in school warned me about the chances of landing a job and how much you will be bounced around.  Your skills have to be top notch.  Average skills will work if you have friends in the industry to reference you for a job. You gotta brown nose to companies, which means at a convension, it is in your best interest to not talk bad about EA and Sony.   The game market is small, and doing something stupid will stay with you for a long time.  Do not expect to leave school and grab a job in the field you specialized.  Learn backup skills.  Graphic Design is a very important skill to use as a crutch when job hunting.

As for skills.  Start learning Maya, 3DSMAx, and all Adobe art programs.  You will become an expert in Photoshop, whether you like it or not.  If you draw anime, dont expect to land a concept art job.  If you draw in your own unique style, then you have a chance if you are able to draw as good as the guys who did the Warhammer Online concept art.

Read this

www.developmag.com/news/28360/EA-still-unconvinced-by-game-design-degrees