Poll: should i be games designer or a games programmer?
- Thread starter w-Jinksy
- Start date
Recommended Videos
You'll probably find one invariably leads into the other. I'd go for designer as you can learn programming at the same time but knowing design theory will put you at an advantage.w-Jinksy said:
anyway round each course at full time is 3 years and would cost a few thousand.fix-the-spade said:
i had thought of going into design more than the other but really reading what it is the entire first year ill be drawing and playing games. second and third are collaberating with the programmers to make a game.
Programming. Even if you can't get into the gaming industry, you have a skill that is in high demand.
I'd say programming, but then there might be less work left for me. I first wanted to do the programming part but there weren't any school over here with pure game programming, it's all design, but I found one where you do both (at the same time).
You do realize that just because you get a game design degree it doesn't mean you'll stand a great chance of getting into the industry, right? - programming yes, theres a shortage of them - design, not so much.w-Jinksy said:
For example 95% of all game degrees are considered "worthless" by the industry themselves so make sure your actually going on a course thats recognized by the industry - sounds like the one your taking is a bad choice - you also realize 90% of design is merely writing documents, working with QA and drawing, that and you'll get very little creative choice - hence the slew of repetitive games that have been released.
You sound as though you have worked on a game before before you decide you certainly want to go into the industry and least work on an indie project and see just how difficult and much work writing monotonous design documents / programming a game is.
Everybody want to be a game designer. Not much of a demand for them though.
Now great coders are alot harder to find. I'd say learn to become a programmer. Programmers are alot more in demand and supppose the games industry doesn't work for you, you'll have useful skills.
Now great coders are alot harder to find. I'd say learn to become a programmer. Programmers are alot more in demand and supppose the games industry doesn't work for you, you'll have useful skills.
Sources - I know a few people within the industry and a couple who are attempting to break - I am repeating what they have told me - the real question I want to ask is - have you actually worked on a completed game project before, not a mod, actually created a project from scratch - for example using XNA?w-Jinksy said:
Just choose what you think you'd be best at. The two careers are very different; with games programming, you'll be spending long hours in front of a screen, writing and re-writing code, looking for errors, optimising etc. With games design, you get to be more creative, make decisions about what kind of game you're going to make, liasing with artists and programmers to ensure that what's being created is as close to the vision the designers have created as possible. Wait, why do I want to be a programmer again?
If you do decide to go for programming, be really careful about which course you choose. Many of the games programming courses out there have been set up by universities who see it as an easy way of attracting a lot of students, and therefore money. You'd be better off just getting a standard Computing Science degree, and learning the games stuff in your spare time, than going on a games programming course where the lecturers don't really know or care about computer games. That being said, there are some good games programming courses out there, so maybe pick up a copy of Edge, since they often look at games programming courses; or even better, talk to a games developer you'd like to work for, and see what they would ideally like in an applicant.
Whatever you choose, good luck!
EDIT: Just realised that I disagree with myself when I said that you get to be more creative as a designer. There's plenty of creativity in being a programmer, and as D_987 points out, there's plenty of drudgery and hard work in being a designer too, particularly when you're starting out.
If you do decide to go for programming, be really careful about which course you choose. Many of the games programming courses out there have been set up by universities who see it as an easy way of attracting a lot of students, and therefore money. You'd be better off just getting a standard Computing Science degree, and learning the games stuff in your spare time, than going on a games programming course where the lecturers don't really know or care about computer games. That being said, there are some good games programming courses out there, so maybe pick up a copy of Edge, since they often look at games programming courses; or even better, talk to a games developer you'd like to work for, and see what they would ideally like in an applicant.
Whatever you choose, good luck!
EDIT: Just realised that I disagree with myself when I said that you get to be more creative as a designer. There's plenty of creativity in being a programmer, and as D_987 points out, there's plenty of drudgery and hard work in being a designer too, particularly when you're starting out.
I don't think it makes much of a difference unless you want to specialise in the industry. Most important is getting a decent portfolio, which means getting something like Flash or Game Maker and making your own games first so you have some experience, or get a work placement at some point with a developer and see what the industry is really like from the inside.
I personally want to be a games developer myself, but I want to specialise in games design, specifically Level Design. I don't do any courses based on gaming, I do Mathematics, which is pretty useful as it allows me to branch out into other areas if I don't make it in the games industry, and also it gives me a basis to learn other things to do with programming and computer graphic design, useful for a level designer. For example, one of my first year modules, Linear Algebra, is used in CGI, and examples on my lecturer's website of it's applications included character design for games and CGI films.
I'm also going to attempt to teach myself a programming language over summer, and try to make a few games myself given I can come up with the right ideas. Back when I started the course last year, the head of undergraduate studies told us that one of the industries seeking Maths graduates the most was the gaming industry, apparently there's a real shortage of Mathematicians within the industry, and they're needed. So a games design or programming degree doesn't guarantee a place in the industry. Hell, even Maths doesn't. But you need to think long and hard about what part of the industry you want to go in, and then make an informed decision based on that. Try seeing what degrees and qualifications some of the more notable developers have. In fact, some of these (Peter Molyneux, for instance) don't even have formal qualifications in the industry (Molyneux himself only gained an honourary degree in science from the University of Southampton years after becoming big in the industry through Bullfrog and Lionhead). Overall though, it's down to you. Your life and your choice.
P.S. Sorry for the massive Wall'o'Text...
I personally want to be a games developer myself, but I want to specialise in games design, specifically Level Design. I don't do any courses based on gaming, I do Mathematics, which is pretty useful as it allows me to branch out into other areas if I don't make it in the games industry, and also it gives me a basis to learn other things to do with programming and computer graphic design, useful for a level designer. For example, one of my first year modules, Linear Algebra, is used in CGI, and examples on my lecturer's website of it's applications included character design for games and CGI films.
I'm also going to attempt to teach myself a programming language over summer, and try to make a few games myself given I can come up with the right ideas. Back when I started the course last year, the head of undergraduate studies told us that one of the industries seeking Maths graduates the most was the gaming industry, apparently there's a real shortage of Mathematicians within the industry, and they're needed. So a games design or programming degree doesn't guarantee a place in the industry. Hell, even Maths doesn't. But you need to think long and hard about what part of the industry you want to go in, and then make an informed decision based on that. Try seeing what degrees and qualifications some of the more notable developers have. In fact, some of these (Peter Molyneux, for instance) don't even have formal qualifications in the industry (Molyneux himself only gained an honourary degree in science from the University of Southampton years after becoming big in the industry through Bullfrog and Lionhead). Overall though, it's down to you. Your life and your choice.
P.S. Sorry for the massive Wall'o'Text...
Ok, well here is 100% fact - the chances of you being hired as a designer straight away, if ever, are 0.01%, next to nobody has ever been hired without industry experience as a designer - you have to break in and get a portfolio. I would suggest XNA because it allows you to create a game without the base code and doesn't limit you to the extent game maker does. It programmers in C sharp - and if your serious about entering the industry as a programmer you'll know C - so its possibly the best tool to get a portfolio going.w-Jinksy said:
The problem with game design is, almsot everbody in the industry has ideas and wants to be on the design team.
The problem with programming is you have very little creative freedom and unless you are very good, you get paid stuff all.
If you want to get into the games industry then my advice is to find out if you have any skill/tallant to do graphics design. If you have the tenacity to become good then you get paid better than a programmer and you can do some pretty cool stuff in the gaming industry.
I recon you should try it all to see what you enjoy. If you are any good at it then go from there. First off, you will need to get your foot in the door. Apply for a job with the Q&A department of any games company. You can work on your portfolio, in whatever path you choose, and develope your skills in your spare time.
Well, thats my two cents.
The problem with programming is you have very little creative freedom and unless you are very good, you get paid stuff all.
If you want to get into the games industry then my advice is to find out if you have any skill/tallant to do graphics design. If you have the tenacity to become good then you get paid better than a programmer and you can do some pretty cool stuff in the gaming industry.
I recon you should try it all to see what you enjoy. If you are any good at it then go from there. First off, you will need to get your foot in the door. Apply for a job with the Q&A department of any games company. You can work on your portfolio, in whatever path you choose, and develope your skills in your spare time.
Well, thats my two cents.
why can't you take both? you'll have a much easier time dealing with other departments if you generally understand what they do and what their capabilities are, and that's true of any work environment.
that said, it's true: most developers won't give a crap about your degree. i got plenty of interviews with game companies with just a CS degree. once you're interviewing, they'll be far more interested in what you've produced. if you have to choose, take whichever you think will help you make better games now. don't listen to anyone trying to push you into one career or the other; which course you take here isn't going to determine where you'll work for the rest of your life.
imo, don't go into programming just to make video games. if you're going to be a programmer, do it because you love programming. all code is ultimately the same at some level, and it won't matter if you're making games or accounting software. if you love coding, you'll love it, and if you don't, you won't.
designers aren't omnipotent beings dictating what the game will be like from on high. ultimately the programmers, artists, and etc. are the ones who have to get everything done, and they'll have plenty of latitiude in determining the software design and direction. if you're working at a good company, there will be a dialogue between departments about what progress has been made, what's working or not, and what changes can be made to make the game better. even in the best environments, not everything you want is going to make it into the game.
tldr: don't choose if you don't have to. if you do, don't base your decision on what you think the industry will be like. you may end up never working in the game industry. figure out which one you like doing more right now and focus on that. if that doesn't work, take whichever one you know less about. research both courses as much as you can before deciding, and if all else fails, flip a damn coin.
that said, it's true: most developers won't give a crap about your degree. i got plenty of interviews with game companies with just a CS degree. once you're interviewing, they'll be far more interested in what you've produced. if you have to choose, take whichever you think will help you make better games now. don't listen to anyone trying to push you into one career or the other; which course you take here isn't going to determine where you'll work for the rest of your life.
imo, don't go into programming just to make video games. if you're going to be a programmer, do it because you love programming. all code is ultimately the same at some level, and it won't matter if you're making games or accounting software. if you love coding, you'll love it, and if you don't, you won't.
designers aren't omnipotent beings dictating what the game will be like from on high. ultimately the programmers, artists, and etc. are the ones who have to get everything done, and they'll have plenty of latitiude in determining the software design and direction. if you're working at a good company, there will be a dialogue between departments about what progress has been made, what's working or not, and what changes can be made to make the game better. even in the best environments, not everything you want is going to make it into the game.
tldr: don't choose if you don't have to. if you do, don't base your decision on what you think the industry will be like. you may end up never working in the game industry. figure out which one you like doing more right now and focus on that. if that doesn't work, take whichever one you know less about. research both courses as much as you can before deciding, and if all else fails, flip a damn coin.