Nice post Kal. Curious though, what were the classes and projects like? Was there any required general ed, and calculus 2?

The general ed was three months long. Everybody in your start group (for all degrees) takes these starting classes for three months. They consist of mostly audio/video basics and whatnot. Entertainment related, nothing like English Lit. They give a good chance to make friends all around so you can come calling on people in the recording and modelling degree programs later.

After that comes a basic writing, character/setting creation class along with a Math class. Starts with basic Algebra and quickly (thankfully) moves up through Linear Algebra which is matrices and whatnot. Most everything you need for game math sans Quaternions. After that was C++. Only project for that (not including the in-lab projects of which there are MANY small ones)was extra credit: A game solely in the console. The other class during this time was Entertainment Business, which taught about copyrights and whatnot. My C++ class ended around 1 or 2am with this class following at 9am the next day, so this one was a sleeper.

the Design class taught by Dustin Clingman (forgot the name) was definitely a favorite. There you learn DirectDraw7 (at least we did, this was a while back). You make a few games, each progressively deeper. Those are graded on features and completion/stability. You can do the basic game and do alright, or you can have it load levels, give power-ups, etc. and really polish it off to challenge yourself. I think the accompanying class at this point was a GDI/MFC class.

There was a modelling class sometime after that. We were taught on Creator, but I think the new classes use Max. You make some real-time models and the final project has to be within a certain poly limit and have a minimum number of textures. You also import your model into their pseudo-engine and add some features of your own. Hard part there is getting a handle on their code. This class was also great because of the lab. We spent a good hour or so at the end of each class playing the new Wolfenstein. Some modelling degree guys would sneak in(with our teacher's blessing) to fill the empty seats and it would be a nice 15 on 15 (or so) battle. The lab instructor also put on DVDs on the very large projector screen during regular lab work.

After that was an AI class where you lean A* and Dyjkstra's(sp?) and apply them to certain puzzles as a final project. Very interesting class. You learn about neural networks and such as well. After that came final project which is rather self-explanatory. Group size for us was about four guys.

I know I skipped some classes but those are certainly the most important. The list looks small but rest-assured, they will kick your ass even before you factor in the secondary classes.

[edited by - Kalthorn on November 30, 2003 8:23:11 AM]

Thought Id add my 2cents. Not that anyone asked.

After having gone to a 4year college and law school, I finally figured out that game design is what I wanted to do with my life.

I definitely agree with one of the previous posters that said that a 4year college is important for getting a WHOLE education, and meeting the expectations of real employers in the real world, should gaming not work out. Trust me, a lot of people change careers several times throughout their life.

If I had it to do over again, Id go to my 4year again, with a different focus than International Politics, something more programming or art related...but still get the rounded experience of a 4year curriculum and college. That just cant be duplicated. After that Id treat game design school like a Master''s degree...Master of Fine Arts in Game design.

Again, just my opinion, but Id go to both.

Just for the record...Ill be attending SCAD (the Savannah School of Art and Design) that has a kick ass facility, in a cool town, with a great program. They even have great programs for video effects (some of their grads managed the effects for Triple X and The Perfect Storm) and Fine Art (painting, drawing, graphic illustration..etc.)

Good luck to anyone taking this path.

Alfred Norris, VoodooFusion Studios
Team Lead - CONFLICT: Omega