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School or Do it Yourself?(learning)

Started by AyoPunky Feb 12, 2012 at 4:30 PM 8 replies 2.5k views

Original Post

Feb 12, 2012 at 4:30 PM

Hey, i'm new on the forums and was wondering what the best way to learn about game design. I learn PC Repair by doing it myself, but i don't know the best route for this. I'm thinking of going to full sail university to learn game design but my brother goes there for a different course in music. I just know that Full Sail doesn't dive right in to the game making until the last year of school where u make a final project with you and your development team. Is it easy to learn I have many ideas store in my head, and want them to come out in real life games.

If i want to do it myself what software engines should i learn for a beginner and I'm thinking Unity3d and Unreal Engine. It seem to me these are the two programs that would be able to help me in meeting my goal.
My goal is to make a military survival game where one of the US soldiers been capture by terrorist and has to use his skill to escape on the day of his assassination. and it can be a shooter or just like splinter cell where u can go through the world stealthy..

Tom Sloper

Feb 12, 2012 at 4:54 PM

"Learning" is a Breaking In topic, so I'm moving this to Breaking In.
Also, Ayo, I'm not sure if you are using the same definition of "game design" that the rest of us do.
Go back out to the Breaking In forum and look in Getting Started. See the FAQs.

BronzeBeard

Feb 12, 2012 at 5:11 PM

I used to live right by Full Sail while going to UCF.
I'm going to advise you not to go to Full Sail unless you have a rich uncle who plans to pay for everything.

Why do I say that? The video game program will cost you around $100,000 in tuition. Then you have to factor in the cost of living (which in Orlando is sky high). You'll be paying $800/mth for literally a hotel room.

In other words you're paying ~$140,000 for a video game degree.....

If your a Florida resident UCF (right down the road from Full Sail) would cost you only ~$23,000 for CS degree. A CS degree would be a bit more usable, prestigious, and economical than a video game degree, specially when you factor in how harmful debt is.

If you really want to go the "video game" degree route, I suggest checking out community colleges and online trade schools. They're a hell of a lot cheaper, and teach you the same exact stuff.

Anyhoo, just my two cents.

AyoPunky

Feb 12, 2012 at 6:23 PM

yeah, full sail is a lot and they want me to pay $75 for just applying to the school. I also dislike that it $54,000 but the guy told me i didn't have to pay $75 because i sounded passionate and i'm sick and stuck at home with no job. He like all my previous knowledge of pc's also, but i still think $54,000 too much. I wouldn't worry about living arrangement as the course is online so the cost factor of that doesn't matter. I mean all i want to do is design levels and be a game writer and hopefully one day lead my own development team which i would get if i went to the university. The financial aid department has yet to send me the app, and papers for the student loan and grant, but i'm kinda rethinking this whole procedure that i'm taking and going the route of do it myself, but again i would need the basic faqs of working with unity3d or unreal for levels and maybe join a team that would let me express my game ideas and help me create them in the future.

frob

Feb 13, 2012 at 3:33 PM

If your goal is to write a game on the side, then learn by yourself.

If your goal is to become a professional game programmer, then you should get a bachelors degree in computer science.

You don't need to pay $50K per year for a school. A smaller state university can be around $5000 per year. When I went to school, between federal grants and scholarships my total cost was around $800 per semester.

You don't need to go to a game-oriented school to get that degree. Many people get their degrees from less expensive state universities, some will start out with an associates degree or other courses from a less-expensive community college and transfer to a state college.

As for the cost, there are grants and scholarships that can cover most of your education if you work hard. Turn in your FAFSA and check your eligibility for federal Pell grants and other free money. There are also various student loans that have almost no interest on them.

AyoPunky

Feb 13, 2012 at 6:30 PM

I agree with everything that you said, but again i'm not a program just a level designer and a writer. If i wanted to go to community college to learn games on the side to build a portfolio is it necessary to learn programming? I'm not good with math at all more artistic and creative with my thoughts. I hear if i wanted to write for games i would have to get a degree in creative writing if that true then i have a community college nearby that would help me with that but i'm to sick to leave or go anywhere for long period of time so i try to find an online course.

So, speaking of online colleges what would be the best ones to learn from to make level design and to learn unity3d or things of that nature and if i can't find a good fit for me i will try creative writing instead, but i think making dialog is easy for me since i do roleplay story and fantasy story already. So i kind of got a edge in that, but it just that when it comes to grammar sometimes i'm a little off.

frob

Feb 13, 2012 at 7:24 PM

No, it is not necessary to learn how to program if your goal is to be a level designer or a writer. Generally the two are different jobs, you don't apply for a unified "level designer and writer" position.

If you intend to follow one of the artistic paths such as animation, modeling, or visual effects, none of those require a programming degree. But since you said you wanted to go to Full Sail for their design program (which is actually a programming trade degree), that would be a different track than an arts path. If you want to be a modeler or animator or VFX artist you will generally need a corresponding degree in the arts, in addition to a strong art portfolio.

I recommend you read the forum FAQs; when you are done I suggest you seriously consider your current skill levels and the work you believe fits your talents.

If the forum posts are representative of your current writing skill then you will need some significant work before becoming a professional game writer. It is certainly possible to reach the goal if you work hard.

GGMich

Feb 17, 2012 at 8:27 PM

Though a few days old, I thought I would post here with some relevant knowledge about Full Sail. Who knows, others my search the forum and find this topic useful if they have more questions. frob more or less stated a key part:

But since you said you wanted to go to Full Sail for their design program (which is actually a programming trade degree), that would be a different track than an arts path.[/quote]

I graduated from Full Sail, back when it was "Real World Education" and not "Full Sail University". A lot of people enrolled when the program was still called "Game Design & Development". The name has since changed to reflect what is more accurate. While a couple of courses dabble in design, the core focus of the courses was programming. While new classes and programs have been introduced, like an online masters in game production, I still believe the programming degree is the most worthwhile.

I did not know how to write code before I enrolled. To this day, after graduation, I stand by these three statements as a strong opinions:

1. It is no doubt expensive. In fact, probably more so than what is offered.
2. I do not regret going. Had I not gone, I would not have reached the base knowledge and contacts I used to get where I am at today.
3. Put in more than is expected. Even if you are taking classes on a topic, study other topics outside of the course. They did not teach C# when I was attending, so I started learning it myself. This is usually true of any higher education path. Furthermore, it's not just what you learn. You really have to put yourself out there and make solid contacts.

Again, sorry if I rezzed a thread after 4 days of silence. Just hope this insider perspective is of some help. I checked out the forum FAQs that frob posted and highly recommend you take the advice. Very solid information there.

AyoPunky

Feb 19, 2012 at 8:52 PM

Yeap thanks again for the help. I'm trying to make this side scroller type of game and just like him i know little to nothing about programming. Full Sail, and Devry are the two school people mostly attend and devry grant is bigger than full sail which mean i dont have to pay back money and be in debt. So, now my choices go for what is least costly and what can i get out of it by the programs i want to learn. So, with that i want to see what programs would they let u use during the time. I would like Full sail only cause they give u the laptop required unlike other colleges.. tough choices to make so little time and you can tell by me writing this that i've got the passion to learn at least something.

Tom Sloper

Feb 19, 2012 at 10:55 PM

1. Full Sail, and Devry are the two school people mostly attend
2. my choices go for what is least costly and what can i get out of it by the programs i want to learn.

1. That's not true. There are plenty of other schools that lots of people attend. See the FAQs.
2. I think your decision should use more than those 2 criteria. See the FAQs, especially FAQ 25.

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