new and a little lost

[lonewolf0840]

Hello everyone,


My name is Kyle. Ive poked around the site for the past several months, and finally decided to join.

I guess I will explain it all!

I have always had two passions in life, the first being movies, and the second being video games. I was a pretty hard core gamer when i was younger, and wanted to go to school to make them. Then I learned that there was a lot of math involved in making games. This made me look more towards making films.

Okay, so the reason math turned me off from making games. At a very young age, I was diagnosed with something that caused my ability to learn and my intelligence to progress at a much slower rate then everything else. Also, during my freshman year of high school, i suffered a head injury, not really helping my situation. Don't get me wrong, I like math... I'm just not that good at it.

But to every weakness, there is an advantage! I am highly creative. I've always been a head of the curve in this way, and a little thankful it went this way.

As I said earlier, I was a hard core gamer when I was younger, that all stopped my freshmen year when I got my first computer. Soon after, I discovered MMOs with Star Wars Galaxies, and that became my new love of games.


What I would like to do, is be a part of the pre-production team. Be apart of the guys that sit down in the room and discuss whats going to happen and brainstorm ideas. As well as being a quest designer.

Another part of the industry I would love to work on, is level design/mapper. I absolutely love designing maps and dungeons using rpg maker. And one of my favorite things to do in Star Wars Galaxies was designing player housing and structures.



So I guess where I am lost is where do I go from here?

I went to full sail for 2 months for film two years ago, and I didn't care for the program. But do I really need a school like full sail for what I want to do? I know both of these do not require math, well mapping might, but how much?

Any advice and ideas would greatly help me out!

(by the way, ive been out of high school for 4 years now)




Thanks in advance,
Kyle



I know I wrote a lot!

[Adrir]

Originally Posted by lonewolf0840

Don't get me wrong, I like math... I'm just not that good at it.

If you're not scared of maths, then you've already beaten the most challenging part for most people. I'm sure there are many schools can offer extra help in this area - I know mine does.

Originally Posted by lonewolf0840

As well as being a quest designer...Another part of the industry I would love to work on, is level design/mapper. I absolutely love designing maps and dungeons using rpg maker.

Sounds good. Keep it up. Make some more levels. If you havn't already, I'd reccomend trying out Hammer for Source games. Perhaps write some quests for your favourite MMO.

Originally Posted by lonewolf0840

I discovered MMOs with Star Wars Galaxies, and that became my new love of games.

I played SWG for a long time too. I usually stick to Guild Wars these days though!

Originally Posted by lonewolf0840

Any advice and ideas would greatly help me out!

Have you read Tom Sloper's Advice?

[tsloper]

Originally Posted by lonewolf0840

1. Then I learned that there was a lot of math involved in making games.
2. I went to full sail for 2 months for film two years ago, and I didn't care for the program. But do I really need a school like full sail for what I want to do?
3. I know I wrote a lot!

1. Well, maybe. If you're a 3D programmer, then yeah. Otherwise, "a lot"? Whoever told you that led you astray! Producers who worry about budgets and schedules have Excel and calculators to help with whatever math there is.
2. A degree is a great door-opener, but for the most part, people aren't impressed by a school name behind the degree, unless that's the school they went to, too. A degree is necessary for some entry-level jobs, but not for QA. You were already pointed to my site...
3. Yeah, and we didn't need most of it. Like that stuff about how you always wanted to work in games. We both assume and expect that from people who apply for game jobs; so you never need to say it.

[havensole]

The amount of math you do really depends on what area you are in of gaming. If you're coding a game engine or physics, or even game mechanics, there could be a lot of math in there. Most of it is programming, which is more logic and creativity than math. At its roots its all math, but using any common IDE you shouldn't have to deal with it. Even in those design positions it is good to know some programming so that at least you can have an idea of what is involved. I don't really care for math, though I do fairly well at it, and rarely have I ever had to dive into the depths of it for a game.

Getting into the positions you mentioned, essentially lead designer and producer roles, is tricky and involves a lot of time in the trenches to get there. Even when in those roles it is more about nurturing and evolving a game concept than coming up with ones own idea, which a lot of people think is how it works, not saying that was your interpretation.

You mentioned an affinity towards level design. That's great, hone that skill. Learn the tools, like Hammer, and modeling packages like Max, Maya, Zbrush, and Muddbox. Join up with some indie teams to get your experience going and see what game development is really like, which is often very different than people originally think. Start building a portfolio and keep it current with whatever work you are doing. I know I was interested to see your level designs after you mentioned them. Put them up on the web (the beginnings of your portfolio) and add the link to it in your forum signature.

As said before it is more about what you can do than where you went to college or even if you went. All that helps you get past the first layer or so of the screening process, but it ultimately comes down to whether or not you can do the work.