Starting From Nothing.

[Sol6]

Hello everyone. I'd like to begin by apologizing for yet another "How do I get started?" post. I have been reading a lot about the industry lately and I am examining a serious career in game development but I don’t understand how I can get started.

My Goals and Background.
Basically I know windows and basic hardware troubleshooting and I am not an artist so nothing stellar in the way of skills. I'm not a programmer and would not want to do much of that kind of work if I could avoid it. I enjoy concepts and the visual so I would like to explore a career in game design. Level/Mission design interests me but I have never tried this with anything more than ultra user friendly map editors.


I have no experience, no portfolio, and I am genuinely confused about where and how I should start.

Specifically I would like to know:
1. What tools I should learn with and what is a good starting tutorial for them?

2. What skills should I learn to be a good level/mission designer? (I would like to make games that are like Elder Scrolls but I also like games that take on a more global view like CIV4.)

3. Because I am not well trained I would like to attend a school. I've seen so much conflicting information on the issue of education. Some say I don't need it and can go it alone but then I read that I probably won't score a big break while on a mod team unless I were part of a major top shelf project like CS or Desert Combat. I'd like to attend school if it would help. I am looking at Vancover Film School. My line of thinking is that the portfolio that comes with the diploma would be valuable along with possible contacts.

Is VFS a good place to learn game design?

Is game centered education useful?

Thank you for your time and responses. Have a good day.