Game Design vs Computer Science

[Encrypt]

Hello everyone. About a month ago I started looking into colleges for Game Design, such colleges being Brown College, Collins College and University of Advancing Technology (Only ones I could really find with a quick google search, I'm sure there might be more/better ones out there).

Been wanting to do game design since high school, but didn't think I had what it takes so went to a separate college out of high school for a different degree. Now I'm 22, I want to get back to what I originally wanted to do. I already have some experience with C++, some minor experience with C# and Perl (Though I've been told Perl isn't used much).

I started talking with some guildmates on WoW about the situation (Since most of them are older than me with degrees), and this is where they made me question my decision. They kept telling me that the gaming industry is very competitive and can even be brutal with long hours and what not. The long hours I wouldn't mind, but they told me that if I couldn't really find a job in the gaming industry with a Game Design degree, then I'm pretty much stuck and thusly told me to go for Computer Science instead since I'd have something to fall back on, such as programming for a bank or whatever.

My question is, are they right? Would computer science be better? I'm not sure if I'd want to do just straight programming, though. The 3D art would be fun. I kind of want to envision something, then make it come to life on the screen, you know? That might be programming though...any advice would be good!

Also, started looking into learning how to make a game in my spare time, a guildmate told me to look at the language Python, so I've started looking into that. Any other suggestions?

[toyoka]

Personally, although WoW is an extremely additive game and you might encounter certain people, I don't really think you should be asking for advice in such a manner (even from these so called guild-mates who are older and have degrees). Don't let others make you think different or put aside your thoughts to consider theirs. After all, you are the one who is planning your future I would search around this forum (and others if applicable) and read up on articles concerning your career as a Game Designer. I suggest visiting http://www.sloperama.com/advice.html for in-depth information on Game Design. Do what you can with what you know, and when you learn something new, implement that into your techniques!

Also, Game Design doesn't really have a specific course because most Game Designers build up on what they are interested in (for example: history, art, etc etc.) and apply that to their Game Design knowledge. Sorry If I didn't really reply to your post correctly, I'm in the process of learning too so we are all in the same boat

[fullmetal84]

The advice given to you was because companies want to see someone with overall programming skills, not just a single-faceted skillset. If you were to get a Computer Science degree, you would have a wider knowledge of the theory and principles behind programming, which would include being able to program games, instead of pigeonholing yourself into only knowing how to write code applicable to a video game application. It is definitely something to fall back on if it takes a while to get into the game industry if you have a Computer Science degree, and for the most part, what you learn in that degree's coursework is applicable to programming video games.

[Encrypt]

So basically you're saying to go ahead with Computer Science and then just program games on the side? With Python and such? Or can you specify what kind of programming you'd like to get into when you graduate with the degree and then lean towards that?

[ronnoc10]

I'm not entirly sure if you know what you are talking about...

I'm not sure if I'd want to do just straight programming, though. The 3D art would be fun. I kind of want to envision something, then make it come to life on the screen, you know? That might be programming though...any advice would be good!

I might research a bit beyond asking random people on the Internet.

[yaustar]

Find out what you want to do. Program, model, animate, design etc.
Read: http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson7.htm

Once you have decided this, the rest is a hell of a lot easier as any advice given before you have decided this is useless.