path to game design

[omegaridley101]

Originally Posted by yaustar

The most common are QA and Level Editing/Scripting. Both of which are entry level. From there, you can attempt to apply to a Game Designer role which may lead to a Lead Designer role once you have several games under your belt and several years of experience as a Game Designer.

Is there no way to enter a game design position right off the bat (straight out of college)? Like, without entering QA or level editing/scripting first?

[raiderfan4eva]

yo yaustar, would you happen to know anything "of" the gaming industry not specifically jobs in it such as game "journalism" if you will or anything about game press such as working for companies such as gamespot, ign, gameinformer, electronic gaming monthly, gamepro and any other companies like these? have you ever had the opportunity to actually attend E3>? do you know of any other big game meetings other than E3 and GDC>?

[PhyllisV]

Do a google search. You would be amazed at what you find. Good luck!

P.V

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[yaustar]

Originally Posted by omegaridley101

Is there no way to enter a game design position right off the bat (straight out of college)? Like, without entering QA or level editing/scripting first?

Originally Posted by yaustar

For someone who has just graduated with no industry experience, yes it is very difficult (some would say next to impossible) to go into a Designer role.

To reiterate, it is possible. Just really difficult.

[yaustar]

Originally Posted by raiderfan4eva

yo yaustar, would you happen to know anything "of" the gaming industry not specifically jobs in it such as game "journalism" if you will or anything about game press such as working for companies such as gamespot, ign, gameinformer, electronic gaming monthly, gamepro and any other companies like these?

I know 'some'. Fundamentally, it is the same as any writing job. You need to be able to write well for your target audience, know your subject material and have a passion for the material.

have you ever had the opportunity to actually attend E3>? do you know of any other big game meetings other than E3 and GDC>?

No I haven't. There are some other events such as Siggraph, Leipzig and Develop Conference and probably others I have forgotten.

[raiderfan4eva]

i am aware that full sail offers bachelors and associates degree but does it go any further than that such as a masters degree? does digipen offer a masters? since it is difficult to transfer credits after graduating from full sail, how in the hec would i go about getting a masters without repeating all the newby/past courses i have already taken? how do you feel about guildhall at SMU, is that school only for graduates? do you think that they would let me in from full sail if i wanted to do that? because one thing i really wanted to do was go further than just a bachelors and associates... via in a real college not online junk not really my forte lol

[yaustar]

Since I live in the UK, I haven't really researched much into the US Games 'Trade' schools.

AFAIK, Digipen does have a MSc course in Computer Science.

Further reading on Full Sail and trade schools:
http://scientificninja.com/advice/on-game-schools
http://www.gamecareerguide.com/featu...il_.php?page=1
http://www.gamedev.net/reference/art...rticle1879.asp
http://www.igda.org/Forums/showthrea...threadid=20402
http://www.dperry.com/archives/artic..._full_sail_fo/

[raiderfan4eva]

yo yaustar if i went to full sail as an undergrad and graduated with my bachelors i could goto guildhall if i got accepted without worrying about credit transfers right? i mean because i have already graduated right? or will they make me repeat classes... actually im asking this as a general question to if i graduated from any vocational school for game design, and wanted to move to another to get my masters, i wouldn't need to worry about credit transfers because i have already graduated correct? because so far tha way im understanding it is, u only need to worry about credit transfers when you don't like a school and want to change not when your done with school and want to further your edu... im a right or completely wrong lol?

[yaustar]

Originally Posted by raiderfan4eva

yo yaustar if i went to full sail as an undergrad and graduated with my bachelors i could goto guildhall if i got accepted without worrying about credit transfers right? i mean because i have already graduated right? or will they make me repeat classes... actually im asking this as a general question to if i graduated from any vocational school for game design, and wanted to move to another to get my masters, i wouldn't need to worry about credit transfers because i have already graduated correct? because so far tha way im understanding it is, u only need to worry about credit transfers when you don't like a school and want to change not when your done with school and want to further your edu... im a right or completely wrong lol?

No idea. As I said before, I am from the UK so I have little knowledge about the US education system.

Ask your career consular and if need be, call the colleges in question and ask them.

[Winning Guy]

If you're willing to go through college, might I suggest focusing on getting a Masters Degree in IT Project Management?

Project Managers in IT do a lot of the software design process that a game designer would. And when all is said and done, games are still software. They need to be designed and tested.

As you work your way through the Project Manager course, make sure to take programming classes. You don't need to be a good programmer. But it does help when you know the logic behind programming and understand how to create flowcharts.

Then make up a few game ideas and create full Design Documents for them. Be meticulous. Cover every aspect of the game.

In order to have any hope of getting a Game Designer job straight out of college you have to wow them. 3 or 4 full and meticulous Design Docs along with a degree in Project Management could help.

Oh... and see if you could work on a mod.