Hello, lovely newbie here! ;)

[Miss Galvin]

Oh my, where to start? Well, I'll start by saying hello to everyone!

I'm Miss Galvin (IRL my name is Carla), I'm 24 - 25 in twenty days - and I'm Portuguese.
My gaming background is, at least, strange. As a kid, I never got a console, and computers were expensive - so, the only contact I had was what I used to see on TV, and kids at school.
My very first contact was when I was 9 - my elder brother was graduating from college and got a computer for his projects. As a History student, he started to get interested on games with historical backgrounds, so my very first videogame was Civilization.

It had begun.

I got in a new school, Gameboys and Sega Game Gear started to do appearences in the hands of other kids. I was usually one of those who used to watch those lucky guys playing. Still, where was no way I could get one.

Then, during the year of 1998, my life changed: I got a computer as a birthday present. And things never been the same. I won't tell you the rest of the story because... well, it's huge.

Right now, I'm graduating on something somehow unrelated to videogames: foreigh languages, culture and literature. But during this last summer, I got into something that caught my interest a long time ago: programming. I did a short course on Algoritmics and Programming on C# and loved it. And I want to start a second career option.

I want to work in the gaming industry; I have experience as a journalist (but, as you can see, I lack fluency on English), I enjoy translation and I'm interested on localization, and I <3 programming.

But I got a few... issues, and I would appreciate your help:
1) I'm terrible at Math but I'm willing to give it another shot. At my country, Math teaching is awful. Does anyone know online courses or something?

2) Being not British, nor American nor Canadian, is there any way for me to get into another degree, let's say for example, Computer Sciences?

Thank you in advance and have a great day.

[Adrir]

Originally Posted by Miss Galvin

Well, I'll start by saying hello to everyone!

Hi there! Welcome to the GameCareerGuide community!

Originally Posted by Miss Galvin

Right now, I'm graduating on something somehow unrelated to videogames: foreigh languages, culture and literature. But during this last summer, I got into something that caught my interest a long time ago: programming. I did a short course on Algoritmics and Programming on C# and loved it. And I want to start a second career option.

Just to confirm, you want to be a programmer, right? Not a designer or a writer or anything else?

Originally Posted by Miss Galvin

I want to work in the gaming industry; I have experience as a journalist [...], I enjoy translation and I'm interested on localization, and I <3 programming.

That's pretty cool. Have you tried making or programming any games yourself? The XNA Framework makes it very easy to make computer games for your Windows PC or Xbox 360.

Perhaps you could give it a try.

Originally Posted by Miss Galvin

I'm terrible at Math but I'm willing to give it another shot. At my country, Math teaching is awful. Does anyone know online courses or something?

A strong ability in mathematics is certainly useful for a programmer working in the games industry as it is used in many fields. However, not every programming discipline demands intense mathematics. Gameplay programming, for example.

The only way I can learn to do maths is working through textbooks and practice. I've been told that Essential Math for Games and Interactive Applications is very comprehensive. IGDA members recieve discount!

Originally Posted by Miss Galvin

Being not British, nor American nor Canadian, is there any way for me to get into another degree, let's say for example, Computer Sciences?

I'm not sure I fully understand your question.

There are opportunities for foreign nationals to study in the UK. Although tuition fees are normally higher than for home students. Presumably, other countries may offer something similar.

Is it possible to get another degree in Computer Science? Yes. If you want to go into software development, then having such a degree will help to equip the neccessary skills and land an interview! Although you will also require a substantial portfolio!

[Miss Galvin]

Agh I'm sorry, wasn't clear in some points... I'll explain then.
1) I still want to be a writer, if I can't make it in programming. I just like to have more than one option. I haven't try XNA yet, thanks for the suggestion - to be honest, this is still a little too new for me, I used to think that I could never get envolved like this, but times change. I tried RPG Maker some years ago, I'm starting a project on it to have an idea of the process of creating, in a lower scale.

2) I'll take a look at that Math book, huge thanks for the suggestion.

3) I've been looking for degrees here in Portugal, for now I only found Computer Engineering, isn't that too much? For me it is. Having a career in videogaming here is still something new, there are more companies creating games for mobile than for PC or other consoles. Some years ago, a portuguese company managed to show a trailer of a game, called Ugo Volt, at E3 2006. The artwork was amazing but the game never got out.
Studying away from my mother land became an option, then.

[Adrir]

Originally Posted by Miss Galvin

I tried RPG Maker some years ago, I'm starting a project on it to have an idea of the process of creating, in a lower scale.

Sounds fun. Keep it up! It could make a great portfolio piece.

Originally Posted by Miss Galvin

I'll take a look at that Math book, huge thanks for the suggestion.

No problem.

Originally Posted by Miss Galvin

I've been looking for degrees here in Portugal, for now I only found Computer Engineering, isn't that too much? For me it is.

Computer engineering courses often includes elements of hardware and electronics. While these topics arn't useless, courses in software engineering or computer science normally have the neccessary software development focus.