[game_edu] question from the community

[Dan]

Hi Ryan,

 

To give my answer to the post's question:

 

 

 

What college courses should be taken is a bit tricky, simply because there
are so many different disciplines in Game Development. The benefit of this,
though, is that nearly any field of study can be appropriate. I suggest
starting with what you (the student) are passionate about. There are some
things though that - as a background - are usually very beneficial. 

 

For everyone, communication is a key ingredient for success. Writing
classes, speech classes and such are essential to building professional
skills. General humanities and science classes broaden the base and allow
quicker adaptation to new ideas (as many new ideas are simply old ideas from
other areas.) Team management/teamwork classes are also highly recommended,

 

For artists, I recommend a strong understanding of art and design. Being a
good artist is fantastic, but knowing why your art is good and how to
improve on it is an incredible tool. I would suggest an early focus on a
broad range of art skills first, shifting to more technical skills used in
game development later.

 

For those interested in programming, obviously a strong skill set in math is
required. They should be exposed to physics and advanced mathematics at some
point, Even though they don't HAVE to have it, knowing how to do Vector
Math, Trig, Calc, etc. makes them much more attractive in the work force.

 

Game design is where they build the game from a rules and theme standpoint.
Generally, game designers have something else they bring with them.they
often have a background in programming, art or production. This may be
changing, but I can't yet recommend anyone focus on game design without
studying at least one other area of game development at the same time. Those
interested in game design need not only game design theory, but also need an
incredibly broad base of knowledge.

 

Those are the Big 3 areas, but there are plenty of other fields. Production
is the business side of game development; a solid understanding of business
practices and team leadership apply here. Student interested in sound design
will want to take sound/music editing classes. There's also a growing
interest in research into games both historically and sociologically for
those wanting to pursue more academic lines. 

 

There is no Must-Travel path to any of these. Some very exceptional students
may be able to find their way in with no post high-school education,
community colleges provide a great resource and many start there, dedicated
game programs are available in many areas, and traditional universities and
colleges, even without specific game development classes, are an excellent
option. It really is a matter of finding the match between the student, the
school, and the area of interest.

 

I would suggest checking out gamecareerguide.com as it is an excellent
resource for students considering entering the fields, dispels many of the
myths, and provides some very pertinent advice.

 

Generally, this is the advice I'd give anyone at any level pursuing game
development. Because how to enter the field is such an individual thing, the
strength and challenges your students may have still makes the above advice
applicable, if not exactly very specific. I have taught a few students that
were diagnosed autistic and those students required special assistance in
their college classes. To me, though, the question is a school-by-school
evaluation of "how can this program meet the student's needs" more than
anything else.

 

 

 

 

Think I covered most of the bases here, but anyone else have any thought?

 

--Dan Carreker.

  _____  

From: Ryan Arndt [mailto:ryan at igda.org] 
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 4:15 PM
To: IGDA Game Education Listserv
Subject: [game_edu] question from the community

 

Hello Edu SIG folks! This question came in via the contact form, there are a
few questions in there, but the bold one is of most interest. Any advice?

 

Hi Ryan~ I am a director of a program the educates children on the Autism
Spectrum. We have several students who are very interested in gaming (some
have even developed their own games on line). They are creative, intelligent
and computer savy students. What do you or your organization suggest for my
students to do to prepare for this field while in high school and what
course of study should they pursue in college? Also do you or are you aware
of individuals who are willing to come out and speak to a group of
interested high school students in the Lake County, Ohio area?

 

Thanks!

 

Ryan Arndt

Global Community Manager

International Game Developers Association

Website: http://www.igda.org

Email: ryan at igda.org

 

LinkedIn: http://j.mp/IGDAli

Facebook: http://j.mp/IGDAfb

Twitter: @igda/@certainlysocial

http://facebook.com/ryan80e

Skype: ryanarndt

 

 

 

 





 

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