Looking for advice
This will be my first post here and I would like to say hello to everyone! this forum has been invaluable in my quest to learn game design. I will try and keep my question short and to the point!
To put things bluntly, I am 23 years old and do to certain circumstances/ bad choices, I have had to put off starting a career to support my family. Now that my life is more stable I am hoping to fulfill my dream of making games.
1. Being 23, is it to late for me to consider a career in game design? I already feel to old so I really dont want to waste time
2. Would getting a general art degree from a small local college benefit me?
3. The forum seems to agree that game schools are a waste and that I would be better off going the online route? With money being tight am I better off subscribing to Gnomon or Digital Tutors? Or do I need both?
Im sure these questions have been asked before so I would like to apologize before hand and thank anyone who can offer any advice!
Thanks
To put things bluntly, I am 23 years old and do to certain circumstances/ bad choices, I have had to put off starting a career to support my family. Now that my life is more stable I am hoping to fulfill my dream of making games.
1. Being 23, is it to late for me to consider a career in game design? I already feel to old so I really dont want to waste time
2. Would getting a general art degree from a small local college benefit me?
3. The forum seems to agree that game schools are a waste and that I would be better off going the online route? With money being tight am I better off subscribing to Gnomon or Digital Tutors? Or do I need both?
Im sure these questions have been asked before so I would like to apologize before hand and thank anyone who can offer any advice!
Thanks
Replies
2. Traditional art is always good for improving your skills, just make sure the instructors are good before you enroll. You don't need a degree though.
3. You don't need to subscribe to anything, if money is tight. There's a lot of good and sometimes better, free information online. But it isn't as force fed to you.
1. Being 23, is it to late for me to consider a career in game design? I already feel to old so I really dont want to waste time
- Not at all! there is no age limit
2. Would getting a general art degree from a small local college benefit me?
- Degrees can always benefit you in the long run (I wouldn't recommend a game school though honestly, you kinda read up on that seeing your 3rd question)
3. The forum seems to agree that game schools are a waste and that I would be better off going the online route? With money being tight am I better off subscribing to Gnomon or Digital Tutors? Or do I need both?
- I wouldn't go to a game school, I would check out Polycount (obviously!), Eat3d, 3dmotive, Gnomon and idk too much about Digital Tutors honestly.
We have some resources here about Design.
http://wiki.polycount.com/CategoryGameDesign
game artist
level designer
game designer (probably not something you would go into entry level)
1. Being 23, is it to late for me to consider a career in game design? I already feel to old so I really don't want to waste time.
I didn't even begin training/learning until I was ~24. I'm now 32.
2. Would getting a general art degree from a small local college benefit me?
There are many threads about formal training vs. independent training here. There's even a stickied thread at the top of General Discussion. The general consensus is that a degree is not needed, but if you want a degree to open up more opportunities for you, later in life, a traditional art degree is ideal. You can learn the game art/production on forums like Polycount. That's just the general consensus, though. I went through a Game Art and Design program and did just fine with it, as have many others. I've always advocated the benefits to such programs. Though, the debt is crippling and not every school is made the same... so be warned. In the end, education will always benefit you.
3. The forum seems to agree that game schools are a waste and that I would be better off going the online route? With money being tight am I better off subscribing to Gnomon or Digital Tutors? Or do I need both?
I don't know all of what those programs have to offer but I've never seen a Gnomon tutorial/video/workshop that I've not learned something from.
Best of luck!
If so then it'd be good to see some stuff to see where you are at
23 isnt too old to move into games (I know a few amazingly talented people who didnt join the games industry until way past 25+).
I think one of the main keys to getting a job in the industry is to have the passion and drive to consistently work/learn. contact/networking is also another very important (and often undervalued) aspect of landing your first (and any after) job. getting yourself out there on forums and places like linkedin is essential to meeting people who can and will offer you a job if your skills are at the right standard.
its worth exhausting all the free available information on the web first before considering doing an online course.
anyway good luck!
Can you motivate yourself to learn and pursue it day after day etc? If not then maybe school would be a better route for you.
Same advice as everyone else. Download UDk, UNity cry egine etc and start making stuff. Learn mechanics of games and what makes things fun. Seek all kinds of information on design, writing, find the basics.
Make sure you enjoy the process and always keep an open mind.
:poly121:
Eric, PixelMasher: Looks like I missed used the term, I said game design because Im still trying to figure out what area I would like to get into. As of now I am leaning toward environment art.
I am looking for some thing like: Guide: How to be perfect Game artist. So what should i focun on? Thanks