Need Advice

[sarge mat]

Hey guys

I am just posting to get some opinions on this. Here is the current situation:

I have applied to Tee side and Hull for game art, but I have known for some time that my college is going to run a HND Foundation degree thing in media as a follow up to the BTEC. The HND won’t be all games stuff in fact a lot of it will be other media stuff but I feel that it’s a great way for me to study other subjects I am interested in wile learning and developing my skills (level design and 3d) even more in my own time over those two years, while being able to stay at home and stay with my friends at college (which is the whole class only 10of us lol) and we have great tutors as well. I know I would be doing a lot more games stuff at uni but it is 2 years longer and i have heard from more than one person that if you really want to get into the industry you end up learning a lot of the stuff you need yourself.

So what do you guys think?

[irishlostboy]

i think you answered your own question on this one. it all depends on where you are at in yourself right now.

if you intend to go on and do a degree later, then staying at home may be an option. personally i would prefer to do a course with a good history and reputation staffed by people who have actually worked in the industry.
but college isn't just about the job you get after, or just the education. if you think you are ready and able for a degree course then go for it. if you are not, then do your hnd until you are.

sorry if this sounds a bit of a wishy/washy answer. best i could do at the moment. i am sure there will be plenty of good advice from people who have done both.

[sarge mat]

Thanks. I am just a bit worried about making the wrong decision that could cost me. I feel that I could do a degree it’s never been a question of if I could handle the work but another part of me is thinking I don’t want to spend half my life in education (then again you never stop learning in the games industry). I don’t think I would want to do a HND or foundation degree (what ever it is) and then another 4 years doing a degree.

I would not like you all to think I am not dedicated either.

[irishlostboy]

its not about what anyone here thinks. the only thing you need to be dedicated to is yourself.
what would pull me to a course is the quality of the course, not its duration. does your hnd course have a reputation for getting people into the industry?

[sarge mat]

It’s actually going to be the first year it’s run at my college anway. Last year we merged with two other colleges and I am not sure if it ran at those two but we got something like £27,000 worth of equipment for it over the last few weeks for it (not that, that has anything to do with the overall quality, but I suppose it shows it’s got backing).

I suppose at the end of the day it’s going to come down to me alone. I must look in more detail at the modules that will be on it but any games related stuff is most likely be taught by the guy who takes us for 3D stuff at the moment. All though a lot of what we are doing now is very basic, he really knows his stuff so I am confident in that sense anyway.

But as you said it will be good to hear from people who have followed the different paths.

One of my tutors was also telling us its something to do with a new web site fermanagh.tv launching for the local area and we would be doing some stuff for that. IMPARTIAL REPORTER

[sarge mat]

Just got a letter today from Hull tell me that they want to see me on the 29th of January! Yea i am off to book one of those free flights now lol. Kind of feel they could have let me know a bit earler. It also says you can arange another time.

Dont know what to do.

They also want to see some material to show my intrest in the subject if possable.

EDIT: I told Hull i was no longer intrested. I will still consider Tee Side if/when they get back to me, but i am not sure if i am ready to make that move yet (away from home that is).