Getting into the game industry

[rrguitar]

Hey I'm a junior in high school right now and after school I really want to get into the game industry. I wanna go to college but I'm not sure what the best path to take would be. I'm thinking maybe get a degree in something like graphic design. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[featherlessPhoenix]

First of all you should consider what exactly you want to do in the game industry. You are talking about graphic design, so I assume you want to be an artist. There are schools that are offering programs in game art and design, like the art institutes. You also may want to check programs like media arts and animation. These days there a lot more options for game related education
Good luck!


If there's a will, there's a way!

[sarge mat]

Hey.

Loads of good options in uni (that college for you guys in the USA I think). But don't think it’s a one stop shop to getting into the industry. It requires a lot of your in your own time as well.

It’s never too early to start using 3D Max to get some skills. People around here can help a lot with that if you decided to stick around.

Do you have UT3 or anything that comes with a level editor. You might want to check that area of stuff out as well as it might or might not be your thing.

Good Luck

Mat

[Corsair970]

This is probably not the best way to break in, but it's the way I'm in the process of doing.

Get a crap job at a local studio, tester or environment artist if it can be had.

Create company with a few friends, make game geared for a more casual release, Xbox Live Arcade/Steam/etc.

I'll let you know how it goes

[rrguitar]

Originally Posted by sarge mat

Hey.

Loads of good options in uni (that college for you guys in the USA I think). But don't think it’s a one stop shop to getting into the industry. It requires a lot of your in your own time as well.

It’s never too early to start using 3D Max to get some skills. People around here can help a lot with that if you decided to stick around.

Do you have UT3 or anything that comes with a level editor. You might want to check that area of stuff out as well as it might or might not be your thing.

Good Luck

Mat

I have a little bit of experience with 3dsmax, not too much though as I just got a trial of it a while back. Does anhybody know of any similar programs that would be more affordable? I've been playing around on Blender because its free, but I'd definately like something better.

[sarge mat]

I am just going to come out and say that NO one pays for 3D Max. When you are only using it to learn about the program why should you pay £4000. At the end of the day if no one can learn about it, no studios are going to use it.

You are helping them in the long run. They should have a free PLE. You can get a free PLE of MAYA from there site. It’s from the people who make 3D Max. IMO you would be better with 3D Max.

This is neither a confirmation nor denial of how I acquired 3D Max.

[Nysuatro]

There is gmax free version of 3ds max.

[rrguitar]

Originally Posted by Nysuatro

There is gmax free version of 3ds max.

alright I just downloaded gmax and I'm gonna try it out, looks pretty good, thanks

[sarge mat]

I will post a few good tutorials for you that you might find useful. I find when starting off its a good idea to follow short tutorials that get you the basics but still get you to make somthing that looks quite good and makes you feel good that you have made somthing.

[irishlostboy]

Originally Posted by sarge mat

I am just going to come out and say that NO one pays for 3D Max.

i am not going to come right out and saay i agree with this, but........... yea i do agree with this unfortunately. if you are in college, or school anywhere that has 3ds max, look into them sorting you out with an educational version if you can. the educational licence is about 200 quid. but has all the functionality of the full version. i think 3ds max is good, but i really dont agree with there exclusivist business model. but then most of the big companies do this. none of us can afford the full price stuff, but are damned if we are going to work on cut down crippleware. naturally. the sarge is right. if everyone used fully legit software, no one would learn how to use the top dogs stuff like max, and it would be getting its ass kicked by blender (not knocking blender, some people love it)
there are always alternitives though. supposedly xsi's gamemod tool is really good. and free.

back to the original topic, getting into games. there is much written on how to get into the games industry all over the place. the bottom line is always, identify what area you want to work in (creative or technical, seeing as you are here i am guessing creative) and just get on with making stuff, and making stuff work. modding, indy work, freelance work, community asset creation, and college. its all part of the whole endevour, and the person that is the most proactive will always come out on top. games is still an industry driven by what you can do , not what your degree says you can do. the degree will always help, but the king portfolio will always win. so naturally, have both.

re the arguement of "set up an indy and do a casual game", personally i would always say unless you are being payed to do it, do the kind of game YOU enjoy. its all well and good considering the marketability factors (which will always point you to do the same thing everyone else will be doing, thus setting you up to be competing with everyone else) when its your job, but remember when doing mods and free work, to stay having fun. i personally would hate to work on some gimicky casual game, as i hate them to death, but i would do them if it was keeping a roof over my head.
this is of course a TOTALLY PERSONAL view, not to be taken as gospal, and not meant to offend corsair or anyone else.