Game Art courses and Schools

[e-freak]

I'll be joining (most propably as I've gotten one of the best NCs in the sorting-tests) the Hochschule Darmstadt Campus Dieburg (University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt Camp. Dieburg) at Digital Media heading for Bachelor of Arts with focus on Games and Animation.

It should be pretty good as they teach state of the art (Cryengine 2 licensee since last wintersemester) and in general most graduatees from this University have been hired in theyr field of profession spot on. They also offer a Master course an foreign exchange semesters to Cork, Ireland (although I've no closer details on the university there it seems to be a a good opportunity)

Linkage:

Hochschule Darmstadt: Start The University
Studienbereich Media Arts & Science - Fachbereich Media - Hochschule Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences › Frontpage Media Arts and Science Section
Studienbereich Media Arts & Science - Fachbereich Media - Hochschule Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences › Digital Media Study Programme Digital Media Programmes

[Fuzzball]

Originally Posted by Shadow71

It's actually referred to now as IADT (International Academy of Design & Technology - Toronto, Canada)

I took the course a couple years ago, and it was well...less then fabulous, hopefully they have improved the course, but just be prepared to learn most of your stuff in spare time, and use the school as a nice primer to get you started toward learning modeling, a really expensive $30,000 primer.

Meh I am going to the one in Troy Michigan, it is very small and it's not exactly the best choice but I am using it to get my feet off the ground so that I can learn everything else on my own time. I like the small environments, not a whole lot of people so you get more 1 on 1 time with the teachers. Also, it's a LOT cheaper then most Art Colleges so I suppose you could say it is worth it. This may be a bad thing or a good thing but the Game Design course is still new, within 3-4 years, so nobody from the school has graduated yet from the Game Design side so their is no statistics on what percent made it into the industry.

[cashed]

Originally Posted by Shadow71

It's actually referred to now as IADT (International Academy of Design & Technology - Toronto, Canada)

I took the course a couple years ago, and it was well...less then fabulous, hopefully they have improved the course, but just be prepared to learn most of your stuff in spare time, and use the school as a nice primer to get you started toward learning modeling, a really expensive $30,000 primer.

I'm currently at IADT Toronto typing this from their computer. It is less the stellar its more of a here's the basic's you figure out techniques. It took $20k to get where Ive already taught myself which is kind of depressing, but there is also a business side that I think that is also a benefit.

[geetmalhotra]

hey guys i have just completed my 4 year bachelor`s degree in multimedia and i am looking forward to do post graduation in game design and development. i need help about the colleges offering kind of masters degree in it.thank u

i have a decent skill in flash,3ds max 8 ,maya 2008 .....

[Soulis]

Originally Posted by thanoz

One of the best schools is The Academy of Art University. There's a few reasons why I liked it a lot.

1. It's in San Francisco where game companies ACTUALLY EXIST IN NUMBERS.
2. All the instructors are required to be professionals in the field they teach, not just teachers.
3. There's about a 90% job placement for computer arts majors.
4. Schools that aren't in an area with game companies can't really get many professionals.

It's not cheap, but none of them are.

Here's the downsides:

1. Expensive
2. San Francisco is expensive to live in
3. 1/4th of your classes will not relate directly to your career as it's a BA program (can be an upside if you like having Bachelor's degree).
4. Teachers are a mixed bag, almost no BAD ones persay, but some are awesome, others are just OK, and one...ya one of them....she was pretty bad.


Anyway, I went there, got a lot of friends from there that graduated and got jobs in game industry. One friend of mine got interviewed at the school by Blizzard then hired up there as a full time character artist. Another friend from school is a game designer at Crystal Dynamics now, another is a character artist there. And yet another friend from the school is at Sony in San Diego heading a character team for cinematics. The friends that did not get jobs were the ones that dropped out. It's not super easy work, but it's really not super hard either.

Thats where i'm currently attending right now. A year and a half left to go and i'm liking it a lot. It was REALLY hard for me starting out with traditional art where i have absolutely no skill to speak of, but once I got through that and to the actual 3d classes it was great.

Like you said, all the teachers there really know their stuff. Most of them are from local companies, Lucasarts, EA, Sega, etc. and they are all very professional and knowledgeable. I haven't had any even mediocre teachers within the 3d and computer arts department.

Glad to hear it worked for you and that you and your friends went on to get great jobs.

[Luzbel]

Hello... I'm asking abut this issue... and I asked to VFS n VanArts and they said this
VanArts:
"Thank you, Omar, for asking about our programs.

The attached information should answer most of your questions. Please do not hesitate to call or email us with any further questions.

Program Name Game Art & Design
Campus(es) Vancouver
Intake Type Fixed Intake Graduation Type Diploma
Full/Part-Time Full-Time
File to Attach VanArts-GameArt-HTML.pdf
Description

The primary focus of VanArts' Game Art and Design Program is on modelling, texturing, rigging and concept art for the worlds, characters, props and vehicles that are placed into a game engine for the final product, and learning how to produce a professional demo reel. Students are instructed by professionals from Electronic Arts and other local game studios.

Our instructors know how to guide you to produce a product that is job worthy because they do the hiring. From Art Directors to Game Leads, each instructor is an expert in their field.
Objective

You graduate with:

* a diploma
* a professional demo reel and portfolio
* demonstrated proficiency in animation, storyboarding, life drawing, modeling, lighting and texturing
* industry contacts & job search strategies


Modules/Courses

The 12 month diploma program* consists of the following four terms:

TERM 1
Art Foundation 1
Life Drawing 1
Maya Fundamentals 1
Photoshop 1

TERM 2
Character Modeling 1
Concept Art 1
Zbrush 1
Environment Modeling 1
Mel Scripting 1
Life Drawing 2
Sculpting 1
Cinematography
Photoshop 2
Art Foundation 2

TERM 3
Character Modeling 2
Shaders and Texturing 1
Concept Art 2
Environment Modeling 2
Life Drawing 3
Rigging 1
Character Concept Advanced 1
Lighting 1

TERM 4
Final Demo Reel Prep and Mentoring
Media Delivery 1
Interview Skills 1

*This schedule is a sample only and subject to change without notice.

Employment Prospects
Hiring in videogames is cyclical depending on where we are in a hardware cycle. Right now and for the next three years, hiring will increase siginificantly as we reach the peak period of our cycle. Vancouver is the one of the global centers for videogame development, so hiring here is constant regardless of product cycle.

There great opportunities for advancement depending on the work ethic and talent of the individual. Salaries range from $42000 to the mid six figures.

Career positions in gaming include Object Modellers, Vehicle Modellers, Character Modelers & Riggers, World Builders, Texture Mappers, Environment Artists, Concept Artists, Level Designers, Storyboard Artists, Animators, and Character & Prop Designers.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my teachers at VanArts for my recent employment at Radical Entertainment. Without them I would still be in my parent's basement with my head jammed in a Maya book with a confused look on my face. THANK YOU!!!"

Dan Lupton - Environment Modeler, Radical Entertainment

"Vanarts gave me the skills and the know how to succeed in the video game industry. I learned so much from the talented teaching staff: Programs like Maya, Photoshop and principles of art and design helped me improve on my previous art training. At the end I had a good demo reel. It was hard work, but I had a great time and now I have a great job! I can't recommend it enough! You will learn so much!"

Blake Standard, Associate Lighter, Electronic Arts

"If you are thinking of becoming a part of this industry, but don't know where to start. VanArts is the place to be. For me, VanArts was the start of a new career path. It's still sometimes hard to believe that I've come this far. Having worked with Robin Kort on EA's Skate, and now working on FIFA Street, I really must thank all the great knowledgeable teachers that helped me get to where I am today."

Dan Thibodeau, Associate Lighter, Electronic Arts



Prerequisites

-Portfolio: please send us 12 examples of your best artwork, in any medium.

-Letter of Intent

-Proof of age (photocopy of birth certificate, passport or driver's license)

-Resume

-High school or college transcripts

-A completed Application for Admissions form

-A non-refundable $100.00 application fee

Game Art & Design Diploma Program (12 months) Tuition: $28,750CDN"

The program seems very interesting

and from VFS they said me this:
"GAME DESIGN - $46,750

5% seat confirmation due upon acceptance $2,337.50

25% tuition confirmation due 45 days after $11,687.50

70% remaining tuition one month before you start class $32,725.00"

I don't know which is the program of this school but sounds very cool.


And my ask for all you... Which of these two schools is the best?

greetings and thanks