Videogames 101: colleges offer degrees in gaming fields

I agree, I'd never attend a 'gaming' college to learn how to program games. I'll get my bachelors in computer science and learn how to manipulate big databases first (not that I don't know how already) before I refine it into the art of gaming.

Exactly...I dunno why people are dumb enough to think that they can go to a rush/crap programming major at one of these schools thinking they will get something that matches that of a university.

By getting a degree in Computer Science, you make yourself more well rounded instead of focusing your education only on gaming.

"Making games is an art form."

Just like painting or writing music, right, Jack? Thing is, those are academic disciplines. Let people study game design at college if they so desire. Studying the history and modernization of an art helps spur innovation. If game design is truly an art form then those who don't naturally have the skill will be weeded out or won't be successful post-university.

Game design is still young. I can understand that game design might not yet be ready as a academic discipline but Jack sounds as if he is afraid his job will be stolen after the market gets flooded with these majors.

"I can understand that game design might not yet be ready as a academic discipline but Jack sounds as if he is afraid his job will be stolen after the market gets flooded with these majors."

Highly unlikely b/c most people who are professionals in the industry don't stay in there for very long or they take breaks after a certain point b/c they get burnt out.

Anyone heard of DigiPen? Small college in Redmond right across the street from a Microsoft campus. When you go there, you either go to program games or to animate for games. You can minor in other crap like robotics, but it's mainly focused on games. And many people that leave there (not a majority by any stretch) get jobs with Nintendo, which they happen to share a building with. Wouldn't that be sweet? Going to college in one side of a building, and then making a career developing games on the other side for a company that's second to none?

Hi everyone, I'm a first time blogger of this site, but I read this every day. I attend a school which offers a Game Design program, which basically teaches us how to be Game Designers.

We are taught by people who work within the industry, which is incredible because we get real world feedback, and are taught methods and get real insight of people who work with games. It's an incredible program: Vancouver Film School, www.vfs.com.

But, they don't teach us programming. It's a one yr course, and I took my Comp Sci degree at University. It's just awesome that I can go to school and learn Game Design! I think that learning certain methods of the field before entering it as well as creating our own game at the end, is really helpful.

Pam.

To think it can't be taught is silly. Also, learning to create databases like an information systems major or computer science is quite different than programming for a game. At least, that's the impression my computer science graduate friends have (and I have taken programming courses in information systems). I think it's cool to offer game creation as a major, it might even make a more talented workforce for game creation, yknow?

I find that courses in game design are largely an attempt to draw people back into the computer sciences disciplines, that have been losing numbers steadily over the past few years...

Correct me if I am wrong but since alot of game programming is done in C++, it would be smarter to go from a Computer Science program b/c you will have a better all-around education versus focusing specifically on game programming. What if for some reason you can't find a job @ a game studio and you need a paycheck bad? If you can't do something outside of a game programming efficently, then you're screwed.

As for the Vancouver Film School, that is a damn fine school (at least for their 3D animation program that is.) I haven't seen anything from their Game Design side but if it is anything like their 3D animation reels, then they'll probably have some solid stuff.

I actually graduated about 6 months ago from ab Art Institute in Southern California with a degree in Game Art & Design. We also had instructors from game & special effects studios (Rythem & Hues, Blizzard, The Collective, EA, etc.) but having people from industry companies doesn't mean everyone will succeed. You have to have the talent, the discipline and the drive to do it. If your only motivation is the money, then you are not gonna enjoy yourself.