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probably_posted_twice · Newbie Joined: 16 Jun 2008 Posts: 1 Career Advice: +0/-0

I'm in grade 12 now and i'm hoping to end up in a career in the games industry, probably in programming but i would still like to leave room for a sideways move into something like animation or level design.

I've been looking at two degrees at the Queensland University of Technology.
The first is a bachelor of games and interactive entertainment: http://www.courses.qut.edu.au/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Courses.woa/wa/selectMajorFromMain?courseID=7030#17937
And i'm intending to major in software technologies and minor in animation.

The other is a bachelor of software engineering: http://www.courses.qut.edu.au/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Courses.woa/wa/selectMajorFromMain?courseID=7078#18127

And as much as i would like the flexibility of the former, i noticed that it is a year shorter than the latter, covers many more areas, and doesn't have any subjects on the advanced mathematics that would be required for a job in engine programming. And the more I think about it, the more i'm beginning to think that the bachelor of games and interactive entertainment will just half qualify me for like four areas, rather than fully qualifying me in one.

I thought the ideal path would be to do a double degree in the two, but it doesn't look like they offer that? IT course list found here: http://www.courses.qut.edu.au/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Courses.woa/wa/selectFacultyFromMain?faculty=IT

So yeah, is there anybody here who works in the games development industry who knows how likely that bachelor of games and interactive entertainment is to get me into programming?

cv · Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 5:30 pm Post subject:

Hi,

You can compare these 2 degrees to two guns. One is a very advanced sniper rifle it is very complicated to use but if you are the best at it your success is assured the other is an AK-47 it shoots and just does that shoots.

So think about the games degree like a sniper rifle, there are NOT a lot of jobs in programming games around but if you are really good you will become rich and have fund while doing it.

The IT degree is just like an AK it will do the job, it will get you a mediocre job but you have a higher chance of success with it.

Maybe the gun analogy is not the best one, but since you are a gamer you will get the concept much better with this analogy. For the other non gamers ... what I mean to say is that the gamer degree is very useful to those who are really good at it, jobs are limited and competition is tough.

cv · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:45 pm Post subject: Skills shortage hits games firms

Skills shortage hits games firms

"The games industry says British universities are failing to equip graduates with the skills it needs. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7460870.stm

derice · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:29 am Post subject:

Hi, i am a undergrade persuing software engineering. I had read throught the links you had posted earlier. Here are some of my personel oppinions. Jst bare in mind, advance technologies dont really depends on one specific knowledge. As far as game is concern, it involved graphic, coding, sound and networking knowledge(online game). Jst ask urself which type of job u likely to involved as ur future career,whether u prefer sitting infront the pc doing all the coding or designing the graphic. Both of the jobs do related to game industry. Unless u r producing a game without intensive graphic like simple tic-tac-tou then coding is the only skills u need. Now let's compare these two courses, bachelor of games emphasize on the whole of game production, it will eventually focus on more graphic as what all the successfull game are. At the other hand, SE provide the student the opportunity for advance knowledge in coding and software development cycle. From my personal observation, many billiant programmer dont really like graphic stuff while graphic designer dont really good in coding.

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