Learning to program computer games?

debbie wrote on 11/27/2004, 7:37 PM
Hi,
My about to graduate college student son is interested in a career in creating computer games. Do any of you have any suggestions about where and what he should do to pursue this?

I know that this isn't a Vegas software question, but ya'll have been really helpful with my Vegas animation projects with my students and I figured if anybody knew, it would be ya'll.

Many thanks,
Debbie

Comments

p@mast3rs wrote on 11/27/2004, 7:39 PM
My advice would be for him to find a place to intern or if he has some good ideas to start programming his own games. What part does he want to program? Stories, animations, music, etc...?
debbie wrote on 11/27/2004, 7:43 PM
I don't have specifics about what he wants to do and he's not here. He'd probably have a melt down about my posting this, but I really want to be a helpful mom. I'm thinking the game design and animating the characters. Do you have any ideas about places to intern, etc.?
dms wrote on 11/28/2004, 11:49 AM
If he's seriously into this, then I hear there isn't any place better than DigiPen (www.digipen.edu).

Here's an article about the school: http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2002-12-03-video_x.htm
TheHappyFriar wrote on 11/28/2004, 1:43 PM
Yes. Digipen (started by nintendo).

What kind of stuff does he want to do? Msot companies want experience. The best way to get experience is by modding current games such as Doom 3 or Half Life 2.

The once mighty Ken Williams always gave this advice: "If you want to break into the business then get together with some other peple & make a game."

I'm actuatly working on a game design right now for something i've been thinking of for years, but none of my friends want to do it. :(

Good luck to him! :)
debbie wrote on 11/28/2004, 8:15 PM
Thanks for the website and the advice!!! He left today to go back to Ohio to school, but I just emailed your responses to him. I knew that I could count on you guys!!! Ya'll are great! Now someone will have to come up with tuition money!!! LOL

Thanks again,
Debbie
TheHappyFriar wrote on 11/28/2004, 9:23 PM
Just an FYI, some of the gamming greats didn't even go to college. Basicly, they invented "how to make a game" stuff.

John Carmack (id software)for example, started making published (in magazines) game in his teens. Ken & Roberta Williams started doing games from their house & hand delivered them to stores.

Tell your son to check out the book "Masters of Doom." It's a biography on John Carmack & John Romero (the guy who founded idsoftware). It's a good example of what happens when two guys with a passion to make games get together.