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I want to do the game developer course at either carlow IT or university of Limerick. Im not sure about wich one to go to. I have heard that the Carlow course is the best, yet the one at UL seems pretty much exactly the same yet needs higher points (only fractunately)
I whent to the open day at UL today and it looks amazing. such a nice campus which is spaced out yet not to far apart. Accomodation is nice too. I like the setup of 6 shared. its very social.
does carlow have that sort of accomodation available as well?
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no one even has any comments? oh well.
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Do computer science and dont bother with a course totally aimed at computer games
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What Peter said, it’s been universally recommended that students are better off doing a general Computer Science degree and then either do alot of games orientated work during it, i.e FYP etc.. or top the degree off with an MSc in Games Development. Coming out with a CS degree, you will be far better rounded which will be more attractive to companies and at that point you could either try your hand at getting a job or take the optional MSc route.
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no one even has any comments? oh well.[/quote:c8c6359f81]
Bloody hell, you posted in the evening and expected answers first thing in the morning! :) -
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It might be worth considering the course offered by DIT. The first few years are like most degrees in computer science, but toward the end of your degree you pick a specialisation. So if you are still interested in games you can pick the Games Programming stream.
You can find some more info at:
http://www.comp.dit.ie/dt228 and
http://www.gamedevelopers.ie/courses/viewcourse.php?article=19 -
the ballyfermot courses are pretty good try ludo and cghnd
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your questions seem to relate to the accommodation in these places – which I can’t comment on and points for courses – which are related to the numbers a college can take in and the resources they have to support the course. They only partially tell you about demand and the success of a course.
If you want to stay in that part of the country there are also courses in thurles in the Tipp Institute and UCC and while I can’t tell you which is better for getting a job I would be evaluating the modules, the course lecturers and their interests, links to industry, work experience and time to build a portfolio.
It is also true that many people go into the industry without a game specific qualification – so some general computing courses which have lecturers interested in games and encourage game related projects are also worthwhile.
Aphra.
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Do software developmnet in carlow :D
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If you want to stay in that part of the country there are also courses in thurles in the Tipp Institute and UCC and while I can’t tell you which is better for getting a job I would be evaluating the modules, the course lecturers and their interests, links to industry, work experience and time to build a portfolio.
[/quote:2bc6be9f18]go u.c.c.. i did and look at me now ;)lol
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It is the programming side your looking to get into ya?
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the ballyfermot courses are pretty good try ludo and cghnd
http://www.bcfe.ie[/quote:a1f45827e7%5D
these courses do not equate with the two asked about. at best, you may get an art or design job out of CGHND, if you are unnaturally determined and tallented, and have a monster portfolio. but programming? not a hope.
and as for LUDO? anyone who could possibly get into a full programming degree course would just waste a year there. -
Courses like Ludo give students a boost to their leaving cert results in order to get into courses in universities. That can be very useful if it was your inability to speak french that kept you out in the first place (or some other inapplicable subject).
Programming jobs can and do still get taken by people without degrees. Its about ability not about qualification. That being said earning a comp sci degree is the most straight forward way to get that ability and to demonstrate it.
And we’re assuming the OP is looking to be a programmer. Its more likely that these are the only game degrees showing up on the CAO form at the moment.
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Programming jobs can and do still get taken by people without degrees. Its about ability not about qualification. [/quote:5a42990b55]
I highly disagree with this statement (what did you base that on??), only a very small percentage of programming jobs within the industry are held by people without degrees, and this number is dropping off extremely fast as old school programmers begin to drop off\retire\be replaced.
I honestly dont see anyone without a degree except maybe for the veteran with 10-15 years experiences (and worked on great games but educated themselves as they went along in the newest tech etc) getting a job today within the industry. Theres a reason why most programming jobs now require a minimum of a 2.1 hon degree (often 1.1, we’re now getting that picky).
Why would they take somone without a degree when you can get a good programmer and a formal education\degree thrown in for free.
I know which I’d hire.
Candidate A: Straight out of leaving cert with reasonable grades and excellent programming skills.
Candidate B: Straight out of CS\Eng, with great grades and very good programming skills.
B please because he’s proven his apttitude in his degree and has a formal work practise.
Fortunately, today theres plenty of i.t. skills out there, so you can be this picky. Its harsh but its the truth.
Moral of the story go do a cs\eng\maths\physics course then apply..
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As I said a degree gets you everything you want from a candidate. What I meant is that the door is not automatically shut if you don’t have one.
I do believe that the best way to get a programming job is to get a degree, I don’t believe in implying that it’s 100% necessary when it isn’t.
To put it very simply if you’re in school and want to get into the programming end of games do Comp Sci. While you’re there if its possible AND practical steer your projects towards games.
If you’re a competent programmer (degree or no degree) submit your work with your application in whatever way the company is asking for. If you’re good enough you might get the job, if you’re not you won’t. If you’re border line you might be told to go get a qualification.
Finally if you have programming skills, but don’t have a degree, and are thinking of going to college try leveraging your experience to enter at a higher level (the 2nd or 3rd year perhaps).
Like any field in games it will be mostly down to the effort you put in. No course, no matter the reputation, is a shoe in for a job. Its up to the individual candidate to demonstrate their skills through their portfolio.
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hey guys thanks for the replies. i guess what i am looking for is an answer to something right in front of me. The reason i want to do the programming course is that i want to directly get into this line of work. Things even related to it i seem to do better in. Its just like how i am in biology. Im excellent at that aswell, but for some reason i cant remember many things (advanced stuff) involving human anatomy, yet i can remember every detail to do with things like botany and micro biology.
Im also very creative, but not so much that i could become a concept artist or animator and get into the industry that way.#
What i like about the game courses is the diversity that is involved. I especially want to work with the graphics, modelling in 3d and AI.Are the game courses eally that bad? From what i have heard from other placec is that after i finish the honours degree (thats the 4yr one right?) i can also go into just computer programming or computer engineer.
After wich i want to go to trinity and get my masters in game developement (new course next year so you may not have heard about it)
I also have north american citizenship so i will most likely go there to work.
oh and what i mentioned about remebering things. I understand that skill is also needed.
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why go do a games degree if you plan to msc top it off at trinity. just go do cs, then go do the msc.
as for a mix course, thats a bad idea. jack of all trades expert of none jumps to mind. if you want to get ahead in this business decide what you want and go for it.
dont do a course which allows you to dick about with 3d art etc, if you want to be a programmer and vice verse. you really cant be both unfortunately, either or.
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Its not that games courses are inherently bad, its that a lot of them aren’t really anything other than a renamed CompSci or media course.
In theory a games programming course would be everything a compsci course is, but with projects steered towards games, and modules that truly reflected the skills required for industry. That requires a staff that keep up to date with developments, and a university that provides funding to keep the course relevent technology wise.
Ideally the staff would include some people with significant industry experience.
What we have at the moment are a huge amount of courses that are yet to prove themselves. In a few years we’ll see where those graduates have ended up, but until then its up to the individuals.
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I have to agree with Peter about the degree thing. We turn away most CVs if they don’t have adequate grades. And these days after a really bad run with graduates who we interviewed, we’re being even more stringent about who we interview.
As for going onto do Comp Sci related working after getting a Comp Games degree…think about it from an employer’s point of view…if you wanted someone to work on your database system, who would you hire…I’d hire the comp sci guy. To an employer a games degree is a one way career choice.
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To an employer a games degree is a one way career choice.[/quote:e1df9d3fd7]
exactly…
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I agree with peter aswell mate. My advice if you end up in carlow do the 4year software developmnt course its new and do msc in trinity.
We all need to group up and creat our own game company in Ireland. We are the future
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i suppose you guys are kind of right. I may really want to do the *game* course, and may end up enjoying/experiencing more with it, but after my 4 years are up i want a job! i want to move up the salary ladder as fast as i can. I really want to get a masters so doing my masters in games i suppose is a better option.
If i dont get a job then ***** them for a bit. I want to be my own boss with my own ideas. Its not like ireland cant use anymore game companies. I for one think that with a country that exports the larges amount of software for its size, and has as many game companies as i have fingers on one hand is a bit pathetic. I know its one of the hardest things to start off, but hey! i may do better!
There are only five right? and didnt one of them go bankrupt a while ago? something called Kapooki or something?
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I just took a look again at the software developement courses and it seems you can be a dunce in math to enter. All you have to do is pass, where as in my orriginal choice i had to get a B2/3 in OL or C3 in higher. Yet the software developement course has more mathematic modules.
I used to hate math with a passion, but now that i have tried (im 6th year got to study) i find im pretty good and i enjoy doing maths when i know what im doing.
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It might be worth considering the course offered by DIT. The first few years are like most degrees in computer science, but toward the end of your degree you pick a specialisation. So if you are still interested in games you can pick the Games Programming stream.
You can find some more info at:
http://www.comp.dit.ie/dt228 and
http://www.gamedevelopers.ie/courses/viewcourse.php?article=19[/quote:a321a3b039]that campus is a bit of a joke and the points are pretty low. i want to come from a good rep college. And tipperary inst i will never go to. I want to get away from my parents when i go to college. Its not that i dont like them, but… well you know what i mean right? ps if you didnt guess i live in Thurles.
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Ah relax about math its prity easy if you put the time in. I am doing the software development next year in carlow :D. I got B3 OL in my leaving cert this year and am studying maths and computing at the moment its prity fun :D.
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music to my ears. everyone thinks its so dam hard! i guess that why we seem to have over 2k of jobs waiting to be filled. Lol everyone hates maths. They actually kicked some of the people in my pass class into the lower pass class because so many from HL are dropping down and there is not enough room. I think there are less than 10 in HL right now.
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So the results are in..
460 views.
Carlow 100% [ 1 ] -
At least you have to pass maths in Ireland. When I did a PgDip in Games over in the UK, maths wasn’t even a requirement and doesn’t seem to be in any comp sci courses over here!
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that campus is a bit of a joke and the points are pretty low. i want to come from a good rep college. [/quote:ab819ddd68]
I’d agree with the campus point but think it is worth pointing out that the points for CS courses have dropped in all colleges I know of over the last few years due to decrease in demand. It is also worth noting that the best way to judge the quality of a course (and your employability after college) is not by points required for the course.
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From an employer perspective, comp app in DCU has one of the best reputations going.
Dave
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hey Seamusp i replied to your PM. anywho carlow….. i dont know. i dont like it too much. was at open day today. as for the game course, i spoke to a few people, i seemed to get a good vibe of it, then me and my friend left the normal tours and whent looking around.
We found ourselves in the pc laboratory where gamer students have their own PCs. one guy told me not to come to this course. He said that it is very unorganised and way to program oriented. since he was the only one that spoke at all i think im going to stay away from it.
As for foreign work placement, only 2 people whent abroad. one whent to france, one to america, and the rest stayed in ireland.
They are very boastfull in Carlow. being the first iT college to get total internet is not that great ect…..
It looks like a prison from the outside. Its pretty nice inside though. all new PCs. the gamers get to use alienwares with Nvidia 8800 GTS 640mb.
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From an employer perspective, comp app in DCU has one of the best reputations going.
Dave[/quote:f86194b6f0]
Really? i had they multi media’d up that course?? surely not a real CS course then.lol
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Really? i had they multi media’d up that course?? surely not a real CS course then.lol[/quote:a54cef913e]
I graduated from CA in 04, the only really big change was that first years had a lot more web related work.
DCU already has a BSc in Multimedia, IIRC.
After 1st year the course splits into 2 Streams, Software Engineering/Computer Science and Information Systems.
This is the module list for the CSSE stream:
http://www.dcu.ie/registry/module_contents.php?programme=CACSSE&function=4
The only changes from that list that I can see is IT Technology and Algorithms & Complexity in 3rd (we had Comparative Programming Languages instead).
And in 4th year, Multimedia Technology, I think might be a new one.
I can’t comment on the Information Systems stream though.
As for how DCU is for gaming, the Graphics modules when I was there were a bit of a joke. They weren’t totally practical (one project was to write a report on the graphics used to create Gollum), but they did cover all the basics you need to know for 2 and 3D graphics. We never covered any APIs though.
I did 2 games for my 3rd and 4th year projects and there were quite a few other people doing games. The problem for some was that a lot of the lecturers had no clue about game programming because they specialized in databases or network programming for example.
Another lousy thing was that in the year ahead of me a 3D game was awarded the Final Year Project award based on its "realistic graphics" even though they had just used Max Payne models.
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right well ive decided either way. im going to UL. its the only place that i have visited so far that made me feel like i would be happy at.
Dublin colleges are kind of not an option for me because of higher expenses. My parents are paying my way all the way through, including accomodation and a tini tiny bit of spending money. I dont want to abuse that. Plus UL has the nicest campus in ireland.
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right well ive decided either way. im going to UL. its the only place that i have visited so far that made me feel like i would be happy at.
Dublin colleges are kind of not an option for me because of higher expenses. My parents are paying my way all the way through, including accomodation and a tini tiny bit of spending money. I dont want to abuse that. Plus UL has the nicest campus in ireland.[/quote:929a0b1f31]
But its limerick man? lol best of luck
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But its limerick man? lol best of luck[/quote:b9916b5e24]
Take it easy on the Limerick bashing!! :shock:
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But its limerick man? lol best of luck[/quote:ee99195340]
Take it easy on the Limerick bashing!! :shock:[/quote:ee99195340]
Seconded. Its stabbing they do there remember, not bashing. Bashing would be uncivil :) -
WTH is this all about? you hear of some stabbings that happen in bad neighborhoods at night and suddenly it turns into a hell hole! Is it really that bad? would Dublin and Belfast not be the same? (ok maybe theres no bombs yet like Belfast) While walking in the town i found it to be very nice, and the uni is a good distance (not really its perfectly placed) from the town.
Whats the bad rep for? my friends were even joking about it. "Hey were all going to Limerick, did you bring your stab vest? no? i guess your going to get a deadly souvenir then"
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Be careful not just to be sold the sizzle as its the steak that counts in the end.[/quote:0b408e01dc]
Heh, have you read the new Discworld novel?
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WTF!!! the student villages dont come with a microwave!! oimg what a place not to have one.
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We found ourselves in the pc laboratory where gamer students have their own PCs. one guy told me not to come to this course. He said that it is very unorganised and way to program oriented. since he was the only one that spoke at all i think im going to stay away from it.[/quote:12f7d3b398]
Ah.. I take it you met the 4th years then. Full of cheer and good tidings as usual. :lol: BTW how did you get in there ? :) We’ve had security issues in the past with that lab (some equipment was stolen) – only 3rd and 4th year Game Dev students are supposed to be in there.
He said that it is very unorganised[/quote:12f7d3b398]
In the case of the 4th years, yes. Unfortunately they are the first set of students to pass through this course and are always going to be something of ‘guinea pigs’ because of it. Bear in mind this course is still very new so there are always going to be changes and things that don’t work out; such is the way with these things. For instance they have figured that instead of doing C# in 3rd year and C in 1st year they would swap the two and have C# in first year instead; a wise move in my opinion.
.. and way to program oriented. [/quote:12f7d3b398]
It’s primarily a games programming course, aimed at people who want to be programmers; a lot of people have misconceptions that it is otherwise when they sign up for it- which is unfortunate.
When they asked me last year about my own opinion on the course and what i’d change to make it better one of the first things I mentioned was to change the course title from ‘Games Development’ to ‘Games Programming’. I actually thought they were going to go through with it as well because they seemed to think it was a good idea and were very enthusiastic about it. Alas, Games Programming isn’t as nice a title though so I guess they just stuck with it.
As for foreign work placement, only 2 people whent abroad. one whent to france, one to america, and the rest stayed in ireland.[/quote:12f7d3b398]
It’s up to the students involved to arrange their own placements, same as most courses. The college will do it’s best to help, but the responsibility is largely that of the student. As far as I know what happened last year was things were left a bit late and as a result there was a panic to find places.
You shouldn’t have any illusions as to how tough it is to convince a games company to take on a student though; and the problem will be always be there no matter which course you do.
I’m struggling myself at the minute to find placement even after all the effort I’ve put into portfolio projects and even after competing in Dare To Be Digital. I did have a lot of interest from one very well known PC / Console developer after Dare ( lets call them ‘company x’ :) ) but unfortunately the timing didn’t suit and they had to leave it. It’s a tough industry out there, don’t ever think otherwise !
It looks like a prison from the outside..[/quote:12f7d3b398]
Doesn’t everywhere start to look like that after a while ? :lol:
Do computer science and dont bother with a course totally aimed at computer games[/quote:12f7d3b398]
Coming out with a CS degree, you will be far better rounded which will be more attractive to companies and at that point you could either try your hand at getting a job or take the optional MSc route.[/quote:12f7d3b398]
why go do a games degree if you plan to msc top it off at trinity. just go do cs, then go do the msc.[/quote:12f7d3b398]
As for going onto do Comp Sci related working after getting a Comp Games degree…think about it from an employer’s point of view…if you wanted someone to work on your database system, who would you hire…I’d hire the comp sci guy. To an employer a games degree is a one way career choice.[/quote:12f7d3b398]
It’s funny, a while ago the question was popped on these forums why don’t people post more and get more involved ? Well me personally, I find this site to be an overwhelming source of negativity- especially when it comes to games development courses; it’s just depressing listening to it sometimes.
Of course I understand where a lot of these people are coming from, and they are making some valid points- but if I were to really listen to it all then to be honest I’d just give up on it all now and go find a ‘regular job’.
…Not a chance! :P
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Sorry if it sounds negative darragh, but you have to see where we’re coming from. majority if not all of us on this site who hold games related jobs dont have game degrees and we made it in. therefore its a safe assumption its not a necessity. dont get me wrong, the game degree is good for games, but your very limited to what you can do outside. say i decided in the morning to give up games, theres a good chance (at least i hope so) that i could get a job in any number of IT sectors.
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I don’t know if its the standard of the games course graduates or the standard of graduates in general, but we’re finding some of them lacking…to say the least. We’re trying not to be negative, more contructive criticism…to get a job, you need more than going through the paces in the uni.
PS. Darragh…send a cv into us, we’re currently looking. :) -
Sorry if it sounds negative darragh, but you have to see where we’re coming from. [/quote:2d03ad81a8]
No need for apologies, as I said I do understand exactly where you guys are coming from and you are making some good points.
But you have to see where we’re coming from. majority if not all of us on this site who hold games related jobs dont have game degrees and we made it in. therefore its a safe assumption its not a necessity. [/quote:2d03ad81a8]
Absolutely. Even as you said yourself some of the ‘old-skool’ developers don’t even have any degrees, they just got into games back in it’s infancy and have been there ever since. It will be really interesting though to see where this whole games degree thing goes in the next 10 years. Will the next generation of developers be demanding people with game development degrees, or will the whole thing just fizzle out ? Who knows..
dont get me wrong, the game degree is good for games, but your very limited to what you can do outside. say i decided in the morning to give up games, theres a good chance (at least i hope so) that i could get a job in any number of IT sectors.[/quote:2d03ad81a8]
I’m not so sure about that though. If you can try your hand at games developement (arguably one of the most complex areas of software development there is) then surely you can handle regular applications development ? And as was mentioned earlier also, game development courses do comprise of mostly regular computer science subjects anyhow.
Perhaps you do have a point though, the stigma surrounding a course with ‘games’ in it’s title might put off potential employers. Then again, it’s up to you to convince them that your serious about what you do and that you have a professional work ethic. If you can prove that then whether you did a games development course or regular computer science (which are mostly the same really) surely shouldn’t matter too much.
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I find this site to be an overwhelming source of negativity[/quote:4733578b48]
A lot of people come here wanting to make games because they have enjoyed playing them, and thinking that somehow making them would be just as much fun. That’s not the case, and it is important to make that distinction. Working in the games industry is often a much harder life than working in a "normal" job – hours are long, pay is as good or worse and the project failure rate is very high. It takes a hardy soul to accept that they are going to work for 2 years on a project that has a 90% of never making a cent. The negativity that comes from a lot of people isn’t actually negativity – it’s realism, and it only seems negative because many people who come here often have an excessively optimistic view of what making games is all about. The advice being given is all about making sure that you *really* want to make games, and, for those thinking about their college courses, to keep their eyes and options open rather than boxing themselves into a very narrow course.Of course I understand where a lot of these people are coming from, and they are making some valid points- but if I were to really listen to it all then to be honest I’d just give up on it all now and go find a ‘regular job’.[/quote:4733578b48]
I have a huge interest in the games industry and making games, but as a result of feedback, I’ve decided that I am quite happy do that as a part time endeavor and work a normal "9-5" for better money, better hours and more job security. Remember, there is no failure in finding a "regular job".Dave
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I don’t know if its the standard of the games course graduates or the standard of graduates in general, but we’re finding some of them lacking…to say the least. [/quote:9169490faa]
Really? Hopefully the situation will improve over the coming years. It’s about time the industry was treated seriously by academia, and it’s certainly big enough to warrant it’s own specialised courses; other forms of media (such as film) have had them for years now. Let’s hope this new relationship bears fruit soon..
to get a job, you need more than going through the paces in the uni. [/quote:9169490faa]
Couldn’t agree more. Certainly from the industry folk I’ve met over Dare, they all seem to emphasise the importance of having a good portfolio; something tangible you can show to employers. All the extra hours put in there can make the world of difference when it comes to finding work.
PS. Darragh…send a cv into us, we’re currently looking. :)[/quote:9169490faa]
Thanks omen, will do ! :)
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A career in the games industry is 99.99% a test of your persistence and unfortunately lots of kids believe that;
like playing games == developing games
Having given hundreds of games development demonstrations and enjoyed watching people become excited about games development as a career, I’ve also seen the vale lift for many people. When they understand whats involved they discover its not for them ( this I’m also happy about, because they have no illusions about the profession).
Having a looked at Darragh’s site, the first thing that I notice is he’s spent time putting together his portfolio page, it takes a couple of seconds to look at but months/years to create. Apart from course work, in whatever college one chooses, a portfolio is the most important thing. So as I’ve said in previous posts, if people are serious about becoming professionals then the need to put themselves out there and into the portfolio events. BTW Well done Darragh.
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Are other games courses really that bad though? Carlow acted like they were the only ones who really tried to ami at the industry and ALL the rest are crap, even the UL one.
Oh and guy who asked me how i got in, well we just asked some guy if we could see the room, and he brought us in. I know what you mean by security, there were brand new Nvidia 8800 GTS cards all over there in individual boxes. I hope i didnt get the 4th years in trouble for mentioning our encounter.
The third year ( the ones who made Heaven2Ocean) seemed to like the course.
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Remember when you come for a games interview, 99% of places will give you a coding test. The purpose of this is to see if you can program and understand the fundamentals. There are no trick questions, its all stuff you should know really, but there will be a few questions that if you don’t know, the rest of your interview probably won’t matter.
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It takes a hardy soul to accept that they are going to work for 2 years on a project that has a 90% of never making a cent. The negativity that comes from a lot of people isn’t actually negativity – it’s realism, and it only seems negative because many people who come here often have an excessively optimistic view of what making games is all about.[/quote:333d3195ac]
Absolutely. I’ve certainly no delusions as to how tough this industry is myself and I’m not suggesting either that we candyfloss over things and tell people otherwise- that would be plain wrong. What I am suggesting however is that rather than always focusing on the negative we can show the positive side as well; there are a lot of good reasons why someone would want to work in the industry too.
Remember, there is no failure in finding a "regular job". [/quote:333d3195ac]
No, and if things don’t work out for me with this career I wouldn’t have any reservations about doing the regular ‘white collar 9-5 job’ either. However, having that said games development is my first and foremost choice as a career and I’m going to make my best attempt to get ahead in it. But if it doesn’t work out, then it’s not the end of the world.
Oh and guy who asked me how i got in, well we just asked some guy if we could see the room, and he brought us in. I know what you mean by security, there were brand new Nvidia 8800 GTS cards all over there in individual boxes. I hope i didnt get the 4th years in trouble for mentioning our encounter. [/quote:333d3195ac]
Ah that’s fine, nobodys in trouble – just a little curious that’s all ! :)
The third year ( the ones who made Heaven2Ocean) seemed to like the course.[/quote:333d3195ac]
*cough* *cough*
:P
Surely my blatant promotion of Carlow IT would have given me away by now ? :lol:
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What I am suggesting however is that rather than always focusing on the negative we can show the positive side as well; there are a lot of good reasons why someone would want to work in the industry too. [/quote:bf47681785]
Hmm….yeah…umm…its nice?Seriously though…its a pretty fast paced business where you’re working on anything and everything as the days go by. You’ll rarely find yourself stuck in the same work day in day out, there’s always new problems to challenge you. There’s a lot of keeping up with the competition so you’ll find the people pushing to be the best all the time and then at the end of the day you get to see your name in the credits and hear people talking about the game you made. Assuming you don’t give in to bad working conditions, you should have a very entertaining and challenging career. The biggest question is job security really…what will games be in 5 or 10 years time, no one knows….
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At the end of the day your GPA counts, your ability counts (there are some people with good GPA’s but they are not be the best developers/problem solvers ), and your portfolio counts.
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Yeah I always wanted to work in games since even before I went to college, so I always made sure I was doing coursework that was applicable (as much as possible anyway), taught myself C++ while they were teaching us Java, and concentrated on 3D graphics programming both in college work and my spare time. When I started my PhD I also made sure it was all games-related, and that’s what got me my current job at Radical.
I was surprised at the number of people working here that never intended to get into the games industry, and just found themselves in it almost by accident. But I don’t think any of them would consider going from games back to regular development, which must say something good about the industry. I know I never would either.
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Ah Daragh…. you one of them? for some reason i think your the one with long hair right?
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I like the course you’ve put together bryan. Had a quick glance over the course work from your link, nice to see some labs in middleware etc.
Some cool exercises to, all relevant indeed. nice work 8)
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Peter,
Many thanks for the feedback. Means a lot coming from you! I am graduate of the DIT and always said if I could be a lecturer that I’d teach games so teaching this is a passion I never get tired of. Yea the middleware course is new and its great fun also. Its a chance to teach lots of cool stuff such as physics programming, networking and audio. My other course are mostly rendering and game AI. Any chance you could do a seminar for our students next time your in Ireland? You’d get paid for it!
Cheers,
Bryan
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Peter,
Many thanks for the feedback. Means a lot coming from you! I am graduate of the DIT and always said if I could be a lecturer that I’d teach games so teaching this is a passion I never get tired of. Yea the middleware course is new and its great fun also. Its a chance to teach lots of cool stuff such as physics programming, networking and audio. My other course are mostly rendering and game AI. Any chance you could do a seminar for our students next time your in Ireland? You’d get paid for it!
Cheers,
Bryan[/quote:379442f77d]
Hehe. Seminar? I’m not sure what I’d say at one of those but its always a possibility.
Ya I think using free domain middleware is a good move, because i think we will start to see alot more dev houses moving over to these as using a retail middleware is always a big risk for a developer\publisher. There’s always the risk it will be bought up and you’ll have to pull out your existing solution and either write your own, find an open source solution, or buy another and run the risk again. Classic example being Renderware being bought by EA, this hurt a few place I would say (most notably GTA as they move to their own inhouse solution, might be why GTA IV is delayed??). But ya teaching these in uni does mean students have these skills to put on their c.v. and it gives them a bit of a jump on the rest. Who knows we might be eye’ing up a few of ye’re students after graduation ;) as SEGA was down at the Career Festival in London yesteday\day before looking for bright new talent. Hopefully, we found some.lol
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Classic example being Renderware being bought by EA, this hurt a few place I would say (most notably GTA as they move to their own inhouse solution, might be why GTA IV is delayed??)[/quote:5a1a92b9b5]
RenderWare was striped out for San Andreas…highest probability is the fact its just next gen and all that next gen means -
Classic example being Renderware being bought by EA, this hurt a few place I would say (most notably GTA as they move to their own inhouse solution, might be why GTA IV is delayed??)[/quote:dc91dec2a0]
RenderWare was striped out for San Andreas…highest probability is the fact its just next gen and all that next gen means[/quote:dc91dec2a0]Was it? Why was it in the credits, what did they use in its place, as their current engine wasent available at that time was it??
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You should also consider Letterkenny Institute of Technology. Smart guys up there, good facilities, and guest lecturers and so forth from Torc / Instinct.
Games-related courses at both undergraduate and graduate level.
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Rare’s Nick Burton on Getting Into Programming…
Burton explained some of the basic principles of computing and core skills, and why they’re important to the game programming profession. "Math and logic," he says, "are forever. But things like Visual Studio, Visual Basic, XNA … they come and go. They’re transient. So we want to concentrate on core skills." [/quote:706e627bdd]
http://www.gamecareerguide.com/features/457/rares_nick_burton_on_getting_into_.php
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