What Are the Advantages/Disadvantages of Game Schools?

GameCareerGuide has up an article looking at the pros and cons of going to a 'game school'. There are a number of programs in schools across the country that now focus on game development, game design, and creating game art. Are they worth it? "First, and probably most importantly, game-specific schools do not typically offer a comprehensive undergraduate education. Some game programs, as well as art schools, will actually encourage young students to go elsewhere for their undergraduate education and return to game school for more advanced training. I've literally heard that out of the mouths of art school faculty: Go get your bachelor's degree at a traditional university, then come back and apply to art school after you've learned a little more about the world. And while it's true that not everyone is cut out for a traditional education in the humanities or sciences, many many people who initially fight it find it invaluable after the fact. "

Comments

Re:Don't read this post if a game school sounds go

[Overzeetop]

You've mixed up the correlation. I didn't say that most gamers want to code games, I said most people drawn to code games are gamers. When you're young and don't have to pay bills you want to do what yo udo for fun. I'm saying that many gamers don't realize that the reality is more than being good at games.

Let me repeat...

[Overzeetop]

There are no reliable shortcuts.

There are reliable ways to _delay_ success. The fact that many people manage to follow some or all of the delayed paths does not make the direct route a shortcut. Reading all of Azimov's books instead of going to college is not going to make you a robotics engineer any faster, no matter how well you know the three laws. Dropping out of college to start your own business with an idea that will take over the software industry probably _isn't_ going to work, and you'll end up 30, in debt, with no base skills. Sure, you might be the next Bill Gates, but my money is on "broke and living in Mom's basement."

Oddly enough, the best "short cut" is to find something that is _both_ enjoyable (or at least tolerable) and relatively lucrative, live frugally, and learn to invest your savings wisely. None of which will get you your dream job making 7 figures for as long as you chose to work, but will get you to financial independence sooner. Then you can pursue your first love with no fear of putting food on the table.

In this case, if you really want to code games, go to the best "in the trenches" CS program you can find, be accepted into, and afford. Take art classes on the side. Program for "fun" as your personal hobby. Get a summer internship wherever you can be close to the game production environment - work for free if you have to. Don't do your job - do your job _right the first time_ and use the resources available at your job to learn every damned little thing you can. Make sure you know the technical stuff cold, and pick up marketing, personnel, management on the side. If you have two hours free at you job, don't surf - learn something new, or go back and do you last assignment better. Double check your work - every time - no spelling errors, no bugs. Learn a faster/better way than you did it the first time. Network - go to the bar, play golf, do the company stuff. All this will shave a couple of years off of the "normal" path, but only because you'll be doing all the work in a shorter time frame. Focus is a hard thing, but it's the only way to get to the end better.

Once you learn that it takes a certain amount of work to get to a point, you can decide how long it will take to get there given 24 hours in a day. Just don't leave any steps out - that usually leads to failure. Then again, you could just go buy that lottery ticket. It's a lot easier, and somebody's going to win it, right?