I never suggest anyone actually go to school to learn how to program video games. From people who I've interviewed in the passed, those who have gone through the courses never learned a single practical thing.
It is a funny question. I would never recommend going into the video game business. It is like the music industry, long hours under appreciated, under paid. But, if you do make a game, release it, you probably can handle any other programming job out there. Everything else seems like a walk in the park after working 100 hour weeks with a publisher breathing down your neck.
I've worked with programmers from all areas. Comedians, Physicist, Child actors. I was the one of the only ones with a CS degree and that I got after completing several games. The one thing in common seems to be a creative edge and ability to just make stuff happen. (of course this was 10 - 15 years ago, the game has changed at least 5 times since then!)
Also note, this is not a life long vocation. You will leave the game industry at some point, if you can get into it in the first place.
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I never suggest anyone actually go to school to learn how to program video games. From people who I've interviewed in the passed, those who have gone through the courses never learned a single practical thing. It is a funny question. I would never recommend going into the video game business. It is like the music industry, long hours under appreciated, under paid. But, if you do make a game, release it, you probably can handle any other programming job out there. Everything else seems like a walk in the park after working 100 hour weeks with a publisher breathing down your neck. I've worked with programmers from all areas. Comedians, Physicist, Child actors. I was the one of the only ones with a CS degree and that I got after completing several games. The one thing in common seems to be a creative edge and ability to just make stuff happen. (of course this was 10 - 15 years ago, the game has changed at least 5 times since then!) Also note, this is not a life long vocation. You will leave the game industry at some point, if you can get into it in the first place.