Welcome to Gaia! ::

Yeah. I'm in SCAD's ITGM program for game design. Technically in my foundations still, but I'm now listed in the bachelor's program.

Do you do the programming and coding bit that we were discussing earlier in this thread? If not, what parts are you learning or have learned?

Sorry if I am coming off a bother, I am just hella interested


But you don't have a Bachelors?

For one class last year I had to extensive research on my major. And at that time I was signed up as Graphic Design major. So I did a plethora of research on that field and learned about how most Graphic Design majors don't even have Bachelors, but mainly AS degrees. Which is like the 2 year thing you were talking about I think.

Is it the same in the gaming business? Or do a lot of people in the gaming business have Bachelor and above?

Also if I wanted to just get into the art process of the games as opposed programming and coming aspect, which path would be best for me?

Again, sorry if I come off a pest. I am just a young college kid not sure what to do with his life, so I would like to learn as much as I can while I can to help with my decision

Oh, so you won't be doing the programming and coding part? Which is neat, I would like to do what you do more than the programming and coding aspect. I wouldn't mind making art for games, assuming I get good enough.

The college I am transferring though, I looked at the classes for the video and gaming program, and A LOT of it is programming. So I think if I want to do the art, I am probably better off just going into the modeling and simulation right?

I don't know though, my 3D art is pretty weak. I think I am better at 2D to be honest. I adore line work

Oh don't worry about it, I don't mind helping people who ask. I prefere people like that to be honest XD.

To answer your question, your type of diploma, bach or what ever you get in school, isen't important in this field. You may find one or two compagnies who ask for it, but for the majority of compagnies, arne't interested in that. Even for big compagnies like EA or Ubi Soft. What REALLY counts is your demo/portfolio. This is the thing all compagnies will base your abilities off of. This is what they'll judge you on, and will determines weither you get the job or not. Cause your level of understanding and knowledge is shown through your demo.

I was never asked what my degree was in an interview to join a gaming compagnie, and neither were some of my friends who got in, in Ubi soft. Even filming compagnies such as Hybride (which worked on movies like sin city, 300, and avatar) didn't ask my friend what his level of education was upon entry. They base everything off your portfolio/demo. Thats acctually one of the reasons why its hard getting a job comming out of school. Because through out all your studies you'll work on your demo, but your working on a demo as your learning the material as well... which makes it hard to come out with a nice demo at the end.

1,2,3 or 4 years experience is irrelevent so long as your demo is good and your able to do the job. However!
If this is something your not used to working with, your level of understanding in 3D can be stronger if you hade 4 years study instead of say 2. Because thats still 2 years of practice more than what you would have had other wise.

basicaly... most artistic fields are like that as well.

If your interested in becoming an illustrator, I suggest looking into some schools that have a good repetition for illustrators. Your skills and quality are important, but you need a good school to show you how to apply this knowledge to your work. I also suggest taking night classes or life drawing classes in your spare time. You can also go to your local art museum and try redrawing old master pieces in a sketch book. It will help you developpe your hand eye cordination as well as help you developpe different styles of drawing, which is important for illustrators, cause you need to be flexible with your art styles.

If you wanted to become a video game artist like me your gonna have to find a school that teachs all the basics of 3D. The basics for 3D is (modeling, texturing, rigging, weighting, animation, and visual effects) if you can find a good school that teachs you all of the basics, I think that would be a good place to start. Be carefull cause there are some schools out there that teach only specifique courses, like just 3D animation, or just 3D modeling/texturing. You wanna avoid this because 1. you don't know which field interest you, so its best to explore all your options before choosing a carrer in one domain, and 2. you don't wanna limit your job oportunities by being speciallized in just one catagorie. If you learn how to do a little of everything, you'll be much more usefull to smaller compagnies who might need you to do everything and since most poeple get there first job in 3D in small compagnies its were your looking to get in as well.
If you choose to go into gaming I HIGHLY suggest making contacts. You may want to consider going to conferences on 3D and stuff like that, talk with people and try to make contacts. If you meet people at a conference you should do follow ups with them by email after. Contacts are important cause there usually people who are already in the field. And there the type of people you wanna hand your portfolio to if your applying to a compagnie later on. Because someone sending there portfolio to the HR isen't the same as someone inside the compagnie handing your portfolio to the HR. You'll have better chances getting into a compagny if you go through contacts then you would by just sending your portfolio in by mail or email.

hmm yea video gaming option seemed to have a little of everything as well. I would call the school up and ask each devision which one has what in there courses to make sure your heading in the right one, if this is what you want to do.

I've made a lot of contacts by going to conferences on 3D/2D like siggraph or adapt. Its the best places to make contacts I find, because its groups of people from the industries all together for the same event. And pretty much anyone you'll talk to is either already in the industry or students like you going there to learn more and make contacts. Which in either case its good to make then a contact, cause if there in a compagny you could always hand them your portfolio or ask them what they think would be important to include in your portfolio, to have a better edge in getting in. And other students is the same thing, you can ask them what they think you could do to improve your portfolio, and if anyone you know gets into a compagny before you, you still have a hand in the door type deal. Just have to be really nice to people and ask for cretics, listen to what they say and try to make the best of it. But knowing people in compagnies is a biggy.

Hmmm other than that, being friendly with all your class mates is a good idea. Because you never know who you'll end up working with in a compagny as well as you'll never know if someone else will get in before you. So best to be on good terms with everyone. So that if one gets in, you can ask them to maybe hand in your porftolio. Try to get you in as well.

The hardest part of this industrie is getting in. Once your in, things tend to go more smoothly its getting in thats the hard part.

Good luck, man! Hope you find what really works best for you! ^ ^