I would encourage everyone to try and follow their dreams, but I do have to say one thing.
Computer programming is more than self expression. That is, there are rights and wrongs, as well as beautiful and ugly. As games become more complex, game programmers will need a better understanding of algorithms design and mathematical optimization, as well as principles of algebra and calculus. That's the base for parallel programming. Guess why Nvidia has to release drivers that solve issues with specific games?
So sure pursue a career in video games, but please consider learning more than just "coding". If you're able do get a bachelors in something. College also teaches you discipline and responsibility.
Alternatively, remember games are an application of abilities like problem solving and logical reasoning. Well, some are
So a career in science is also compatible. Game theory and game playing are actual research topics in several fields, and some centers around the world create games to study or teach difficult concepts. A few years ago, a team created a game version of protein folding (a computationally complex task) and gamers guided the program/simulation to great results.
Computer programming is more than self expression. That is, there are rights and wrongs, as well as beautiful and ugly. As games become more complex, game programmers will need a better understanding of algorithms design and mathematical optimization, as well as principles of algebra and calculus. That's the base for parallel programming. Guess why Nvidia has to release drivers that solve issues with specific games?
So sure pursue a career in video games, but please consider learning more than just "coding". If you're able do get a bachelors in something. College also teaches you discipline and responsibility.
Alternatively, remember games are an application of abilities like problem solving and logical reasoning. Well, some are
So a career in science is also compatible. Game theory and game playing are actual research topics in several fields, and some centers around the world create games to study or teach difficult concepts. A few years ago, a team created a game version of protein folding (a computationally complex task) and gamers guided the program/simulation to great results.
I meant playing games, specially strategy and RPG
. Designing them also requires artistic sensibility.You seem like a pretty good problem solver, actually.
To compare hobby with career is like to compare tourism with immigration. There is virtually an infinite distance between PLAYING games for hours, and coding/modeling/testing 60+ hours a week, with project managers riding you like there is no tomorrow. If I were to choose my career path again, I would never choose working in gaming industry. The surest way to loose my favorite hobby, you know. I'll just keep playing, enjoying other people's work, and being grateful to all those who are slaving for a sake of my entertainment.
I'll just keep playing, enjoying other people's work, and being grateful to all those who are slaving for a sake of my entertainment.There's much to be said for doing something you love and getting paid for it, even if it comes with ridiculous artificial deadlines, micromanaging bosses, and continual late nights and at least one death march a year. If bringing games to life is what you love, and you can get good at the science and engineering of it, and thrive on working conditions that rival those of the old-time Ink and Paint girls at Disney, don't let anybody give you discouraging words.
I'll tell you something funny which is my real life story. I always loved video games and computers, and being of those 'intellectual' kids I went on to become a computer science engineer (that's a big thing here in India, and it's actually a messed up thing, more on that perhaps in another discussion dissing the rigged education system/industry)
I loved coding and even was good at it when I was doing it but as I grew up and realized various things going through a lot of rough patches, right now I'm a cinematographer, finishing a diploma and plan to study ahead going overseas, in the meanwhile working as a freelance dop. While being a science and technical person at heart, filmmaking is my calling which I'm pursing and I'm quite happy with it.
You must be guessing by now where I'm going on with this, so just last March as things turned out, I shot a promo for Dying Light working for the main publishers of video games here in India. Gaming is an upcoming thing here, not nearly as huge as movies or music. The guys from WB and the publishers here also liked what I did, and if things turn well, I might end up full time shooting for video games and devs, like those cool behind the scenes which CDP makes. Who knows, my love for experimenting with the camera and my passion might end up helping me do that, and working for CDP which is a dream job might turn out to be true someday, so I'm making sure I work hard towards it. Also, Marcin (the ceo) likes to come to Mumbai (he was here and I missed him!!!) so if he comes again I'm going to fan boy all over him.
So essentially, if you love doing something, work hard and be smart, your hobby can turn into an expertise and you just might end up getting paid for what you do, and everyday will be a welcoming challenge instead of dragging it out. There's more than one way to jump in
I loved coding and even was good at it when I was doing it but as I grew up and realized various things going through a lot of rough patches, right now I'm a cinematographer, finishing a diploma and plan to study ahead going overseas, in the meanwhile working as a freelance dop. While being a science and technical person at heart, filmmaking is my calling which I'm pursing and I'm quite happy with it.
You must be guessing by now where I'm going on with this, so just last March as things turned out, I shot a promo for Dying Light working for the main publishers of video games here in India. Gaming is an upcoming thing here, not nearly as huge as movies or music. The guys from WB and the publishers here also liked what I did, and if things turn well, I might end up full time shooting for video games and devs, like those cool behind the scenes which CDP makes. Who knows, my love for experimenting with the camera and my passion might end up helping me do that, and working for CDP which is a dream job might turn out to be true someday, so I'm making sure I work hard towards it. Also, Marcin (the ceo) likes to come to Mumbai (he was here and I missed him!!!) so if he comes again I'm going to fan boy all over him.
So essentially, if you love doing something, work hard and be smart, your hobby can turn into an expertise and you just might end up getting paid for what you do, and everyday will be a welcoming challenge instead of dragging it out. There's more than one way to jump in
I really want to study game development. It costs a lot here, but I'm hoping with time I will have the means to do it.
In the meanwhile I'm studying Psychology, which I also like a lot.
I am not good artistically, so that is not where I can go.But I like programming, I'm writing a lot of poems and short stories and I already made one or two small mods for a few games. I also have a good understanding of challenge, immersion and general game design concept (as in conceptualization, freedom in gameplay, environmental interactivity, gameworld plausibility, adaptation and balancing, etc).
So I think I might want to get into Quest Design, Level Design or Gameplay Design. QA might also be something.
In the meanwhile I'm studying Psychology, which I also like a lot.
I am not good artistically, so that is not where I can go.But I like programming, I'm writing a lot of poems and short stories and I already made one or two small mods for a few games. I also have a good understanding of challenge, immersion and general game design concept (as in conceptualization, freedom in gameplay, environmental interactivity, gameworld plausibility, adaptation and balancing, etc).
So I think I might want to get into Quest Design, Level Design or Gameplay Design. QA might also be something.
Not a good idea. IMO a hobby is something that should express you, through your creativity , an expression of who you are and where you belong. A career is something totally different , one works under certain restrictions, mostly restrictions of commodity production and consumption for the sake of PROFIT.
Your hobby or creative activity should be free from all such considerations and restriction. You do it because you enjoy it and not because it is a means of a livelihood.
Your hobby or creative activity should be free from all such considerations and restriction. You do it because you enjoy it and not because it is a means of a livelihood.
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Not my opinion.
It depends on the hobby and how your worldview is.
IMO turning your hobby into your job CAN be a dream come true. Doesn't HAVE to be, but can be.
I think the fact that it is your hobby makes you super passionate about it, you show more effort and enthusiasm, and maybe even a lot of talent. You overlook negative aspects easier and are more satisfied with the activity itself rather than just doing it for the money, which means money will be an ADDITIONAL motivator making you 2 times as motivated (if you earn "enough" for you taste).
Sure it's hard at first, and sure you can not do everything you would want, and sure there is always trouble, either with higher ups or other things.
But is normal work different? Nope.
I show you my comparison (out of my head):
Hobby = Job
+ Motivation
+ Enthusiasm
+ Fun
+ No other job that annoys you
- only a few other hobbies (because of the time the job takes in this particular case of game developer)
- Hard Work
- Meeting the realism of restrictions
- Making your hobby a little less sweet
Hobby + Job
+ Hobby is carefree and unrestricted, creative
+ Hobby is as fun as it can be for you
- You have less time for your hobby, due to your job
- Your hobby is not as focused and you might not be able to get as much done as if it were your job
- You have a job you have to do as well and have to put your energy in. Worst case is you hate your job and it drains a lot of your energy and motivation
- money is the only motivator for your job
For me the positives in option A and the negatives in option B make the decision. The Calculation is easy. If you make your Hobby your Job and you still have at least moderately fun doing it is means you do not only have no job that you hate or find boring, you also can maintain your hobby for a longer time in your daily life and maybe even learn more and more so you might make yourself independent with your own studio one day. You combine hard work (which normally gives a negative feedback) and hobby (which gives a positive feedback) in one creating big motivation for you job, enabling you to do your hobby as your job, enabling a positive feeling while working.
Of course it should be a hobby that you are REALLY passionate about. But if it is, there is nothing speaking against it.
"A means of livelihood" being your hobby is no bad thing, because that it gives you your money does not mean you can't enjoy it anymore. You might have more stress doing it, but then again, you would have that level of stress even in another job (maybe even more) and you can still do creative work which has to do with your hobby in your free time (using the knowledge and experience you gain while working.
Look, you are saying " a hobby is something that should". The way I see it there is no "should" in a hobby. A hobby is what you want it to be and you take it as seriously as you want to. If you are passionate and serious enough about it to make it your job that is your decision and maybe it is the exact RIGHT decision in this case, if you can keep that passion. I know a lot of people who have done it, even if the nature of the hobby obviously varied a lot.
It depends on the hobby and how your worldview is.
IMO turning your hobby into your job CAN be a dream come true. Doesn't HAVE to be, but can be.
I think the fact that it is your hobby makes you super passionate about it, you show more effort and enthusiasm, and maybe even a lot of talent. You overlook negative aspects easier and are more satisfied with the activity itself rather than just doing it for the money, which means money will be an ADDITIONAL motivator making you 2 times as motivated (if you earn "enough" for you taste).
Sure it's hard at first, and sure you can not do everything you would want, and sure there is always trouble, either with higher ups or other things.
But is normal work different? Nope.
I show you my comparison (out of my head):
Hobby = Job
+ Motivation
+ Enthusiasm
+ Fun
+ No other job that annoys you
- only a few other hobbies (because of the time the job takes in this particular case of game developer)
- Hard Work
- Meeting the realism of restrictions
- Making your hobby a little less sweet
Hobby + Job
+ Hobby is carefree and unrestricted, creative
+ Hobby is as fun as it can be for you
- You have less time for your hobby, due to your job
- Your hobby is not as focused and you might not be able to get as much done as if it were your job
- You have a job you have to do as well and have to put your energy in. Worst case is you hate your job and it drains a lot of your energy and motivation
- money is the only motivator for your job
For me the positives in option A and the negatives in option B make the decision. The Calculation is easy. If you make your Hobby your Job and you still have at least moderately fun doing it is means you do not only have no job that you hate or find boring, you also can maintain your hobby for a longer time in your daily life and maybe even learn more and more so you might make yourself independent with your own studio one day. You combine hard work (which normally gives a negative feedback) and hobby (which gives a positive feedback) in one creating big motivation for you job, enabling you to do your hobby as your job, enabling a positive feeling while working.
Of course it should be a hobby that you are REALLY passionate about. But if it is, there is nothing speaking against it.
"A means of livelihood" being your hobby is no bad thing, because that it gives you your money does not mean you can't enjoy it anymore. You might have more stress doing it, but then again, you would have that level of stress even in another job (maybe even more) and you can still do creative work which has to do with your hobby in your free time (using the knowledge and experience you gain while working.
Look, you are saying " a hobby is something that should". The way I see it there is no "should" in a hobby. A hobby is what you want it to be and you take it as seriously as you want to. If you are passionate and serious enough about it to make it your job that is your decision and maybe it is the exact RIGHT decision in this case, if you can keep that passion. I know a lot of people who have done it, even if the nature of the hobby obviously varied a lot.
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I will see how far I am going, but at the moment I am very happy that I found the way into the game developing sector.
I have studied scientific programming (wich is a dual education system, so study and education in one), but nothing related to games. I wanted to start with something where I have a base to do what I really like, but also have the backup if the job will not fit to me, in the future for example.
It is hard to find a way into the game development, I would say, especially as a newbie to that sector, when you don't have the experience. But I was lucky to find a young startup company wich develops a multi platform online game, so that I can gain experience and become familier with stuff in game development.
For me a dream comes to do make game development my job.
Now it is more than just a job what I am doing, I do a thing that I really enjoy in my life.
I have studied scientific programming (wich is a dual education system, so study and education in one), but nothing related to games. I wanted to start with something where I have a base to do what I really like, but also have the backup if the job will not fit to me, in the future for example.
It is hard to find a way into the game development, I would say, especially as a newbie to that sector, when you don't have the experience. But I was lucky to find a young startup company wich develops a multi platform online game, so that I can gain experience and become familier with stuff in game development.
For me a dream comes to do make game development my job.
Now it is more than just a job what I am doing, I do a thing that I really enjoy in my life.
Oh your from Germany, me too.
It's so HARD to find a specific studying subject game development which does NOT cost tons of money here in GER, am I right?
Anyway, my plan is a Far-Study of Psychology while further working on my YT channel. If I have the money, or find a way to reasonably finance it, I will start studying game development in Heidelberg, they got a program running there which goes 3 years for the B.Sc. and costs 620 € a month. Maybe BAFÖG can help....
Yes, you are right. That's the reason why I haven't studied game development (even if I may had the possibilities to afford it).
But I think a really good if you could do a specific game development study if you want to develop for games.
Problem is game development is only just about to be "accepted" as real career choice in Germany (despite them having the largest gaming EXPO of all Europe) in the last years. I assume in 10 years it will be way easier. But atm.... We all got to go the hard way....
Btw. Where do you live? (Bundesland)
I would recommend studying Computer Science instead, not only would you get a nice knowledge of programming you would also become qualified for other jobs than just game development. Hell, there is even a lot that you can do yourself. Download Unreal Engine 4 and start studying it, start using RedKit 3 when it comes out and start creating mods etc. Experience pays off.
NRW. You?
True, but studying Computer Science (like I have) is not the only thing you have to do. You will mostly not find your way in the game sector if you do not have experience there. So you need to know what you are doing, either by a specific study in game development, or expertise in another company or alone (a good portfolio),