Hi all,

Does anyone know if there are schools or uni's in Scotland to train to get into the game designing industry?

If not is there a way I can learn myself. Has anyone got any recommendations. I was going to go for the whole MCSA windows certified, but realised I am far more interested in the games design and production industry.

Any help appreciated

Cheers

Kal

One thing I will say is that games desig is a very hard industry to get into so be prepared to work elsewhere whilst trying to find a way in.

Also, most of the people who do games design come from an art background rather than a computing/programming background.

DO you have any background of programming or are you just starting out?

I'm just starting out and need to know the correct direction. art based I can draw some Manga lol but thats about as far as my talents go. never really studied Art.

I'm not sure what available in Scotland but there are several universities that I know of that have courses sponsoired by games distributors etc...

I know that Huddersfield Uni had/had a course like that.

Maybe have a look there and you might find a link to a few more unis running siilar things?

Thanks Will do Fogmeister. Any ideas on studying from home, either via an online uni or buying books and doing a bit of DIY?

Cheers

Kal

THIS looks to be a good website to search.

I don't know about scotland... but there are a few south of the border... i should know... i'm on one... but specifcally:

University of Central Lancashire - Games Deisgn [what i'm doing]
University of Teeside - Computer Games Design
University of Teeside - Computer Games Art

are the ones that immediately come to mind... there are others...

The big question is what, to you, constitutes 'Games Design'... some focus on the programming side of things where others [like the one i'm on] concentrate on the art and design side... though generally as a rule of thumb:

BA = art/design
BSc = programming

the course i'm on has strong ties with 'the industry' [partly due to most of the lecturers having worked in it...] and it's a very good course [unless you want to do the programming side]...

Thanks, I ordered a prospectus from the uni in Dunfries, see what they come back with. Can I study anything at home? I was thinking to buy a C++ book and go sit the test, can I do that>? and if so what would be the next step after that?

I just dont want to have to quit my job as I have a lot of financial commitment but I still want to get my dream job. so traveling to Teeside all the time could be dificult.

To be perfectly honest....

For art I wouldn't bother, of the 50 or so games companies I applied to 3 did their artwork in house, the rest outsourced it from China.

For actual programming...depending on the course it could be useful

Look at the XNA from Microsoft, you get all the stuff you need to get started and can start doing your own games with it. It's C# but the transition to/from C++ and C# is very straightforward

Rob Mile is a lecturer at Hull who does a lot of XNA stuff. I'd check out his blog and/or Hull Uni en general.

Edd

Thanks guys,

So should I just buy this XNA thing from Microsoft and study it? is there and exam to take or anything>?

I'm not sure either way, but if you do want to learn about XNA some of Rob Miles' books/website-stuff is pretty good, or from what I've seen it is.

Edd

Don't buy it, you will waste $100 on having the ability to release to the xbox that you won't use until you are quite accomplished

Download it for free, you can make and release on the PC then

No exam as such but there is MCTS you can do on .net in c# for a formal qualification but it's not very related, just focus on making a basic game, then try to advance that by making more advanced ones after that

Will do, Thanks Finlay!

But what about qualifications in regards to getting a decent paying job? or will that only come about if I manage to make something half decent lol.

In all honesty, having done a games course for 2 years and applying to a number of places for a job... the main thing they were interested in was my portfolio. They know any computer science/similar course will teach you the main bits that you need to know, however the portfolio shows how creative you are and where your skills lie, what you enjoy doing etc.

Same for the written programming exam most of them will give you.

For qualifications...a Bsc minimum I would say in computer science/similar area.

First few years wage is dirt poor tbh as in a bit over minimum, hours suck etc because of the demand for the job they can get away with it. Other than that it is one of the higher paid jobs in the industry with comparative experience.