Video Game Career Choice

kongfunk

kongfunk

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So I'm going into my 3rd year of studying Architecture and I'm really thinking about changing my major or changing my choice of career all together. I do most of the computer renderings for the firm I work for. And I'm just not as interested in Architecture as everyone around me, so I've been thinking about going into video game design but I don't know where to start.

If there's any CAG's in the video game business can you maybe give me or anyone else thinking about programming any information on where to start?

And my second is for most CAG's who have graduated are you really happy or are you like me and constantly debating the career choice you made?
 
^ Thank you for fixing ^

IMO think you should think about what would make you the most happy and pursue it.
 
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Changing from architecture to video game design would be a real pain in the ass in your 3rd year, especially where most schools have them in completely different colleges or areas of study. There are numerous complications here, not the least of which is the lack of jobs in any media market. Find out if your college even has a video game design program, and if not, consider graduating architecture, and then looking for work in the field, or just making a lot more money doing architecture while doing video game work in your free time.
 
I had an interview once with Pi Studios, one of the biggest game studios here in Houston. If you had no experience with video games creation in some form, they want nothing to do with you. Think about what you would want from a candidate.

Start by doing what you do best in a game you know best. I'm a FPS psycho, so I started making crappy mods and maps. As you iterate and reiterate, you'll immediately begin acquiring skills that video game companies find valuable. Use what's available. Between Valve and Unreal's mod creation packs, it was relatively easy to get the tools and help needed to start down the path.

Pi said they didn't care if your game, mod, or map had 5000 users or 5, as long as you put it out there and refined it. They wanted to see a natural progression of skill. They also acknowledged that many of the best candidates have no reasonable path to a video game college degree, so they're very willing to look outside the paradigm for talent.

1. Find studios near you.
2. Beg your way in the door for a tour.
3. Find out what kind of games they do, then build a demo tailored to their work flow.
4. Beg more.
5. Profit.

It's very possible, but entirely up to you to make it happen. Good luck.

Oh, and don't even think about starting as a tester unless you enjoy doing the same thing 8000 times. If you're crappy they'll fire you and if you're good, they'll never want to let you move out of the position because it's so hard to find good testers.
 
Just keep grinding at that architecture degree, but fill in your free time with game modding. You can refine your skills in both fields if you do some maps or even a full fledged mod for something like Half-Life 2 or Crysis (whatever tools you feel comfortable with).

Take a look at the Pillars mod for Doom 3, done mostly by architecture students (the other half by comp sci students). I don't work in the industry, but my friends who do have mostly started off with modding. It's a great way to get your foot in the door, and especially more fun than becoming a testing grunt (like speedracer had already mentioned).
 
OP, just keep in mind that this is the white-collar equivelent of saying "I want to be a Hollywood actor"

Sure you might make it, and make big bucks, but there's also a good chance you'll up scraping by in bit parts.

I'd say finishing Architecture school is not a bad bet - at least then you'll have a backup. Doing videogame dev part-time in addition to a solid full-time job is an even better idea.
 
[quote name='speedracer']I had an interview once with Pi Studios, one of the biggest game studios here in Houston. If you had no experience with video games creation in some form, they want nothing to do with you. Think about what you would want from a candidate.

Start by doing what you do best in a game you know best. I'm a FPS psycho, so I started making crappy mods and maps. As you iterate and reiterate, you'll immediately begin acquiring skills that video game companies find valuable. Use what's available. Between Valve and Unreal's mod creation packs, it was relatively easy to get the tools and help needed to start down the path.

Pi said they didn't care if your game, mod, or map had 5000 users or 5, as long as you put it out there and refined it. They wanted to see a natural progression of skill. They also acknowledged that many of the best candidates have no reasonable path to a video game college degree, so they're very willing to look outside the paradigm for talent.

1. Find studios near you.
2. Beg your way in the door for a tour.
3. Find out what kind of games they do, then build a demo tailored to their work flow.
4. Beg more.
5. Profit.

It's very possible, but entirely up to you to make it happen. Good luck.

Oh, and don't even think about starting as a tester unless you enjoy doing the same thing 8000 times. If you're crappy they'll fire you and if you're good, they'll never want to let you move out of the position because it's so hard to find good testers.[/quote]

This is the best advice you're going to get.

And don't trust any game design school, bar a few.
 
Thanks everyone for your response, especially speedracer. I think I'm going to continue with Architecture and spend any free time leaning and working on games. I was talking to people at work today and they were saying that about 3/4 of their class went really far away from the Architecture field after they graduated.
 
I support your choice, kongfunk. It's good to dream, but you will definitely need something to provide income so you can continue to dream.

Good luck! I hope we get to play something created from your hands. ^_^
 
Here's another thing to consider. Zombie Apocalypse. If shit goes down and we're reduced to wandering bands of wretched humans amongst hordes of the walking dead, a videogame designer is pretty far down the list of important people to keep around. An architect who can help us build a fortress city floating out in the ocean, that's a guy who I'll do my best to keep safe. A videogame tester/programmer, not so much.
 
[quote name='Halo05']Here's another thing to consider. Zombie Apocalypse. If shit goes down and we're reduced to wandering bands of wretched humans amongst hordes of the walking dead, a videogame designer is pretty far down the list of important people to keep around. An architect who can help us build a fortress city floating out in the ocean, that's a guy who I'll do my best to keep safe. A videogame tester/programmer, not so much.[/quote]

You must have saw my last studio project "Zombie Topia" it was a post modern concrete fortress.
 
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