Becoming a Developer=A work in process

[Gromnir]

Gromnir's advice:

 

learn how to write.

 

is good advice for almost every job worth having. at some point you is gonna have to write memos or reports or maybe just emails.... and if 'pon entering the job market you already know how to write, you will be a step ahead of 80% of your contemporaries.

 

when Gromnir went to university, we were more than a little surprised by the number of folks in our classes who could not write... and we was going to possibly the best public university in the country. how did these folks who were 4.0 students in high school get to Cal w/o knowing how to write? some of 'em, like Gromnir, were athletes, bust as for the rest... mystary. you know, there is a reason why an essay has been added to the sat.

 

*shrug*

 

problem is worse now than it were 15+ years ago. we sees folks coming out of university and law schools all the time, and it seems like writing skills is decreasing every year.

 

learn how to write.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[djkillingspree]

Gromnir's advice:

 

learn how to write.

 

is good advice for almost every job worth having.  at some point you is gonna have to write memos or reports or maybe just emails.... and if 'pon entering the job market you already know how to write, you will be a step ahead of 80% of your contemporaries. 

 

when Gromnir went to university, we were more than a little surprised by the number of folks in our classes who could not write... and we was going to possibly the best public university in the country.  how did these folks who were 4.0 students in high school get to Cal w/o knowing how to write?  some of 'em, like Gromnir, were athletes, bust as for the rest... mystary. you know,  there is a reason why an essay has been added to the sat.

 

*shrug*

 

problem is worse now than it were 15+ years ago.  we sees folks coming out of university and law schools all the time, and it seems like writing skills is decreasing every year.

 

learn how to write.

 

HA! Good Fun!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

While I understand that your style is an intentional schtick, I must say there is a minor aura of irony surrounding your post

[Craigboy2]

Maybe he was traying to make a point...in a strange way.

[Gromnir]

am recognizing the irony. however, we thinks we has proved, on a number o' occasions, that Gromnir can write if he so desires... and even so, speaking as Gromnir we still does a better job o' communicating than many hereabouts. maybe that is the real irony.

 

don't accept a passing grade in english 1a as evidence that you can write. heck, even an a or b in such a class is hardly meaningful. don't be passive 'bout your education. if a teacher or prof gots office hours, go see 'em and get personal attention... and if your prof is a crappy teacher, then find one that IS competent and ask for help. even in the publish or perish atmosphere o' typical universities, most profs want to teach... and finding a student who wants to learn, as 'posed to one who simply wants a good grade, is something that most profs get all giddy

[jmac714]

Take AP Math, specifically 3D Geometry, 3D Trigonometry, Vectors, Locus, and anything else you can find along those lines. I find it easier to model with numbers, so depending on your personal preference, I recommend either that or a Graphic Design course (2D *and* 3D), then maybe learning *several* programming languages just to get a good "programmers mentality", for starters, try getting Visual Studio (academic pricing is $90 from newegg.com) and a few books on it's programming languages (C, C++, C#, J# in particlular, SQL types aren't really an issue here). After that, I know there are some free game engines out there, try designing stuff with those. Outside courses are helpful too, try http://internaldrive.com for a few good ones, they're expensive, but helpful, and they're all over the country too.

[metadigital]

Agree with posters above. Literacy and numeracy are primary.

 

You will be required to communicate with peers, superiors (and eventually) subordinates in a clear and concise manner; normally conveying complex and sometimes intangible ideas using only the gifts granted to you for speech and presentation.

 

Graphics design is arguably the hardest computational work you can perfrom; it is not easy, so it takes a lot of work. (Most people believe that the more of oneself put into a passtime, the more one will gain from it.)

 

If you do choose programming (and if you are artisitcally gifted, then you will be a rare talent indeed), I can recommend Design Patterns, even if you decide not to learn C/C++. The authors are collectively known as the "Gang of Four", and any of their work is always received warmly.

 

Good luck;

I wish I knew what I wanted to be when I grow up.

[Toasty]

Graphics design is arguably the hardest computational work you can perfrom; it is not easy, so it takes a lot of work. (Most people believe that the more of oneself put into a passtime, the more one will gain from it.)

 

(and if you are artisitcally gifted, then you will be a rare talent indeed)

 

Theres a big difference between Graphic Design terminology wise and what is done in games. Sure the words "graphic design" seem like they could apply to any art. But in the business world of art... its a different job designation that implies the design of layout. Box design, magazine design, flyer design... its a layout job. There is also a lot of logo and type design inherent to it. Its a lot of rules and visual logistics which is where the "hardest computational" work probably comes in.

 

Art for video games is more of an Illustration/Concept Art/3d Animation side of things. This ranges along drawing the original concepts for the game, the art for the box, any drawings for loading screens or in other parts of the game for that matter, the creation of orthagonal model layouts (hard!), and creating the models in a 3d program, and even animating said models. This can all be pretty split up for big companies... or for a small company it could be one guy's job.

 

I think most people who say they want to go into game art are thinking along the lines of the latter. I'm sure there ARE graphic designers who take part somewhere along the line... but I would say they are probably more on the marketing side of things rather than game creation. I would also guess for smaller companies... the illustrator would pick up the design side of things as design sense is still necessary for good art.

 

Oh.

And I would have to disagree with you on that last statement. Whats rare is people who make the realization that drawing is a skill like any other. One that can be trained. People who seem bad can be good with practice. Sure I think some people can be born with a higher tendency to truly look at how things are visually... but if that person didn't do anything about it then it just doesn't matter anyway.

 

Sort of like anyone can be born with a slight disposition towards being good at math which might make them a good accountant. But unless they practice... nothing will come of it. The reason there is a perceived difference is that math is generally a cut and dry thing to teach so it IS taught at a young age. Drawing could be taught at a young age... but apparently art class has to completely encompass the entire history of art. Trying to foist concepts of "fine art" of on kids at a young age is a good way to make most of them not try at all.

[metadigital]

I was referring to 3D modelling as the hardest computational stuff. If I confused anyone into thinking that I referred to graphic designers, e.g. such that re-decorate rooms, then I apologise. I did think I made that pretty clear, though.

 

I don't know about you, but I was taught art at kindergarten all the way up until I chose not to further it in favour of the sciences, when I was a teenager. And I was not forced to learn swathes of Art History, just fingerpaint, paint with oils, watercolours, etc or create clay models or whatever.

 

The reason mathematics is taught is that numeracy is a more essential skill in our society. It is a great pity that it has such bad press and poor practitioners that teach it. I guess most of the interesting mathematicians are making millions in the stock market and are not interested in teaching their skills to ungrateful little snots in grade school. <_<

 

I was suggesting that a (right-brain dominant) artistic outlook is something that is not common in the (left-brain dominant) IT field, and if you have both artistic and mathematical flair to do both well, then you will go far.

[Toasty]

I was referring to 3D modelling as the hardest computational stuff. If I confused anyone into thinking that I referred to graphic designers, e.g. such that re-decorate rooms, then I apologise. I did think I made that pretty clear, though.

 

I don't know about you, but I was taught art at kindergarten all the way up until I chose not to further it in favour of the sciences, when I was a teenager. And I was not forced to learn swathes of Art History, just fingerpaint, paint with oils, watercolours, etc or create clay models or whatever.

 

Graphic designers != room decorators.

 

Also: 3D modelling is hardly the hardest computational stuff. You hardly need to know any math at all actually. It does the hard stuff for you. The reason people think such mathematical prowess is needed is that back in the early days people had to program their own functions for the 3d.

 

Nowadays programmers make those functions and actual 3d art is made by artists.

 

Of course I was taught "art" from kindergarden. But its hardly the art education I was talking about. I was talking about a more traditonal... as in old masters traditional, actually training to draw skillfully. To represent the real world to its fullest.

 

Bombarding children with multiple mediums, choice, general fine arts concepts, and an easy way out doesn't foster skill per se.

 

Don't believe the myth that people who can't draw can never draw. Don't believe the myth that its something your born with. Its PRACTICE like anything else.

 

-toasty

[metadigital]

My information might be a little out of date, I did graduate from university over ten years ago.

 

PS I don't care how much practice we get, most of us will never be Caravaggio or Picasso. :cool: