Dreams and Games

[Thrall of Draugadr]

I love games. I love everything about them, and I want to make them. I have a close friend who has been a obsidian forum regular since the black isle days, and he's told me a lot of great things about your company. I'd played Icewind Dale 1 & 2 in the past, but he introduced me to the fallout series and others. Having a tremendous amount of respect for what you guys do, a Desire to make games, and a love of the games you have made, my goal is to work for you Obsidian. I read the thread about how to apply, but this isn't about that. I didn't make this thread to ask for a job, but more to ask how to prepare myself to become someone that you would be willing to hire. below is my history relating to games and development.

 

 

My love for the medium started when I was a kid. It actually started with reading. I read the entire fantasy and sci fi sections out of several libraries, and kept going on. then I got introduced to games, and I embraced that form of media just as readily. I've always had a lot of passion for storyline, plot, and storytelling, and I decided a few years back that I wanted to make games professionally. I've been involved with a few vapor-ware mods, but nothing that ever went anywhere. I enlisted into the US Army in may 2009, and have a few years left on the contract. Educationally, I've been working for the past several years on a CS degree. I'm close, but I hit a slump with calculus, and long story short, I can't finish the degree at my current school, as far as I know, and I've been considering switching over to an English and Medieval History degree.

 

 

This leaves me with the question itself. What should I study? I could continue trying for CS, or whatever really. I ask because I'm starting up again soon, and would like to know, so I can shot for a specific Major. If you could help me with this, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

PS: I know the chance is rather slim, but how likely would a learn by internship option be? It might be a little presumptuous, but I thought I'd ask.

Edited December 28, 2011 by Thrall of Draugadr

[Walsingham]

Good chops for asking, mate. But as I understand it games are rather like the film industry. You'd do well to sign up with some smaller studios and get experience that way, then apply for a bigger budget post.

 

Could be way off. I don't work in games myself.

[Thrall of Draugadr]

Hey walsingham :D long time no see! those sausages worked wonders by the way. though, to reiterate, my main question was what major to pursue.

Edited December 28, 2011 by Thrall of Draugadr

[Walsingham]

Sorry. Brain faulty.

 

I guess there are technical skills you can gett in coding. but what about design? Wouldn't that be more fun? Maybe psychology of learning... something to do with GUIs, or puzzles?

[Tale]

In my limited experience, design comes from, well, experience. There's a few courses out there that will teach game design, as well. But you might need to be careful with those. One guy I know took ITT Tech's game design coursework and, while he got work in game development and even design, he regrets not getting one from a better school. I'm not sure what's offered in the OP's area that might be good. We have SMU and its Guildhall program near here. And I know that several companies look for students out of Digipen.

 

Coding is a good place to get your degree in. Just be sure to try to get experience in as well. Working on hobbyist projects, mods, indie titles. And even DM'ing P&P games.

[Thrall of Draugadr]

In my limited experience, design comes from, well, experience. There's a few courses out there that will teach game design, as well. But you might need to be careful with those. One guy I know took ITT Tech's game design coursework and, while he got work in game development and even design, he regrets not getting one from a better school. I'm not sure what's offered in the OP's area that might be good. We have SMU and its Guildhall program near here. And I know that several companies look for students out of Digipen.

 

Coding is a good place to get your degree in. Just be sure to try to get experience in as well. Working on hobbyist projects, mods, indie titles. And even DM'ing P&P games.

 

 

done a fair bit of the later. actually, if you follow the link to my website, it's for a pen and paper I helped a friend of mine make. we're still working on getting it off the ground though :/ I have JMU and Virginia tech near me that have somewhat respectable CS programs. and yeah, I've heard bad things about ITT tech, so I never even considered it. Might consider moving out that way to attend.. I don't have anything really holding me here except for the military, but I could work around that. I haven't heard much about SMU. Is that generally looked on as a good school for the industry?

 

also, to clarify my interests, I think I would want to do script/dialogue writing, level design, character design, or maybe scripting, though I only know java and a little C++ at this point.