So I’m coming here today to ask you guys and gals for some opinions.
I am going to be starting school soon, and I have a choice to make. I am choosing Computer Science for sure obviously, but there are 2 programs in particular that I am stumped on and would like opinions/past experiences from you. The 2 choices I’m looking at right now are Game Development, and Programming.
I have looked over both course description and breakdowns, and here’s my conclusions thus far.
Programming includes C# (1&2), JavaScript(1&2),HTML(1&2),VB(1&2),
While Game Development includes C++,HTML and JavaScript (Only one tier each)
Now what captures my attention to lean more towards Programming is not only C# (My main language), but also VB, Web based development, and networking concepts.
Both have a marketing portion so thats cool too. Programmer also includes more core algebra than Game Developer.
So what do you guys think? Am I right to choose Programmer/Software Dev over Game Developer? I’d really love (And is my dream job) to develop games. However I feel like Programming will give me a bigger range of career opportunities. I feel as if taking the Programming course will still allow me to learn more about unity. The only thing its missing is things such as 3D Concepts, and all that general gaming stuff. But I feel like I got that on lock down. Discuss! If you went to school for Comp Science, what did you go for specifically?
I think your instinct to choose the courses that will give you broader career opportunities is spot on. First learn skills that are pretty much guaranteed to allow you to support yourself.
Stick with the programming side of things. If you are a good programmer, and have good problem solving skills it is easy enough to brush up on skills needed for games.
If got any math included with that you should really, learn as much as you can about linear algebra, calculus, vectors and matrices.
All of which you are able to learn on your own. That said if you’re able to take additional classes outside of the course you might want to check the requirements for them and if it isn’t that involved just take them with the programming course.
Yes, most college degrees have several elective credits. Odds are you could take some of the game related classes to fulfill your elective requirements.
Don’t get hung up on programming languages, and certainly not on specific platforms. They change all the time. And once you’re out in the workplace, if you switch jobs you’ll probably have to learn a completely different engine or even write your own. Try to identify, in a more general sense, what each program prepares its students for. The program that best covers algorithms, data structures, analysis, and software engineering practices will serve you better in the long term.
Also research the faculty. If the program has a professor who’s at the cutting edge of some field, such as 3D rendering, you can access opportunities that you wouldn’t normally if you were just learning on your own.
Not too far down the road, automation will probably eliminate most grunt-level programming jobs in the same way it’s eliminated 90%+ of manufacturing jobs in the past few decades and is in the process of doing the same for customer service jobs. To stay employed, you’ll need a skill set that’s heavy on the kinds of things that are harder to automate, not just things like implementing data entry forms that any entry level programming job entails.
Frankly, given my own experience- there’s some stuff these course can teach you, but at the end of the day they’re also going to prevent you from actually making the games in the first place. Anything they teach you can teach yourself on the internet. Personally, I think it’s much more sensible to actually make games- build a portfoilio, than it is to waste a few years not making games learning stuff that you could have researched at home.