i hope Epic responds and helps us out

[guildwarsize]

I'm writing this to help me and everyone who wants to get into the game industry and wishes to know or hear stories on how the guys at epic got their jobs and how they would recommend starting preparing for the industry and what they should do and don’t do.

Please Epic; enlighten us with your stories. (People please ask questions here too... i hope Epic responds and helps us out)

Here are some of my questions i would like to ask,
I love games; I want to be a game designer. I enjoy writing long stories, drawing free hand (mostly faces and bodies) and even photoshoping images and I’m slowly learning how to 3D model (Maya is a bit more friendlier to me... 3D max feels a bit complicated hehe).

But I want to know. How important is Video game schools? Like If there was a program I would take it would be "Game Art & Design" BUT that seems to cost the most money ($21 000 CDN for a one year diploma at Vanarts in Vancouver >.< quite a bit of money). So I want to know... what happens if I train myself with tutorials, books and DVDs (i got a big book for Maya and a couple DVD's) and i recieve the same amount of information and skills as someone would get from school (maybe even more ^_^)? How much will my chances of getting a good video game design job be compared to taking a $20 000 course? Cuz I really want to work for a video game company and the two closest that look fun are Bioware and Silicon Knights (Calgary and St Cathreens, Ontario)... of course I would love to to work for Epic... but I'm sorry, I have no plan in moving to the states yet... hehe.

Also could you recommend any good schools? Like with a decent residence plan in both USA and Canada (I’m just a graduate high school kid here! Hehe)?

Any other questions from others please post them here.
__________________
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely,
http://www.guildwarsize.com

[Noct]

Welcome aboard,

While not totally impossible, I doubt you're going to get a response from Epic here. AFAIK, they don't even make 2d games, so Flash is not going to be thier medium of choice. Why not try posting in the forums on thier site?

Beyond that, there are some things you should realize about all of this. If you don't want to read the novel I'm about to post, by all means skip it, but this is a subject I feel pretty strongly about, as I have been through it.

I have talked to dozens of people in the game industry over the years trying to figure out the correct path to get in, and they have all been pretty unanimous in telling me that game design schools, (and tech schools in general) will NOT get you any closer to getting your foot in the door. Those game design commercials running all over g4 are nothing more then an attempt to squeeze money out of uninformed students/parents.


I love games; I want to be a game designer. I enjoy writing long stories, drawing free hand (mostly faces and bodies) and even photoshoping images and I’m slowly learning how to 3D model (Maya is a bit more friendlier to me... 3D max feels a bit complicated hehe).
Ok, first...
There is no such thing as a "game designer" in my experience. At least, I have never seen such a job listed anywhere... That would be the notion that someone sits around an office all day dreaming up new game ideas to develop. It is just not a real job. It is a tiny part of a larger job belonging to the head of the company, creative director, project manager, whatever...

It is good that you seem to be very interested in the artistic end of it, because that is the most important aspect. As for max/maya, a lot of companies use proprietary software anyways, so it doesn't really matter what environment you are most comfortable in, you will probably only end up using the core skills you learned that transfer to all 3d programs.

Also, as far as the tech/game schools go...take it from someone who has already made the mistake...STAY AWAY from them.
If you want to go to college (and if you want to work in games, it will definately help), you have to decide what you want to do with yourself when you finish.

If you want to work in programming, or some other technical aspect of the field, take basic fundamentals that transfer to that area. Math skills (algrebra,trig,etc..), programming (or CS in general), etc...

If you want to work on the artistic side of it, take ART classes, NOT tech classes. I cannot stress this enough, as I have heard it from SO many interviewers.

If you want to be a 3d modeler, take as much life drawing and sculpting as you can possibly get. If you want to be a texturer, take painting and drawing, color theory, design fundamentals, etc..
If you want to be in lighting, take some photography/film classes.

Nobody does it all anymore, people try to find the one end of it that they excel in, and pursue that. There are countless people who can do a little of everything, but only a few who are truly exceptional at one thing.

Now, you don't absolutely have to go to college to get in the industry, I have read stories here and there of guys breaking in on talent alone. BUT, those are the guys that devoted thier entire life to the pursuit of that goal. They 3d model in every spare second they can, they rebuild thier portfolio/reel constantly, and delete everything that isn't absolutely spectacular.

The truth behind it is, your reel is what gets you in the door at a game/animation company. If you are a spectacular artist, they will be able to tell. If you have the basic art fundamental behind you before you get started, you will have that much easier of a time producing a great demo reel.

BTW, my knowledge of this comes from 6-8 years of practicing 3d every spare minute I had, applying at every game company I could find, and sending resumes out to everyone in the state. I finally moved on when I got a full on critique of my reel/portfolio by a large game company. They said (in not so kind words), pursue Flash/2d, your strengths are not in this.
It sucked to hear it, but they were right. I gave up on 3d, focused more on my programming skills, and I had a great Flash job in a matter of a year after that critique.