So umm I really need some career advice
So let me start off by telling im almost 15
please dont report me but anyways its sort of been my dream to work as a videogame designer
id hate to put the nerd glasses on but i honestly love videogames
I enjoyed fable and other rpgs as a kid and then id discover the elder scrolls series last year
i know im not the first to fall in love with an elder scrolls game but i knew that these were the games i would love to make
so basically i want to know how can i get into modding and game developing
i know you should first off get a good pc, skyrim, and the creation kit
thing is i cant afford a pc and my parents honestly dont care
like im like the only kid who doesnt have a phone or nice things in my school, which is probably one of the ghetto est schools in the country
ive tried learning programming but i lose motivation when i think that ill never even get a chance to try a mod
i am a fairly good cartoon artist but again i cant afford programs like photoshop to work on textures and what not
so basically im looking for advice from anyone who has any

ps sorry if im in the wrong thread or something

You could try taking some computer science or graphic design classes if your school offers any. If you're 15 you've got a lot of time to save up money to buy supplies you need or learn a skill. What part of game design are you interested in exactly?

Hey there. We get a lot of threads like this round these parts, so you aren't alone in wanting to become a videogame designer.

Just going to pick up on something you mentioned:


My advice is stick at it. Don't lose motivation, because learning all you can right now is probably the best thing you can do, then in the future perhaps you'll be able to get a better computer of your own, and be able to put all you've been learning into practice.

You don't mention what stage of education you're currently at. Do you take any IT classes or anything similar? Following the education route for now would probably be your best bet if your heart is set on becoming a game designer, and like I said before any learning or research you do in your own time will help you as well.

Keep playing games, and keep up to date with developments in the industry!

Stay in school, eat your vegetables, and respect your elders...

Look, you wanna make games, fantastic, there is probably no better time to get into the field. Its gonna take hard work and long hours, sacrifice and stress, most of all its gonna take dedication. You cant afford the tools you need? Get a job. Mow lawns, clean houses, deliver pizzas, etc. You get depressed when you think you cant ever do something? Get that [censored] outta your head! That kind of thinking will only hinder your progress.

You want advice, grab a piece of paper and write "Game Developer - 25" and put a picture of Skyrim on it (it seems to be your favorite game). Now, stick it to the wall in your room at ceiling level. Grab another piece of paper and write "High School - 15", put that 5 feet below the other picture. Now you have a visual of the next 10 years of your life. Every 6in. write on a piece of paper your goal for the year.

Year 1 should be something along the lines of "Get a job, save money, buy equipment"
Year 2 should be something like "create a mod I'm proud of"
Year 3 - Build programming skill set and start applying for colleges
Etc
Etc

Stick to your goals, work your ass off, and reap the benefits. Just remember


Believe you can and you're halfway there. - Theodore Roosevelt

I can't speak for general game design/computer art education, but most computer programming classes svck, honestly.

I mean, they really svck. You wouldn't learn anything from them.

That said, if you don't have the determination to teach yourself a programming language on your own, you will not be able to get into programming... at least, not at this stage in your life.

im a freshman and i plan on learning on python and java but i want to be good at all trades in level design
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To be honest I think Chef Kronus hit the nail on the head. You need to set some goals for yourself and work hard if you're really passionate about this.

Edit: Guess I should have started by writing that your opening post really did not tell me much about how much you've learned. From what I can gather it almost sounds like you haven't even gotten started and that is what the following post will assume.

I went into a computers course in my college albeit more out of a lack of direction than out of passion for programming but what my school seems to have a hard on for is C# so I wouldn't really be able to refer you to basic course material in anything else.

However there is some free stuff out there. Like visual C# 2010 express http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/eng/downloads#d-2010-express Just click on the blue bar that says "Visual C# 2010 Express" and there will be a tiny "Install now" link there. You could get the 2012 version I guess but the upcoming exercise I'm going to link assumes you have the 2010 version. Not sure which minor differences might be between the two.

http://www.homeandlearn.co.uk/csharp/csharp_s1p1.html is something I found after a quick google search. I just skimmed over it and did not read through it line by line but from checking the first chapter of this it at least should manage to get you acquainted with the kind of working environment you might be working in (on a very basic level) and teaches you some very basic stuff. It's not much but it's something to start on I'd wager and of course you could go on and learn further by searching for more material to learn from on your own accord.

Good luck.

Want to be a game designer?

The first thing to remember: Being a game DESIGNER and a game PLAYER are two completely separate things. It sounds glamorous when you're 15, but being in the game industry does NOT mean you'll get to spend all day playing your favorite video games. It's long hours and hard work, and actually playing games will take a very large backseat.

Classes are for some people, not others. A lot of it comes down to the teachers too. If the teacher doesn't teach you how to problem solve, think logically, and find solutions on your own, then the class is going to svck.

Actually, taking a logic class or two before setting out to learn how to program would probably be quite helpful.

The advantage of a classroom learning scenario is that you have peers right next to you and there are consequences for not solving problems, doing the work, and reaching your goals. Some people may have the desire, but not the motivation when it doesn't have consequences. Those type of people learn better in a class than on their own.

To be honest, Python is a fairly useless language for games. None of the professionals use it.

Java is usable for games, but as a starting point for (serious) programming it really is horrendous and encourages a lot of bad practice.

If you're really serious about learning computer programming for games, I actually suggest you start with Pascal or C. They are not difficult - in fact, they are less complex than Python or Java.

This is a good piece of advice.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what most CS classes lack, whether you're in Highschool or college. There are some colleges that take programming seriously and they structure their classes accordingly, but most colleges teach it in a half-hearted manner that's designed to get people where they need to go in their academic career without actually teaching them anything practical.

Anyone is more motivated to "learn" something when they have a professor breathing down their neck, but that doesn't mean they're engaging in effective learning. The best kind of learning always takes place through self-motivated exploration and experimentation, a kind of mentality that modern academia heavily discourages in favor of trivia memorization and other useless practices.

If someone requires forced motivation to learn something, it's doubtful they could ever become very good at it.

Look for a local Video Game Developer in your area.

If you have one throw yourself at their feet as an intern.

My brother did this at a local radio station.

I used to scoff at him throwing all his time at the station volounteering, pulling wierd hours etc...

He's now the National Marketing Director.

Az