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GrimsauceGrimsauce Join Date: 2008-11-19 Member: 65497Members
in NS2 E-Team
<div class="IPBDescription">help me get started? (mapping, design, etc..)</div>Hey, if you care to read this, my name is Kyle and I played a lot of NS back in the day. I am a junior right now in High School and I have been growing anxious and interested in Natural Selection 2's release. Not only has my interest in the game itself grown, but i've began to have a real interest in game design.

It seems that almost every kid who plays a video game thinks it would be cool to work with them for a living but I feel like not many of them actually 'go for it'. Really, just a digital media class (3d design, photoshop, video stuff) has peaked my interest in it.

I tried learning hammer and felt like I really had it for a little while, but when I encountered a problem and couldn't find an answer on the valve hammer wiki, I didn't have the will to go asking for specific help... but that is kinda beside the point.

Really I just want to be a part of this, I want experience, and I want to figure out before the end of my Senior year if this is really something I am going to enjoy and be good at. I sent Jon an email and he gave me some awesome advice and tips, but I figured that the more people that I talk to the better. Because saying that you'd like to go into video game design as your career doesn't go lightly with my parents - they want to know job availability, colleges, etc. in something that seems so unorthodox (for lack of a better word).

I'd love to be involved in helping with anything that I can be used for, especially something that will give me some experience. Any type of small task or testing I could do- not just for NS2. I do not and am not trying to be a part of the NS2 team, but I'd assume that probably most of you do this for fun and not to get paid. I'd like to start working, training, w/e to A. figure out if I have what it takes and B. get some experience in video game design/testing.

To a certain degree I don't know what I particularly want, i will definitely try to do my part and spread the word when NS2 is nearer to the finish.

thanks if you read all of this and I appreciate any information you have that will smack me in the face or just help me out

-Kyle
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Comments

  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    This is the wrong forum for this but whatever:

    There are a million things to do in the world of videogames that break down into 4 categories: coding, art, everything else, and not actually working ont he game but working for a game company. I'll assume that #4 (producer, advertising, whatever) doesn't interest you. #3 would be something like sound design or music, and that stuff I don't really know about.

    That leaves coding and art. Coding for a videogame is not much more fun than coding for anything else so there's really no point in that, considering the money's worse.

    That leaves art! Since your digital media class piqued (not peaked!) your interest, that might be an option, but to be a videogame artist you need to be a real artist too 99% of the time, which means being good at stuff like drawing. So get good at that, then learn something like Maya, 3dsmax, or modo, and work on some mods to see if you like doing it. If you really like it, and you're good at it, that's your ticket into the high-speed world of game development, where many jobs suck!

    But the mods are the key. Art is all about your portfolio and the way to get experience is just to get out there and do that. People will look at what you did, not at your degree, so the sooner you get doing the sooner you find out if it's something you enjoy.
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  • locallyunscenelocallyunscene Feeder of Trolls Join Date: 2002-12-25 Member: 11528Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1698769:date=Jan 28 2009, 02:04 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Jan 28 2009, 02:04 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1698769"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This is the wrong forum for this but whatever:<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I was going to say that too, but he's asking specifically to help with NS2. I think he actually posted in the right place. As for the rest of your post

    +1
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  • marksmarks Join Date: 2008-07-28 Member: 64720Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1698769:date=Jan 28 2009, 07:04 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Jan 28 2009, 07:04 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1698769"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>But the mods are the key</b>. Art is all about your portfolio and the way to get experience is just to get out there and do that. People will look at what you did, not at your degree, so the sooner you get doing the sooner you find out if it's something you enjoy.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Amen to that, I got average grades at school (didn't take art) dropped out of college twice, and still got into university because of a) my portfolio and b) the reference I got from the art lead of Zombie Panic (hl2 mod). It counts more than you think.
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  • steppin'razorsteppin'razor Join Date: 2008-09-18 Member: 65033Members, Constellation
    Yeah I'm in my first semester of games design, my advice is try out different things and see what you enjoy and are good at. and

    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->But the mods are the key.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    QTF
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  • PrefixPrefix Éirinn go Brách Join Date: 2006-12-31 Member: 59353Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1701731:date=Mar 2 2009, 05:52 AM:name=steppin'razor)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(steppin'razor @ Mar 2 2009, 05:52 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1701731"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Yeah I'm in my first semester of games design, my advice is try out different things and see what you enjoy and are good at. and
    QTF<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    No offence, but those Game Degree courses have a terrible reputation for being more or less useless. Traditional degrees are said to be better for getting into the games industry than those game specific ones.

    <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/careers-a-tough-choice" target="_blank">http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/careers-a-tough-choice</a>
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  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    Yeah, you'll notice I said mods are the key, not a degree from a university. A piece of paper saying "this guy can do stuff" means almost nothing compared to a mod that proves you can do it.
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  • ItalianmagicItalianmagic Join Date: 2008-12-13 Member: 65755Members
    Exactly what my Degree Advisor said to us (I'm a Dig Media Major) "You could have a bachelor's in English and if you have an awesome portfolio, you're in... The majority companies look to see if you have a degree (not what type) and if you can do the work (through your portfolio)"

    Yes I know, encouraging.

    It's very important to find out early what interests you and experience them a bit to find out what you enjoy.

    I went from wanting to doing straight coding to straight 3d modeling. But I settled on the midline, a mix between coding and graphics.

    If you reside in Florida, I can point out some university's/Specialized Schools that carry Game Design and related that might interest you. Just let me know.


    Glad to see you've taken an interest.
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  • steppin'razorsteppin'razor Join Date: 2008-09-18 Member: 65033Members, Constellation
    edited March 2009
    <!--quoteo(post=1701750:date=Mar 2 2009, 11:14 PM:name=Prefix)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Prefix @ Mar 2 2009, 11:14 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1701750"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->No offence, but those Game Degree courses have a terrible reputation for being more or less useless. Traditional degrees are said to be better for getting into the games industry than those game specific ones.

    <a href="http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/careers-a-tough-choice" target="_blank">http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/careers-a-tough-choice</a><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    It will help me network, gain work experience with local game studios and learn industry skills. It is the highest rated university for technology in my state (a long with their Games degree being rated). It is basically an IT degree majoring in games design.

    To be honest most places look for portfolio and experience within the industry and what I am doing is a good way to start down that path.

    Studying a traditional degree at university (I have studied business) does not help. I don't see how it could other then displaying commitment, skills gained from a curriculum aimed towards a different industry/profession and grades high enough to enter the course originally.

    edit: Read the article, he was saying be wary of the ###### degrees out there, which I have done.
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  • 1mannARMEE1mannARMEE Join Date: 2008-09-23 Member: 65064Members
    I wonder if he ever returned to this site to read your replies :S
    Its the same with the guy who found his wife through NS (also a post in here) and wants to help big time ... I hope he is still out there <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
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  • thomasjthomasj Join Date: 2008-12-21 Member: 65823Members
    edited June 2009
    Join mods, find which stream you want to enter: programming, art or design. Everyone pretty much covered everything, some game degrees are worth while. Alot are rubbish but they are easy to spot out.

    For level design/mapping try unrealed3, hammer or even Neverwinter Nights 2 (good for learning basic stuff). I would recommend unrealed.

    For art learn photoshop (texturing for meshes/models), Maya (popular 3d model package), 3dsMax(another popular 3d model package). Also more advanced stuff would be Mudbox/Zbrush.

    For programming try start out with VB then move onto other languages like c, java, c++.
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