Games Development Degrees Not up to snuff, Claims Industry

[Lethn]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/06/24/games_up_memo/

The UK videogames industry is suffering because UK university courses aren’t equipping students with the right skills needed for the job, a gaming industry campaign group has warned. But it’s also partly the Wii’s fault, apparently.

A campaign group called Games Up? – which is backed by several UK gaming firms - claims that only four of the UK’s 81 videogames degree courses are actually accredited by the Skillset, the government monitoring body responsible for ensuring that students have the core skills required by the industry, such as programming and computer science.

The group want centres of excellence for videogame design created, in an effort to help improve standards of education, training and qualifications. If action's not taken, then leading game firms could continue to desert the UK’s talent pool in search of more talented games designers from abroad - as Games Up? already claims they are doing.

David Braben, a spokesman for Games Up?, told The Guardian that the games development sector is “facing a serious decline in the quality of graduates”, which is compounded by the problem that “95 per cent of video gaming degrees are simply not fit for purpose”.

However, the body’s also stated that the Wii has made videogames more popular than ever, leading to the desire for more videogames outstripping the rate at which they can be produced.

For example, Games Up? said that the Wii has expanded the traditional child and teenager demographic for videogames out to gamers aged into their 60s. But we guess they could still like a late-night Grand Theft Auto IV session as much as the next person.

Well it's about time someone fucking noticed, I feel sooo much better now studying that 2 year course and only getting 2 - 3 A Levels out of it and nothing else.

[BeSt]

You're in Britain? Haha, no wonder...

[Toilet]

You're in Britain? Haha, no wonder...

You're in the US? Haha, no wonder...


That you are dumb.

[-Havoc-]

You're in the US? Haha, no wonder...


That you are dumb.

0:12 = you. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8YVVHjZzRE)

[Morthor]

I never knew this and I'm starting my computer science degree in october (after the first year I have the option to branch out into a more specific subject such as gaming), kinda scary really. I wasn't planning to carry on to do gaming anyway but maybe they'll develop a new course by then.

[Lethn]

I hope you folks now realize why I'm so bitter and angry against the education system and government and well... Stuff in general actually. I was forced to sit through a shitty course for two years that didn't teach anything at all and just made you write about games design theory ( which they constantly touted was useful no matter how much I argued ) and at the end of it all I'm right back where I started, re-making my portfolio so it's ten times better than before and learning everything from scratch again.

Unless I work my ass off until around christmas ( which I'm planning to do ) the government and my parents will have pretty much been responsible for ruining my future, thankfully my parents aren't arrogant enough to believe that they were right on this one and are decently letting me stay long enough to get a portfolio together again.

*rant rant rant rant rant*

I also advise anyone that's even THINKING about taking one of these courses to quickly look at a traditional drawing artwork course or programming which will actually help you get into the Games Industry easier than any Games Degree will.

[Toilet]

0:12 = you. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8YVVHjZzRE)

I cant believe you actually searched for toilet or toilets on Youtube...

[BeSt]

You're in the US? Haha, no wonder...


That you are dumb.

Nice guess but no. Your style is pretty noticeable by the way but I guess the other DF OT people don't notice.

[Henu989]

They seriously have 'Games Development Degree' in the UK ?
So what do you exactly study there?
Is is like a general overview of everything required for a game or what?

[Morthor]

They seriously have 'Games Development Degree' in the UK ?
So what do you exactly study there?
Is is like a general overview of everything required for a game or what?

Well for me, and I think its similar everywhere, the first year is pure computer science (programming mostly) then you have the option of doing either 'computer science with games technology', or some other options like regular computer science, multimedia, things like that.

As far as I knew, its programming in C++ with some aspects of graphics done in more detail than the other courses and physics and stuff like that... although it can vary greatly from university to university.

[Lethn]

It was pretty much either 'theory', completely un-related research or writing about the modelling process or animation rather than actually just sitting down an doing it *is currently trying to not spew profanity at his hated enemy* the only practical work we did do was hardly taught by the actual teachers to be fair they knew the basics but any advanced stuff and they just told us to go and look at tutorials or we'd learn it ourselves.

It honestly was pathetic, that's why I say to anyone even considering getting one of these courses don't, nearly all of it's just going to drift out of your head because it's pretty much just garbage. Morthor your pretty damn lucky we didn't even get taught programming in our course it was pretty much just written work and the real work we should have actually been practicing ( I.E Maya ) only went on about a month or something, the only reason I'm even decent at it now was because I practiced it at home and ignored my teachers when they bitched at me and if they threatened me I just walked out of the lessons lol I went seriously rebellious on the second year and I still got my passes even with that.

[-Havoc-]

I cant believe you actually searched for toilet or toilets on Youtube...

Nope, just Anchorman.

[Morthor]

It was pretty much either 'theory', completely un-related research or writing about the modelling process or animation rather than actually just sitting down an doing it *is currently trying to not spew profanity at his hated enemy* the only practical work we did do was hardly taught by the actual teachers to be fair they knew the basics but any advanced stuff and they just told us to go and look at tutorials or we'd learn it ourselves.

It honestly was pathetic, that's why I say to anyone even considering getting one of these courses don't, nearly all of it's just going to drift out of your head because it's pretty much just garbage. Morthor your pretty damn lucky we didn't even get taught programming in our course it was pretty much just written work.

But which university is this at? I mean, the courses I looked at seemed quite reasonable compared to what you're describing.

[Lethn]

it was Bradford Community College, pretty shit place generally to be honest, universities MIGHT be a bit better but I dunno heard a lot of bad things about degrees and stuff on the internet generally and also from past experiences.

p.s. You know when the economy of a city's going down the shithole when there's barely any stock in the city centre's shops.

And yey! I haz photoshop back! *huggles*

[Wufiavelli]

Can you even get a job in the gaming industry with an associates degree? One reason it might suck is becauses it a community college.

[Lindorn]

The problem with this is that not everyone's thought processes are the same. I honestly don't think that the average computer programmer has the full creative ability to work on the conceptual and artistic side of game design. On the other hand I think that someone who might make a really good producer, or creative director of some kind wouldn't necessarily be the kind of person to be talented with programming.

Now these are generalizations, and there are people out there who can do both. Honestly though I'd consider those people prodigies. I feel like on many levels I understand the design of virtual worlds a lot more than most, but there is no way in hell I could be a programmer.

[Brannoc]

A lot of community colleges seem to be starting up gaming degree programs of one sort or another these days; sadly like was mentioned above they are frequently just associates degrees which are known far and wide to be useless with the exception of a very few industries.

I don't know of any accredited four year school in the US that offers a "gaming" degree, and if they did I'd still suspect it to be worthless at this point.

You're much better off getting an actual degree in something you enjoy that relates to gaming; marketing, journalism, business management, computer science, computer engineering, artificial intelligence, art, etc.

[Pumpkin]

David Braben, a spokesman for Games Up?, told The Guardian that the games development sector is “facing a serious decline in the quality of graduates”, which is compounded by the problem that “95 per cent of video gaming degrees are simply not fit for purpose”.

This guy must be rather dumb. How can you face a serious decline in quality of graduates if those useless courses have only been around for a few years?

Retard should have taken some basic statistic classes.

[Everto]

I'd think you'd do better maybe if you took that Community College class for two years, and then transfer to a University.

Universities always accept people like that, almost 100% of the time.

[Simmy]

There's a few community colleges here in Michigan that claim to specialize in game design, but from what I've seen they are complete shit.

[Henu989]

there is no way in hell I could be a programmer.

..programming is the most simple thing on the planet.
I mean, I managed to taught myself the basics of C++ when I was 14.. o.O

But yeah, Lethn makes the gaming degree sound like garbage, which it probly is.
No point in getting a broad overview and then not being good at anything.

Good thing I don't live in the UK or I might have fallen for a 'gaming degree'.:D

[Morthor]

A lot of community colleges seem to be starting up gaming degree programs of one sort or another these days; sadly like was mentioned above they are frequently just associates degrees which are known far and wide to be useless with the exception of a very few industries.

I don't know of any accredited four year school in the US that offers a "gaming" degree, and if they did I'd still suspect it to be worthless at this point.

You're much better off getting an actual degree in something you enjoy that relates to gaming; marketing, journalism, business management, computer science, computer engineering, artificial intelligence, art, etc.

Sound advice but unfortunately not many people have the option or ability to simply do a degree as and when they feel like it..

If you were interested only in games design, rather than the more technical side of things, your course seems ok from what I can tell but I can't imagine that there are many opportunities for someone who is dead-set on that career.

[Brannoc]

Sound advice but unfortunately not many people have the option or ability to simply do a degree as and when they feel like it..

If you were interested only in games design, rather than the more technical side of things, your course seems ok from what I can tell but I can't imagine that there are many opportunities for someone who is dead-set on that career.

If you live in the US or most parts of western Europe it's really not difficult to get a variety of grants - some that aren't even required to pay back - for a four year degree these days. Alternately you can do the ol' community college for two years thing then transfer with good grades and get hefty discounts. It just takes a bit of effort.

[Lindorn]

If you live in the US or most parts of western Europe it's really not difficult to get a variety of grants - some that aren't even required to pay back - for a four year degree these days. Alternately you can do the ol' community college for two years thing then transfer with good grades and get hefty discounts. It just takes a bit of effort.

It's true really. It's amazing how much free money there is for students in the U.S that people are either ignorant of, or too lazy to get for themselves.

[Brannoc]

Yeah you can't get in a fancy pants private school that way, but state schools aren't that bad. Usually.

[Morthor]

Yeah you can't get in a fancy pants private school that way, but state schools aren't that bad. Usually.

Over here we have to pay the full fees for the tuition but we can get maintenance grants - I get enough to cover most of my rent but the rest I have to sort myself.. it depends on your circumstances. Although I hear you can get a fair bit from various bursaries.

According to my parents you never had to pay a dime, the government payed it all... insane.

[Brannoc]

There are a variety of ways that aren't too difficult to get full rides at state schools in the US, if you do well at a state school it's also not that difficult to move onto a private school for a higher degree once you've gotten a bit of capital together.

[Everto]

There are a variety of ways that aren't too difficult to get full rides at state schools in the US, if you do well at a state school it's also not that difficult to move onto a private school for a higher degree once you've gotten a bit of capital together.

Brannoc, your knowledge of school interests me,

...I assume you're out of college,
what the fuck did you major in?

[-Havoc-]

It's true really. It's amazing how much free money there is for students in the U.S that people are either ignorant of, or too lazy to get for themselves.

Very true. This year I'm getting $5,300 from the FAFSA financial aid program. I thought I'd be lucky to get $2,000, but $5,300? I'm going to Applebees!!!

[Honorius]

Since I am going through the college picking out thingy myself right now, I'd like to say that some private schools are cheaper than Public, they give you scholarships for all sorts of things to get you to come to the school, I found 3private schools that would be cheaper than Virginia Tech and UVA. All small campuses, and all seem very good.

[Brannoc]

Brannoc, your knowledge of school interests me,

...I assume you're out of college,
what the fuck did you major in?

I have degrees in psychology and computer science.

Since I am going through the college picking out thingy myself right now, I'd like to say that some private schools are cheaper than Public, they give you scholarships for all sorts of things to get you to come to the school, I found 3private schools that would be cheaper than Virginia Tech and UVA. All small campuses, and all seem very good.

You should find reviews on them; some of those small colleges will give you a cheap degree but you might come away having learned jack shit for it.

[-Havoc-]

I have degrees in psychology and computer science.



You should find reviews on them; some of those small colleges will give you a cheap degree but you might come away having learned jack shit for it.

Impressive. I'm curious, how many years young are you? :)

[Honorius]

You should find reviews on them; some of those small colleges will give you a cheap degree but you might come away having learned jack shit for it.

Ah, I visited the colleges all personally, and I have friends at those schools, so they are fine colleges.

[Honorius]

Well, it seems it's too late to edit, so sorry for double positng, but I feel I need to say thank you Brannoc for looking out for me.

[TiraX]

I had one of these degrees. It was good courses but it was the first year for that education, so they were not very organized.

My teachers just got hired from the Game Industry and we had alot of real practice. The classes was divided into branches which had game design, programming and graphical design.

These groups worked alot together and made several games. We had real practice working with real workingplace structures. (Producers, lead programmers, lead designers etc).

Now I would have wanted a better programming education then I got was but it was sufficient. I could have studied there one or two extra years but I choosed to work instead.

I tried to get a game job for a month or two but got a job as a .NET consultant instead and choosed to start as a regular programmer. So the education was still good enough the get a regular job. And you have to be prepared to work in other fields aswell.