Diploma in Game Design and Development (SP) - How feasible?
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haiz..i dont think this course is good la. leads to nowhere one. unless u can secure a position in square-enix ,capcom or EA games,etc. if not.
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If you really wan pursure this, make sure you work for a good company like those big game giants out there.
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okay...if u intend to enter the games industry. there are many jobs for u to take up. the most basic 1 will be games testing. or quality assuarance.Originally posted by lene321:Can I ask...what kind of job would you be able to land in the future? How good would it be to sustain you for your whole life too?
Also, would you say it's a definate must to continue studying overseas in order to survive?
then there are level designers, artists(2d and 3d), 3d modellers, 3d texturing, game programmers and of course game designers(which is the top, like u know, the in charge).
these are just the different categories. u still can break down further. lets take the artists as an example la.
artists will have to know the CG. then from there. they create the characters or props or background. lets say ur good enuf to enter a big games company, then they have a big project going on, and u can assure urself for like maybe a few years of job.
like wad i said previously, in the games industry, u DO NOT need any paper qualifications. u can enter with a kindergarten grad cert as long as u got a GOOD portfolio, and the companies will take u in. experience and skills are the most important factor they look at in this industry.
right now, in singapore, there are alot of games companies set up locally, but as the industry is still in infancy stage, they are now still gaining experience by starting with casual games, mobile games, etc.
as some of the forumers have said, bigger companies are coming to singapore as well. therefore, if u think u can make it. come this course. and yes, alot of us...at our current level, i dun think we can make it
we didnt put in much effort in it then now we suffering le
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This reminds me of something from my past.
After my "O" levels back in year 2000, in my polytechnic course application, since I like playing video games, my first choice was actually something about multimedia development & design at Nanyang Polytechnic(NYP). But I was rejected by NYP and ended up in Singapore Polytechnic(SP) studying electronics, computer and communications (major in computer system technology).
Five years later, after completing the diploma in SP and my Full-time National Service. In year 2005, while I was working in a company as an IT Support. I happen to see one of the job application for a receptionist position... I was surprised that applicant has exactly the same diploma that I wanted to get 5 years ago... a diploma in ... ... applying for a receptionist position... and she did not manage to get the job ... another girl with "O" level qualifications got the job
But that is year 2005, by the time you graduate in year 2010, the demand for multimedia designer may have increased.
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About game development and design.
Gaming design and development is very hard and tedious work.
To do fairly-well, you need to be well-versed in computer science, mathematics, physics and art, among other subjects.
A game developer needs technical knowhow and business savvy to succeed.
Passion alone is not enough. This is not the same as sales/marketing where passion alone can bring you far.
If you ask me to develop an online booking/accounting system, I will say it can be done. But if you ask me to develop a good computer game for adults to play, I will definitely give up before its halfway done.
The art part of game development is just too much for me to handle.
Art will include,
Composing storyline, in-game character design, map design etc.
Composing music to suit gameplay, create sound effects, voice acting etc.
Create computer graphics, animations, dynamic 3D enviromental design etc.
The key point I want to say is, you NEED and MUST have a team of artists and computer experts to do well in game development. If you are the type that prefers to do project alone than with a team, then game development is a big no no for you. -
Originally posted by SoulDivine:
About game development and design.
Gaming design and development is very hard and tedious work.
To do fairly-well, you need to be well-versed in [b]computer science, mathematics, physics and art, among other subjects.
A game developer needs technical knowhow and business savvy to succeed.
Passion alone is not enough. This is not the same as sales/marketing where passion alone can bring you far.
If you ask me to develop an online booking/accounting system, I will say it can be done. But if you ask me to develop a good computer game for adults to play, I will definitely give up before its halfway done.
The art part of game development is just too much for me to handle.
Art will include,
Composing storyline, in-game character design, map design etc.
Composing music to suit gameplay, create sound effects, voice acting etc.
Create computer graphics, animations, dynamic 3D enviromental design etc.
The key point I want to say is, you NEED and MUST have a team of artists and computer experts to do well in game development. If you are the type that prefers to do project alone than with a team, then game development is a big no no for you.
pron game?
[/b] -
I'm in this course! In this course, you need to be doing work constantly, if not, you will suffer at the end of the semester.Originally posted by lene321:Basically I do have an actual interest in Game Design and Development, and I'm not just there to slack. However, I'm really wondering what kind of future I'd have since there's only one gaming company in Singapore.
Furthermore, at the moment there is no option to further your studies in this in Singapore, and I'd have to go overseas in order to do so. The problem is that my parents arn't exacly rich, so I'm really wondering if it's feasible for me to take up this course. I'm really really interested in it.
Anyone can provide some insights?give me advice or provide some insights?
Regarding what future you have,
first, what lecturers have told us is that, you can't start straight as a Games Designer. You have to slowly make your way up.
If u're curious about what positions they have in the games industry.
Check this out:
http://jobberwokky.com/news/lucasfilm_animation_singapore_at_tokyo_game_show_2007
This is another industry which has expanded to singapore.
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=87318
To add on, lecturers have said that the Game Industries are in need of Game Designers rather than programmers because there're already alot of programmers out there. From SMIT(sp), TP(Games Entertainment).... and other sources lahx. I can't state one by one out.
Animators as well, can be found easily because all polytechnics haves courses related to animation.
Oh yar, to get a job in Games Industry, you will need a good Portfolio. There's this person who interviewed to be a lecturer in our course. His portfolio is 5kg heavy. Imagine that -_- .
This GOOD portfolio requires all of the work you did throughout your lifetime. For example, if you wanna be a 3D modeller, make sure you have samples of your 3D artwork, as many as possible. It's always good to have a sketchbook with you when you're going for an interview. It helps.
I think that's all...unless u wanna know more. Ja. -
This is an example of what a Computer Graphics Animation looks like...
ftp://ftp.lineage2.com/2min.zip ,_ copy and past this address to web browser. Warning, big file 161MB. You need Windows Media Player to see the video.
Since you are talking about feasibility... If you can do something like the above... game/movie developers will definitely employ you. So not to worry you can't find a job in game development industry.
The gaming industry is definitely growing and will keep growing... just like STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) will keep spreading and spreading... like no end.
In Singapore, game development is lagging far behind as compared to other nations such as USA, Japan and Europe (lag about 20 years). It is not really because Singapore lack the talents to develop good games, its mainly because there is no union or forming of a large dedicated team to develop a good game. In other words, quantity -> quality (Number of People implies Quality of Product). The more people you have, the better the quality of the product you can produce.
For example. a game like "Guild Wars", developed by Arenanet,
Employs at least (Quantity):
03 Executive Producers
04 Producers
26 Designers
40 Artists
12 Environment Artists
28 Programmers
06 Writers
04 Cinematics
03 Business Team
03 Coummunity
04 IT
03 Localization (language translation)
02 Marketing
10 Quality Assurance
03 Web
01 Screenshots & Trailers
Total: 152 Staff
Audio and Sound (Outsourced)
Music (Outsourced)
(Information above obtained from Guild Wars, Eye of the North manual)
So if there is a local game development company that wants to develop a good computer game with for example 20 or less people........can take forever or most probably given up halfway. Developing a good computer game is like building a big ship that requires at least hundred over people. And even with hundred over people, it will still need at least a few years to develop and build the ship. If a ship is launched before it is ready, it is likely to sink before it can generate any income/compensation for all the effort put into the project.
In Singapore, who is willing to invest in a multi-million game development project which is likely to fail? -
there is a lot of routes you can take from this course...
you can be:
a game designer,
a game developer,
a background artist,
a character designer,
an illustrator
it depends on where your inserests lie.
anyway, if you get into this course, be prepared to have sleepless nights. -
Assuming you are planning to further studies... and aiming to get a Degree in Game/Media Development or something, its better you look directly into Universities entry requirements.
List of Universities ->
http://www.topuniversities.com/worlduniversityrankings/results/2007/overall_rankings/top_400_universities/
I just select a few Universities, and provide you with link to courses they are offering. You can see for yourself.
University of Bradford (UK)
http://www.inf.brad.ac.uk/courses/ug/course.php?id=68&d=badfcg&type=cgim
Monash University (AU)
http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/apply/requirements/undergraduate/singapore.html
University of Leeds (UK)
http://tldynamic.leeds.ac.uk/ugcoursefinder/2008/course.asp?id=1616
University of Sydney (AU)
http://www.usyd.edu.au/courses/?detail=1&course_sef_id=Bachelor_of_Design_Computing_112§ion=apply
In general,
Polytechnic Diploma are recognised by Australian Universities.
GCE "A" levels are recognised by United Kingdom Universities.
And remember, you have to be good in ART + COMPUTER SCIENCE + MATHEMATICS + WORKING IN TEAMS, to do well in this field. Not to mention you will also need to have a very hardworking non-slacking working attitude towards such courses. -
(lene)
Basically I do have an actual interest in Game Design and Development, and I'm not just there to slack. However, I'm really wondering what kind of future I'd have since there's only one gaming company in Singapore.
as a guy who taught himself C++ / VC++ at 15 yrs old, i strongly advise against going for this course.
i advise you to choose a general computing diploma at this time and adopt a wait-and-see approach for this "Game Design and D...." course.
if you have a poly diploma in general computing (software engineering, especially), in future, it'll be very easy to pick-up on games programming.Furthermore, at the moment there is no option to further your studies in this in Singapore, and I'd have to go overseas in order to do so. The problem is that my parents arn't exacly rich, so I'm really wondering if it's feasible for me to take up this course. I'm really really interested in it.
if you die-die must take this course, then u must be prepared to find work in the US or other western countries and apply for US green card to work there.
if you're talking about the PC / PS2 / xBox games industry, it doesn't even exist.
if you're talking about those small-time, Java-based little games for mobile phones, we do have a small but slowly-growing market here.
the industry for mainstream gaming (PC / console) won't be established in the next couple of decades.
in fact, don't talk about games even....singapore's technological culture is more based on Business-to-Business software systems, like engineering software or those neuro-surgery systems to help doctors etc.
can you seriously find a software company in SG that sells PC applications for consumers? like Microsoft Office equivalent? or Photoshop equivalent?
there's a lot of small-timers in the West who do these things cos' there's a market. in SG, there's none.
also, "Game design and development" is too general.
is the course training you to become a games programmer? or a game artist? or a game storyline writer?
if it's the combination of all three that the course is teaching you, then u better stay away more, because games development is a very huge discipline of it's own, unlike other programming genres (database, graphics, security etc.), and a course that promises to teach you all of these is definitely an introductory crap course. you'll be wasting your parents' hard-earned money.
FYI, if you're looking to become a games programmer, you don't need to learn graphics design.
u can suck at art but it won't matter, because in a real-world setting, the programmer won't be the one creating the 2D/3D artwork, only the artists.
the project manager will plan the thing, the writers will plot the game's storyline, the programmer will be doing all the coding and integrate the graphics with the artists department, the marketing people will decide how to market the game and the sales people will push the product out.
also, speaking from experience, i can GUARANTEE you that u won't find a good or proper job with his kind of "Game design and d..." diploma, because it's really too general liao, and add the singapore climate to it,....well, doom.
worse still, if you're thinking of going overseas (USA, UK etc.) to find jobs, you'll find yourself competing with the Eastern Europeans or Indians, you'll be screwed also because this kinda diploma will become dust when compared to their expertise, and their expected salaries is rather low too.
i understand this is your interest, but strongly advise you to pick up a general computing diploma and then advance from there.
just to let you know, if your computer programming foundation is very strong, u can always pick up games development via the online forums or take up an eLearning / distance learning course.
by taking up general computing, you're giving yourself a whole lot more options.
besides, the computing industry overall isn't doing very well in SG since several years and now also.
the ST classifieds only has a handful of IT jobs everyday compared to other sections and for one, my cousin, a recent NUS graduate with Bachelor in Computer Science (with Honours somemore) had to search 3 months before finding a job which underpays him + sick over-time hours.
lastly, a common misconception is that games development is easy and fun, like what we see in WarCraft, Halo......fancy graphics, Hollywood-styled storylines, state of the art sound effects....
the truth is that among the different genres of software development, gaming is among the most difficult.
your science (especially physics), needs to be extremely good or you'll be struggling to even understand the basic AI theories.
also, not sure if you've looked at the programming code for even those 1980s 2D simple games like Paintball....they will make even those university mathematics class look like ABC. -
Take a basic IT diploma that trains you well in programming, and some multimedia aspects. Complete your IT education in Uni. Then go into the games industry, or whichever you like. Don't specialise so early in terms of education certification. IT is already specialised enuff as it is.
Leave yourself the option of going into other IT sectors in future.
***ARISE!***
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got lucasfilm in sg oso
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I love Nikar2's post, shows the youngsters the real world.
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dun look down on the power of programming.. you can join many different companies to design web based application, those who learn it and feel its useless have no idea what they have missed