Sunday, October 26, 2008
Majoring in video games
Los Angeles Times: "Game design has helped rekindle interest in computer science and become a hot new major at more than 200 schools across the country, according to the Entertainment Software Assn., a trade group. Because making games crosses several disciplines, the diversity of programs that offer such courses is staggering: Fine arts colleges, engineering schools, film schools, music schools and even drama programs are sending graduates into the fast-growing industry."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
When I found out that the USC School of Cinema's Interactive Entertainment major was actually video game design I was floored by the naming. It definitely makes the major sound more legitimate but also puts in a light that is more connected with the arts instead of the computer science aspects of game design. I definitely think that video game design is something we need to be aware of in the entertainment industry as being a huge player in the market for audience attention.
I almost went to USC for game design but elected for a more traditional CS major at CMU instead. I'm kind of glad I'm not still in that career track, even though I'm still enamored with video games as an art and entertainment form. The industry is highly competitive and creativity is not rewarded at all. Larger software corporations control almost all game developers and smaller, indie developers are bought out practically instantaneously. Companies are focused on making money and not artistic innovation. Most of the interesting story telling is done in other countries or as student projects. The industry demands a huge amount from its programmers and animators; EA's gotten into trouble in years past for having unpaid overtime and uncompensated 12 hour workdays.
I think honestly the video game industry grew too fast and was too profitable to develop healthily as anything other than a commercial pursuit. I would still love to be in a collaborative team intent on creating art and stories - but I think that theater is much better for that.
I found the article funny since my parents really wanted me to major in video games rather then be a drama student. Apparently they're more comfortable with that less the normal college choice then the one I decided to go with. Like Cmalloy, I looked pretty extensively at video game design schools, are was told by some people I contact in the industry (and people who work at the CMU's ETC) that video game companies don't really want people who majored in video game design. There are colleges (Devry to name one) that just crank out people who know how to code in standard video game program languages, and these people get burned out in the industry. If found it interesting that places like EA tend to hire more fine arts majors then video game majors since they're more versatile then someone who knows nothing by game code.
Post a Comment