What Should I Do to Possibly Facilitate a Job in Game Design While Retaining my Origi

[Capthemfoos]

Pleas excuse the chopped title, I didn't notice it until now.
This seems like the only place I can post this.

I am a Sophomore(I transferred from a community College) at University of Maryland. I am a Biological Sciences : Cell Biology and Genetics major. I think biological research is fantastic, interesting, and also helps humankind in many ways. If I go into research, which was my initial goal, I will probably have to do my PhD somewhere like Johns Hopkins, as was my initial goal.

But I also have a burning desire to go into the gaming industry. I am an avid gamer and I want to be a part of the process of making great games, both storywise and gameplay wise. I looked at the majors at my school, and although there is no Game Design/Programming major, there is a Computer Science major/minor. It has been a while since I took Calculus I and II and even then I didn't really learn it because I would never have to use that garbage manually in Biological Research, its all done for you. Also, I took programming in HS, but it was really hard because the teacher barely helped me at all at C++ so I took another class instead, not realizing my true desire to get into game design yet.

So my question is, is there still hope for me to get into the gaming industry(no experience besides playing a crap-load of games) and what should I do if there is? Double Major in Computer Science or get a minor in CS? Or is there any other major I should be looking at? It is tearing me apart because this is my future.

I have 47 credits as of now and I will have 52 by the end of this semester. I have around a 3.6 GPA. This is my first semester at UMD.

 

[Escaep]

Well they seem like two TOTALLY different fields of study. One is Biologic Science the other is Computer Science. If I were you, I would pick the one you are most passionate about. The way I see it is they probably won't compliment each other in the work force like say a Finance Degree and an Accounting Degree would. If you "apply" for a Biologic Sciences job they probably won't hold your Comp Sci degree on the same level. The same with a Comp Sci degree, if you apply at say Valve with a Computer Science degree they aren't going to be interested in your Bio Sci degree since its not relevant.

The plus side is if Bio Sci doesn't work out with you, you have that Comp Sci degree to fall back on and vis-a-versa. I would say get a minor in Computer Science.

 

[Vegeta897]

burning desire to maybe

Well which is it?

 

[Capthemfoos]

Well which is it?

lol, I got trolled. ok scratch the maybe

 

[DEATHMASTER]

If you don't like programming DON'T EVEN CONSIDER computer science. It's nothing but that.

 

[Leviathan]

Computer science doesn't have a whole lot to do with computers.

 

[Krynn72]

Computer science will only facilitate you being a game programmer. And even then, It won't help you in any way except for teaching you a couple languages. Everything else required of a game programmer you'll have to figure out on your own. If you want to get into the games industry through education, you need to quit what you're doing and find a school that actually has Game Development as a major. There you'll learn programming, as well as Design, and other stuff that you absolutely will not get from a CS course, and that you absolutely will need to know for being a developer.

 

[Sulkdodds]

You can also be a self-taught indie developer, and that can lead to great things, but I imagine it takes a great deal of spare time and patience.

 

[Kaptain H]

What exactly do you want to do with game development? Programming, art, level design? Some of these positions are easier to work your way in than others, though getting a job often comes down to who you know. If you want experience and are able to develop a good base skill set in whichever discipline interests you, you might want to consider joining a mod team. I ended up in the game industry, and my undergraduate degree was in traditional fine art. My boyfriend has a master's in history education and he's a level designer. It's definitely possible, but you'll have to bust your ass.

Everything else required of a game programmer you'll have to figure out on your own. If you want to get into the games industry through education, you need to quit what you're doing and find a school that actually has Game Development as a major. There you'll learn programming, as well as Design, and other stuff that you absolutely will not get from a CS course, and that you absolutely will need to know for being a developer.

Also this. It's a pretty specialized field, so a really broad education might not help you very much in the long run. Though there are some terrible game design programs out there as well.

 

[NeptuneUK]

Hmm interesting.
I'm doing a degree in physics to then pursue a 2 year masters course in audio engineering. Science and music could appear unrelated at first too!

 

[Capthemfoos]

Well my primary interests in game design are in creative development( as in narrative/story development), programming, and level design(as you said). I have no interest in art like that except for occasional dabbling in photoshop. It seems like a lot, but they go in order, so my primary interest is in creative development.

Also, if I was to go the Indie game route, how should I start? Like what language should I learn first, what should I focus on, what are some good teaching mediums, etc.

 

[Escaep]

Well my primary interests in game design are in creative development( as in narrative/story development), programming, and level design(as you said). I have no interest in art like that except for occasional dabbling in photoshop. It seems like a lot, but they go in order, so my primary interest is in creative development.

Well two out of those three don't really seem like they would require a degree (writing & level design.)