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What do I have to Major to create Video Games?
I would love to create (design and code) so would I have to take both Computer Science and Graphic Design or would I have to do another major? #video-games
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John’s Answer
Computer Science is definitely the line of study you should pursue in school. Understanding of the computer while learning to program and create graphics is the best way to achieve your goal.
It is imperative to have the understanding of the computer, how it works, and the operations that it does. Then you can see how the programming language you choose interacts with the OS and the I/O routines to make the computer do what you want it to do. Until you have the basic understanding built, it is hard to become self directed. You goal indicates to me you are very ambitious. So do a little research on the web and find some free programming courses to try out your dream.
A thought provoking look at languages:
https://blog.newrelic.com/2016/08/18/popular-programming-languages-2016-go/
A little history.... "Hello World"
http://wiki.c2.com/?HelloWorldInManyProgrammingLanguages
Java:
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Prints "Hello, World" in the terminal window.
System.out.println("Hello, World");
}
}
C Programming Language:
/* Hello World program */
include
main()
{
printf("Hello World");
}
It is imperative to have the understanding of the computer, how it works, and the operations that it does. Then you can see how the programming language you choose interacts with the OS and the I/O routines to make the computer do what you want it to do. Until you have the basic understanding built, it is hard to become self directed. You goal indicates to me you are very ambitious. So do a little research on the web and find some free programming courses to try out your dream.
A thought provoking look at languages:
https://blog.newrelic.com/2016/08/18/popular-programming-languages-2016-go/
A little history.... "Hello World"
http://wiki.c2.com/?HelloWorldInManyProgrammingLanguages
Java:
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Prints "Hello, World" in the terminal window.
System.out.println("Hello, World");
}
}
C Programming Language:
/* Hello World program */
include
main()
{
printf("Hello World");
}
Updated
Liam’s Answer
You don't have to major in anything in school to make video games. The two things you have to do are draw and code.
I don't make video games but I have met people that do and have a friend that does code review for a well known video game maker. If you have the opportunity to go to school for something and you want to make video games as a career I agree with John's answer. Computer science is a great way to get your fundamentals down and it never hurts to have a degree in anything. The real work will be specializing your code for gaming and being able to express your ideas artistically on paper so you can start to mock up your ideas in code.
I had a full circle moment a while ago where I met someone who was working on a very popular video game. The same time he had a release of that game a friend of mine had just bought a collecters edition of that game and was raving about how great it was. There were a few people asking the developer about what he did that made him able to make those games and he said he was drawing all the time, capturing his ideas constantly, coding whenever he could, and on the side he just happened to do martial arts as well! I remember looking over at him at an odd point in the day and he grabbed a sketchbook and started to sketch a piece of the idea so he could work on it later.
The other people that I had met later on did not do big name video games but more like smaller projects published on Steam and similar platforms. They worked in a small team nominating someone to do each task but then communally coming up with a narrative and gameplay ideas. If you looked through what they were doing, I'm sure they all had sketchbooks, one specialized in javascript and UI, one specialized in java/ C+/ python or similar, one specialized in hardware, one focused on making the website and promotional materials. Not saying thats exactly what they did just that they all drew and had a specialty versus the other people in the group.
You should check out godot. I don't know much about it but its free and it makes video games. You should learn how to use blender and just mock up ideas in your head with it. Read "Building a Second Brain" and "The PARA Method" by Tiago Forte to start to come up with an organization method for your creative works and coding knowlege base. Learn about video game history because most of it is about solving problems and how crazy projects turned into legendary video games. Start taking basic coding classes however best suits you (online tutorials, classroom, learning from a mentor or tutor). Figure out how to express yourself on a digital format. Later figure out what you are good at or love to do in video game production and keep moving in that direction!
Check out Godot, and Blender. Follow free online tutorials (on youtube etc) and create something.
Read resources and books by Tiago Forte to start to collect your ideas, coding notes, and artistic ideas.
Learn one coding language to start. Java is supposed to be a challenge to start but able to translate to other languages easily later on.
Draw. All. The. Time. Draw anything, draw everything and keep your drawings. Draw your ideas.
Investigate options with schooling that fits into what you want to do, eye on the prize making video games in the future!
I don't make video games but I have met people that do and have a friend that does code review for a well known video game maker. If you have the opportunity to go to school for something and you want to make video games as a career I agree with John's answer. Computer science is a great way to get your fundamentals down and it never hurts to have a degree in anything. The real work will be specializing your code for gaming and being able to express your ideas artistically on paper so you can start to mock up your ideas in code.
I had a full circle moment a while ago where I met someone who was working on a very popular video game. The same time he had a release of that game a friend of mine had just bought a collecters edition of that game and was raving about how great it was. There were a few people asking the developer about what he did that made him able to make those games and he said he was drawing all the time, capturing his ideas constantly, coding whenever he could, and on the side he just happened to do martial arts as well! I remember looking over at him at an odd point in the day and he grabbed a sketchbook and started to sketch a piece of the idea so he could work on it later.
The other people that I had met later on did not do big name video games but more like smaller projects published on Steam and similar platforms. They worked in a small team nominating someone to do each task but then communally coming up with a narrative and gameplay ideas. If you looked through what they were doing, I'm sure they all had sketchbooks, one specialized in javascript and UI, one specialized in java/ C+/ python or similar, one specialized in hardware, one focused on making the website and promotional materials. Not saying thats exactly what they did just that they all drew and had a specialty versus the other people in the group.
You should check out godot. I don't know much about it but its free and it makes video games. You should learn how to use blender and just mock up ideas in your head with it. Read "Building a Second Brain" and "The PARA Method" by Tiago Forte to start to come up with an organization method for your creative works and coding knowlege base. Learn about video game history because most of it is about solving problems and how crazy projects turned into legendary video games. Start taking basic coding classes however best suits you (online tutorials, classroom, learning from a mentor or tutor). Figure out how to express yourself on a digital format. Later figure out what you are good at or love to do in video game production and keep moving in that direction!
Liam recommends the following next steps:
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