Guys, help, my dream aint coming true!

[Agozer]

I have to agree with the majority, that one does not become a great programmer in a short amount of time. It takes a lot of dedication and time, and to say it bluntly, you are asking wrong questions from the wrong people.

 

Rather, we don't have the answers you want, since we are more or less all amateurs when it comes down to "real coding" so to speak (except maybe Two9A and olaf). We can only point you into the right direction where to look for answers, but that is certainly not enough.

Edited January 25, 2005 by Agozer

[Skythe]

my dream is to become a big engeneer of video games or one of the most wanted programers by the video game industry in the future

 

HAHahahahaha

[ForceX]

Let me appologize if the following post offends you Drake...

 

Firstly, let me say that you are kidding yourself if i believe that you can become a great videogames developer in a short period of time, hell it would take you years to be even noticed by the people who really matter in the videogame industry (Unless you have contacts in the industry). There are many talented programmers who wish to be videogame programmers but they are not cut out for it....I know this because my bro works in the videogame industry and it took him years to get where he is today (If you don't know he is working for M$ on the Xbox development...and no he has not told me anything about Xbox 2 ) and from about 300 applicants only 6 were employed and the rest had their dreams crushed...

 

If you are only just starting to learn C++ then you are a long way from working for a development house. But if you want my advise I would say try to get a job as a videogame tester, this will give you a foot in the door as you will make many contacts who will be able to help you relize your dream.

 

Finally, I would suggest that you either work on some mods for some existing games or try your hand in creating an emulator as this will give you some insight on the way the console actually works...

Edited January 25, 2005 by ForceX

[Daeval]

An admirable dream, but a flawed first step, perhaps.

 

As everyone else has suggested, working in the games industry is tough business, but that's not to say it can't be done. Since you're young, you're at an advantage if you start now, since it takes a time-consuming combination of things to really succeed.

 

For one, don't screw around in school. People, my former self included, say you can get by in games without much schooling, and for the most part you can, but a degree will make things a hell of a lot easier. Ultimately it will get you there sooner. Get school right the first time through and you'll save yourself some major headeaches later. If you find it hard now, think about how it's the first step to your dream, and focus on it.

 

Next, do some research into how the industry works. Read books, check the job descriptions on the listings at company websites, etc. You say you want to be a coder, but do you really know what that entails? Most coders work insane hours, and get very little creative input in the industry. Celebrity coders like Carmack are extremely rare, and usually gained their fame when development houses could consist of 5 or 10 people, each working on all aspects of a game. Maybe it's really a designer role you're looking for?

 

Another important thing is to DO something. Start working on your portfolio NOW. If it's coding you want to do, start reading how to books or taking community college classes if that's an option. If you want to make a Unreal mod, scour the web for resources and learn to use them efficiently. You have to direct your own learning when it comes to things you love, because other people won't do it for you. Learn what you have to, what you want to, and CREATE something. Start small, with a small map or a simple mod or mutator. You can't expect to start with the next CounterStrike. It will get you one step closer to your dream, and boost your confidence to boot.

 

Finally, when it's feasable, start looking for testing or, if you're good at it, tech support jobs in the game industry. Both of those are considered the first rung of the ladder towards development positions. It's hard to maintain those and go to school, since most of them want 40 hour minimum work weeks. If it comes down to it, DON'T quit going to school for a testing job! Testing jobs are a dime a dozen, but smart, truly interested young people with degrees are a little harder to come by in the game industry.

 

Anyway, I'll leave it at that. If it seems like there are bits of personal bitterness in there, that's because there are. Just 'cause I shot myself in the foot doesn't mean everybody else has to, so there's my advice.

[Lucandrake]

Ken silvermen, idk if you guys know him, but I sended him a email , this is what he wrote

To become successful in my field, you obviously need significant programming

skills. However you should know that it's just as important to find the

right people (or company) at the right time. I was very lucky in this

regard - partially because I got into computers a few years before everybody

else was getting into it, but also because my dad was smart enough to

convince me to write letters to various companies at a time when they would

listen. 3D Realms was one of these companies - and they turned out to be

exactly the right fit for me. These opportunities don't come around often -

and I can't tell you how to find yours since things change so quickly. Being

known as a "famous engine programmer" is not nearly as easy as it used to

be. Not only do you have 10 times the competition as compared to my day, but

you also have to deal with the fact that games these days are sold more on

their artwork than technology. I like to compare the video game business to

Hollywood. Do you know of any famous camera inventors? Maybe if the year was

1930... but times change unfortunately.

 

Even though your chances aren't great, it's never a bad idea to develop your

programming skills anyway.

 

This man has done amazing things, but , like he himself said, he did it during the moments that actually matter, and no, I didn't ask questions here and wanted short term answers, I know it's a long rode, and a very tough one indeed, but I do want a career in this, if anything I'll have Profesional wresteling as a back up, that or do what Daeval said wich is to become a tester, and I've seen plenty of job offerings in testers paying $9.90 a hour wich is pretty good...im just asking for help, not answers

 

Edit:What I ment by as soon as possible was really as soon as possible, not really fast, so if as soon as possible is 15-30 years then let it be

Edited January 25, 2005 by Drake

[Aoshi]

Hey you should try to dl one of those ebooks on programming c++ video games, it is very good at telling you how to start, i have this 15mb pdf file that tells me how to program some simple space shooter, yet it implaments 3d renderings, like astroids on crack, it shows how to program individual modules to get the most out of your stuff and other advice,game programming book C++ i think the name of the book is, im not sure im still looking for the other books on networking a game.

 

Or you could do it like me and use rpg maker 2k4 its cool and you can program certain custom thingies, it requires you to be a good pixel artist if you want custom things though.

Edited January 25, 2005 by Aoshi

[Lucandrake]

I have done mini 2-4 hour RPG's on RPG 2k,2k3, didn't know 2k4 was out, so yeah, thats why C++ class is easier for me then the rest, it looks like im programing the boring part of video games, well, at least the back coding when im in class, thats how I see it

[Gryph]

Ken silvermen, idk if you guys know him, but I sended him a email , this is what he wrote

To become successful in my field, you obviously need significant programming

skills. However you should know that it's just as important to find the

right people (or company) at the right time. I was very lucky in this

regard - partially because I got into computers a few years before everybody

else was getting into it, but also because my dad was smart enough to

convince me to write letters to various companies at a time when they would

listen. 3D Realms was one of these companies - and they turned out to be

exactly the right fit for me. These opportunities don't come around often -

and I can't tell you how to find yours since things change so quickly. Being

known as a "famous engine programmer" is not nearly as easy as it used to

be. Not only do you have 10 times the competition as compared to my day, but

you also have to deal with the fact that games these days are sold more on

their artwork than technology. I like to compare the video game business to

Hollywood. Do you know of any famous camera inventors? Maybe if the year was

1930... but times change unfortunately.

 

Even though your chances aren't great, it's never a bad idea to develop your

programming skills anyway.

 

This man has done amazing things, but , like he himself said, he did it during the moments that actually matter, and no, I didn't ask questions here and wanted short term answers, I know it's a long rode, and a very tough one indeed, but I do want a career in this, if anything I'll have Profesional wresteling as a back up, that or do what Daeval said wich is to become a tester, and I've seen plenty of job offerings in testers paying $9.90 a hour wich is pretty good...im just asking for help, not answers

 

Edit:What I ment by as soon as possible was really as soon as possible, not really fast, so if as soon as possible is 15-30 years then let it be

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Oh man...you emailed and got a reply back from Ken Silverman, so cool. For those that don't know, he wrote the BUILD engine (the one used for Duke Nukem 3D) by the age of 19. He was John Carmack's only true competition back then but he went back to college instead.

[Aoshi]

Yeah Rpg maker 2k4 is also called rmxp and it comes with a program language called ruby which is a derivative of c im not sure. Well just hit the books on c++ and make tons of crap eventually in the coal a diamond of skill may be discovered or somthing like that.

 

Grammar skills..... consult a copywriter, all i can say is read a lot of books, works by shakespeare, Bain(ashes of a god), read books that movies were made out of.

 

Oh and i also recommend even though you say that you are a programmer in the backrounds of the game or whatever, you should try numerous things in game creation, like game art, game music even though you think your skill may not be to good in these things, if you are creating something you are the closest to that world that you create, write down stories or even concepts in a book, things you saw in a park, a fight in school, dreams, ideas like this can give you a perpective in what you are doing or what you are going to do.

 

Ask yourself, if i want to make something out of C, what could the alternatives of this thing can do, can it do A, B and C and yet be stable enough to correspond with other things, is it redudndant, do i have a skelatal structure program which i place modules to build it up or is it i have modules built on modules to create a program, do i have to compromise this in order to do that and if that is the case can i make another process.

[Agozer]

Ken silvermen, idk if you guys know him, but I sended him a email , this is what he wrote

To become successful in my field, you obviously need significant programming

skills. However you should know that it's just as important to find the

right people (or company) at the right time. I was very lucky in this

regard - partially because I got into computers a few years before everybody

else was getting into it, but also because my dad was smart enough to

convince me to write letters to various companies at a time when they would

listen. 3D Realms was one of these companies - and they turned out to be

exactly the right fit for me. These opportunities don't come around often -

and I can't tell you how to find yours since things change so quickly. Being

known as a "famous engine programmer" is not nearly as easy as it used to

be. Not only do you have 10 times the competition as compared to my day, but

you also have to deal with the fact that games these days are sold more on

their artwork than technology. I like to compare the video game business to

Hollywood. Do you know of any famous camera inventors? Maybe if the year was

1930... but times change unfortunately.

 

Even though your chances aren't great, it's never a bad idea to develop your

programming skills anyway.

 

This man has done amazing things, but , like he himself said, he did it during the moments that actually matter, and no, I didn't ask questions here and wanted short term answers, I know it's a long rode, and a very tough one indeed, but I do want a career in this, if anything I'll have Profesional wresteling as a back up, that or do what Daeval said wich is to become a tester, and I've seen plenty of job offerings in testers paying $9.90 a hour wich is pretty good...im just asking for help, not answers

 

Edit:What I ment by as soon as possible was really as soon as possible, not really fast, so if as soon as possible is 15-30 years then let it be

 

Oh man...you emailed and got a reply back from Ken Silverman, so cool. For those that don't know, he wrote the BUILD engine (the one used for Duke Nukem 3D) by the age of 19. He was John Carmack's only true competition back then but he went back to college instead.

*gasp* *wheeze* You are so right. It's not fair. m(_V_)m to Silverman.

[Lucandrake]

Guys, this is screwed up, the debugger for UT2004 won't run without crashing my computer, im off to look for forums that help in the coding of UT2004, im going to do that, on tuesdays and thursdays, work on 2004 and moding, and on mondays and wednesdays , I'll work on small games and debuging those, friday saturday and sunday are a free day's until I need them...

Edited January 25, 2005 by Drake