Intrest in Games Programming Course For College.

Magaa

Yeah ive always been intrested in doing games programming or games design.

Im just wondering if i will need to know about programming if im to do the course in college

heres the link of the one im intrested in doing.
http://www2.wit.ie/StudyatWIT/UndergraduateCourses/Science/BScHonsinAppliedComputing-WD028/

(be nice please)

Dave D

You, wont need to have any previous experience with programming, as the lecturers start with the basics and build on that.
Although Games programming is harder than regular programming and involves alot of maths.

Pygmalion

No college courses that I know of will assume any programming experience (since it's not an option in Secondary schools here), so you should be grand going in with none.

However computer courses tend to have very large dropout rates as a lot of people sign up for them without really knowing what programming involves or if they'll like it and be good at it.
So I'd advise learning a bit of programming, even if just enough to know whether you're able for it and enjoy it, before you sign yourself up for it, rather than not knowing what you're getting yourself into.

As for what programming language, most college courses nowadays seem to teach Java at first and then move onto C++.
So I'd recommend having a look at one of these if you do want to (Java is a bit easier, C++ is generally what's used for games programming, but they're similar enough that if you know one well you can pick up the other very easily.)

Señor Juárez

Gonna be honest, if you want to go into games, you really should do a pure computer science undergraduate, and specialise after that. Not only are you narrowing your options early on, but you simply don't learn the basic skills that companies require in most game design undergrads (especially in Ireland).

I'd recommend you start reading the articles near the back of Edge, they tend to have a lot of insider stuff written by people already in the industry. Even if you look at the recruitment stuff in it, games programmer jobs specify a computer science undergraduate, testing jobs are the only things which list a game design degree as acceptable.

Good luck!

V1P3R

Im just wondering if i will need to know about programming if im to do the course in college

I'm just about to start my 3rd year of applied computing. You will not need any programming experience, but theres no harm in learning to code before you start a computer course.
For most of the course you will be coding in Java, but for the games development section you will be using c++ (We used the popcap framework last semester).

Gonna be honest, if you want to go into games, you really should do a pure computer science undergraduate, and specialise after that. Not only are you narrowing your options early on, but you simply don't learn the basic skills that companies require in most game design undergrads (especially in Ireland).

The course mainly is a pure computer science course, at the beginning of the 4th semester you pick 2 streams (Games Programming, Embedded systems, Systems & information, Computer Forensics and Networks) and at the end of the 4th semester you pick one of those streams.

JC 2K3

Understand the concept of programming before you start. That's about all you'll need.

IME, many people who want to make games go into courses like these without the slightest clue what's involved. Don't be one of these.

satchmo

Definitely go for a real comp sci degree (like the WIT one you're looking at) instead of one focused on games programming alone, it'll stand to you much better in the long run. I started off doing Java and had to teach myself C++ - if you're serious about getting into game programming, the sooner you get to grips with C++ the better.

Pygmalion makes a good point - programming isn't for everyone, so make sure you like it before starting the course.

amen

if you want to do some games progamming maybe a degree in maths/physics might be better or even a MSc/PhD.

A lot of games programming involves a high degree of maths and modelling of the physical world. (Look at the havok sdk and the qualifications you need to get a job with them)