College INFO! Game Development and Design College comparison

[uc pseudonym]

Well, I expected it to be pretty difficult, if not quite that difficult. Ah well. I'm relatively certain this is what God wants me to do, and when I reach that point it's pretty hard to stop me.

I'll be glad that I'll have just finished advanced Trig and Calc classes, though.

[Fsiphskilm]

I never found o

[uc pseudonym]

Though I don't like this prospect, I might have to work a year before going to Full Sail. Unless I can get 53,000 in independant scholarships (not impossible, but quite unlikely), I'll have a serious money crunch. And if working during school is not an option...

I think it would be especially difficult to maintain a job for us, as we also have the additional time drain of being Christians. Our one free would become much less free.

Whenever you find out how many hours there are a day, Volt, I'd be very interested. Thanks for taking initiative on that.

[Bobtheduck]

I never found out how many hours of class we have per day? Does anyone know. It's too late in the evening right now for me to call and ask. Oh well I'll just call tomorrow.

But I'm hopeing I can have a part-time job. If I can Then that's fine. If I can't then whatever happens, happens. Althought I was really hopeing I could pay off my loans while I was going to college. But Hey, students can't be choosers.

An average of 4 hours a day in class, 4 hours a day in labs, 6 days a week is about what I had heard first... They said in the new catalogue to expect 35-40 hour a week, 6 days a week, so as to whether that includes labs or not, I don't know... There is no time to work on a good job, but my friend ran out of loan funds and had to do that anyhow. UC, I'd have to suggest you try for loans... Find someone to co-sign or spend the next year building credit, because we will not get by without loans. It's more than the 52,000, it's also about the (conjecture) $15,000 bare minimum we're gonna need to live during those 22 months (if we lived together, walked to school, rationed all food, had no TV, etc...) Don't expect too much in the schollarships and grants. Expect to have to pull SOMETHING out in Loans. However, Full Sail will give you that information when you fill out the aid calculator thing and send it to them. They'll send you an approximate of funds you can receive including schollarships and grants that may apply to you.

If you have a cosigner, hopefully they're good Christians and you can ask them to "let (you) borrow the first couple months payment back" which should give you at least 8-9 months to get a job you can start paying back the loans on (most banks give you a 6 month padding on a STUDENT loan... If you get another loan besides that, it has to be paid back while you are in school, and that means you have to save up the payments for the time you're in school and probably a few months after that to pay it off while you're there... That is honestly a last resort) I don't have anyone willing to cosign for me now, so I either have to find someone who will really listen to Jesus' words in the Sermon on the mount to not deny someone asking to borrow (and also don't ask for it back, but I'm a Christian too, so I will pay it back) but otherwise, I've gotta get a nice Job to build my credit up, and it has to be at least a year with putting all of my money into it before I can... I really need someone to cosign for me (my parents won't because they believe cosigning is anti-biblical... When the Bible says do not refuse someone when they ask to borrow)

Anyhow, um... That's about it.

[Bobtheduck]

Ok... The total numbers:

Month One: First half of "General Design Fundamentals" which takes, both halves combined, 160 hours. Also, Behavioral science, which takes 48 hours. Total number of hourse (using 1/2 of 160) is 128 hours first month.

Month Two: Half 2 of Design Fundamentals (160 total, 80? for this half) and Linear Algebra (aka College Algebra) for 56 hours of class time. Total? of 136 hours second month.

Month three: Programming 1 (80 hours) and calculus and trig (56 hours) 136 hours total... I'm guessing that calculus and trig are NOT indepth studies, just basic concepts.

Month 4: Grammer and consistancy in anime based web forums... Er, I mean Part one of Programming 2 (160 hours total, I'm guessing this is 80 hours) and physics (56 hours) Total of 136? hours

Month 5. Part II of Programming II, (80?) and Ethics and Psychology (56) A couple of the classes we as Christians may run into trouble with are the Psychology and behavior type classes... Not as much as a Liberal Arts college, but our faith will be presented as a myth. If we can handle that (which we should be able to, since we just know otherwise) we'll be fine. Total (136?)

Month 6. Data structures (80) and Entertainment, Business, and Law (48 hours) totalling 128 hours

Month 7. Windows Programming part I (total of 160, so 80?) and "Media and society" (64) so a total of 144 hours

Month 8. Windows programming part II (80?) and Game Networking (56) totalling (136)

Month 9. Advanced tool programming (80) and DirectX (56, sorry maccas, they seemed focused on Windows so far) totalling (136)

Month 10 Structure of Game design (80) and rules of the game (56) totalling 136

Month 11 Structures of Game Programming part 1 (1/2 = 80) and 3d content creation (56) with 136 total

Month 12 is out big midcourse slow down. Only the second half of "Structures of Game programming" at 80 hours... Total of 80 hours that month. Perfect time to have family visit.

Month 13 Open GL (80) and Machine Architecture (56) at (136)

Month 14 Optimization (80) and Real Time programming (56) at (136)

Month 15 Artificial intelligence (80) and that's it.

Month 16 Console development part 1 (80?) and Software architecture (56) at (136)

Month 17 Console development part 2 (80?) and game preproduction (56) at (136)

Month 18 Asset Production (80) and Business communications (56) at (136)

Month 19, 20, 21: Game project (280 hours minimum)

Total clock hours: 2608 (errors mean I copied them wrong)

It averages to about 6 hours a day, 6 days a week not counting any extra time we put in over their recommendations (actually, 5 hours and 45 minuts a day, six days a week) so there will be little to no room for a job, but my friend worked a job while he was in the Recording arts program. He said it was the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life, but it was worth it because he was hired right out of the school.

This is like a bootcamp. A 21 month long bootcamp. It's going to be one of the hardest things we'll ever do in our lives (considering we're male , referring to Volt, UC, and I ) so we need to prepare before we go... And prepare hard.

[uc pseudonym]

Thanks. I'm slightly more optimistic about scholarships, though. Government funds won't cover nearly enough, but let me just say I have methods of connecting to quite a few independant scholarships. Of course, the loan is always the next option, depending on circimstances in my home life.

[Bobtheduck]

Well, I expected it to be pretty difficult, if not quite that difficult. Ah well. I'm relatively certain this is what God wants me to do, and when I reach that point it's pretty hard to stop me.

I'll be glad that I'll have just finished advanced Trig and Calc classes, though.

Very true... I know he wants me in full sail, I just don't have a "when" from him yet.

That being said, I too should probably also do advanced algebra, trig, and pre-calculus before heading to full sail. That means at LEAST 3 more full semesters (and NOT summer semesters) plus all the time I need to work to build my credit. It's going to be a while, I guess.

UPDATE: Ok... I just called Full Sail and asked about that perposterous 1 month thing for Trig and Calculus... They said that it is strongly recommended that you are a person who grasps math concepts very easily and that you do Trig before coming to the school. I don't think they'll go very far in the calculus part, but both classes (the linear algebra class, and the combo Trig and Calculus classes) are just overviews and not actually meant to teach you much new material. So, anyone doing this course should have a firm foundation in the math before they come. So, don't listen at all to the "intermediate algebra" as a requirement. Instead, take it as trig is the highest level you must have before you enter, and have a foundation in Physics as well.

[Fsiphskilm]

[quote="Bobtheduck"](co

[Azier the Swordsman]

This is the reason I want to get into translating for the next couple of years. Big bucks. And I can save up and be ready for Full Sail. You can't go wrong with $200 an hour.

[Fsiphskilm]

While you're at it, ple

[uc pseudonym]

This summer I might not get a job, and instead spend 8 hours a day scholarship hunting. Seriously, from the research I've done, there's a lot of money out there I qualify for. If I spend two hours on a $200 scholarship, I just worked for $100 and hour, which is definitely worth my time.

We'll see. If it'd be possible to make our terms come up at the same time, I'd work to try and make it so.

[Bobtheduck]

I got a letter from Full Sail. It is a test to let you know what sort of math skills you'll need... I'm getting conflicting stories from these people about prerequisites, but i'm going to take the one that leaves me the most prepared. It says you have to have a strong foundation in algebra, geometry, and trig. They have all said that I do not have to be an expert in calculus, but I SAY pre-calculus wouldn't hurt. Also, they say that you need to have a decent handle on Physics... Thankfully, I took a conceptual course, so I will only take 1 elementary physics course before I head to FS. They say algebra 1 and 2 and Trig, but My trig teacher (when I attempted it before deciding to go back to intermediate algebra) said you need college algebra (algebra III) before tackling trig. I have never had a Geometry class, so I will probably take one as well, even though what I've seen of it seems pretty easy to me as I'm taking Intermediate Algebra.

Anyhow

Although there is only 1 math course in the Game Design Program, all of the C++ programming courses involved mathematics. Therefore, an incoming student should possess a strong foundation in Algebra I, Algebra II, geometry, and trigonometry"

Good thing the only "grammer" needed in this course is the syntax of C++, hehe... (like I'm one to speak. On such matters.) Oops, deviating. Anyhow, there you have it... Algebra and Trig... If you've mastered Trig, then Full sail will be possible for you.

[madphilb]

They say algebra 1 and 2 and Trig, but My trig teacher (when I attempted it before deciding to go back to intermediate algebra) said you need college algebra (algebra III) before tackling trig. I have never had a Geometry class, so I will probably take one as well, even though what I've seen of it seems pretty easy to me as I'm taking Intermediate Algebra.

I took all of those but Algebra 3 in High School (which was a half-year course as was Trig).... as I recall I dropped off the Algebra 3 course and took a computer class to finish off my math classes in my senior year (my HS didn't know what to do with computer classes so they classified them as math).

I could be wrong and dropped Pre-Calc for that, but I don't think so (might have the report cards around somewhere if I feel like looking for them later)

Geometry on the other hand I would call a must if you're going to do Trig. Some of the most important formulas and ideas for game programming come from Geometry. This includes the slope of a line as well as other important things.

Sadly I'm of no help on most of this stuff as far as passing on knowledge, I've not used most of it since High School, and when I tested for the local Junior College (which is now has dropped the "JR" part) I was told I needed math courses to bring myself up to par. Don't know how shocked I was to score higher in my English part of the entry test than the math when I was just the opposite in HS.

[uc pseudonym]

I'm currently in a C++ course. It's pretty decent. The second half of the semester will be organized like we're developing a game as a team. We'll make a moderately decent rpg with only about 8000 lines of code or so. I figure it will prepare me a bit, as well as get me used to thinking in C.

So anyway, I now own a great source book for C++. If anyone has questions, ask me or one of the real programmers on CAA.

[Bobtheduck]

8000 lines of code? Is it text only, or graphical?

[uc pseudonym]

I'm not certain. So far I've configured the battle code (at the moment I've written all of it) to be used for either. Once we get to the stage where I need to write the parts that involve user input, we'll have to decide. Some of us may have to do work outside of class to get the graphical part handled. Our instructor decided that graphical was easy enough he didn't want to cover it in the course.

Probably graphical, due to the fact that some people enrolled in the course really aren't very good programmers. We need some easy areas to let them program, as part of your class grade is based on lines written (only up to 200 lines, which is a joke).

[Fsiphskilm]

Volt is BAD

[Fsiphskilm]

(if you already pa

[YesIExist]

Good Lordy, that's a lotta money.

[Azier the Swordsman]

Question: Are calcualtors allowed in the classrooms at Full Sail? Otherwise, I'm doomed.

[uc pseudonym]

I actually got that letter about a week ago... more than slightly depressing. By God's grace it won't go up again before I can actually go into class (their deadlines are too early for me).

To answer the question: I'm almost certain calculators are allowed. You can try figuring the arcsine of the cotangent of 3/5 in your head if you'd like.

[Fsiphskilm]

LOL UC's funny Of

[Bobtheduck]

The only way I'm ever going to get the money I need is if I have a cosigner and some sponsers. Or, you know, God does something else like someone comes to my door and says "Are you interested in developing video games and need help getting there? If so, I've got (exact ammount I'll need by the time I get in, minus government funds and such) and you can have it if you really want to make video games"

If that happened, you'd all be the first to know. I think I'll have the money. I think I'll have all of the prerequisites down for it as well. I just have to ask God whether I need to do the game design program or the Computer Animation program. Once he tells me for sure which one (he told me for sure I'd be making games and for sure that I'd be going to Full Sail) then I'll be confidently moving towards my goal.

If I make a decent amount after I'm done, I may use some as a schollarship for a Christian wanting to break into the industry. Actually, I may convince others to join with me. I just wish there were something like that now. A full schollarship to Full Sail for a Christian wanting to break into the game industry. Or a combo loan/schollarship with no credit check.

I can think of all the ways I'd love to get the money to go, but God may do something I haven't thought of... It may be a series of little things that add up, or anything else. If God really wants me there, he'll supply a way if I'm faithfull in following him.

[Fsiphskilm]

Seeing how I'm use to these

[Bobtheduck]

Hmm... My friend, in the Recording arts program, said that having to take a part-time job was one of the most stressfull things he'd done. His advice makes me think to make sure I get all the money for support secured before I go and to make sure I ration my food and other supplies.

[uc pseudonym]

I'm pretty good at conserving on almost everything, so that's probably rooting for me. Still, that's a massive deficit to make up, and I can't afford to just spend on it (government joke).

I'm glad you like trig, I'm not incredibly fond of it. I can do it, I just find it rather dull, and it took me a while to understand the concept. The funny thing is, after an extremely difficult trig section in my current math class, we moved on to... probability. Possible the easiest math subject ever. At the moment I could have aced everything we've been given, without the lecture and explanation.

[Fsiphskilm]

<------------------------------

[Yahshua]

Volt if you are thinking of going to do something on Gaming in my state we have program just for that it is call DigiPen Institute of Techology their website is at http://www.digipen.edu/main.html and also my University which is University of Washington Extension has program on Game development as well their website is at http://extension.washington.edu

[uc pseudonym]

I was unaware that Full Sail's degree was a software issue; the greater versitality is most welcome. But, of course, I was already quite familiar with its extreme level of quality... though not of funds, hence no scholarships. All the older quality schools (Yale, Harvard, Oxford) pretty much pay your way if you can get in.

[Fsiphskilm]

I asked around a lot. If th