hi, I need some information

[SleeplessNightsofRPGs]

Hi, I am a 3.5 + GPA high schooler, and I want to get into the video game world for a job, especially RPGs (Squaresoft is my dream). I would like to know any and everything I need to know, and what classes I should take. I also would like some information on how to start to learn about making video games. I would like to make a RPG very soon to show Square that I know how to do it. Please help me, I need all the information I can get if I want to get into the video game community once I am out of college.

[DP]

I should've been more specific when telling my friend SleeplessNights about the Forge that this is for tabletop RPGs, not so much for CRPGs.

Apologies to SleeplessNightsofRPGs and fellow Forgers.

Dave

[Kester Pelagius]

Greetings SleeplessNightsofRPGs,

First off I'd suggest you approach anyone you know that is already into programming.  They are, believe it or not, a vast source of information.  Even that curmudgeony old teacher in the computer sciences lab might know a thing or two.

In the meantime here are a few links for you...

Gamasutra- The Art & Science of Making Games

GameDev.net (game development info and articles)

Source Forge NET  (source codes, wheee!)

If all else fails:  http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Programming/Games/


Kind Regards,

Kester Pelagius

[SleeplessNightsofRPGs]

Ok, thanks. I'll make a thread about my game i am hopefully running this weekend. Tell me what you all think.

[Bankuei]

Several people I know have graduated from here, and have jobs at Nintendo and various video game companies:

http://www.digipen.edu/

Chris

[SleeplessNightsofRPGs]

yes, i know about digipen and full sail, but I have little knowledge of what i need to know or do to get ready for a college that will let me learn the info i need. that's what i'm asking around if someone can show me or point me somewhere or to someone.

[Mike Holmes]

How much experience do you designing already? Have you hacked out any Quake stuff, for example? Have you done any programming at all of any sort? IME, the people who end up in these sorts of jobs are dedicated coders to start. You have to get to the point where you're living it, to be any good at it. I personally gave up on that level of committment in Junior High (I've been programming since I was ten years old). If you're not programming now, you'd better start soon, and get in deep quickly. If that's the case, let us know, and we can point you at a few resources. But I woudn't want to make any insulting asumptions about your level of skilz.

What stage are you at now?

The question about school seems odd. Assuming you're still in HS, take any CS courses offered, math, logic if you can get it, and don't forget English. If you can't write a story, your games are going to stink. Read everything when you're not programming everything. Basically, the standard college prep coursework. Maintain your 3.5 or do better if you can. This should get you into the institute of your choice. Seems simple enough.

If you're asking something else, you'll have to be more clear.

Mike

[SleeplessNightsofRPGs]

Well, I have already taken a half year of BASIC, and am currently in the process of taking a half year of C++. I have taken Algebra I and II, and and currently taking Geometry.

[Mike Holmes]

Cool, all good stuff.

But you're starting at the bottom. You've got a long way to go. I'd spend a little time messing around with level editors and such for games like Quake, Myth, Warcraft, etc, to get a feel for graphics design as it's done nowadays (used to be much more difficult). But that's really just a sideline. You need to get into the actual tools that people use to do the programming. And I'm not even sure what's popular today.

You really need another site for that purpose, to give you a range of what people are using. Check out Http://www.makegames.com and google search for other such sites (that's where I got this one). Look for a community like the Forge, but with CRPG specific design knowledge. Look for a FAQ before asking questions (programmers are notoroius curmudgeons). These places will show you where you can get access to the sorts of source code for objects and whatnot that can be used to get where you need to be to start programming.

What we can help you with most here is the design theory. That is, the "rules" behind how the game operates. Hopefully that can get addressed in the other thread.

Mike