Just try to put yourself in the employer's shoes pouring through thousands of applications, all with degrees. The portfolio on the other hand, is guaranteed to be genuinely unique and totally your own. Portfolio all the way, a degree is just a means to that end.
Quote from Zantai:
The question shouldn't so much be "portfolio or degree" as much as "portfolio and what degree".
----
No... it shouldn't. School is a major waste of time; other than showing you actually went to class, the only people that benefit from it are those who aren't capable of teaching themselves.
Most people don't have the self-discipline and self-motivation required to educate themselves completely. That's what schools are for, and higher education is anything but a waste of time.
Plus, if someone self-proclaims they have an education, it holds a lot less merit than a well-established acknowledgment of it, also known as a degree.
Only been through half of high school, but I can say that I disagree. Being taught makes things 1000 times easier. It's not like "hey how does Swing work" on Java Forums and then 2 days later you get an answer, it's instant, plus you can ask more questions. School is awesome, it's just the pointless CLASSES that piss me off, like English, Chem, Calc, (well not so much calc) and most of all WORLD HISTORY. I took that freshman year, but seriously that was the biggest waste of my time. It wasn't World History, it was ANCIENT world history. "And that is how the rock was invented". Yeah, who cares...
Napolian was short. Me too! Only difference is I don't drink horse blood and try and take over the world. Well, scratch that. I don't drink horse blood.
obviously you don't pay attention in class. Napoleon wasn't evil. He was one of the greatest minds of that time. If he had taken over the world as you say it we would be living with freedoms. He had no serf system or royalty. You worked your way up the ranks of the military instead of paying to be general like british and other countries at the time. He was a man ahead of his time. If he had the technology of WWI in his hands he would just dominate. His tactics are similar to what we do now compared to the other monarchy countries. Napoleon was the best thing to happen to France.
Also some people get what you get from school, except you only get it out of classes you classify as interesting, where the knowledge helps. Others think it's a waste of time since it's all knowledge they can learn on their own. High school is different from college. Hell I'm going to college but getting my core classes out of the way so I can take my major classes which should include a bit of programming but I'm still learning it on my own. If you get good teachers you'll learn a hell of a lot. Thank god for my sociology teacher and he also happened to teach 19th century wars. Odd combo but still amazing information he gave for both classes. Those classes were more like college than any high school class. Probably only reason I actually know how to study and research for college and programming.
The best answer is what works for you. If you need help learning how to make a game then take classes and usually depending on the university you go to your final will be to make a game with a group of people, which will probably go into your portfolio. If you guys really liked working together you can probably make another game to try and sell on the app store or on steam or just distribute. Eventually you guys will have a lot to show in your portfolio. As long as you have proof that you are competent enough to make what they want they'll take you. The degree helps by showing you've learned the stuff we need. Without it you'll have to work harder but if you make an amazing game that blows their mind of course that will override a degree.
EDIT: btw do competent people even try to get a gaming job without a portfolio of some kind? It's almost like trying to get a commission as an artist without any sketches or proof of your work. It's like how 3d modelers here won't make anything for you unless you can prove you will use it and the project will finish up.
You can't get a job without a portfolio, either as an artist or a programmer. If someone ever did manage to get a position without a portfolio, whoever hired them would have to be extremely desperate. However, someone could get a job as a tester without a portfolio, and possibly work their way up.
You'll be surprised, in Australia, You can study Gaming Technology.
Its a 3 year course which actually helps you create your first game. the Course is overly expensive, and you need to create everything from scratch and it runs over 3 years, i bet you any money, you will find out so many more things about Programming/Designing/Etc, and then you wonder how far would your current portfolio get you?... An Indie Company? Maybe as a start... But if you want to get to a bigger company, EG: Blizzard or SCEE, then you will need Education. Or else it will be a Long road ahead of you.
I have no desire to work for a company like Blizzard; thus the point of my company, which isn't even primarily involved in making games. We have schools like that here as well; I know many people that graduate from them and still know very little; same with universities and colleges. In my year or so in college, I learned absolutely nothing in any of the mathematics, CS, or engineering courses that I didn't already know, and managed to test out of several of them. The only class I learned anything in was Russian, and even that was minimal. Had I decided to go back I would have bypassed the next course of that as well, from merely self-study. If you don't have the motivation to teach yourself, you likely won't make it far in school either, anyway. As such, you may recognize that many of the larger figures in the industries haven't got college educations either; amazing how that works isn't it?
Finding a job through connections is rather ideal I would say. Realistically speaking, unless the connection is with a HR or the hiring manager, chances are you'd still have to go through an interview to get the job. If I were in the shoes of a manager, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't hire someone off the bat just because one of my colleagues recommended him. I'd want to interview the fellow to see if he's qualified first or not. Plus, all this would be subjected to whether or not the department is willing to allocate the extra budget to hire the said person. TBH, even if it were a friend/relative, and the person is not qualified, I wouldn't give any mercy either. Because at the end of the day, I'd want a team that can get the job done.
For the record, many IT companies (not sure about gamedev) have often a Bring Your Buddy benefit where you recommend someone for a position and they pass the hiring process and survive 3 months at least, you get a one time cash bonus.
Just try to put yourself in the employer's shoes pouring through thousands of applications, all with degrees. The portfolio on the other hand, is guaranteed to be genuinely unique and totally your own. Portfolio all the way, a degree is just a means to that end.
The question shouldn't so much be "portfolio or degree" as much as "portfolio and what degree".
Quote from Zantai:
The question shouldn't so much be "portfolio or degree" as much as "portfolio and what degree".
----
No... it shouldn't. School is a major waste of time; other than showing you actually went to class, the only people that benefit from it are those who aren't capable of teaching themselves.
Ah, yes. Good thing brilliant people such as yourself are here to steer the next generation in the right direction...
Poor thing that people remain oblivious to the apparent 'fact' that only those with formal schooling are capable of having an outstanding education.
Most people don't have the self-discipline and self-motivation required to educate themselves completely. That's what schools are for, and higher education is anything but a waste of time.
Plus, if someone self-proclaims they have an education, it holds a lot less merit than a well-established acknowledgment of it, also known as a degree.
Only been through half of high school, but I can say that I disagree. Being taught makes things 1000 times easier. It's not like "hey how does Swing work" on Java Forums and then 2 days later you get an answer, it's instant, plus you can ask more questions. School is awesome, it's just the pointless CLASSES that piss me off, like English, Chem, Calc, (well not so much calc) and most of all WORLD HISTORY. I took that freshman year, but seriously that was the biggest waste of my time. It wasn't World History, it was ANCIENT world history. "And that is how the rock was invented". Yeah, who cares...
Napolian was short. Me too! Only difference is I don't drink horse blood and try and take over the world. Well, scratch that. I don't drink horse blood.
Great to be back and part of the community again!
Thus a portfolio to show what it is you know.
@TacoManStan: Go
obviously you don't pay attention in class. Napoleon wasn't evil. He was one of the greatest minds of that time. If he had taken over the world as you say it we would be living with freedoms. He had no serf system or royalty. You worked your way up the ranks of the military instead of paying to be general like british and other countries at the time. He was a man ahead of his time. If he had the technology of WWI in his hands he would just dominate. His tactics are similar to what we do now compared to the other monarchy countries. Napoleon was the best thing to happen to France.
Also some people get what you get from school, except you only get it out of classes you classify as interesting, where the knowledge helps. Others think it's a waste of time since it's all knowledge they can learn on their own. High school is different from college. Hell I'm going to college but getting my core classes out of the way so I can take my major classes which should include a bit of programming but I'm still learning it on my own. If you get good teachers you'll learn a hell of a lot. Thank god for my sociology teacher and he also happened to teach 19th century wars. Odd combo but still amazing information he gave for both classes. Those classes were more like college than any high school class. Probably only reason I actually know how to study and research for college and programming.
The best answer is what works for you. If you need help learning how to make a game then take classes and usually depending on the university you go to your final will be to make a game with a group of people, which will probably go into your portfolio. If you guys really liked working together you can probably make another game to try and sell on the app store or on steam or just distribute. Eventually you guys will have a lot to show in your portfolio. As long as you have proof that you are competent enough to make what they want they'll take you. The degree helps by showing you've learned the stuff we need. Without it you'll have to work harder but if you make an amazing game that blows their mind of course that will override a degree.
EDIT: btw do competent people even try to get a gaming job without a portfolio of some kind? It's almost like trying to get a commission as an artist without any sketches or proof of your work. It's like how 3d modelers here won't make anything for you unless you can prove you will use it and the project will finish up.
You can't get a job without a portfolio, either as an artist or a programmer. If someone ever did manage to get a position without a portfolio, whoever hired them would have to be extremely desperate. However, someone could get a job as a tester without a portfolio, and possibly work their way up.
You'll be surprised, in Australia, You can study Gaming Technology.
Its a 3 year course which actually helps you create your first game. the Course is overly expensive, and you need to create everything from scratch and it runs over 3 years, i bet you any money, you will find out so many more things about Programming/Designing/Etc, and then you wonder how far would your current portfolio get you?... An Indie Company? Maybe as a start... But if you want to get to a bigger company, EG: Blizzard or SCEE, then you will need Education. Or else it will be a Long road ahead of you.
I have no desire to work for a company like Blizzard; thus the point of my company, which isn't even primarily involved in making games. We have schools like that here as well; I know many people that graduate from them and still know very little; same with universities and colleges. In my year or so in college, I learned absolutely nothing in any of the mathematics, CS, or engineering courses that I didn't already know, and managed to test out of several of them. The only class I learned anything in was Russian, and even that was minimal. Had I decided to go back I would have bypassed the next course of that as well, from merely self-study. If you don't have the motivation to teach yourself, you likely won't make it far in school either, anyway. As such, you may recognize that many of the larger figures in the industries haven't got college educations either; amazing how that works isn't it?
For the record, many IT companies (not sure about gamedev) have often a Bring Your Buddy benefit where you recommend someone for a position and they pass the hiring process and survive 3 months at least, you get a one time cash bonus.
Go play Antioch Chronicles Remastered!
Also, coming soon, Antioch Episode 3: Thoughts in Chaos!
Dont like mapster's ugly white? Try Mapster's Classic Skin!
@Alevice: Go
Dat necro bump tho
Looking for feedback on my custom races extension mod called "Scion Custom Races (Mod)"
I coudl have sworn this was ont the first page. DANG
Go play Antioch Chronicles Remastered!
Also, coming soon, Antioch Episode 3: Thoughts in Chaos!
Dont like mapster's ugly white? Try Mapster's Classic Skin!
@Alevice: Go
It was... from a spammer :D