UWE University: Computer Science or Games Technology?
I'm still two years away from going to university but I was wondering if anyone here had any insight in to this. I've read countless times about "Game Design" schools in America and how bad they are but the only reason I do programming is because of games, I know its highly, highly unlikely I will get a job in the game industry however any half-minded IT job pays well and I can focus on working on games in my own time.
My only real consideration right now is UWE (Bristol, UK) these are the links to both courses:
(CS)
http://courses.uwe.ac.uk/G400/2013
(Game Tech)
http://courses.uwe.ac.uk/G611/2013
CS sounds harder, but also useful as a kind of 'general' course about programming which would filter in to any game programming I do, however Game Tech sounds like I would be with more like-minded people (although would all the "I want to be a games programmer and know nothing about programming" join that course rather than CS?) doing things that really interest me, while the course is important the people in it are too, I want to meet people with my interest in games and around my skill level.
While both are accredited, I wonder if employers would value CS infinitely more over games technology and whether what I learn in games tech would be more valuable to my interests than what I learn in CS.
My only real consideration right now is UWE (Bristol, UK) these are the links to both courses:
(CS)
http://courses.uwe.ac.uk/G400/2013
(Game Tech)
http://courses.uwe.ac.uk/G611/2013
CS sounds harder, but also useful as a kind of 'general' course about programming which would filter in to any game programming I do, however Game Tech sounds like I would be with more like-minded people (although would all the "I want to be a games programmer and know nothing about programming" join that course rather than CS?) doing things that really interest me, while the course is important the people in it are too, I want to meet people with my interest in games and around my skill level.
While both are accredited, I wonder if employers would value CS infinitely more over games technology and whether what I learn in games tech would be more valuable to my interests than what I learn in CS.
Go CS and do game programming on your own time for a portfolio. Will look so much better than the game degree. Plus, interests change. In 10 years, you may very well not want to be a game programmer anymore (doesn't pay that great compared to other industries) and having that CS degree will leave many more doors open for you.
Games Programming was the harder course at my university. I skim-read the description at that university and there's no mention of maths, though. That worries me.
I'm of the ilk that any games programming degree worth its salt would have some solid maths modules, plus maths-based entry criteria.
I did Computer Games Software Engineering. First two years had some pretty intensive stuff, other than the usual C++, such as maths and compiler writing.
However, throughout the course I realised that I didn't want to go into the games industry. It's poorly paid and too volatile. I did an industrial placement programming for an IT consultancy firm and took a graduation job at a large computer company.
My point is that a games degree doesn't confine you to being a games programmer.
I'm of the ilk that any games programming degree worth its salt would have some solid maths modules, plus maths-based entry criteria.
I did Computer Games Software Engineering. First two years had some pretty intensive stuff, other than the usual C++, such as maths and compiler writing.
However, throughout the course I realised that I didn't want to go into the games industry. It's poorly paid and too volatile. I did an industrial placement programming for an IT consultancy firm and took a graduation job at a large computer company.
My point is that a games degree doesn't confine you to being a games programmer.
Last edited on
closed account (o1vk4iN6)
If you are going to do a double major why wouldn't you then do it in CS and Math ?
| xerzi wrote: |
|---|
| If you are going to do a double major why wouldn't you then do it in CS and Math ? |
This. At least at my university by the time you finish your CS degree you'll pretty much have a math degree also. But there should be a good amount of hours for electives you can take, OP. I'd go CS route, and fill those electives with any game programming classes you can.
Thanks guys, there's an open day tomorrow that I'll be attending, you've given me some ideas of stuff to think about and ask.
As for doing double major, I don't know much about the university system in America but AFAIK you can do one major and one minor? and by the sounds of it even two majors, but from what I understand I can only do one course over here (maybe you can do two part-time courses?)
I've never heard of electives.
As for doing double major, I don't know much about the university system in America but AFAIK you can do one major and one minor? and by the sounds of it even two majors, but from what I understand I can only do one course over here (maybe you can do two part-time courses?)
I've never heard of electives.
Electives being classes that you choose. For example, my program has a 12 hours of upper-level CS electives. Basically, I find 12 hours worth of upper level CS courses I want to take, and take them. But the university doesn't decide what courses those are. They just provide a list.
Wow, I can't believe I've never heard of them mentioned before, and even wikipedia is vague (more than usual), I'll be sure to ask about it, thanks.
So I only had time to hear about game technology and it sounded really, really good. I asked about maths and while there is no module specifically for it, it is taught as part of other ones, including the 2nd-year simulation module.
They showed us a part of a video of this years graduate's group project (their third year)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8wkbkJUUgY which (from the impression I got) was done without any game engines, using C++, but I may be wrong.
I asked about Graphics API's and she said it depends, but that she prefers OpenGL which I thought was awesome.
It looks like we'll have access to Unity and UDK for our first (and second?) year, with a heavy focus on C++ and C# on the odd occasion (XBOX development, etc)
The teacher that gave the demonstration (Carina McLane) seemed really approachable and knowledgeable, even having worked in the games industry, the downside is that there are only 60 (absolute maximum) positions available, which was really surprising as I always assumed there would be 100's for every course.
I asked a Year 1 CS student about electives and they said the only thing similar to that is in Year 3 where you get to pick from different modules.
Next year I'll check out CS, but Games Technology was way, way above my expectations of it.
So I only had time to hear about game technology and it sounded really, really good. I asked about maths and while there is no module specifically for it, it is taught as part of other ones, including the 2nd-year simulation module.
They showed us a part of a video of this years graduate's group project (their third year)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8wkbkJUUgY which (from the impression I got) was done without any game engines, using C++, but I may be wrong.
I asked about Graphics API's and she said it depends, but that she prefers OpenGL which I thought was awesome.
It looks like we'll have access to Unity and UDK for our first (and second?) year, with a heavy focus on C++ and C# on the odd occasion (XBOX development, etc)
The teacher that gave the demonstration (Carina McLane) seemed really approachable and knowledgeable, even having worked in the games industry, the downside is that there are only 60 (absolute maximum) positions available, which was really surprising as I always assumed there would be 100's for every course.
I asked a Year 1 CS student about electives and they said the only thing similar to that is in Year 3 where you get to pick from different modules.
Next year I'll check out CS, but Games Technology was way, way above my expectations of it.
Last edited on
Topic archived. No new replies allowed.