| SpartenOmega117 said: Computers and video games are two things i love in this world. My parents just like all parents want me to beome a doctor of some sort. That will take like 8 years!!! Can someone tell me how much video game programmers make? and how much education they need? Also is it hard? What classes should i be good at? |
At the risk of being a downer - the road to following one's dreams is littered with the burned-out husks of failures. Video game programmers require a great deal of time and effort, so if "taking 8 years!!!" sounds like a problem, then VG programming is not going to be any better for you. And yes, it's hard - there's a reason lots of young people want to 'make video games' and relatively few actually do. As with all programming, you need to be very good at math, and advanced algebra needs to be as natural to you as addition.
Just remember, your parents may encourage you to become a doctor (or take a trade, etc) but that's because there are lots of good jobs that if you focus on getting them, you'll more than likely succeed. Becoming a programmer, particularly with a focus on video games, requires some good fortune and a lot of aptitude. I dreamed of programming video games when I was young, and started learning programming when I was 12 - by the time I was 16 I realized there were more realistic routes for programming jobs - especially since I don't live in an area overflowing with video game developers. I recommend you, if you're serious about programming, try learning C#, and tinkering with the Visual Studio.Net for a while - there are lots of jobs for C# developers, and the .Net framework allows development (with the use of free kits) of games for XBLA. If you're able to do that, then you can transition into video game programming, without hamstringing your future if it turns out more challenging than you expected.
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