53 replies to this topic

[hercludes]

Unfortunately I started programming at age 12(?) but at that time I did not even own a PC, except a broken down Computer that would not work with any programming software, except Game Maker, oh the irony. Anyways, I used Game Maker to create some games that were very entertaining -- alas the data was deleted and I moved on. I brought a book about C++ and read it; at that age I didn't understand it but now that I'm older I understand it fluently. At age 14 or so I had a Computer that was able to run programming software and thus began my journey. I started with C# on Visual C#, God that was a piece of trash for me. The main problem was that I didn't understand most of programs, like functions, scopes, ect. I used Lua and C# to create text games and the first game I've ever created with user input, consisting of 1046 lines I was so immensely happy. I found something that I enjoyed, and I loved how the Computer did exactly how I told it running everything so perfectly. Well, living in my small village two other students, who are my friends, and I were taught how to program by the Tech Administrator at our School; and now I understand concepts of methods, functions, voids, optimization etcetera. During this we programmed with both Perl and Python; which is a lot better then using languages like GML. During this time I learned Game Maker Language, taking me about two days to learn most of it. Now I'm working on a game in Game Maker; a very huge game. I intend it to be amazing, especially if I want to grow up to be a great programmer. I'm in closed Alpha stages, but if you want to take a sneak peek at it feel free to shoot me a message. (I'm also looking for a graphics artist if anyone's interested ) After I'm finished with this game, which I've been working on for about 3 months (But because of summer it will be much quicker), I intend to go back to Visual C# and work on some stuff there.

The future I really want and is the only thing that matters to me in life currently is to create revolutionary video games. Not the crap we have today like Modern Warfare, but games like Ultima IV that completely shook how we know games today. Maybe I'm addicted to the idea... I'm sick of games that rip you off of your cash, games were I'm surprised a human took their time to create. With companies like Electronic Arts, Micro$oft, and countless other Publishers wrecking the gaming business for their personal benefits, I hope to create games intended for their sole purpose: entertainment.

I'm 16 years of age, I'm an AB student (occasional C's), I dedicate most of my free time to learning about Computers and Programming but I still do things other people do like hang out with friends, play sports, ect., but regardless I know computers are my future. I hope to grow up to create games in hopefully a small team of people who have the same goals in mind.

Edited by hercludes, 09 June 2012 - 03:50 AM.

[Roxas]

Too bad, I would recommend that the OP chooses computer science instead. With a game development degree, you wouldn't even get looked at. It's good to have an education, but they want to see what you can do more. With computer science, you still have the option of the game industry as well as other computer/programming related jobs.

Anyway, game development will probably be apart of my career, as I'm going to do the advice I just gave you. Many people I've talked to in the industry gave me that advice themselves recently. Schools that teach game programming and what not are rip offs and con you into spending more money then you'd pay at a community college/university.

Hopefully someday, I will be designing games. Game Maker will probably help me with this in a way.

[chance]

...the only thing that matters to me in life currently is to create revolutionary video games.
...
I dedicate most of my time to learning about Computers and Programming so my Social Life is near non-existant...

It's great that you're so dedicated, and you have career goals. But remember that creative people need "life experiences" to foster their ideas. So keep a balance and don't spend all your time on the computer. Enjoy your youth.

You'll have plenty of time later to focus exclusively on your career.

[hercludes]

...the only thing that matters to me in life currently is to create revolutionary video games.
...
I dedicate most of my time to learning about Computers and Programming so my Social Life is near non-existant...

It's great that you're so dedicated, and you have career goals. But remember that creative people need "life experiences" to foster their ideas. So keep a balance and don't spend all your time on the computer. Enjoy your youth.

You'll have plenty of time later to focus exclusively on your career.

I try as best as I can; I'm currently playing different sports and hang out with friends like anyone else. Just saying that I dedicate most of my free time to Computers.

Edited by hercludes, 09 June 2012 - 03:51 AM.

[BattleRifle BR55]

Game Maker inspired me to go to college for computer programming. This fall I'll be working with my uncle making six digits. I prefer using Game Maker to what I learned in school, on my own, and what I will be using for my career, though.

[David Batty]

I started programming at age 19, that was 30 years ago, I still love it and would never consider doing anything else (apart from teaching it) as my main interest, I am a time served mechanic and qualified teacher but I am happiest with learning new stuff on the computer.

I started on zx81, spectrum, z80 assembler, Sinclair QL, Amiga, 68000 assembler, Archimedes Z88 and then pc. I am currently learning Python and GML.

I think programming is like anything, some people will find its a hobby for them, others its an obsession, the latter will probably do it for the love of it rather than for the money.

Too many people go to school, college, university and then sometimes university a second time without knowing what subject they want to do as a job ! I have never understood this at all.

The best way to be successful in life is to do what you love doing, then its not a job, going to work is fun and mind expanding. If your obsession is programming (and you have an aptitude for it) then to be happy in life its probably a good idea to plan to be a programmer/game creator etc. early.

[filulilus]

Game development will always be one of my hobbies. Been using GM for about 9 years now I think.
I just bought GM:S with the Android mod and maybe I can squeeze some pennies out of the adds/sells but I don't think I will make a living of it.

How ever, programming in general (web pages/programs, at least designing logical systems) might be what I will do when I "grow up" (I'm 21 years old now tho... )

Edited by filulilus, 11 June 2012 - 01:11 PM.

[The Legend]

This is gonna be my career man! I love making video games and plan on going to either Michigan State University or Digipen to get the stuff I need to be apart of the game industry.

[Fireball16]

I plan to be a game developer when I get more experienced, I am also trying to learn how to improve my drawings and planning stages so I will be able to make games on my own.

[Neon00]

It'll be (hopefully) a hobby when we're talking indie games, but in general it I hopefully will own a company as well.

[AdityaKale]

...of course GM is not a program for professional programmers...

Not true! How dare you say that?
There is nothing wrong with GM (besides some bugs and such, of course), as long as you stay in 2D and you know what you are doing. GM is easy, fast and its speed is not too bad either. If you want to work on a big team though, I have to admit that you are right. Blizzard will not want you if you don't even know c++, unless you have some other talents, like drawing.

I never said that something is wrong with GM. I just said that it is not professional. C++ is way better than GM, but way harder. Someone who wants to create games uses GM. Someone who wants to create programs uses C++ (or some other languages). But someone who want to create games like World of Warcraft, League of Legends or Diablo, will use C++. Maybe in the future GM will reach C++. I use GM, because I want to create simple games and because it is easy, but in the future I plan to use C++, because I want to create games like these I mentioned before. I repeat, GM is a great tool for making games and there's not something wrong with it.

You are right but at the same time you can increase the functionality of Game Maker using dll's and extnsion packages

[RacerBG]

Im doing games for hobby. Also without profit, just for fun. I want someday to be a programmer somewhere....But making games always will be hobby for me.

[frutti]

I prefer game development as a hobby. I don't want it to be my future career, 'cause with what I should relax then? Of course creating games ain't totally relaxing (it has some very nerve-wrecking moments, like when some bug occurs that shouldn't exist).

[David Batty]

I find that programming and computers are both my job and my hobby, I make money with computers then I relax doing the same, they are not mutually exclusive.

If you have a job you love and it doesn't feel like work then that's a good measure of success.

[ChefDavid22]

I figured I’d chime in on this and make my history as quick as possible.

I’m a chef now (www.betterfromscratch.com) – but I studied IT in college. Had a rather lucrative IT job which was quite nice, then when that good ole bubble popped (before most of you were born I think) I had trouble finding work so I did coding on the side and made the decision to go to culinary school. I had always wanted to really be a chef but enjoyed coding so much I went that route.

So I did work on the side in my spare time to make extra money. I still kept development as my main hobby. I wrote many mods for Half-Life – Half-Life: Bumper Cars was the most successful one. My mods were all funny, goofy, and very much unlike what everyone else was doing which was trying to be the next Counter-Strike.

So fast forward a few years later. My son was 8 (just turned 9) and loves gaming as much as I do. He said he wanted to make games. I didn’t take him seriously because well, he was 8. One day he brought me a note pad of games he designed on paper. It blew me away how serious he was.

So I promised him I would look into how to make this happen for him but in app form. I found it difficult because I had not coded in a few years and it’s just one of those things you have to keep current and fresh to be successful with.

After months of searching I discovered GM in Feb of this year and you know the rest. So yes, all my games were in fact designed by my son so when someone says "These look like kid games!" – um yea, because they ARE.

Edited by ChefDavid22, 28 June 2012 - 12:27 PM.

[Terrified Virus]

I plan to be a game developer for the remainder of my teen years, and when I go to college. After that, I will go into something more advanced, but still having to do with programming.

[NicroGames]

I plan to be a game developer for the remainder of my teen years, and when I go to college. After that, I will go into something more advanced, but still having to do with programming.

Cool, cool, but what's more advanced than game developing? Pathfinding, collision detecting, 3d and all that is probably more advanced than anything you could make that's not a game (unless it's a space simulation for NASA of course...)

[Thagrahn]

Just this past April, I finished my classes for my Associate's level Game and Web Design Degree (Which is sadly no longer an option to try for as no colleges are providing the classes at that level now).

Since I plan to be building a career out of Game design, development and design are at the center of what I want to be doing with my life.
Currently in a holding pattern though, as I am unemployed so have no money to support myself while trying to make games as an independent developer.

[satyre]

I first found Game Maker around age 11.

I'm now 16 and have been top in my class for two years in High School in our AP Game Development and AP Computer Science classes. I have worked personally with my teacher, who has experience working for Microsoft's game industry on making a few small games and designing courses for her future classes. She has recommended to me a few colleges where I can follow my programming and game development career and I plan to head there after graduation.

I have never sat down and made a full game. I have tons of small games sitting on my desktop, mostly things I've used to teach myself about graphics, online play, sounds, etc. My next step is to sit down and make a game that I can share with the community and my friends that everybody can and could have a good time playing. I haven't quite started, I'm working on ideas now.

After I graduate college/university, I plan to get my masters degree in Computer Science and hopefully go to work for a big or small time game development company. I'm currently thinking Valve because they're local, create quality games and like to work with indies and the community. However, that's years away and I don't know what openings they will have!

[Chris_Devl]

I first found Game Maker around age 11.

I'm now 16 and have been top in my class for two years in High School in our AP Game Development and AP Computer Science classes. I have worked personally with my teacher, who has experience working for Microsoft's game industry on making a few small games and designing courses for her future classes. She has recommended to me a few colleges where I can follow my programming and game development career and I plan to head there after graduation.

I have never sat down and made a full game. I have tons of small games sitting on my desktop, mostly things I've used to teach myself about graphics, online play, sounds, etc. My next step is to sit down and make a game that I can share with the community and my friends that everybody can and could have a good time playing. I haven't quite started, I'm working on ideas now.

After I graduate college/university, I plan to get my masters degree in Computer Science and hopefully go to work for a big or small time game development company. I'm currently thinking Valve because they're local, create quality games and like to work with indies and the community. However, that's years away and I don't know what openings they will have!

You have a game development class at your high school?? That's awesome! I wish my high school had that.

I'm actually in a very similar position as you. I was top of the class in computer science, going to college soon for game programming and development, and I also haven't really made a full quality game. Just like you, I have many short projects that I've made primarily for learning purposes. Recently I too have been attempting to start a full game project. Oh and if it were up to me, I'd choose to work at Valve over any other game company. I don't live close or anything, but they're just my favorite company for making my favorite games of all time (and unlike certain other companies, I feel like the quality of their games won't be slowing down any time soon).