How did you succeed?

It's about talent and experience. Education is of secondary value.

Quote from -Stratesiz-

It's about talent and experience. Education is of secondary value.

Where I live, it feels like it's the other way around . I have tons of experience but it doesn't show on the paper...

I am going to try to get into a school about game design next year. I applied a year ago, but the examples I included of my work was a rushjob and that caused me to miss that year... but I'LL BE BACK!!!

It depends. If you wanna move overseas, degrees are pretty much a necessity for immigration. Most game companies however don't hire people based on what degree they have but on the quality of their work and their experience... hope this helps

Most of the pros here have just done that.

You can look at what companies expect from you, like DICE : http://global.dice.se/work/qualifications/

Create some quality maps for different engines, join a mod team, learn texturing and modeling. Combine that with talent, the ability to adapt to different situations, teamwork skills and you'll get a job.

I'm on a games tech course, in my third year, and would say its somewhat pointless for a level designer. Obviously games design related courses are probably more relevant, but I still think you will learn more about level design and related topics through just doing it as opposed to being taught it. In my opinion, if I had NOT come to Uni and had instead been focusing on building a portfolio, I'd probably be a far better level designer and have a better chance of being hired.

As others have said though, if you are moving between continents in particular (eg. Europe to US, or vice versa) a degree is a very useful thing to have. I'd be quite happy to drop my course and look for a job right now, but I think it would be foolish given that I'll get a degree if I stick it for another 6 months, and that will be at least of some use in future years.

I studied American Studies (History and Culture and the like) during my stay at college and I now work in game design. All through out college I took classes that worked with my major and nothing that really dealt with game design. I took Intro to C++ but that was just not cup of tea and I dropped out of that class (on the last day of class since I had skipped every class since the midterm). But after that I only studied history and really enjoyed it.

During college as well though I constantly mapped. I actually started mapping when first started college. Less than 1 year after I graduated I started in the Game Industry. Basically it doesn't matter whether you get a degree in game design or not. If you know good flow and game design by designing levels yourself, you will have learned more than what they teach you at these "colleges."

I bunked off throughout school and Uni, have left with a degree of questionable value. Still unemployed, looking at doing tech support monkey work at the moment while I continue to work on mods and stuff in my spare time in an attempt to create a portfolio so I can get into the games industry.

i go to school at SCAD for a double major. I'm majorin in both Game design and 3d Animation. I chose to do this because if game design doesn't work out I can fall back on doing animation for film. I can also apply for jobs as a character animator. Game design is more of a little challenge through college. But honestly, if you wnt to get into the industry just go and create some amazing expereiences to show an employee. They'd rather see your work than a line on your resume saying you have a degree. Infact having that line wont get you hired unless you have a portfolio.

Pointless post deleted.

Also: If it all goes wrong there's always depression to keep you company when you don't even get a response.

Ho-fucking-hum.

no real education wutsoevr

but wut stratty said, but also wut luka said

I'm double majoring in Computer Science and Physics while building up a design portfolio with multiple aspects of design (game, web, graphic, animation, etc). Figure the degrees will help me land a decent job somewhere if the portfolio doesnt.

education never hurts. it shows can learn and that you are probably more "rounded" out than people who don't have a degree. however, that is all on paper. once you meet someone for an interview, your education or lack there of is just resume fodder.

if you do go to college, for god sakes join a mod team and build your own portfolio. play games, learn the market and have a website or dvd that you can point people to with your stuff.

ultimately for an artist or design position, experience >> education

i am also going to SCAD (with zachferretford) also (going to)major in animation but im not going to do that game design thing .... maybe....not....probably not....what do i know im not in "the biz"............. ps zach smells